Advanced American Literature

Advanced American Literature
C. Hamilton, 2007-08

Syllabus

Assignments

Summer Reading

Major Works & Projects

Panel Presentations

AP Prep
Vocabulary

Permission Slip

Preparing for the AP Language and Composition Exam

MULTIPLE CHOICE	ESSAYS
"Rhetoric is the art of winning the soul by discourse." ~~ Plato STRATEGIES Mark up passage as you read (with interpretive notes to self in margin, such as "irony," "he's in love," etc.) Anticipate places that will be questioned and "translate" odd words and passages as you go, writing a brief note in the margin. Decide what the passage is about before reading questions Answer the question before reading answer choices. Then go back to the passage to verify your answer, then pick best match to your answer. If necessary, eliminate wrong answers first. Half wrong is ALL wrong	STRATEGIES Underline key words in prompt Note the VERB in the prompt--what are you supposed to do?? Mark up the piece and write brief notes in margins Answer the question! Find your INSIGHT before writing Zoom out/Zoom in Use quotations wisely (keep them short; use "string" sentences) BOLD opening (Types of Openings) Don't rely examples from literature. Show that you are an informed citizen. Take a complex idea to write about. Do not oversimplify! Deal with nuances. Make sure that the conclusion expands on the thesis. Do not simply repeat the thesis
CLOSE READING The Art of Close Reading Another look at Close Reading with a good example Analyzing Plot, Character, Etc. * From Prof. Lye of Brock Univ. (this is mostly for AP LIT)	Types of Essay Questions used, 1981-2004 * List of Essay Questions and passage source, 1981-2004 * Official sample Synthesis Question (new for 2007)
RHETORICAL TERMS & STRATEGIES How to analyze rhetorical strategy Rhetorical Terms and Strategies Quia Review Game for rhetorical terms Some rhetorical terms with examples audio pronunciation	ANALYZING ARGUMENTS & RHETORIC Advice from one table of readers ('05) Practice finding Logical Fallacies in this essay. Logical Fallacies and another list with Examples How to USE Logical Fallacies!
LOGOS, ETHOS, PATHOS Schematic Logos, Ethos, Pathos in MLK's "Letter from a Birmingham Jail" How to discuss Logos, Ethos, Pathos (word doc)	THE SYNTHESIS QUESTION Strategies for the New Synthesis Question Advice from the Chief Reader Attribute sources! Engage the complexities. "Converse" with the sources. Some materials for practicing (from 150 Years of the Atlantic Monthly) 1) Women 2) Nature 3) Markets 4) World is Spiky (Make up your own question for these.)
NARRATIVE POINT OF VIEW Analyzing Point of View * From Prof. Lye of Brock Univ.	ANALYZING IMAGES OPTIC: Overview, Parts, Title, Interrelationships/Inferences, Composition SOAPSTone: Subject, Occasion, Audience, Purpose, Speaker, Tone Analyzing Political Cartoons
PRACTICE MC SECTIONS 5 Steps exam 2 Princeton Review exam 2	PRACTICE ESSAYS 5 Steps exam 2 Princeton Review exam 2

Vile Pun: Max thought the night-time burglary at the California surfing museum would be a safe caper, but that was before he spotted the security cop riding a bull mastiff, blond hair blowing in the wind, and noticed the blue-and-white sign wired to the cyclone fence, "Guard dude on doggy."
Jim Dehn, Clovis Calif. Runner up in the 2005 Bulwar Lytton Fiction Contest for more:
http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/english/2005.htm or

* from Gayle Richter's web site http://home.wi.rr.com/richterap/AP%20Language/ap_language.htm