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The SAT Reading Test: Synthesis
Details about Synthesis in the Reading Test.
What is synthesis?
One of the question types you'll see on the SAT Reading Test is called synthesis: these questions ask you to draw conclusions and make connections between 2 related passages or between passages and informational graphics.
A note on the images in this article: all Reading Test items will be associated with a passage, but the passages are not included here. Each question pictured is just one example of how items in that category can look.
Sub-topics within synthesis:
Analyzing multiple texts.
Questions will ask you to synthesize information from paired texts.
Analyzing quantitative information.
Questions will ask you to analyze information from graphs, charts, tables, and other graphics in relation to the text.
You will not need to know the names of these question types for the test, but this list gives you an idea of some of the types of items you will encounter.
Are you ready to practice your synthesis skills? Start here!
Attributions
This article was adapted from the following sources:
“Test Specifications for the Redesigned SAT” from The College Board.
“SAT Practice Tests” from The College Board.
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I want a strategy to follow in order to solve reading Passages.(4 votes)
First skim through the questions . Then start reading the passage . You will then know what you are looking for .(8 votes)
Any ideas for pacing yourself on this part? I find that I make more mistakes as I get more and more tired; not because I don't understand the question, but because I can't process it anymore by the last paragraph.(2 votes)
Hi Philiana, I think the answer may just be practicing the Reading test a whole lot until you have the energy to make it through the whole section. To help with this, consider checking out other reading sources like Scientific American (free to read online), newspapers, and other journal articles and books. Hopefully more practice and familiarity with the types of passages that show up on the Reading test will help you stay focused.(16 votes)
So my brother keeps on emphasizing that I should memorize a lot of vocabulary for the SAT and his wife said I should too. I don't really get why we need to memorize vocab....? Is it helpful or like is it a major part of SAT?(1 vote)
Nope. The New SAT is redesigned so blatant memorization of vocab is not needed anymore. The Old SAT required one to memorize a list of words.(11 votes)
- how do i read the passage effectively and understand and tackle all the very well. I kind of keep long in reading and mostly do not get the passages.(3 votes)
If you have a hard time understanding then you should expand your vocabulary and such by reading the types of text that appears on the SAT. Read stuff that relates to science or history. News articles are also helpful.(4 votes)
- How do I identify key points? How do I know what to underline?(2 votes)
I often highlight triggering ideas (which lead to other events throughout the passage) and interesting ideas as well :)(1 vote)
- Is there a way to make connections between paragraphs? Does it also count for pictures?(1 vote)
Hello Finch.
It really does.
First, go through the both paragraphs and take out the point of view and connect them.
Secondly, taking about the pictures. There are no pictures in the passage rather than graphs or pie-chart.
Answer is yes, graphs does count for making connection between two paragraphs, in fact, graphs or pie-chart are the table form of representing the point of passage or paragraphs.
Hope this will help you.(1 vote)
what the body funtion where is compond animal and human where what give human like food y otras cosas que reglas el cuerpo que componen de dna y chrmosoma parar fonctionar(1 vote)- Over the past few months I have been facing a lot of issues in the reading section.I have been trying hard but I still get a score in the 1200 range.The reading score significantly brings down my score.Please suggest as to how I should approach this problem.(1 vote)
Best word of advice for questions like these?(1 vote)
Well, when I answer these kinds of questions, I try to find evidence from both passages to support my answer. And if the question is about a graph, I look at the graph at the exact words mentioned in the question.
I don't know if this is the best way, but from my experience, I think it usually works, as long as I pay enough attention.(1 vote)
- How long is the sat I would love to know?(1 vote)