1. Basic Principles of the AP Essay
Rapert/AP Lit

2. Format & Content 3 Essays MUST WRITE IN PEN
1. Prose passage response
2. Poetry passage response
3. Open essay: chosen topic supported by your own reading
MUST WRITE IN PEN
2 hours total to complete the entire essay section

3. Subject/Pacing/Score
Balance of time periods, male/ female authors, multi-cultural perspectives
Pacing
2 hours total for all 3-you are responsible for own pacing
40 minutes each is highly suggested
Score
Essays equally weighted
55% of total score
Essay points add up fast (27 total points) [1 extra point on each essay is a 10% improvement]

4. Ways to do well… Understand the style desired
Total stranger is the audience
Opposite of writing instruction you’ve learned:
No revision
Timed
No prior instruction
Calls for speed reading and composing
Slackers have an advantage

5. Scoring broken down- Zero to Nine Scale Holistic Scoring
65% of scores fall within 4-6
9 is the best, but only 1% earn it
Holistic Scoring
One AP Test Reader reads once to get an overall impression
No checklist of points/no rubric—period
Sorry, but yes it is subjective
Readers are teachers

6. What does the Reader want from you?
AN essay that is easy to grade
Be obviously above average
Generic gets a 4 or 5—most are blah, generic
Blah w/multiple mechanical errors gets a 4
Blah craftily worded may get a 6
Depth and insight solidly written gets a 7
Clarity is everything—clear gets at least a 7
GOAL===7
KNOW THE SCORING GUIDE

7. Easy ways to a better score
Neatness counts: PRINT
Large, dark block print
Readers will become frustrated, meaning lower score
Messy automatically says messy content/unprepared
Indent
Eases reading
Avoid mechanical errors
If you are in doubt of spelling of a word, don’t use it
Don’t try any fancy punctuation
But don’t panic—small “typos” are expected

8. Easy ways to a better score contd.
Use snappy verbs and tasty nouns
Jazz up your writing A LITTLE to make it stand out and show you possess VOICE and STYLE
Avoid entangling the reader, however, in convoluted vocabulary and sentence structure
Clarity and simplicity help flow
ELEGANCE IS KEY
Use ACTIVE VOICE
NO HUMOR!!!

9. Easy ways to a better score contd.
ABOVE ALL ANSWER THE QUESTION
Many students forget to answer the question
ANSWER IT THOROUGHLY!!!
NEVER, EVER, EVER SUMMARIZE
Answer all essays, but feel free to answer them out of order

10. fini