AP Language Exam Cram Notes

General Exam Information

  • The stream is recorded and will be available on the website and YouTube.
  • ThinkViveable Twitter: @ThinkViveable.
  • The goal is to concentrate on abilities and strengths.
  • Start with foundational skills in argument and rhetoric.
  • Move to argumentative essay (FRQ 3).
  • Synthesis essay (FRQ 1).
  • Rhetorical analysis.
  • Multiple-choice structures and strategies.

Personal Strengths

  • Identify your strongest area to focus on abilities.

Foundational Skills and Understandings

  • Focus on rhetoric and argument in both reading and writing.

Four Categories of Big Ideas

  • Rhetorical Situation: Writers make decisions according to a particular situation.
    • Consider pros, cons, reasons, cultural, social, and historical context.
  • Claims and Evidence: Writers make claims supported by evidence that acknowledges and responds to other claims, including counterclaims.
  • Reasoning and Organization: Claims and evidence are organized logically.
  • Style: Focus on known and understandable parts.

Exam Structure

  • Multiple Choice:
    • 45 questions, 1 hour (45% of exam score).
    • Five sets of reading passages.
    • 23-25 questions: read and analyze nonfiction.
    • 20-22 questions: read like a writer (focus on editorial-style passages).
  • Testing Tip Number One: Pick a letter of the day at 7:55 AM and use it for unanswered questions.
  • Essays:
    • 10-minute break after multiple choice.
    • 2 hours 15 minutes for three essays.
    • 15-minute reading period.

Essay Structure and Rubric

  • Rubric Overview:
    • Thesis: 1 point (defensible thesis).
    • Evidence and Commentary: 0-4 points.
    • Sophistication: Additional point for college-level writing.
  • Evidence and Commentary Breakdown:
    • 4 points: Relevant textual references, well-developed analysis, explicit explanation of the relationship between evidence and thesis, and consistent, complete, and insightful analysis.
  • Sophistication: Explain relevance in a broader context, address contradictions and complexities, and use rhetorical choices effectively.

Argument Essay

  • Goal: Healthy discourse, not winning a fight.

Building an Argument

  • Think about your aspects (SOAPSTONE, SPACECAT).
    • Audience: AP Lang reader (academic writing).
    • Speaker: Student (knowledge of the topic).
    • Purpose: Convince the reader (know and do).
    • Exigence: The reason for speaking or writing now. It's important to understand the newer standards.
    • Context: Cultural, social, and historical considerations.

Classical Structure

  • Based on Aristotle's rhetoric.
    • Introduction: Opening, context, and thesis statement/primary claim.
    • Body: Minimum of two paragraphs, topic sentences supporting the primary claim, position, proof, concession, and refutation.
    • Conclusion: Call to action, restate the thesis (using different words), and reframe the sentence.
      *Note: Concession and refutation can build directly into existing body paragraphs.
      *Overall Outline:
  • Body Paragraphs:
    • Topic sentence (claim).
    • Evidence with commentary/analysis (two pieces).
    • Link back to primary claim.

Toolman's Model

  • Basic Parts of an Argument:
    • Claim: Assertion being made.
    • Evidence: Reasons supporting the claim.
    • Warrant: Connects the evidence to the claim.
    • Qualifier: Limitations surrounding the claim.
    • Counterargument: Addressing other possibilities.
    • Concede: Admitting a valid point in the counterargument.
    • Refuting: Proving the counterargument wrong.

Rhetorical Analysis

  • Everything is intentional.
  • Consider context (cultural, social, historical), occasion, exigence, audience, speaker, and subject.

Rhetorical Appeals (ELP)

  • Ethos: Credibility and trustworthiness.
    • Automatic ethos due to speaker's reputation
    • Building ethos throughout the speech
  • Logos: Logical connection (reasoning, evidence, counterargument, concession, reputation).
  • Pathos: Emotional connection (values and desires).
    *Note: Strongest appeal is all three when they work together

Connotation vs. Denotation

  • Connotation: Connection.
  • Denotation: Dictionary.

Writing About the Appeals

  • Instead of "The the author uses ethos", it should be:
    *“The author establishes credibility by…”
    *“The author notes experience in…”
  • Examples for pathos and logos.

Social Media Contest

  • Post about your AP experience on Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok.
  • Use the hashtag #yeswecram and tag @Thinkfivable.
  • One winner will receive $100.

Quick Social Media Contest