The Apple Rep said I had to back up my phone...is syncing it the same as backing it up? If not she did not send me the correct article.

I'm having problems with my music coming on in the middle of the night. It is charging on my clock radio. So I called an Apple Representative. She told me to back up my phone. She said she would send me directions how to do it. She sent me how to sink my phone on my computer. Are backing up and syncing the same thing?