Synthesis Example

AP English Language and Composition
Reading Time: 15 minutes
Suggested Writing Time: 40 minutes

Television has kept the world entertained for decades. Although this holds true, some believe the children watching are susceptible to inappropriate programs on television. Although there are guidelines to follow for television programming, these guidelines are sometimes ignored.

Carefully read the following six sources, including the introductory information for each source. Then synthesize information from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-developed essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies the claim that television ratings should be stricter Or that develops a position on the most important considerations parents face when developing appropriate programming for children to view.

Make sure that your argument is central; use the sources to illustrate and support your reasoning. Avoid merely summarizing the sources. Indicate clearly which sources you are drawing from, whether through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. You may cite the sources as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the descriptions in parentheses.

Source A (Hall)
Source B (Kasch)
Source C (Genechten)
Source D (Schneider)
Source E (Myers)
Source F (Image)

Source A
Hall, Jane. "Legislators want stricter TV ratings." Sun Sentinel. Los Angeles Times, February 26, 1997. Web. 3 May 2012. .

The following is an article that appeared in the Los Angeles Times.

NEW YORK - — Dissatisfied with the television industry's age-based ratings system, several members of Congress intend to introduce legislation that would force the TV networks to provide content-based TV ratings.

Sen. Ernest Hollings, D-S.C., plans to introduce a new "safe harbor" bill in the Senate today that would require theTV industry - which includes the major networks, cable stations and syndicators of programs - to either label shows for violence or move them to "safe harbor" hours when children are less likely to be watching.
In the House today, conservative Rep. Tom Coburn, R-Okla., will team with liberal Rep. Ed Markey, D-Mass., one of the leading critics of the industry's ratings system, to introduce Hollings' "safe harbor" bill.

Rep. Joseph Kennedy, D-Mass., plans to introduce a bill on Thursday that would establish a toll-free telephone number at the Federal Communications Commission to track parents' concerns about the TV industry's system.

Other members of Congress are considering introducing legislation that would mandate content-based TV ratings, sources said.

This burst of legislative activity comes as the TV industry is preparing to face a barrage of criticism at a Thursday hearing on the ratings system held by the Senate Commerce Committee. Eight members of Congress, including Republican and Democratic senators and representatives, plan to testify against the networks' system, while only one, Rep. Sonny Bono, R-Calif., plans to speak in support of the industry's guidelines

Source B
Kasch, Amy. "The Implications of Media Ratings on Psychological Development." Diss. Web. .

The following is a paper written by a student in college researching psychological development.

Television programs are rated using the TV Parental Guidelines, which are reviewed by the TV Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board for consistency and accuracy (“About the TV
Ratings and V-Chip,” 2007). Television ratings are similar to those used for movies and video games, in that there are a series of ratings, increasing in what age they are appropriate for. A practical way for parents to utilize the TV rating system is through the V-chip, which automatically comes in newer televisions (“About the TV Ratings,” 2007). This chip reads the ratings of programs and allows parents to choose which ratings they want blocked, ensuring that their children will not see shows with those ratings (“About the TV Ratings,” 2007). The TV Parental Guidelines are as follows:

Y (All Children): Programs with this rating can be watched by children ages 2-6 and should contain appropriate action, language and themes (“Understanding the TV Ratings,” 2007).
Y7 (Directed to Older Children): Children who watch programs with this rating should be 7 or older. These programs may have comical violence, and children should know the difference between what is real and what is make believe to watch such a program (“Understanding the TV Ratings,” 2007).
Y7-FV (Directed to Older Children – Fantasy Violence): These programs may contain more serious violence than regular Y7 programs (“Understanding the TV Ratings,” 2007).
G (General Audience): These programs are typically okay for all children to watch without their parents (“Understanding the TV Ratings,” 2007).
PG (Parental Guidance Suggested): Parents may not want younger children watching the material in these programs. They may contain violence, sexual scenes or inappropriate language (“Understanding the TV Ratings,” 2007).
14 (Parents Strongly Cautioned): Most parents would not want their children under 14 to see these programs. They contain mildly explicit material (“Understanding the TV Ratings,” 2007).
MA (Mature Audience Only): These programs contain explicit material that is only appropriate for adult audiences (“Understanding the TV Ratings,” 2007).

Source C
Von Genechten, Rachel. "Trusting TV Ratings-Not Such a Good Idea." Focus on the Family. N.p., 2011. Web. 3 May 2012.