Analysis Essay for the AP Language and Composition Exam Introduction Information Advice

Just what is it? Students are given prose to analyze:  genres  time periods Students need to analyze  language  rhetorical strategies  stylistic elements.

What is the Purpose? To determine reading, understanding, and analyzing challenging texts.  complete text To assess how well you communicate a written analysis of a specific topic  maturity To see the level of writing is a direct reflection of your critical thinking skills.  diction, syntax

Rhetorical Strategies The tools in your toolbox  identification  comprehension  Purpose SOAPSTone Other strategies  analyzing writing vs. literature

Stylistic Elements Diction Syntax Structure Content Rhetorical Devices

What do they want? Connections between analysis and the passage  identify  comprehend  connect purpose Connect it to the prompt!

Possible questions Analyze an author’s view on a specific subject. Analyze rhetorical devices used by an author to achieve his or her purpose. Analyze stylistic elements in a passage and their effects. Analyze the author’s tone and how the author conveys his tone. Compare and/or contrast two passages with regard to style, purpose, or tone. Analyze the author’s purpose and how he or she achieves it. Analyze some of the ways an author recreates a real or imagined experience. Analyze how an author presents him or herself in the passage. Discuss the intended and/or probable effect of a passage.

Examples of actual questions Carefully read the following passage by ___. Then, paying particular attention to the changing tone within the passage, write an essay in which you analyze the techniques the author used to express his attitude toward ___. The passage below is from ___ by ___. Read the entire passage carefully. Then write an essay analyzing the rhetorical strategies the author employs to convey her attitude toward ___. Read the following two passages about ___ carefully. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the distinctive style of each passage reveals the purpose of its writer.

What to do? Be prepared. Practice! Anticipate questions when you read a work. Keep a list/copy of the questions Review toolbox Review handouts. Keep in mind that MC and PA are related.

What is consistent? The task remains consistent RHETORICAL ANALYSIS. The tools remain consistent Other factors do not matter:  Length  Complexity  Time  Author

Recommended process Read the prompt twice  Underline  Circle  Notes Make sure you know what the prompt is asking you do to before you proceed. Use incidental info in prompt to your advantage if possible

Read and Annotate the Passage Read quickly to get the gist of the passage.  Underline, circle, highlight areas that stick out Reread more slowly  Look for areas which did not stand out as much Skim the high points  Look back at the prompt

General Tips Remember, this is writing, not literature Do not be thrown by complexity of passage Become confident with tools Address the prompt Do not use “I think,” or “In my opinion” because it weakens your ideas.

SPECIFIC TIPS Note time  Annotate before you write Choose specific strategies to use Ignore what you do not understand Focus on what you do know.

Introduce the text and author Summarize or describe Give pertinent context Provide pertinent biographical details Thesis: How the text works and what it means Analyze the text: Identify a theme or pattern Use examples from the text and appropriate contexts as evidence Continue with 2-4 points (or more) as needed Restate the thesis, relating it to larger (world, text) issues /views: HOW THE TEXT / AUTHOR WORKS WHAT IT MEANS! Analysis Organization: Thematic

Analysis Organization: Chunking Introduce the text and author Summarize or describe Give pertinent context Provide pertinent biographical details Thesis: How the text works; what it means Analyze first section of text Use examples from the text and appropriate contexts as evidence Restate the thesis, relating it to larger (world, text) issues /views: HOW THE TEXT / AUTHOR WORKS WHAT IT MEANS! Analyze next section of text Use examples from the text and appropriate contexts as evidence Continue sections as needed. Use examples from the text and appropriate contexts as evidence

How is PA related to MC? BOTH are Rhetorical Analysis! You are looking for the answers to two basic questions:  WHO is the writer/speaker?  WHAT is the meaning of the passage?  What is the attitude of the writer/speaker?  HOW does the author convey or reveal it? WHAT strategies does he/she use?