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Tips for getting a 9 on your AP essay

The essay section is normally two hours long. The suggested time for each essay is forty minutes. You
must write your three essays in this time period, and you must write an essay on each of the three topics
given; there are no alternative choices.

• One topic will be based on a fiction or nonfiction reading passage and call for an analysis of style.

• A second topic, also based on a reading passage, calls for an argumentative essay.

• A third question may deal with a general topic related to language, or it may approach a passage
from an angle different from that of the first question. For example, it may ask for a discussion of
rhetorical purpose rather than an analysis of style.

• Actively read the essay, marking figurative language, parallel structure, analogies, key words and
phrases, etc. as you go. This will help you when it comes time to write.

• You must complete all three essays. Writing two "really good" essays will not help you overcome
the lack of a third essay. Be sure to allocate your time wisely.

• Make the first sentences you write in your essay informed and intelligent. Your first impression
will cloud the rest of the entire reading. If you sound like an idiot from the get go, you’ll be graded
like an idiot.

• Your opening paragraph should be short, to the point, and include your thesis statement. It should
not simply be a restatement of the question though. Make some indication of what your argument
will be. (Example: Don't simply write, "The author uses diction, imagery and contrast to recreate
his experiences." Include pieces of your argument in the sentence. "The author's terrifying
experience is vividly reconstructed through fast paced diction, darkly menacing imagery, and stark
contrasts in pacing."

• Always answer the ENTIRE question. Any failure to address every part of it will land you fully
below the 5 mark.

• Do not use bland generalizations, even in summary ("this was the best novel ever written") or " he
was one of the greatest authors of the 20th century".

• Spelling and conventions are important, but less important in a 40-minute essay.

• Avoid using your own personal experience (UNLESS YOU'RE SPECIFICALLY ASKED TO).
Use the text, or other texts, to support your argument.

• Plot summary is the work of the Devil. Don’t do it! Work your way through the passage, pulling
out important passages and quotes, and analyzing them to support your argument.

• Use basic paragraph structure – Start with a point, or topic sentence, and then develop that idea
using quotes.

• Don't refer to yourself in the essay. (Example: "I think" or "In my opinion")

• Make sure you vary the words you choose (particularly to start sentences) as well as sentence
length and structure (basic, periodic, strung-along sentences).
• Use the tools we have discussed in class! (parallelism, figures of speech, etc.) Never underestimate
the impact that the use of parallel structure will make on an AP reader!

• Don’t just list the literary terms you know. You have to be able to tie them to the meaning of the
text, and your critique of the text. AP graders HATE seeing students using terms simply for the
sake of using them. Make sure there is PURPOSE in your use of words.

• Use specific examples from the text to support your argument. Quote the material or make
allusions to passages. DO NOT fill up your entire essay quoting the material. Use enough direct
evidence to support your argument, but not so much that it leaves you no room to express your
own ideas and develop your analytical expertise.

Organizing your thoughts for the essay:


When planning your essay, it will be helpful to write down:

1. Your thesis statement


2. The order of your argument/points.
3. A list of supporting evidence for those argument/points. You might even number passages in the
order you plan on using them.
4. Notes (or even key words) on the analysis or commentary you plan to include. It should connect
with evidence, your thesis, and most of all the essay question itself.

Types of Essay Topics

There are basically six categories of essay questions that will appear in the essay section in various forms.

• Agree or disagree: This common question type can also be considered part of the general-
statement category listed below. You can expect either a short sentence or two that have built-in
controversy or a longer reading passage for which you are asked to evaluate the validity of the
author’s ideas. Persuasive writing is essential for this category.

• Author’s attitude, tone, or point of view: Common in recent AP tests, this question type is based
on a reading passage in which you must read between the lines – in other words, read inferentially
– to understand the author’s attitude toward the subject. Literary analysis is the thrust of this essay
type.

• Analyze effect: There’s a good chance that this type of question will be asked on your AP exam.
Like questions on author attitude, these require an analytical essay based on a reading passage.
However, here you must understand HOW word choice, diction, syntax, and rhetoric work
together to produce an effect in a passage. Be sure that you understand the effect produced before
you begin writing. Uncertainty results in muddled ideas.

• Author’s purpose: Appearing only occasionally, these questions ask you to discuss why an author
writes what he or she does. You may, for instance, be asked to explain why a political speech is
written as it is or why an author describes the physical world as he or she does.

• General statement about society or human nature: This topic is rarely based on a reading passage.
Frequently, it’s placed as the final essay question. For example, you may be asked to describe a
favorite location from the perspective of two times in your life, to compare the dialects of different
groups of people, to comment on humanity after reading a one-sentence aphorism, or to explain
what importance knowledge has in your life. These topics are designed to let you use your own
experiences and observations as evidence while reflecting on all humankind.

Comparison/contrast: Although not often used, this type of topic shows up occasionally. These questions
are frequently based on two reading passages – perhaps two authors on the same subject, two descriptions
of a location, or two drafts of the same work from one author. If you get a comparison/contrast topic, be
sure to read it carefully and analyze beyond the obvious

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