AP LANGUAGE SEMINAR INFORMATION By Katherine Hernandez and Luis Duran

MULTIPLE CHOICE

You have an hour to complete this section.

Guessing will not lose you points. If you are clueless, please guess. It might be the difference between a “ passing score” and a “failing one.”

The Ap exam is and EVALUATION of how well you can write and read at a college level NOT necessarily a pass or fail exam. If you get below a 3 all it means is you aren’t at the college level yet.

Read the passage actively and the questions as if though you yourself are writing them. If you were writing this question what would your response be? Now, go look for a response that matches your answer the best.

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY

NOT EVIDENCE BASED BUT IDEA DRIVEN.

YOU MUST PROVIDE AND IDEA AND SUPPORT IT WITH EVIDENCE. You have to take it a step forward and realize that THIS IS YOUR RESPONSE AND YOUR WAY OF THINKING BACKED UP BY EVIDENCE. Be prideful. Try to show off your intelligence and ideas and that you are capable of thought.

The IDEAS are like a THEME. Every novel and or passage you’ve read has a Main idea and a Theme. The theme is what you’re trying to get at while, the main idea is what you’re writing about.

FOR EXAMPLE, YOU MIGHT BE WRTING ABOUT DOUBT AND CERTAINTY BUT WHAT YOU’RE TRYING TO GET AS IS: THAT WITHOUT ONE THE OTHER IS NOT ENTIRELY POSSIBLE OR THAT CERTAINTY LEADS TO VOILENCE WHILE DOUBT IS THE DOOR TO PROGRESSION.

IDEAS

• So what’s and IDEA?

IT’S THE WHY OF THE BECAUSE. IT IS THE REPONSE TO THE PROMPT.

ANSWER THE PROMPT MUTIPLE TIMES MEANING HAVE MUTIPLE IDEAS BACKED UP BY EVIDENCE

IDEAS CONTINUED…

• State your idea MUTIPLE IDEAS.

• Do not “vomit” evidence on the paper

• HAVE A CONVERSATION INTERNALLY WITH READER BECAUSE THAT’S WHAT THEY LOVE. YOUR IDEAS ARE THE FOUNDATIN OF THIS CONVERSATION AND YOUR IDEAS HAVE TO BE RELATED NOT ONLY TO YOUR TOPIC BUT TIED INTO WITH YOU EVICENCE

OREO-STRUCTURE

1. Idea

2. Evidence + Connection to Position

3. Evidence + Connection to Position

4. Evidence + Connection to Position

5. Idea

ESSAY STRUCTURE

• This is not creative writing YOU WILL OBEY THE STRUCTURE

• Introduction ( 10 minutes including 5 for planning)• 2-3 body paragraphs (20 minutes)

• Notice how you can use 2 paragraphs. They aren’t looking for length. They want dense and concise writing. CONTROL!

• Conclusion (10 minutes )• VERY IMPORTANT. This is what the reader remembers most and therefore you

have to make an impression you got to get your idea across. So take your time. Here is where you demonstrate that you have provided an intelligent answer to the prompt.

• INCLUDE AN ATO ( ADREES TO THE OPPSOITION) IF YOU DON’T ITS NOT AN ARGUMENT!!

EVIDENCE AND IDEA STRUCTURE

• Well reasoned statement with proper nouns For example, not a city but MiamiEvidence + Verb/Adjective + Idea

Current events X,Y and Z suggests/displays/ constructs/ the idea that…..Historical events such as …. Support or develop the idea……X novel demonstrates or bears witness, to the idea that………

EVIDENCE AND IDEA STRUCTURE

• Tragic Historical Events such as the Civil War, World War One, and the Holocaust bear witness to how excessive certainty in ones beliefs is the door to violence and destruction. (Kathy)

• Where do we go from here?

You add more ideas. You debate. You use layered figurative language to add to your writing. Luis provided the following metaphor when asked to expand on a different prompt: “ Creativity is the inflatable life saver that keeps you afloat in the harmful ocean of disillusion named life” Sentence structure like the one above and figurative language as demonstrated will help you create strong supporting paragraphs.

EVIDENCE

• What are good sources of evidence:Literature HisortyFilmsCurrent events (50 years)Personal experience ( IF YOU HAVE NOTHING ELSE 2 SENTENCES MAX)

• Popular Big Ideas Truth hurtsLost of innocencePain has gainsCall to change

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY REVIEW

Complexity is the key to every paragraph.

Use layered adjectives

Add Vivid Verbs Use layered

figurative language

Present intellectual ideas

CONCLUSIONS

• Conclusions are extremely important • It is the last thing the reader will take from your paper• It can take your paper from a five to a six

RHETORICAL ESSAY

• Read the prompt carefully because here’s where you’re going to be told not only what your task is but also background information that might be useful.

• In the following letter, Abagail Adams (1744-1818) writes to her son John Quincy Adams, who is traveling abroad with his father, John Adams, A United States diplomat and later the country’s second president. Read the letter carefully. Then, in a well-developed essay, analyze the rhetorical strategies Adams uses to advise her son. Support your analysis with specific references to the text.

• You’ve been given the Speaker and the occasion and what the author is tying to do (advise her son.) You’ve also been provided with information that will help you understand what Abigail's purpose is. This is all very useful in your essay and is why you should read the instructions. YOU’VE ALSO BEEN TOLD WHAT THEY WANT FROM YOU SO GO AND DELIVER JUST THAT.

WHEN YOU READ

• When you read the passage you have to look for four main things!

• Voice • Tone• Theme ( What is the big message)• Goal ( What does the author want)

• Now that you have identified the four aspects that you need make sure to include them in your essay along with other devices that help the author do what ever it is they’re doing.

OTHER DEVICES

• Imagery• Layering of figurative language

• Layering of Evidence• As teenagers we do this all the time and this is one of the main things they want

us to point out in passages. AUTHORS LAYER EVIENCE.

• Contrast • Mention this if its displayed they will love you for it.

• Comparison • Again if its there mention it.

• Appeals to specific and universal human emotions ( Empathy, Love, Guilt)• THE HUMAN RACE HAS SO MANY EMOTIONS THAT MAKE US PUPPETS AND

AUTHORS KNOW THIS.

RHETORICAL ESSAY REVIEW

• Don’t just identify ( The author uses harsh diction in line 28) but explain how the use of harsh diction contributes to the authors purpose.

IDENTIFICATIN WILL GIVE YOU A ZERO.

• The sentence structure for this essay is exactly that of an argumentative

Through the use of empathic language – hope, recall, mercifully, and blessing from heaven – Benjamin Banneker appeals to Jefferson’s better angels in order to inspire him to be the savior of Banneker’s people. ( Kathy)

• LOVE ME A DASH IF YOU CAN INLCUDE TEXTUAL EVIENCE DO IT.

SYNTHESIS

• This essay is an argument it, but the work has already been done for you. You have your evidence now all you have to do is use it skillfully to complete your TASK.

THE TASK IS IN THE PROPT READ IT!!SERIOUSLY WHEN THEY SAY DON’T JUST SUMMARIZE THE SOURCES. THEY

MEAN IT!!!!! YOU WILL FAIL IF YOU DO NOT FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS.

• Have an opinion about what they’re asking so that when you read the sources you know what you can use to support your cause. If you change opinion GOOD FOR YOU BECAUSE NOW YOU HAVE THE ATO DOWN PACKED.

WHAT NOT TO DO

• DON’T USE SYTAX FOR ANALYSIS BECAUSE HONESTLY THEY ALL SERIOULSY BELIEVE THAT WE SUCK AT IT.

• KNOW YOURSELF. DO WHAT YOU KNOW BEST FRIST. IF ITS ARGUMETNATIVE THAN GO FOR THAT FIRST IF IT ISNT THAN THAT’S OKAY, BUT BE SMART WITH YOUR TIME. WRITE ABOUT WHAT YOU’RE GOOD AT ( IF ITS DICITON OR IMAGERY OR WHATEVER UTILZES IT TO YOU ADVANTAGE)

• AVIOD PERSONAL EXPERINCE. SERIOUSLY THIS IS COLLEGE WRITING NOT A JOURNAL

• SARCASM IS A NO!!! YOUR READERS ARE INTELLGENT, SOFISTICATED, AND ADVANCED PEOPLE. YOU MIGHT OFFEND THEM AND THAT’S NOT A SMART IDEA.