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AP Lang Essay Comparison ChartEssayTypeRhetorical AnalysisArgumentSynthesisTaskAn excerpt from a nonfiction passage or speech is provided to analyze.The prompt will provide important information to establish the rhetorical situation (speaker/author, audience, exigence, purpose, occasion).The prompt is phrased as follows: compose a rhetorical analysis essay that analyzes the rhetorical choices / strategies that an author / speaker utilizes to...-convey a message.-achieve a purpose.-characterize a _____ (location/setting, group of people, attitude).Tip: Read the prompt carefully. Many times the message or purpose is already provided for you.A claim from a well-known author, philosopher, philanthropist, scientist, or speaker is provided either in a quote or short excerpt. Write an essay that develops a position on this claim. Sometimes the prompt asks you to “defend, challenge, or qualify the claim.” Other prompts use the phrasing “to what extent” or “develop a position.” Use specific, appropriate evidence to develop your position.An introduction is provided on the prompt page that introduces the overall issue and provides necessary background information. Then, in an essay that synthesizes at least three (or our recommendation of four!) of the sources, develop a position about…“what issues/factors should be considered most important when…”“the role of…”“a given topic…”SkillsAnalyze and interpret samples of purposeful writing, identifying and explaining an author’s use of rhetorical strategiesUse effective rhetorical strategies and techniques when composingCreate and sustain original arguments based on information synthesized from readings, research, and/or personal observation/experience.Use effective rhetorical strategies and techniques when composingCreate and sustain original arguments based on information synthesized from readings, research, and/or personal observation / experience.Evaluate and incorporate sources into arguments.Demonstrate conventions of citing primary and secondary sources.Use effective rhetorical strategies and techniques when composing.Prompt ExamplesPrompt Examples(Continued)Then, in a well-developed essay, analyze the rhetorical strategies that Thatcher uses to convey her message.800100-311785R.A.00R.A.--------------------------------------Write an essay in which you analyze the rhetorical strategies Louv uses to develop his argument about the separation between people and nature.--------------------------------------The passage below is from a letter written by Samuel Johnson in response to a woman who asked him to obtain the archbishop of Canterbury’s patronage to have her son sent to the university. Write an essay in which you analyze how Johnson crafts his denial of the woman’s request.American essayist and social critic H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) wrote, “The average man does not want to be free. He 659765-330835Arg.00Arg.simply wants to be safe.” Examine the extent to which Mencken’s observation applies to contemporary society, supporting your position with appropriate evidence.--------------------------------------The passage below is an excerpt from Empire of Illusion by Chris Hedges. Read the passage carefully. Then write an essay in which you develop a position on Hedges’ argument that “the most essential skill…is artifice.” Use appropriate, specific evidence to illustrate and develop your position.Then synthesize information from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-developed 744220-321310Syn.00Syn.essay in which you develop a position on the role, if any, that public libraries should serve in the future.---------------------------------------In an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources for support, evaluate the most important factors that a school should consider before using particular technologies in curriculum and instruction.---------------------------------------Synthesize information from at least three of the sources and incorporate it into a coherent, well-developed essay that argues a clear position on whether the USPS should be restructured to meet the needs of a changing world, and if so, how.Approach / Brainstorming Process1933575-306705R.A.00R.A.Approach / Brainstorming Process (Continued)Read the prompt carefully and understand the writing task.Breakdown the rhetorical situation (speaker/author, audience, exigence, purpose, occasion) from the prompt.Read and annotate the provided passage (speech or excerpt from nonfiction selection) for rhetorical “moves.” Look for patterns with concepts, shifts in topic, rhetorical devices, and overall arrangement.Develop a thesis based on the strongest rhetorical “moves” and include specified section of prompt (message, purpose, or characterization).Get started!Read the quote/excerpt and think about the implications of this complex issue/topic.Choose a side or qualify this claim with your own opinion. Think of reasons or impacts for why your stance proves true.Brainstorm examples (real world/current events, historical, nonfiction pieces, personal anecdotes) that exemplify your points. Make sure you are knowledgeable about this person, event, scenario.Think of the details that surround your example that help to enhance your reason/topic. Also, consider the impact / effects / consequences that happen as a result of your example.Choose the best examples for your body paragraphs.Get started!The synthesis essay has an extra 15 minutes added to it so that you can complete this brainstorming process and sort through the sources.Read the introduction to the sources / the prompt closely. Take a position on the topic before looking at your sources to ensure that your perspective shines through most clearly in your essay.Read the provided sources, annotating as you go. Label + at the top of the page for sources that align with your position; tag any dissenting sources with a -. You can also +/- throughout the article; some sources are more complex and nuanced.Make notes in the margins as you read. Start looking for patterns or ways that the sources “talk to each other.” Can you create your own subheadings based on important topics presented (e.g. economic; environmental; technological; global impact; time; ethical implications; safety concerns)? How can you use one source to contradict another one? Which 829945-321310Syn.00Syn.-1275080-321310Arg.00Arg.sources are arguing similar points? How can you group sources together?Sketch a quick outline of your essay. What are your main points? Look back at your subheadings to help create paragraph focuses. Where are you going to use your selected sources? Get started! Basic Outline / Overall Organization TipsIntroduction + ThesisBody Paragraph 1 (Rhetorical “Move” #1)Body Paragraph 2 (Rhetorical “Move” #2)Optional Body Paragraph 3 (Rhetorical “Move” #3)Conclusion (connection back to purpose / message)Tip: When selecting moves, it still is a good idea to work chronologically through the piece. Make sure you have some framework to your essay that works through the text. If you struggle with finding chronological moves, look for overall patterns and trends throughout the piece.Introduction + ThesisBody Paragraph 1 (Reason/stance with evidence)Body Paragraph 2 (Reason/stance with evidence)Optional Paragraph 3 (Reason/stance with evidence)Conclusion (connection back to main claim)Tip: Have your paragraphs logically organized. They should move chronologically through time, progress from personally or locally focused to international, etc. and should be supported with clear topic sentences.Introduction + ThesisBody Paragraph 1 (Reason/Topic)Body Paragraph 2 (Reason/Topic)Optional Paragraph 3 (Reason/Topic)Conclusion (connection back to main claim)Tip: Consider the factors / issues that you identified while reading the sources (e.g. economic factors; environmental impact; technology concerns; long term effects). These make great focuses for body paragraphs!EvidenceEvidence(Continued)Evidence will come from the text you are analyzing. Be sure when organizing your paragraphs to focus less on specific devices (metaphors, allusions, imagery, etc.) and more on the major moves this writer is making to reach his or her goal (creating a sense of unity, calling his audience to action, developing his credibility as a speaker, etc.). Evidence should be directly quoted and blended or paraphrased clearly in each of your body paragraphs. While your moves need to take center stage, smaller “passenger” strategies and devices can work together to make that move effective. The evidence you select to support your moves can be either big 650875-305435R.A.00R.A.picture or more device focused, but make sure you always are connecting everything back to audience effect and the speaker’s purpose.Example: Martin Luther King’s biblical allusions throughout his anti-Vietnam speech (evidence that you would directly quote) work together towards his goal of demonizing the war effort as anti-Christian (move). Student created examples from the following:Real world/current events or people (activists, world changers, politicians, athletes, scientists, inventors, writers/artists) (Think about your Current Event Homework!)Historical events or people (activists, world changers, politicians, athletes, scientists, inventors, writers/artists)Nonfiction pieces (Think of the pieces we’ve read in class - Nickel and Dimed; The Things They’ve Carried; Persepolis; In Cold Blood; When Breath Becomes Air)Fiction pieces (You MUST tie them to a universal human experience or emotion. Don't just leave this example in the fiction realm. Example: The 793115-305435Arg.00Arg.Great Gatsby - a reflection of man’s longing for meaning in life; man’s quest for the American dream; disappointment in love)Personal anecdotes (Connect to a universal human experience or emotion at the end so that it’s not just a paragraph about you!) Evidence comes from the provided sources you picked. After you have figured out how you are going to group your paragraphs, find evidence that supports the claims you are making. Don’t let the sources do all the talking for you. Your perspective needs to be the most prominent. The sources are there simply to further support your ideas! It is recommended to have at least two different sources in each body paragraph. You are showing the reader that your claims are supported throughout the sources, not just in one isolated incident. Reminder: These sources are not infallible. You can critique these texts as well as agree 801370-305435Syn.00Syn.with them. Documentation and Quote Blending Tips:You should showcase an ability to both direct quote and paraphrase. Both forms require documentation of source!Avoid the phrase “Document G states…” This is clunky and puts all the focus on the source. Your focus is better directed towards the argument that is being made or the credibility of the person doing the talking. Use the MLA information provided, as well as the italicized text at the start of the source, to establish the credibility of the source.Article Example: Brigit Rioual, a student researcher at Trinity College, claims that the simplicity of yesteryear kindergarten classes has now been replaced by more “complex curriculum with standards” far beyond the expectations put upon previous generations of learners (Source C).Image Example: The Reading Eagle website published an image in 2014 of a young girl totally immersed in a digital learning experience (Source F). Tip: Better words than “says”: claims; emphasizes; underscores; suggests; concludes; proposes; asserts; speculates; implies IntroductionIntroduction (Continued)Overall Introduction:Establish the rhetorical situation (speaker/author, audience, exigence, purpose, occasion). Use the information provided in the prompt. If you know more information about the issue/subject, you can include these details if it helps to establish the situation. (Don’t 679450-314960R.A.00R.A.just ramble on about details that aren’t necessary!)Provide a thesis that answers the “big”/abstract question (overall message or purpose - specific to prompt) and “little”/ concrete question (specific rhetorical “moves”).Overall Introduction:Starter technique (optional but encouraged - see below!)Claim of promptThesis with original stance/claimStarter Techniques:1-2 sentence general overview of the topic745490-314960Arg.00Arg.Anecdotal introduction (could be historical or a significant personal connection)Rhetorical questions (not yes or no, getting your audience thinking or making their own connections to the topic)Connected contemporary examples (Must be relevant to the prompt! Don’t just list out the examples for your body paragraphs!)Literary allusions (“To give or not to give?”)Overall Introduction:Starter technique (see below)Thesis with original stance/claimStarter Techniques:1-2 sentence general overview or historical perspective on the topic772795-314960Syn.00Syn.Anecdotal introduction (Make a personal connection to the issue! Show your reader that you have an opinion about it. Plus, this is a great technique to connect back to in your conclusion.)Rhetorical questions (not yes or no, getting your audience thinking or making their own connections to the topic)Body Paragraph DevelopmentBody Paragraph Development (Continued)Topic Sentence – What move are you focusing on for this paragraph? Evidence – Blend a quote that supports the move you are claiming. While documentation is not necessary for this essay, make sure you are selecting small snippets of quotes and blending your own ideas around the text you selected. Tip: you want to find strategies that are repeating, not just a device the writer uses one time. Use more than one quote here to further support the claim you are making. Audience Impact - How is this move / strategy impacting the audience? What are they thinking after hearing/reading this move? How are they feeling? Speaker’s Purpose - How is this move / device moving the audience towards the speaker’s end goal? Everything has to connect back to the main purpose that you addressed in your thesis. If you can’t connect the device to the main goal of the speaker, you focused on a passenger and not a move driving the purpose forward.Reminder: Audience Impact and Speaker’s Purpose are not optional steps. These are essential to creating a well-developed rhetorical analysis paragraph!!Reminder: You can go through the process of Evidence-Audience Impact-Speaker’s Purpose multiple times in a body paragraph!Topic Sentence – Don’t just jump into your example. You need to clarify the stance or qualification that you will focus on in this paragraph. You can also provide context for your example as a way to bridge into that example.Example – Focus on details that will ADD to your claim. The reader should see clear ties between your example and your stance/claim.Analysis / Commentary – This step should happen in conjunction with your example. Don’t wait until the last sentence to make your connection to claim (“This is why it’s important for people to be safe over free.” – NO!) Consider the following when analyzing your example:How is your example supporting your stance/claim/reason? Focus on specific details that connect.What were the effects, consequences, or byproducts of what took place in your example?Why is your example important at all? What makes it relevant to today?Topic Sentence – Start your paragraph with the specific reason or factor that must be considered for the issue.Evidence – Focus on pulling quotes with actual opinions; don’t just choose small snippets that don’t mean anything (e.g. “parents of kindergarteners”). If you decide to paraphrase, make sure to maintain the original opinion of the source. You can also pull in outside knowledge if it aides in making your point. Make sure it closely ties to your reason/topic/factor.Analysis / Commentary – This step should happen in conjunction with your example. Don’t wait until the last sentence to connect back to your claim (“This proves that kindergarten should be a time of discovery.” - NO!).Consider the following when analyzing your evidence:How is the quote / paraphrase/ your insight supporting your stance/claim/reason? Focus on specific details that connect.What were the effects, consequences, or byproducts of what took place in your evidence? Dive into the details! Hypothesize how a small change can affect the situation.Why is your evidence important at all? What makes it relevant to today?Reminder: The process of evidence and analysis/commentary can repeat multiple times in a body paragraph!ConclusionRevisit the overall purpose of the speaker and how the moves you selected move the audience closer in alignment with that perspective.If you know the outcome of the piece (i.e. what happened as a result of the letter, speech, or passage), you can address this as well. This is not a requirement.Discuss the overall importance of your stance/claim to society or the world as a whole.Explain how your examples are connected. What links exist between your paragraph examples? Did you choose the order of your examples because of a chronological importance or a spheres of awareness importance (local, national, global/philosophical)? Are your examples America-focused or showing a pattern of behavior around the world? These are all aspects to consider!Discuss the overall importance of your stance/claim to society or the world as a whole.If you started with a personal anecdote, tie back into this idea in the conclusion.5534025-4651375Syn.00Syn.3504565-4657725Arg.00Arg.1485900-4641850R.A.00R.A.-552450168275AP Language and Composition Exam Breakdown:Section I:Multiple Choice — 52 to 55 Questions | 1 Hour | 45% of Exam ScoreExcerpts from non-fiction texts are accompanied by several multiple-choice questionsSection II:Free Response — 3 Free-Response Questions | 2 Hours, 15 Minutes (includes a 15-minute reading period for the Synthesis sources) | 55% of Exam ScoreThis section has three prompts:Synthesis: Students read several texts about a topic and create an argument that synthesizes at least three of the sources to support their thesis.Rhetorical analysis: Students read a non-fiction text and analyze how the writer's language choices contribute to his or her purpose and intended meaning for the text.Argument: Students create an evidence-based argument that responds to a given topic.The total Section II time is 2 hours and 15 minutes. This includes a 15-minute reading period. The reading period is designed to provide students with time to develop thoughtful, well-organized responses. While students may start writing within the 15 minutes, their time is better spent pouring over the source material and planning through their first essay.0AP Language and Composition Exam Breakdown:Section I:Multiple Choice — 52 to 55 Questions | 1 Hour | 45% of Exam ScoreExcerpts from non-fiction texts are accompanied by several multiple-choice questionsSection II:Free Response — 3 Free-Response Questions | 2 Hours, 15 Minutes (includes a 15-minute reading period for the Synthesis sources) | 55% of Exam ScoreThis section has three prompts:Synthesis: Students read several texts about a topic and create an argument that synthesizes at least three of the sources to support their thesis.Rhetorical analysis: Students read a non-fiction text and analyze how the writer's language choices contribute to his or her purpose and intended meaning for the text.Argument: Students create an evidence-based argument that responds to a given topic.The total Section II time is 2 hours and 15 minutes. This includes a 15-minute reading period. The reading period is designed to provide students with time to develop thoughtful, well-organized responses. While students may start writing within the 15 minutes, their time is better spent pouring over the source material and planning through their first essay.Developing Your Voice as a Writer:According to Jodi Rice, College Board advisor and AP Language and Composition Development Committee Member, “higher scoring essays read not like answers to prompts, but like unique pieces of writing with something to say and a command of how to say it.” These effective essays have a distinct student perspective and voice, as well as make an effort to go above and beyond what the prompt asks. So how do we go about developing voice? Here are some strategies that are pretty simple and straightforward, but can make your essay stand out from the pack.The Tie-Back - link your introduction and conclusion together with a metaphor or another reference to make the essay feel more “full-circle” and complete. Example Introduction: The distinct memories I have from kindergarten include building towers so tall I had to stand on my tippy-toes to delicately slide the last block into place, as well as sitting on a rainbow carpet listening to stories with my friends. (Transition to thesis)Example Conclusion: With today’s almost impossible kindergarten expectations getting more out of reach every year, we are asking 5 and 6 year olds to stand on their tippy toes, delicately stretching for out-of-reach goals at the top of an educational structure about to collapse. Syntactical choices - Using strategic sentence construction techniques will prevent your essay from feeling robotic and formulaic. Here are some ways to change up sentence structure:Using a semicolon. This creates a more complex sentence pattern and is used when a writer wants to connect two complete sentences without using a conjunction. Example: Kindergarten cannot be limited to just play or just academics; the sweet spot is inspiring students to aim for high-level educational targets while still allowing room for children to be children.The use of intentional fragments in order to emphasize individual words. Example: We should be meeting the needs of all students. Every. Single. One.Changing up the length of sentences will break the monotony of your writing. Follow up a long flowing sentence with a short, choppy one to change the pace and flow of the paragraph. Example: Education policymakers in Austin voting on more rigorous kindergarten education standards have no grasp on the repercussions their decisions have on actual children who aren’t developmentally ready to meet them. These kids feel overwhelmed. They feel confused. They feel like failures. (Hint: Things sound really good in sets of three!!)Grammatical Choices - use these different grammatical techniques to create emphasis and personality to your paper.Using a dash. This can either set off added material for emphasis (The writer of this article – clearly not anyone familiar with actual child behavior – doesn’t understand the importance of play in a child’s day), or they can indicate a clarifying “bonus phrase” (The point I am trying to make is this – children should be allowed to be children.)Using an ellipsis. This is needed to create a trailing off effect or to elongate a sentence for dramatic effect. (A school day solely focused on academics often feels like it drags … on … for … hours.) Reminder: these can also be used to signify an omission from a quote.Using all caps or underlining. This gives the accented word or phrase a lot of power. Example: Our educational system needs to maintain a sense of wonder, and – dare I even say it? – fun for children. ................
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