Essay Tips

AP English Language & Composition What The Princeton Review Says:

What the essay section looks like 3

essays  120 minutes total  15 minutes for reading essay prompts prior to response  (AVG = 40 minutes per essay)  You may manage your time however you like.

What the essay section (typically) looks like:  One

analytical essay  One argumentative essay  One synthesis essay

How to Make it Easy for the Reader to Give You a High Score  Neatness

counts ! ! !  ALWAYS Indent – clearly  Write perfectly…for the first two sentences.  Write with pizzazz – take the occasional compositional risk

How to Make it Easy for the Reader to Give You a High Score Answer the question - completely  Budget your time to make sure you write 3 complete essays!  Ordering the section (Answer essays in any order 

– just be sure you are very clear about which prompt you’re responding to)

Make sure the body paragraphs follow the order you set forth in the intro.  Use the five-paragraph format—if you 

Presentation Make it look neat.  Don’t try to write like somebody else.  Make your indentions easy to spot.  Your first two sentences should be grammatically perfect.  Always write in the PRESENT TENSE! (Remember, Art & Literature are timeless – you will always use the present tense!) 

Presentation  Vary

your diction and sentence structure.  Don’t use contractions & avoid shorthand.  Write what they want to hear, not what you want to say.

Presentation  If

the first prompt confuses you, move on to another one. If possible, though, do them in order.  Jot down a plan of attack; but don’t write an outline.

The Analytical Essay  Asks

you to read a passage and answer a question about its rhetoric and style  Remember – everything ever written is completely deliberate and the Author is always striving to achieve a particular reaction in his/her audience.

The Analytical Essay 

Example: “The passage below is extracted from Booker T. Washington’s most famous speech, known as ‘The Atlanta Compromise Address.’ Washington presented the address to the Cotton States and International Exposition in 1895. Read the entire passage carefully. Then write an essay analyzing the rhetorical strategies that Washington uses to convey his point of view.”

The Analytical Essay Read the prompt once and underline the key terms of what you are being asked to do.  “Then write an essay analyzing the rhetorical strategies that Washington uses to convey his point of view.” 

The Analytical Essay 

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Read the prompt again, looking for clues and useful information that will help you understand the context of the passage. “The passage below is extracted from Booker T. Washington’s most famous speech, known as ‘The Atlanta Compromise Address.’ Washington presented the address to the Cotton States and International Exposition in 1895.”

The Argumentative Essay Asks you to read a passage and then “refute, support, or qualify” the author’s idea.  You are asked to identify the author’s argument correctly and then write your own argument. 

The Argumentative Essay Refute=argue against  Support=agree with the passage  Qualify=to agree with part of the passage or to agree in some cases. “Yes, but…”  Your evidence comes from literary, historical, and/or personal experience.  You may use personal experience, but this IS NOT a personal essay. 

The Argumentative Essay 

Example: “Read and think carefully about the following quotations, taken from Utilitarianism, by John Stuart Mill. Then write an essay in which you refute, support, or qualify the author’s claim. Make sure to use appropriate evidence from literary, historical, or personal sources to develop your argument.”

The Argumentative Essay 

“Remember that no reader knows or cares what you really think about an issue. This is an AP test, not a testimonial. You’ll want to take the stand that’s easiest for you to defend at that particular moment, based on the ideas that come to you.”

The Synthesis Essay Basically asks you to write a short research paper on the spot.  Provides you with several different types of sources—all on a given topic.  Asks you to write an argumentative essay that uses the sources for evidence.  Wants to see that you can use outside sources and document outside sources. 

AP English Language & Composition

What the Cliffs Notes: AP English Language and Composition review guide says:

What to Expect: 

You will be given 2 hours & 15 minutes (the extra 15 minutes is for reading the Synthesis Essay Prompt)

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Suggested time allotted for each essay: 40 minutes (includes writing & planning)

Types of Essay Prompts that you can expect:  One

analytical essay

 One

argumentative essay

 One

synthesis essay

SYNTHESIS ESSAY: 

You will be given 6 or 7 supplemental sources (approximately 200 – 350 words in length)

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You must present an argument that “synthesizes” at least half of the provided sources to support your position on an issue

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YOU MUST USE CAUTION TO AVOID MERELY SUMMARIZING THE INFORMATION FROM THE OTHER SOURCES!!!

CAUTION: Synthesis Prompt You must create your own position on the provided issue  You must use the sources to enhance your opinion (as a contrast or a compliment to what you have asserted as your position) 

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Imagine that you are joining a conversation with the other sources – acknowledge what they have to offer and then reiterate your own opinions!

ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAY:  

You will get a single passage or quotation you must develop an argument based upon the issue/question that is raised in/from the prompt (Ex: “Based upon the philosophy of ______, it is the civic responsibility of every citizen to donate any and all of their nonessential income to non-profit organizations that benefit those in need”)

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You will support your position with the content of the prompt and passage (or quotation) and your own general knowledge

CAUTION: Argumentative Essay DO NOT USE 1st / 2nd person  Avoid making generalizations that are too vague to follow  Be sure that your position is CLEARLY stated – and that your “evidence” is supportive of the position that you are trying to defend 

ANALYSIS ESSAY 

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You will be given one passage to analyze closely You will focus on the Author’s Purpose Remember: Everything the author does – in every written work – is purposeful and strategic You will be able to “prove” the author’s intent THROUGH the stylistic choices they make

CAUTION: Analysis Essay   

AVOID PLOT SUMMARY!!! Avoid being vague Avoid a mere “surface analysis”

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Achieve an in-depth analysis by going beyond style alone & explore the author’s ideas & intentions in greater depth!!! Give the reader the impression that you are a detailed writer by using cues from the essay prompt to enhance your description of the passage!

STRATEGIES FROM THE COLLEGE BOARD

COLLEGE BOARD TIP #1: 

Group by theme/meaning NOT technique or chronological order to add instant sophistication to your writing:

Whenever you are discussing the author’s rhetorical style or techniques – try to organize your essay by the MEANING – or THEME – rather than the technique. Always consider the EMOTIONAL IMPACT of the words on the READER!

Example of College Board Technique: For instance, rather than say: The author uses several metaphors throughout the passage. (…And then giving their various meanings individually) Try saying: The author ensures that the reader will fully register the emotional impact of her desperate situation through the strategic use of a metaphor and personification in the third paragraph. In the metaphor provided by the author on line 22, the comparison of ______ and ______ intentionally evokes a feeling of impending doom. This line is meant to bring the reader to the same inconsolable conclusion that she fears could happen in the near future.

COLLEGE BOARD TIP #2: 1st: Underline the question from the essay prompt  2nd: STOP – and consider what rhetorical devices the author could use to convey her feelings  3rd: REWORD as a declarative sentence EXAMPLE: What is Ellen Goodman’s attitude toward Phil? CHANGE INTO: Ellen Goodman conveys her feeling of ______ towards Phil through her strategic application of ______, ______, and ______. 

COLLEGE BOARD TIP #3:  In

the body paragraphs of your essay – FIRST discuss the meaning the author wants you to get from the words (i.e. symbolism, emotion, theme, etc.)  THEN discuss the language he/she uses to reinforce the meaning you have just extracted!

COLLEGE BOARD TIP #4: 

Taking the time to do a close reading of the background information and prompt directions is AS important (if not more) than reading the passage itself!!!

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You can always find clues about how to answer the prompt in the background information they give you!!! ALSO – using key words/phrases from the prompt instantly shows the essay grader that you are a thorough reader!!!

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COLLEGE BOARD TIP #5:  2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

FOR THE ARGUMENTATIVE ESSAYS: See if the argument is “sound” (does it make sense logically?) Does it have all of the components of an argument? Is it effective? (how/why?) Be able to EXPLAIN WHY something is either strong or weak PICK IT APART FROM THE WEAKNESSES Does it follow a logical progression? Does it provide enough evidence for the position presented?

For More Information Hartzel, Richard. Cracking the AP English Language and Composition Exam. 2008 Edition. New York: Random House, 2008.  Swovelin, Barbara. Cliffs AP: English Language and Composition. 3rd Ed. Wiley Publishing, 2008.  Baron’s, Kaplan, and others also make excellent study guides. 