Last spring, you were assigned summer reading and a first focus paper, which is due this Friday. Today in class we discussed several potential topics, and I have already been conferencing with some of you regarding the approach you plan to take in analyzing this literature.
Reminders: Focus papers are brief, concise arguments that mimic the writing prompts you will be actually crafting on the AP exam this May. Think 300-400 words, a tight thesis statement, a brief conclusion, and a lot of substantive evidence and commentary.
Last year in AP Language, many of you learned Mrs. Nicoll's formula for a great essay: ACE. Assertion (thesis statement), Commentary, Evidence. I would like to respectfully suggest that for AP Lit analysis, flipping that equation might be helpful: AEC. State your position, identify your evidence, then follow up with your own insightful commentary.
Last year, I posted the common errors on the first paper. These are some things you might want to avoid:
Common Errors/Focus Paper #1 2008-2009
1. Students tend to write “in the book” instead of in-universe
2. Syntax errors—fragments, run-ons, lengthy sentences with awkward comma splices
3. Their/there
4. You and I: Second and First-person narratives (I believe/I feel/In my summer reading project I had to read two novels/Summer reading is normally boring)
5. Command form: Take Edna, for example. (What if I don’t want to?)
6. Informality in diction: slutty, studly, OMG
7. Accept v. except
8. Transitions (awkward or non-existent)
9. Cannot v. can not
10. Quotes in Space: Many papers featured well-selected text evidence, randomly placed within the text, or not introduced at all. (Review appropriate quotation usage.)
11. It’s v. its
12. Errors in content (infrequent but memorable): Edna and Emma confusions; errors in plot or setting
13. Lack of conclusion or weird conclusion: “Well, they got what they deserved!”
14. TENSE: Stay in present tense when evaluating literature.
