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A.P. ENGLISH LITERATURE & CompositionDo’s and Don'ts
Z. Aleman
AP Test Tips!AP Test Tips!
Compiled by AP Readers 2007 / 2009.
Condensed by L. Thornton
AP Means…AP Means…
Read & Answer the Prompt
FIND…◦ What◦ How◦ So What
Read and Write…Read and Write… Annotations are KEY!◦ Take notes of the Prompt◦ Circle/underline◦ Marginal Notes◦ Number paragraphsUse “T” every time
something reminds you of the topic while reading.
ORGANIZEORGANIZE!!
Paragraph (don’t just write two gigantic paragraphs; organize your thoughts)!
1 idea per paragraph◦Intro◦Body (2-3) Time conscious◦Conclusion◦Edit (4-5 minutes per essay)
DO NOT…DO NOT…
Summarize! ◦Summary is a waste of time◦and I quote, “Summary is DEATH.”◦YOU WILL FAIL….
DO NOT…DO NOT…
Improvise (lie)◦Didn’t read it, don’t write about it!◦Saw the movie, Don’t write about it!◦YOU WILL FAIL….
DO NOT…DO NOT…
Do NOT DEFINE!◦Your reader will know what a villanelle
is or what an apostrophe is. It is a waste of time to write, “John Donne uses the apostrophe to
personalize his poem about death. An apostrophe is when a poet speaks to something or someone who really isn’t there.”
Use EVIDENCE for SupportUse EVIDENCE for Support
Use the text!Use the words!Use the poem!Use the passage!
SHOW!!! Don’t Tell…
Literary MeritLiterary MeritUse a BIG WORK of LITERARY MERIT
for Q3.
◦NO MOVIES
◦NO SHORT STORIES
◦NO “current, popular” BOOKS
NO Harry Potter or 50 Shades…EVER…
Do NOT…Do NOT…Do NOT Use line numbers…briefly
quote.
DON’T: In line 13, the poet uses blood imagery to assert the evilness of the boy’s thoughts.
DO: With the poet’s use of blood imagery, such as “clot,” “burgundy fluid,” and “flow,” he ….
Don’t moralize or judge the quality of the work. Don’t write extraneous information
about the author (unless linked to meaning of the work as a whole)
Avoid long, flowery (purple
prose) and showy, catchy
introductions. Include Author (last name) and
name of the Selection Punctuate correctly Books “Plays” and “Poems”
Reeeeepeeaaattttt….Reeeeepeeaaattttt….
Avoid the re-run.
◦DON’T BE REPETITIVE!!◦DON’T Say the SAME THING over and
over again!◦DON’T be a RE-RUN!
Do not TITLE your essays.
Yes, here’s imagery in the first stanza…how does it affect the work as a WHOLE???
All points lead to how they affect the work as a whole…
In a poem, the title is part of the text, also. Don’t forget about it…USE IT!
Compare / ContrastCompare / Contrast
Compare or contrast
Show MEANING
DonDon’’t be a SHOW-OFFt be a SHOW-OFF
Don’t write about anything that cannot be related to the PROMPT and the THEME.
Refer to OTHER works only if it won’t diminish your major argument. Careful!
DonDon’’t Write…t Write…“the poems are the same and different.”“vivid”The writer “uses diction” (DUH!!!
Words?)DICTION & TONE need adjectives
◦Adjective +diction◦Adjective + Tone
No Jargon!No Jargon!Do not use high-fallutin’ jargon…simple,
clear language is fine…and usually better.
Pretentious & Self indulgent. writing is pompous writing…and turns your reader OFF.
Good vocabulary is ONE THING…and being pedantic is another.
Include SAT Vocab
The playThe play’’s the thing…s the thing…
A play is a play.A poem is a poem.A novel is a novel.
A poet writes poems.An author writes novels.A writer writes plays.
Feelings…nothing more than…Feelings…nothing more than…feelings…feelings…
Avoid saying how something makes the reader FEEL.
Avoid feelings altogether unless they contribute to the meaning of the work as a whole.
……and more feelings…and more feelings… Don’t talk about the effect something
has on the reader’s feelings or emotions. In fact, avoid the word feel altogether.
Example: “to make the reader feel”
“a story-like feel versus a rhythmic feel…”
“As one reads, it will make the reader flow through the poem and feel like he is there.”
AVOID…AVOID…SimilarDifferentUniqueNegativePositiveGood BadInteresting
…these are WEAK WORDS!! Look at your lists!
Leave me out of it…Leave me out of it…
USE the poem, the passage, the text.
LEAVE TODAY’S SOCIETY out of it. LEAVE IT AT HOME!!
Words, words, words…Words, words, words…
Are not poetic devices :)
Diction is not a poetic device :)
If you…If you…
Think a passage is too easy -
LOOK AGAIN
Try to give yourself 5 minutes to
proofread what you’ve written.
Zee Moto…
If you didn't finish Strong, you did something wrong.
