1. AP Final Exam: 3 Free Response Questions
You will have 2 hours to complete 3 essays: Synthesis, Rhetorical Analysis and Argument.
How these will be graded:
Your rhetorical analysis essay (the one we have spent the most amount of time on this semester) will be graded numerically and will be worth 50 pts towards your 1st semester grade. Completion points for the 3 essays will also be given.
How to Review:
Rhetorical Analysis notes on teacherweb and in journals; Arch method
Rhetorical Analysis Essay Review Sheet: Sample essay review sheet
Sample essays and prompts in Cliff’s or on Collegeboard.com
One essay will be chosen between the argument and the synthesis to count as your diagnostic essay for 2nd semester. It is therefore imperative that you complete all essays in the time frame allowed, to the best of your abilities. For the argument essay, you will need to include at least one CD example from The Scarlet Letter
Synthesis and Argument Class Notes
CW/HW assignments completed in class regarding the prompts
Sample essays and prompts in Cliffs or on Collegeboard.com
What to Bring on Final Day: Semester 1 vocabulary H/O to turn in, at least 6 pieces of Blank paper and a pen for your final as well as your eager and positive attitudes!

2. Overview of AP Exam
In Section I, students are given one hour to answer approximately 55 multiple-choice questions.
The multiple-choice questions test how well students are able to analyze the rhetoric of prose passages.
In Section II, following a fifteen-minute reading period, students must answer three free-response questions within two hours
Through the free-response questions students demonstrate their composition skills by writing essays in response to a variety of tasks that call for rhetorical analysis, synthesis of information sources, and argument.

3. Free Response AP Test Section Overview
Question #1: Synthesis: This type of essay presents seven passages on the same subject; one of these documents will likely be a visual one (such as a chart, photograph, or political cartoon). You need to read all the documents carefully and then using at least 3 sources, synthesize the various authors points, while intelligently discussing their validity. Therefore, this essay is like the argument essay; it just asks you to incorporate more sources. Your purpose is to present an intelligent and thoughtful discussion and point of view on the subject. ***Remember to monitor your time with the reading of the passages, adopt a tentative position or read through the material to help postulate a stance based on your familiarity with the issue. Underline quotations as you read to more quickly infuse them later when beginning your essay. Question #2: Rhetorical Analysis: This essay presents a passage and asks you to analyze the rhetorical and literary strategies the author uses to create effect or meaning. Accurately identify the devices the author uses and evaluate how these devices create meaning. Be sure that you understand the effect and author’s meaning before you begin. Uncertainty results in muddled ideas. Refer to the passage liberally, incorporating quotations into your own ideas. **Remember the Arch Method as a means of organizing your ideas and adhering to the prompt. Question #3: Argument: This essay presents one passage; read it carefully and formulate an essay discussing the extent to which you agree or disagree with the prompt. Like the synthesis essay, you will be well served if you intelligently address the counterpoint of the issue and persuasively explore evidence from the passage. **Remember Quality of evidence!! Reading, Observations, Experience….

4. The AP “Numbers” Side by Side
ESSAY SCORING GUIDE
TOTAL EXAM SCORES
9 = “enhanced” 8
5 = extremely well qualified
8 = effective
4 = well qualified
7 = “enhanced” 6
3 = qualified
6 = adequate
2 = possibly qualified
5 = uneven, superficial
1 = no recommendation
4 = inadequate
3 = lesser 4
2 = little success
1 = lesser 2

5. AP Multiple Choice
Questions are randomly easy, medium, or difficult, and generally move chronologically through the passage
Guessing: There is not penalty for guessing, but always narrow your choices before guessing
Level of Difficulty: The level of difficulty in AP MC often comes not from the type of question, but rather the difficulty of the text

6. AP Multiple Choice
Performance on the free-response section of the exam counts for 55% of the total score
Performance on the multiple-choice section counts for 45%
AP exam tests students intellectual stamina and endurance
Multiple Choice Hints:
Read actively—get that pencil moving.
Right answers are worth one point. Both wrong answers and blanks are worth zero points.
Number of Passages: usually 4 but sometimes 5. Students must figure out how much time to spend on each.

7. Bracketing the Passage
Go directly to the first question. Glance at the question to see if it refers you to particular lines. If so, put a bracket and the question number to the right or left of the lines. Make your bracket a little larger than the lines mentioned. Do not read the answer choices at this time.
Continue bracketing the passage in this manner. The task should not take more than 60 seconds.

8. Bracketing the Passage
3. Begin reading the passage at the top. When you get to the bottom of the first bracket, stop and answer the question. As you eliminate wrong choices and narrow toward the right answer, scrutinize each choice by trying to find fault with it. Don’t let what sounds possible but was never mentioned in the passage trick you. Look back and forth between the lines you marked in the passage and the answer choices to see what is actually there.

9. Bracketing the Passage
Mark your test paper to keep your focus:
Put a line through an individual word that invalidates the choice.
Put a dot to the side of any answer that you cannot find fault with
Put an X next to any answer that is patently wrong.

10. Bracketing the Passage
4. Once you evaluated each choice, you have probably narrowed to two possible right answers. Now look at the lines you bracketed. Pick the one for which you find confirmation in the passage. You will know you have selected the right choice when you can find evidence in the passage to back it up. Though you are sometimes working with implied rather than stated meaning, there will always be some sort of evidence supporting the correct choice.

11. AP Exam: Free Response Questions
What are we supposed to write about?????

12. Language and Composition AP Exam
AP Exam, including Multiple Choice excerpts and Free Response excerpts is entirely made up of Non-Fiction texts.

13. Free Response Scoring Guide
9 “enhanced” 8
8 effective
7 “enhanced” 6
6 adequate
5 uneven, superficial, etc.
4 inadequate
3 lesser 4
2 little success
1 lesser 2

14. Exam Scores 5 = extremely well qualified 4 = well qualified
2 = possibly qualified
1 = no recommendation

15. AP Exam: Free Response Questions
Synthesis

16. Question #1 (Synthesis)
Read the sample prompt that you have on your desk and answer the following questions in your journal:
What is the locavore movement?
What is the prompt asking you to write about regarding the locavore movement?
What is the minimum amount of sources you are being asked to use for an essay like this?

17. Free Response AP Test Section Overview
Question #1: Synthesis: This type of essay presents seven passages on the same subject; one of these documents will likely be a visual one (such as a chart, photograph, or political cartoon). You need to read all the documents carefully and then using at least 3 sources, synthesize the various authors points, while intelligently discussing their validity. Therefore, this essay is like the argument essay; it just asks you to incorporate more sources. Your purpose is to present an intelligent and thoughtful discussion and point of view on the subject. ***Remember to monitor your time with the reading of the passages, adopt a tentative position or read through the material to help postulate a stance based on your familiarity with the issue. Underline quotations as you read to more quickly infuse them later when beginning your essay. Question #2: Rhetorical Analysis: This essay presents a passage and asks you to analyze the rhetorical and literary strategies the author uses to create effect or meaning. Accurately identify the devices the author uses and evaluate how these devices create meaning. Be sure that you understand the effect and author’s meaning before you begin. Uncertainty results in muddled ideas. Refer to the passage liberally, incorporating quotations into your own ideas. **Remember the Arch Method as a means of organizing your ideas and adhering to the prompt. Question #3: Argument: This essay presents one passage; read it carefully and formulate an essay discussing the extent to which you agree or disagree with the prompt. Like the synthesis essay, you will be well served if you intelligently address the counterpoint of the issue and persuasively explore evidence from the passage. **Remember Quality of evidence!! Reading, Observations, Experience….

18. Free Response AP Test Section Overview
Question #1: Synthesis: This type of essay presents seven passages on the same subject; one of these documents will likely be a visual one (such as a chart, photograph, or political cartoon). You need to read all the documents carefully and then using at least 3 sources, synthesize the various authors points, while intelligently discussing their validity. Therefore, this essay is similar to the argument essay; it just asks you to integrate specific sources. Your purpose is to present an intelligent and thoughtful discussion and point of view on the subject. ***Monitor your time with the reading of the passages. Underline quotations as you read to more quickly infuse them later when beginning your essay.

19. Question #1 (Synthesis)
Method #1 If you are already familiar with the subject of the prompt, you might begin this way:
Adopt a tentative position
Read to verify/modify position
Write

20. Question #1 (Synthesis)
Method #2
Read the sources to explore (key issues)
Adopt/develop a position
Write

21. Question #1 (Synthesis)
AP Synthesis Citations:
Direct Citation:
When Rostein reports that school administrator think “electronic materials will get student more engaged,” he does not seem to question whether or not these administrators are, in fact, correct (Source A).
Use names and Source
Paraphrase or reference to a source:
As Delany reminds us, technologies can provide teachers with new ways to interact with their pupils (Source B).
You have to use 3 sources or more.
If you only use 2 sources your scoring ceiling is capped at a score of a 4.

22. Rules for incorporating numbers
Write out numbers one through nine, use numerals for 10 and above.
Write out a number if it is the first word in a sentence.
Do not use the % sign. Write out the word percent.

23. Question #1 (Synthesis)
Read the source information in the box…notice dates to add to analysis of argument.

24. Locavore Movement Synthesis Sources
 Read your source within your group, then discuss and answer the following questions in your journal:
What position does your source seem to lend itself as support of?
What quotes/information/images could you use to support that position based off of your source? Would you paraphrase or use direct quotes? Discuss and write down.
Be ready to share your source info with the class!

25. Locavore Movement Synthesis Sources
 Source A:

26. AP Exam: Free Response Questions
Prose Analysis

27. Question #2 (Prose Analysis)
Free Response Questions account for 55% of your total AP score
Q2: The Prose Analysis Question is considered to be the hardest of the three free response essay’s.
You will be given a prose passage and asked (in various ways) to analyze the rhetorical strategies used…this can include tone, diction, syntax, parallelism, antithesis, rhetorical questions, etc.

28. Prose/Rhetorical Analysis
Question #2: Rhetorical Analysis: This essay presents a passage and asks you to analyze the rhetorical and literary strategies the author uses to create effect or meaning. Accurately identify the devices the author uses and evaluate how these devices create meaning. Be sure that you understand the effect and author’s meaning before you begin. Uncertainty results in muddled ideas. Refer to the passage liberally, incorporating quotations into your own ideas.

30. AP Exam: Free Response Questions
Argument
Monty Python's Argument Clinic

31. Tell why evidence is relevant
Question #3 (Argument)
THE WRITING TASK:
Take a position
Gather evidence
Tell why evidence is relevant

32. Question #3 (Argument)
PROMPT BASICS
Support your argument with appropriate evidence from your
reading…
observations…
or experience…
Sound familiar?
If using a personal experience as an example make sure it is something universal that many can relate to.

34. Question #3 (Argument) GOOD ARGUMENT ESSENTIALS
Deals with the opposition
--anticipate the opposing point of view
--acknowledge its merits
--dispense with its claims
--make a “harmless” concession
Has Quality Evidence
What is quality evidence??????

35. Question #3 (Argument) ANY GOOD ARGUMENT
Defends but offers counterpoint
It is always important to defend your position, but acknowledge the other point of view. This creates a stronger sense of ethos for your paper.
Any good argument is arguable…reasonable people can come to different conclusions.
Has college level complexity within the argument: cannot expect good organization and mediocre examples to lead to a stellar score.
Has quality evidence
Good argument papers shows some concession: America is somewhat like this in this way and not like this in this way. Use evidence more specifically and more cogently.
Lower Half papers: RaRa…end of paper…America is so great in this respect.

36. Question #3 (Argument) The Glass Castle Ender’s Game TKAM
“Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” --Horace
Consider this quotation about adversity from the Roman poet Horace. Then write an essay that defends, challenges, or qualifies Horace’s assertion about the role that adversity (financial or political hardship, dander, misfortune, etc.) plays in developing a person’s character. Support your argument with appropriate evidence from your reading, observation, or experience.
The Glass Castle
Ender’s Game
TKAM

37. Question #3 (Argument)
Thesis Statements: Adversity positively affects a person’s character because it allows one to learn to deal with what he or she cannot control while also gaining a sense of empathy and humanity.

38. Question #3 (Argument)
Readings: Hester 1984 Winston Game of Thrones Observations: Joan of Arc historical Andrew Carnegie Experience: