Question 164·Medium·Rhetorical Synthesis
While researching a topic, a student has compiled the following notes:
- Community gardens transform vacant lots into productive green spaces.
- In 2018, Detroit had over 1,500 community gardens that produced more than 300 tons of fruits and vegetables.
- Residents report feeling safer walking near cultivated gardens than near empty lots.
- A study in Philadelphia found that blocks with new community gardens experienced a 29% drop in nearby violent crime.
- Gardening workshops in Chicago increased neighbor-to-neighbor interactions by 40%.
The student wants to explain how establishing community gardens can improve neighborhood safety and social cohesion. Which choice most effectively uses relevant information from the notes to accomplish this goal?
For rhetorical synthesis questions, restate the goal in your own words and underline each required idea (here: “safety” and “social cohesion”). Label the notes by category, then eliminate any option that doesn’t clearly cover all required categories. Finally, choose the sentence that combines the most directly relevant notes into one clear statement without drifting to unrelated details.
Hints
Focus on the task words
Underline the key parts of the goal: the sentence has to explain how community gardens affect neighborhood safety and social cohesion. Which notes relate to each of those ideas?
Use multiple relevant notes
Look for an answer that uses more than one note and covers both of the target ideas from the question, not just one benefit of gardens.
Pick the strongest evidence
Prefer notes that show measurable outcomes (like crime changes and neighbor interactions) over general background details (like how much food is grown).
Step-by-step Explanation
Identify the exact goal
The student wants to explain how establishing community gardens can improve neighborhood safety and social cohesion.
So the best choice must clearly address both ideas, not just one.
Match notes to each requirement
From the notes:
- Safety: Philadelphia blocks with new community gardens saw a 29% drop in nearby violent crime; residents also report feeling safer near cultivated gardens.
- Social cohesion: Chicago gardening workshops increased neighbor-to-neighbor interactions by 40%.
A strong synthesis sentence will typically pair one safety note with the social-cohesion note.
Eliminate choices that miss part of the goal
- Choice 1: Mentions food production and feeling safer, but does not address social cohesion.
- Choice 2: Gives two pieces about safety (crime drop and feeling safer) but does not address social cohesion.
- Choice 3: Focuses on neighbors interacting more, but does not provide safety evidence (crime/safety outcomes).
Choose the option that uses the most relevant notes for both outcomes
The only choice that supports both safety and social cohesion with specific evidence from the notes is:
Community gardens can improve neighborhood safety and social cohesion, as shown by a 29% drop in violent crime near new gardens in Philadelphia and a 40% rise in neighbor interactions from workshops in Chicago.