Synthesize three sources for an argument
Select and combine evidence from two written sources and one multimodal source to support a clear position.
Section Paper 2 · Writing
Exam scope and assessment notes
These original lessons support study of the official syllabus; they are not Cambridge materials. Practice is self-checked and does not award Cambridge marks or grades. Extended writing and analytical essays need qualified subject-teacher review. Full timed papers and examiner-marked learner responses are not provided here. Interpret language choices in context and qualify claims about audience response.
Before you begin
Work on paper. Try each question before revealing help, and explain why your method works.
Quick readiness check
A chart shows attendance and temperature rising together. What can you safely say?
What you will learn
- Read source claims and visual data accurately.
- Select and synthesise relevant information in your own words.
- Support a position and address an opposing view.
Read each source for what it contributes
Paper 2 Section A is a compulsory argumentative essay of about 450 words for a teacher. It uses three sources: two written texts of about 200–250 words each and one multimodal source such as a graph, chart, infographic or image.
Separate a source's claim from its evidence. For a chart, check its title, units, categories, time period and scale. Sources may disagree or measure different things; synthesis explains how selected ideas relate instead of copying each source in turn.
Use evidence to reason
Choose a defensible position, support it with relevant details and explain how they support the claim. Acknowledge a plausible opposing view and explain why your position remains stronger.
Paraphrase accurately and attribute ideas. A statistic supports a limited claim about the displayed data; it does not alone prove a cause or predict every future result.
Sources for this lesson
Pause and explain
What should a writer do with a plausible opposing view?
Worked example
Should a school extend library hours? A says evening study helps busy students; B warns of staffing cost; a chart shows room use falling after 6 pm.
Show the worked solution
- Use the chart's pattern without turning it into a causal explanation.
- Acknowledge the benefit and staffing concern.
- Propose a position that responds to all three sources.
Answer A school could trial one later opening each week and review attendance and staffing costs. This recognises that some students need evening access while responding to lower current late use; the chart does not prove that a later session would be empty.
Try a topic test
Choose Easy, Normal or Difficult. Save your answers and open worked review after finishing.
Test this topic →From guided practice to a new situation
Write your answer and reasoning first. Use a hint only if you are stuck. The model solution is for self-checking; your written work is not automatically marked.
Sources: A says cycle routes help some students travel independently. B notes high cost. A chart shows weekly riders rising 18, 25, 31 over three months. Give a qualified proposal.
Give me a hint
Use the increase without claiming it proves safety or future demand.
Compare my reasoning
- Describe the recorded rise.
- Combine the access benefit with the cost concern.
- Suggest an evaluation measure before permanent expansion.
The school could extend the route as a monitored trial because recorded use rose from 18 to 31 weekly riders and some students gain independence. It should compare cost and safe access during the trial before deciding on permanent expansion.
Look for these in your work
- Uses a chart detail
- Includes benefit and limitation
- Proposes evaluation
A survey says 62% of respondents want a quiet study area at lunch. Give a claim and counterargument.
Give me a hint
The survey measures respondents' views, not every student's needs or the effect of a study period.
Compare my reasoning
- State a position about access to a quiet space.
- Use the 62% accurately and explain its relevance.
- Recognise lunch also serves social needs and propose a response.
Schools should offer a voluntary quiet study area because 62% of surveyed respondents wanted a calm space. Lunch is also important for social time, so the area should be optional and its use reviewed rather than replacing shared spaces.
Look for these in your work
- Clear claim
- Uses survey within limits
- Addresses a counterpoint
A source calls a phone policy essential; another describes student frustration; a chart records fewer disruptions after a trial. Draft a synthesis sentence.
Give me a hint
Bring together evidence and opinion; qualify what the chart supports.
Compare my reasoning
- Represent the viewpoints without treating either as neutral fact.
- State what the chart records.
- Draw a measured implication rather than claiming proof.
Supporters call the policy essential while students report frustration; fewer recorded disruptions suggest a possible benefit, but the school should also review learning access and student experience before deciding whether to retain it.
Look for these in your work
- Uses multiple sources
- Distinguishes opinion from data
- Qualifies the conclusion
Common mistakes
- Copying each source without synthesis
- Misreading units or time ranges
- Treating correlation or a statistic as proof of cause
What can you explain now?
What should an argument do with source evidence?
Compare with the explanation
Use relevant details to support reasoning and recognise limits
Evidence must be interpreted accurately and connected to a claim.
After trying it yourself, choose your next review. This is your self-assessment.
Your review choice appears on Today. Sign in to sync it across devices.
Make it stick
When using a statistic, what should you check before connecting it to a claim?
If you needed the solution, close it and solve the problem again from a blank page. A correct answer is stronger when you can explain the reason for each step.