Writing the AP WayWriting in Pre-AP and Advanced Placement classes is a form of academic writing that is prescriptive and specific. AP Readers, who score AP exams are looking for very particular skills in the AP writer. As a reader for College Board myself, I bring an insider's view and extensive experience to students who are learning this process. The transition from the narrative style, often promoted and supported in lower grades, can be a painful one; but it is also a rewarding and useful process. Learning to write in clear, evidence based prose in support of a clear argument, changes the way a learner thinks. In this way, my experience has shown that learning to "do" academic writing truly is learning to think.
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Tips on Essay Writing1. Analyze the prompt carefully by underlining the key words.
2. Create a graphic organizer based on the key words. 3. Brainstorm evidence/facts into your graphic organizer. 4. Create thesis and brad context statement from your graphic organizer. 5. Write the essay, periodically checking to make sure you are still addressing the prompt (answering the question). a. Use specifics in your essay; don’t just say “leaders gained power”; say “Henry VIII gained control of the Church in England, thus gaining all church land.” b. Just because you say something in an essay does not mean that it is true. You must defend your statements with actual things that happened, SPECIFIC things. Change over time essays … · Describe the status quo at the beginning and the end of the time designated in the prompt
Don’t use “they” without a clear plural antecedent. Do not use always, all, only, never, nothing, or none unless you prove that in your essay. (And you almost certainly can't!) Do NOT digress into areas not requested in the prompt just because you know something about that area!!!
These are here for you to use for practice. Keep in mind, the prompts may be worded differently in class and on the exam. But use them to practice gisting, grouping, POVing, etc.
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If your writing is cluttered with slang, jargon and cliches, check out this tutorial.
Purdue's Owl Writing site is just too useful not to use it as a first stop for help.
"Grammar Girl" can be a big help with word choice, grammar and syntax.
Check out this hilarious, but useful rant on thesis writing - for sophisticated writers.
Purdue's Owl Writing site is just too useful not to use it as a first stop for help.
"Grammar Girl" can be a big help with word choice, grammar and syntax.
Check out this hilarious, but useful rant on thesis writing - for sophisticated writers.
Directive Words, or Decoding the Verb
Assess/Evaluate
· Judge the value or character of something
· Appraise
· Evaluate the positive points and the negative ones
· Give an opinion regarding the value of
· Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
To what extent
· The range over which something extends
· Scope
· The point, degree or limit to which something extends
· Magnitude
Discuss
· Consider or examine by argument or from various points of view
· Debate
· Present different sides of
Analyze
· Determine the component parts, and examine their nature and relationship
Compare
· Examine for the purpose of noting similarities and differences
Contrast
· Examine in order to show dissimilarities or points of difference
Explain
· Make clear or plain
· Make clear the causes or reasons for
· Make known in detail
· Tell the meaning of
Describe
· Give an account of
· Tell about
· Give a word picture of
Identify
· Cite specific events and phenomena, and show a connection
· Judge the value or character of something
· Appraise
· Evaluate the positive points and the negative ones
· Give an opinion regarding the value of
· Discuss the advantages and disadvantages of
To what extent
· The range over which something extends
· Scope
· The point, degree or limit to which something extends
· Magnitude
Discuss
· Consider or examine by argument or from various points of view
· Debate
· Present different sides of
Analyze
· Determine the component parts, and examine their nature and relationship
Compare
· Examine for the purpose of noting similarities and differences
Contrast
· Examine in order to show dissimilarities or points of difference
Explain
· Make clear or plain
· Make clear the causes or reasons for
· Make known in detail
· Tell the meaning of
Describe
· Give an account of
· Tell about
· Give a word picture of
Identify
· Cite specific events and phenomena, and show a connection