Exam Basics
What day and time is your AP Test? What is one thing you could bring to the test room and one thing you should leave behind?
The exam is Tue, May 9 at 8 a.m. You should bring a #2 pencil and blue or black pen. You should not bring your phone or a smart watch.
What is the easiest way to rhetorically analyze a text? How can you organize your body paragraphs?
The easiest way is to analyze the text as you read. You should write a body paragraph about the beginning, the middle and the end.
What is a claim? What is a counterclaim?
A claim is the position or argument an author is trying to make. The counterclaim is the opposing side.
What is a synthesis essay?
A synthesis essay is where you are taking information from several sources to form an original argument about a topic.
When someone talks about the rhetorical situation of a speech or text, what do they mean?
They are asking about the context in which a speech was given, what was happening in the world at the time that would influence how an audience received a message.
How many essays are there on the test? What is each one about? Approximately how much time should you spend on each essay?
There are 3 essays on the test. There is an argument, a synthesis and a rhetorical analysis. You should spend approximately 40 minutes on each essay.
When the prompts asks you to write about a speaker's choices what do they mean? What are three examples of things you could discuss?
They want you to write about how an author achieved their purpose and inspired the audience to act or believe a certain way. You could write about ethos, logos or pathos. You could explain how an author's diction (word choice) or syntax (sentence structure) inspired the audience. You could also look for examples of figurative language like imagery, metaphor, simile, hyperbole. You could discuss tone. You could also focus on other literary devices like repetition, allusion, etc.
What acronym can help you brainstorm evidence using prior knowledge and lived experience for the argument essay? Remember, do your .....
CHORES! Current Events, History, Our Experiences, Reading, Entertainment, Sports/ Science
How many sources do you need to use in your synthesis essay? How many will they give you? What does this mean for how you use your reading time?
You need to use at least 3-sources in your essay. They will give you 6 or 7, including some pictures and graphs. This means once you feel like you have enough evidence to write your essay, you should just quickly scan the remaining sources for any crucial information and move on. You should not waste time reading information you don't need or understand.
What is purpose?
Purpose is what an author or speaker hopes to get from a particular speech or text, how they want the audience to respond.
How many multiple choice questions are there on the test? What do they cover? How long do you get to answer?
There are 45 multiple choice questions on the test. You have 60 minutes to respond. The cover reading and the rhetorical situation. They also cover style and editing.
What is an easy way to write an introduction to a rhetorical analysis?
Use the rhetorical precis and add a thesis. Sentence 1 - WHO/WHAT: Speaker, date, genre, and purpose. Sentence 2 - HOW: Explain the major modes in the piece. What overall is the speaker doing? Sentence 3 - WHY: Elaborate on the purpose. What specifically does the speaker want from the audience? Sentence 4 - To WHOM: Elaborate on the audience and specifically how the speaker connects with them. You can add your thesis here.
Can you use "I" in the argument essay? Why or why not?
After providing a quote as textual evidence, what are some ways you can elaborate and provide commentary?
You can paraphrase the quote in your own words. You can also use the methods of development to elaborate (narration, description, definition, exemplification, compare and contrast, cause and effect). You should have 2-3 sentences of elaboration and commentary for every one piece of evidence.
What are the two types of audiences for a text? Explain them using Clare Boothe Luce's speech on women and war as an example.
The primary audience, or target audience, is the people in the room or to those whom a piece of text is address. i.e. the woman's banking committee. Secondary audience is anyone else who hears that message. i.e. the men, children and other women who might learn of the congress woman's remarks through the news.
If you run out of time on the multiple choice, what should you do?
Guess. Don't leave any answer choices blank.
What are the three rhetorical appeals and what order do they typically appear in a speech or essay?
The three rhetorical appeals are ethos, logos and pathos. Usually a speaker will start by building their ethos. They will then build logic with data, facts or reasoning. They often end on an emotional note and use pathos to relate to their reading and inspire them to do something.
Create a counterclaim thesis on the use of cell phones in the classroom. Establish a counterclaim, claim and 2-point line of reasoning in 1-3 sentences.
Example: While students say cell phones can make the learning environment more engaging, they cause a significant number of disturbances. Cell phones should not be allowed in school because students are distracted by apps and notifications. They also provided too many options for students to cheat.
When writing a counterclaim? What side should you provide evidence for? What is rebuttal or refutation?
In the counterclaim, you should provide evidence and elaboration for the other side. You then need to refute this evidence in your commentary by using logic and emotion to explain why your points are more important. You can recycle the earlier evidence you used in your body paragraphs to support your claim in this part of the paragraph.
What are the three major rhetorical appeals? What is their effect on the reader?
Ethos, logos, pathos. Ethos is to build credibility and trust with shared ethics. Logos means to use logic with data and reasoning. Pathos is when an author uses emotion to engage and connect with the audience.
When the 40-minute warning is given, should you end your essay and move on to the next, or should you keep going to have the best essay possible?
You should quickly end that essay by wrapping up your paragraph, restating your thesis and moving on. Your points are averaged so it's best not to have any 0s or "no responses". If you are worried about time, keep the rubric in mind. The majority of the points are in the thesis, evidence and commentary. One way to do this is to leave blank space at the top of your paper so you can come back to your introduction at the end. Start your essay with your thesis, write your body paragraphs and add your hook, context and background at the end if you have time.
What mnemonic device or acronym can help you prepare for a rhetorical analysis. What does each letter stand for? What do the terms mean?
SOAPSTone. Your introduction should include the SOAP: Speaker, Occasion, Audience, Purpose. The speaker is who is delivering the message. The occasion is the background and context. What is happening in the world at the time of the message? What drove the speaker to deliver these remarks at this time? The audience is who is hearing the message. There is a primary and secondary audience to consider. The purpose is what the speakers wants the audience to do as result of the remarks, what they hope to accomplish. Your body paragraphs cover style and tone. Style is how the writer writes the piece. It includes various rhetorical appeals and devices. Tone is how the writer feels about the subject and the various words and phrases she uses to convey that emotion.
Create a 3-point outline for an argument essay discussing cell phone use in school. You may take either side.
B1 - Students are distracted by apps and notifications. B2 - Cellphones provide too many options for students to cheat. CC - Students think cell phones will make the learning environment more engaging.
We learned six ways to elaborate our writing called modes or methods of development. What are they and what do they mean. Here's a hint: CCDDEN
Compare and Contrast, Cause and Effect, Narration, Description, Exemplification, Definition. All of these modes can be used to elaborate in your own writing. You can also discuss an author's use of these modes in the rhetorical analysis.
Define these terms. When discussing these terms, what kind of word also needs to also appear with them? Tone, Diction, and Syntax. For examples, you can't say the author uses tone. Instead you say....
Tone is the author's attitude toward a subject; Diction is their word choice; syntax is the sentence structure. You need adjectives to appear alongside these words. For example, the author's dreary tone...Her inclusive diction when using phrases like "my friends" and "sisters" had the effect of... Her parallel syntax reinforced the idea that ...