ap® english language &...

AP LANGUAGE AND COMPOSITION

Course Overview

The overview and objectives for this course are taken from the AP® English Course Description published by the College Board. Many of the texts/essays used in this course are from writers found on the representative authors list. Because the state requires that 11th graders be introduced to representative works of American literature, most of the longer works read in this class will be from the American canon, but each will be investigated beyond the summarizing of plot and themes. Students will be able to analyze these works for their use of language and style. Other writings that will be encountered are largely nonfiction in the form of essays and immersion journalism. Paper assignments are varied and frequent.

Course Objectives

Students in AP Language and Composition will do the following things:

Focus on American Literature. Students will analyze American literature as it reflects social perspective and historical significance. Select a college-bound pathway. Students in this class are self motivated and self learners and are expected to be prepared for each class. Read lengthy text selections from the Concise Anthology of American Literature and The Informed Argument. The anthology book is a chronologically arranged book with the full texts of two novels. Students will have multiple outside readings in this text to fulfill the requirements of the state curriculum for American Literature. Study and analyze current events. Especially in the second and third quarters, students will receive weekly assignments to read articles and essays that deal with current issues. Political cartoons and editorials are common and will be provided by the instructor. Read outside of class eight – five novels and non-fiction texts of the teacher’s choice from the reading list. Please refer to the reading list for each term. Write 6 to 8 essays per term. Approximately half of these essays will be timed essays that will be written in class within a 45 minute timeframe. Students will sometimes be allowed to “rewrite” essays to work on revision processes, but essays that are given as out of class assignments will usually require conferencing and multiple drafts. Students will often have peers read their essays in reading circles to provide feedback and constructive criticism. Teacher will use a rubric adapted from the AP style rubric used for grading essays on the AP test. Teacher comments and errors will be tracked by student. Enter this level with mastery of parts of speech, sentence types, all aspects of grammar, and sentence writing. Produce multi-draft, rhetorical analysis, argumentation, synthesis essays based on fiction and non-fiction texts. Develop research skills: note taking, paraphrasing, summarizing, MLA documentation, thesis writing, and research terminology. The fourth quarter will also be the time for the major research paper, usually done after the AP exam.

Differentiate between the genres of fiction and non-fiction. Students will read many essays by contemporary writers as well as the nonfiction texts Nickel and Dimed and Fast Food Nation. Students will explore the issues surrounding these texts and conduct research on their own as well as react to the approaches taken by these writers.

Develop a sophisticated style of responding to text. Students will learn to match voice to form. Students will become more natural in their responses as their focus and development becomes more refined, their fluency of sentences becomes more mature, and use of conventions becomes more sophisticated. Recognize and respond to writers’ rhetorical strategies. Students will be familiar with a wide variety of rhetorical devices and be able to recognize their use by writers in texts investigated. Understand and respond to argumentation in writing. Students will learn the basic strategies of the art of argument including the Rogerian, Toulmin, and Aristotelian (classical) approaches. Students will take part in debates and learn about logical fallacies. Become an informed citizen through the independent study of current events. Students will write reflection papers and opinion papers about events that occur in their world. Develop an enriched vocabulary. SAT words and quizzes are conducted quite frequently. Analyze primary documents and synthesize with personal opinions. Students will learn to distinguish primary documents from secondary documents and how to use each as support and evidence for a viewpoint.

Grading Calculations

1. The Stokes County Public School grading scale will be used.2. Because each grade is important, all assignments are equally valued:

A. Tests and Major Compositions – 75%B. Final Exam – 25%

3. Not every assignment is graded; however, each assignment is vitally important for the development of skills needed. AP students are expected to be dependable, independent learners who are ever striving to learn more and perfect skills!

4. All assignments are due on the assigned date. Late assignments (except those due to an excused absence) are not accepted. Major assignments are announced well in advance of the due date.

5. Make up work is the responsibility of the student. See Student Handbook for the absentee policy. A class notebook is kept in the front of the room. This notebook contains copies of handouts for absent students. An absent student MUST assume the responsibility of speaking with me before or after class concerning missed work and for making up work within the allotted time. The handbook policy regarding absences will be followed!

Materials Required

1. One three ring binder (at least three inches) with a minimum of four dividers.2. Black pens3. Number two pencils4. Loose leaf notebook paper (college ruled)5. Highlighters in at least four different colors6. Composition notebook (teacher will explain in class)7. Students will benefit from purchasing various assigned novels so that they can annotate the texts. The first

required novel is The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne. Students will need this novel immediately. The school owns copies of this text, and AP students may borrow them; however, annotation unquestionably aids comprehension. Other required novels and non-fiction selections will be assigned well in advance of the time needed. A list will be given to students early in the school year.

8. AP students are expected to be aware of current events. Reading newspaper or news magazine articles, watching or listening to reliable news reports, and discussing current events are vitally important for an AP student to become globally minded.

Term System

The course will be loosely controlled by the term system. The first three terms will have a different focus on each of the three primary modes of writing that are tested for on the AP Exam. The last term will be spent reviewing for the exam as well as conducting extensive research for the major research papers due before the end of May.

Term 1: Prose Analysis – Multiple texts will be used. Term 2: Argumentation – Informed Argument text is focused on with emphasis on the Rogerian, Classical

and Toulmin models of argumentation. Term 3: Synthesis – Synthesis essays will be constructed around current issues. Term 4: Exam Review and Research – This is in accordance to the requirements of the local and state

curriculum as well as College Board.

Types of writing will not be entirely exclusive to the term theme; we will continuously be reviewing and exploring all types of texts throughout the semester honing skills already obtained and acquiring new ones.

Advanced Placement English Language and Composition - Explanation of Exam

The AP English Language and Composition Exam is divided between a multiple choice section (60 minutes) and an essay portion which requires students to answer three prompts in various rhetorical modes. In the past, the essay section allowed for 40 minutes to construct a response for each prompt. However, this year the College Board has instituted a new “synthesis” question which requires that students read primary documents and utilize them (citation, etc) in their responses. With this new development in the exam, students are now to be allotted an extra 15 minutes for the reading of documents along with the usual 40 minutes for writing for the lone synthesis question.

Students and parents should know that the AP English Language and Composition Test is taken in May and results are reported to both the student and the school before the end of the summer break. Students may designate that certain colleges (that are of interest to the student) receive the test scores as well. College credit is usually given for high grades on the actual AP exam. In the case of AP English Language and Composition, the student will usually receive credit for a prerequisite freshman composition course. Scores for the exams range from a 1 to 5 and are briefly described as follows (from www.collegeboard.com):

5 Extremely well qualified*4 Well qualified*3 Qualified*2 Possibly qualified*1 No recommendation**

*Qualified to receive college credit or advanced placement**No recommendation to receive college credit or advanced placement

Performance on the multiple-choice part of the exam counts for 45 percent of the student’s exam score. The essay portion counts the other 55 percent. As always, the essay portion of the exam is scored by both college and high school educators trained specifically for the tasks given.Each essay is graded according to a rubric that awards individual essay scores ranging from a “-“(no-score) to a 9 (highest). Even number scores are usually considered to be the anchor cut scores for performance. The odd numbered scores actually allow for raters to assign a range of grades to a paper. For example, if a paper is scored as “Adequate” but possesses some of the characteristics of an “Effective” paper, then the score would be a 7 instead of a 6. Another way of explaining the scores is that a 7 is considered a “high 6” or a “low 8.”

http://www.collegeboard.com/

“-“ 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9Completely off topic

Just copies prompt

Little Success

Inadequate

Adequate

Effective

The three essays will require the students to display a wide variety of rhetorical skills. One essay will be the synthesis essay in which primary documents are used to defend an argument. Citation will be required for a higher grade. Students will also write an argumentative paper in which they defend or challenge a viewpoint given in a prompt. The prose analysis essay will require the students to successfully analyze how well a particular writer or speaker uses rhetorical devices to most effectively reach an audience. After essays are graded by readers, then scores are entered in a conversion formula to adapt the reading scores to the five point scale. It is safe to assume that papers which receive scores of “8” or “9” are usually indicative of an overall score of “5” in the final report.

For more information about the scoring process please visit the AP Central section of the College Board’s web site - www.collegeboard.com.

All papers in this class will be graded according to the 0-9 scale. Numerical grades (60-100) which correspond top these rubric scores are found on the sample rubrics provided toward the end of this document.

http://www.collegeboard.com/

Teaching Strategies

DIDLSThe DIDLS strategy has students focus on the use of diction, imagery, details, language, and syntax of a selected work. In this model students carefully consider the writer’s use of these facets of rhetoric to achieve purpose within a fictional text.

SOAPSStudents are asked to look at the subject of the writer/speaker, the occasion for which it is presented, the audience that the writer/speaker wishes to address, the purpose of the writer, and the speaker’s background. This is especially useful with nonfiction texts.

OPTICThe OPTIC strategy was created by Walter Pauk for the interpretation of visual texts. Students provide an overview of a visual piece and look at the different parts of the visual that create the whole as well as the title. Students then determine the interrelationships of the pieces and draw a conclusion they communicate to others.

Political Cartoon Strategy (from the Library of Congress’s “It’s No Laughing Matter” Initiative) Students are often presented political cartoons for analysis and interpretation. In particular, students are asked to look for five distinctive traits used often by political cartoonists: symbolism, exaggeration, labeling, analogy, and irony.

AnnotationsStudents will actively read and take notes on passages they encounter marking unique use of language and intentional use of rhetorical devices. Practicing annotating passages will aid the student in AP testing situations and allow for them to give each passage a “close read.”

SAT WordsWeekly quizzes will be given on SAT words taken from a predetermined list.

Grammar Students will have grammar packets at regular intervals.

Current EventsStudents will read articles on a weekly basis and look at other media dealing with current topics.

DebatesStudents will participate in group debates concerning current issues in which they will be assigned a role and will have researched information supporting the viewpoint that each role encompasses.

Writing FoldersStudents will maintain writing folders which house all graded writing and comments. Major error sheets and error charting exercises used throughout the year will also be included in this.

Feedback and Revisions on Written WorkStudents will receive feedback in various forms:

Teacher comments will be included on all papers. Refer to the “Writing Codes” feedback sheet for explanation of codes used by teacher for commenting on errors.

Peer comments and reviews. Students will have the opportunity to review drafts and offer feedback.

Rubric score and explanation. Students wil have a copy of the rubric used for all assignment and may refer to the score point explanations.

Anonymous grading by other classes. Students will grade other student papers according to given rubric to better understand grading process.

Conferencing. Teacher will conference with student as regularly as possible. Note hours that teacher is available before ad after school.

Revisions. Revisions will be encouraged on specific papers where multiple drafts are allowed for higher grade.

Term #1 – Prose Analysis

Periods of American Literature Covered: (each has its own assessment comprised of AP style multiple choice questions and other objective questions).

Puritan/Colonial Age of Reason American Romanticism

Works/Essays read and analyzed: Major works such as novels and longer texts will have assessments.

1821 – vulgar style Joan Didion– “Los Angeles Notebook” Nora Ephron essay excerpts Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin Benjamin Franklin satirical passages on Britain found in “Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be

Reduced to a Small One” Loyalist speech Patrick Henry speech in response Thomas Jefferson – “Declaration of Independence” Thomas Paine – “Common Sense” Eudora Welty autobiography selections – One Writer’s Beginnings Frederick Douglass selections from The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass John Smith – The General History of Virginia Hawthorne selection on Lincoln Jefferson selection on Washington in a letter to Doctor Jones William Bradford – Of Plymouth Plantation The Crucible Scarlet Letter Joseph McCarthy speech delivered at Wheeling, WV on 2/9/50 Jonathan Edwards – “Sinners at the Hands of an Angry God” (sermon) Johnny Cochran closing argument in O.J. Simpson trial Nathaniel Hawthorne – “Minister’s Black Veil” Washington Irving – “Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle” Anne Bradstreet – selected poems Emily Dickinson – selected poems Henry Wadsworth Longfellow – selected poems James Russell Lowell – selected poems Walt Whitman – selected poems William Cullen Bryant – selected poems Oliver Wendell Holmes - – selected poems “Letter to Christoph”

Articles (satirical) from The Onion “The Rattler” Shirley Jackson – “The Lottery” Current Events – weekly Political Cartoons

Emphasis on the following terms and devices:Tone, Attitude, Diction, Language, Figurative language, Figures of speech, Detail, Imagery, Point of view, Perspective, Organization, Narrative structure, Form, Syntax, Sentence structure, Phrasing, Colloquial, Polysyllabic, Euphonious, Cacophonous, Declarative, Imperative, Juxtaposition, Rhetorical question, Simile, Alliteration, Metaphor, Consonance, Onomatopoeia, Hyperbole, Understatement, Paradox, Oxymoron, Pun, Irony, Sarcasm, Antithesis, Apostrophe, Allusion, Synecdoche, Metonymy, Conceit, Personification, Epistle Stage directions, Attitude, Symbolism, Foreshadowing, Wordplay, Irony, Hyperbole, Antecedent, Comic relief, Anticlimax, Syllepsis, Parallelism, Euphemism, Analogy, Pronouncements, Absolutes, Rhetorical questions, Aphorisms, Imperatives, Contractions, Imply/infer, Invective, Subjunctive, Satire, Litotes, Chiasmus, Synesthesia, Anaphora, Ellipsis,

Major Activities/Papers/Prompts: (Papers highlighted)

Scarlet Letter test for Summer Reading assignment – passages and quotes and analysis of characters – specific passages and sample AP style questions.

Explanation of AP exam and sample questions (1631 and 1821 prompts). Selections found on AP Central website. Looking at older passages and more archaic use of language.

Writing Prompt – Essay #2 (talk about the changes in characters as plot unfolds using embedded quotes) for The Scarlet Letter.

Annotation exercises in reading prose analysis prompts (DIDLS approach explained in depth on handout). Welty prompt and prose analysis essay with self grading against the rubric fashioned after the AP Central

site. Exploring use of language. MULTIPLE DRAFTS. Annotation assignment for Hawthorne selection on Abraham Lincoln (tone, diction, language). This will

be followed by AP style questions concerning the passage. Major Work Data sheet on Scarlet Letter (look at handout on web page for generic form). Group work on Annotation for Jefferson’s comments on Washington in his letter to Doctor Jones

(implications, sentence structure, syntax). Outside work on “The Lottery” and narrative structure. Worksheet will ask for analysis of style and

reaction to the story’s commentary on society. Essay on the interpretation of John’s Smith’s quote on treatment of the native Americans by Pilgrim

settlers. Looking for use of tone and diction. “The Rattler” prompt for tone and diction (rhetorical analysis). MULTIPLE DRAFTS. The “Letter to Christoph” prompt for tone and diction. Focus on using active verbs and sentence variation

in responses. MULTIPLE DRAFTS. Reading of “Huswifery” and the use of the conceit. Outside reading and analysis of passages from Douglass, Churchill and Ephron – use of style, syntax,

figurative language. Annotation of Patrick Henry speech and Loyalist speech given previously. Differentiate persuasive appeals

of Henry and Loyalist speech. Annotation of Franklin passages in “Rules by Which a Great Empire May Be Reduced to a Small One”

and the tools of satire – criticism, ridicule, sarcasm, paradox, didactic tone. Go over Satire from The Onion – this will be from a handout. McCarthy speech analyzed – the tone of fear and the appeals used by the speaker – use the SOAPS model

to analyze. Crucible AP test questions Packets will take 3 days – 45 AP style Multiple Choice questions and 3 essays

- will take place in class for four class periods. Essays will discuss use of language, atmosphere, themes, hubris, defending, challenging, and qualifying claims made.

Extra Crucible Scene Assignment – creative scene construction.

Joan Didion selection/prompt and modeling of the response – exercise in diction, imagery, syntax, structure, tone, and detail.

Go over selections from The Onion and read sample responses from AP tests in which selection was given as a free response question. Students will rate essays and then receive true scores. Use of satire.

Poetry Terms. American Romantic poets – see list. Romanticism essay prompt on “Rip Van Winkle” and how story reflects the values of the new nation.

Literary analysis. In class grading of student Romanticism papers - use of rubrics and envelopes for anonymous grading. MULTIPLE DRAFTS.

Johnny Cochran’s use of Lowell’s poem in his closing argument of the O.J. Simpson trial.

Term #2 – Argumentation

Periods of American Literature Covered: (each has its own assessment comprised of AP style multiple choice questions and other objective questions).

Transcendentalism Realism


Informed Argument – essays on Immigration and Education Martin Luther King –“Letter From a Birmingham Jail” Henry David Thoreau selections from Walden Nickel & Dimed Ralph Waldo Emerson selections Huckleberry Finn Martin Luther King – “I Have a Dream” Winston Churchill speech Ambrose Bierce “Occurrence on Owl Bridge” Bret Harte - “Tennessee’s Partner” Edgar Allan Poe - “Fall of the House of Usher” Henry James - “The Real Thing” Kate Chopin - “Neg Creole” Current Events – weekly Political Cartoons

Emphasis on the following strategies and fallacies:

Post hoc ergo propter, Ad hominem, Reduction as absurdiam, begging the quaetion, ad populum, ad verecundiam, either/or fallacy, hasty generalization, non sequitur, oversimplification, post hoc, red herring, APPEALS in Informed Argument (prestige, force, personal ridicule, masses, individualism, transference, hopostization, Rogerian Argument, Classical Argument, Toulmin argument, Enthymene, Ethos, Logos, Pathos, Bathos, Syllogism, Deductive reasoning, Inductive Reasoning, analogy, antithesis, challenger, defend, qualify, rebuttal


Informed Argument – Chapters 1-5. Discussions, notes, and reaction sheets. Discussion of argumentation – Rogerian, Classical, and Toulmin. Impassioned opinions – Position paper assignment - pick three topics and then narrow to one and give a

position statement and construct essay. MULTIPLE DRAFTS.

Nickel and Dimed papers – 3 reading responses and critique of Ehrenreich’s style. Reflections on immersion journalism and articles on working poor researched and annotated.

Political cartoon analyses – refer to the Library of Congress initiative “It’s No Laughing Matter.” CNN articles –current issues with prompt and counterargument writing assignment concerning the use of

the draft and Charles Rangel’s bill to reinstate. Reaction to CNN article is typed with 4 copies for others in groups to read and grade.

Annotating AP prompt about the “Coke” letters – from the 1998 AP Language Exam Types of logical fallacies – handout and Informed Argument. MLK and Jefferson documents and look at logical fallacies. SOAPS model used for analysis of MLK and

Jefferson. Video on MLK and reaction. Compare and contrast MLK and Jefferson. Appeals – Ethos, Logs, Pathos, Bathos. Huck Finn brief intro and American Realism. Argumentative paper assignment – major current issue and viewpoint – focus on LOGOS and ETHOS. Poetry Out Loud initiative and contest (recitations) – see handout. Reading circles with rubrics on argument papers and defending the grades. Writing assigned for Huck Finn – analysis of Twain’s use of dialect Create rubric for argumentation papers and read papers from other classes (other teachers) and rate

Resolve discrepancies. Work on Huck Finn prompt – shore versus river – an investigation on the difference in language and

syntax used by Twain for different parts of the novel. OPTIC model for visual texts. Review of DIDLS with MLK’s “Letter from Birmingham Jail.” Articles on the issue of immigration - discussion of the arguments. This will be the subject of group debate

#1. Articles on the issue of global warming - discussion of the arguments. This will be the subject of group

debates #2. Essay on Transcendentalism - prompt to be determined. Sample AP questions on Walden. Group Debates.

Term #3 – Synthesis

Periods of American Literature Covered: (each has its own assessment comprised of AP style multiple choice questions and other objective questions)

Modernism


Shana Renee Hutchins - “These Men Will be Good Soldiers” Jane Howard - “In Search of a Good Family” Dean Smith – “Freshmen Need First Year for Maturation” Fast Food Nation OF Mice and Men The Great Gatsby Alfred M. Green speech on African- Americans joining Union forces Magazine Advertisements Super Size Me – film documentary Current Events – weekly Political Cartoons

Emphasis on the following :Citation, MLA documentation, primary resources, secondary resources, citations, quoting, paraphrasing, summarizing, parenthetical documentation, imbedded quotes,


“Opposite” argument paper (argumentative papers and arguing the other side) – explanation on handout. Discussion of the Synthesis essay and look at sample synthesis essays. Synthesis prompt #1 – “Televison’s Influence on American Presidential Elections” MULTIPLE DRAFTS

and look at parenthetical citations. Gatsby video segments for use of symbolism. American Dream essay – compare and contrast The Great Gatsby and Of Mice and Men. Review rhetorical terms. Argumentative packet – hand out and review of terms. Fast Food Nation nontext reaction assignment – review of OPTIC. Students will construct satirical food

pyramids, create food campaigns and advertisements, and make presentations on the fast food industry. Grade and comment on Fast Food Nation projects.

“Ordeal by Check” read in class and write reaction – what happened and how does this format achieve its effect.

Logical Fallacies review. Political Cartoons - filter and samples – review from Second Quarter. In class argumentation prompt on Green – speech about African Americans entering the Civil War on the

Union Side – use of appeals. Reading and grading AP responses on Green from past students. Dean Smith essay (outside reading) and reaction paragraph. Super Size Me documentary and reaction. Compare to Fast Food Nation. In Class Synthesis essay on War – Assignment #2 – “Does the Loss of Life Justify Freedom?”

MULTIPLE DRAFTS.

Term #4 – Exam Review and Research Paper

Periods of American Literature Covered: (each has its own assessment comprised of AP style multiple choice questions and other objective questions)

Post Modernism and Contemporary


Fahrenheit 451 Farewell to Arms Current Events – weekly Political Cartoons

Emphasis on the following : Review of first three quarters and specific emphasis on research methods.


Personal Reflection for Fast Food Nation – Compare with Nickel and Dimed approach. Look over synthesis papers – war prompt and television prompt and peer read. Synthesis paper on Fast Food Nation due and peer edited.

Synthesis paper on Censorship. This is timed. Essay assigned for Fahrenheit 451 – the age of “dystopia” and society’s angst. Begin review of rhetorical devices. Review of Prose analysis and sample questions. AP passages - testing situations and sample Multiple Choice questions in timed situations. MLA Documentation exercises. Writing prompts – in class on prose analysis – Susan Sontag prompt from 2001 and Gary Soto prompt

from 2004. Review of argumentation and sample questions. Review of fallacies and appeals. Writing prompts – in class on argumentation – Antigone prompt from 1999 and Controversial issue from

2004. Research paper project – use of Media Center – 5-8 page paper. Independent study and outside novel using MWD sheet. Preview AP Literature Course.

General Rubric for Prose Analysis

Score Point Comments9 (97-100)

Papers earning this score meet the criteria of an 8 paper, and, in addition, are especially full or apt in their analysis or demonstrate particularly impressive control of language. Vocabulary is of a high level and varied.

8 – Effective (93-96)

This score is given to a paper that effectively analyzes rhetorical strategies. Papers may refer to passage both implicitly and explicitly and a wide range of elements of effective writing is shown. The paper is not flawless. Vocabulary is of a high level and varied.

7 (90-92)

These papers fit the description of a 6 paper but provide a more complete analysis and/or demonstrate a more mature prose style. Varied vocabulary used correctly.

6 – Adequate (85-89)

The 6 papers adequately analyze rhetorical strategies used. Papers may refer to passage both implicitly and explicitly. Writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally prose is clear. Vocabulary is a little more general but used correctly.

5 (82-84)

Papers in this range analyze rhetorical strategies, but do so unevenly, inconsistently, or insufficiently. Writing may have lapses in diction and syntax, but overall meaning is conveyed. Vocabulary is general.

4 – Inadequate (77-81)

These papers inadequately respond to the prompt. There may be little discussion of rhetorical strategies used, misrepresentation of these strategies, or incorrect analysis. There is an overall idea conveyed, but there may be some immature writing. Wide use of vocabulary is missing.

3 (75-76)

Papers in this score range meet criteria for a 4, but are less perceptive of the rhetorical strategies used. These papers may also exhibit less control of standard conventions. Word choice is weaker and extremely general.

2 – Little Success (70-74)

These papers demonstrate little success in analyzing rhetorical strategies. These papers may have misunderstood the prompt, offered vague generalizations, offered pure summary or just listed strategies used. These papers also exhibit weakness in writing. Word choice is weak.

1 (60)

These papers meet the criteria of a 2 but are underdeveloped, simplistic, and/or very weak in their control of language.

0 These merely repeat the prompt.

“-“ Off topic

General Rubric for Argumentative Response Score Point Comments

9 (97-100)

Papers earning this score meet the criteria of an 8 paper, and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument or demonstrate particularly impressive control of language. Vocabulary is of a high level and varied.


This score is given to a paper that effectively characterizes opposing positions. Evidence used is appropriate and convincing and a wide range of elements of effective writing is shown. The paper is not flawless. The paper is not flawless. Vocabulary is of a high level and varied.

7 (90-92)

These papers fit the description of a 6 paper but provide a more complete explanation and argument and/or demonstrate a more mature prose style. Varied vocabulary used correctly.


The 6 papers adequately characterize opposing positions. Evidence used is appropriate. Writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally prose is clear. Vocabulary is a little more general but used correctly.

5 (82-84)

Papers in this adequately characterize opposing positions, but do so with uneven, inconsistent, or limited explanations. Writing may have lapses in diction and syntax, but overall meaning is conveyed. Vocabulary is general.


These papers inadequately respond to the prompt. They may have difficulty characterizing opposing positions on topic. Evidence is insufficient. There is an overall idea conveyed, but there may be some immature writing. Wide use of vocabulary is missing.

3 (75-76)

Papers in this score range meet criteria for a 4, but characterize opposing positions less These papers may also exhibit less control of standard conventions. Word choice is weaker and extremely general.


These papers demonstrate little success in characterizing opposing positions. These papers may have misunderstood the prompt, failed to characterize positions. These papers also exhibit weakness in writing. Word choice is weak.

1 (60)



“-“ Off topic

General Rubric for Synthesis Response Score Point Comments

9 (97-100)

Papers earning this score meet the criteria of an 8 paper, and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument and synthesis of cited sources or demonstrate particularly impressive control of language. Vocabulary is of a high level and varied.


This score is given to a paper that effectively takes a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies a claim. They effectively support their position by effectively synthesizing and citing at least three of the sources. Also, a wide range of elements of effective writing is shown. The paper is not flawless. The paper is not flawless. Vocabulary is of a high level and varied.

7 (90-92)

These papers fit the description of a 6 paper but provide a more complete and purposeful argument and synthesis of cited sources, and/or demonstrate a more mature prose style. Varied vocabulary used correctly.


This score is given to papers that adequately take a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies a claim. They adequately support their position by effectively synthesizing and citing at least three of the sources. Argument is generally convincing and citations generally support, but the argument is less developed and less cogent than higher scoring essays. Writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally prose is clear. Vocabulary is a little more general but used correctly.

5 (82-84)

This score is given to a paper that takes a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies a claim. They support their position by synthesizing and citing at least three of the sources. but do so with uneven, inconsistent, or limited explanations. Argument is generally clear and sources are somewhat limited. Links between sources and argument are strained. Writing may have lapses in diction and syntax, but overall meaning is conveyed. Vocabulary is general.


This score is given to a paper that inadequately takes a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies a claim. They attempt to support their position by synthesizing and citing at least two of the sources but may misunderstand or oversimplify the argument or the sources cited. Links between sources and argument are weak. There is an overall idea conveyed, but there may be some immature writing. Wide use of vocabulary is missing.

3 (75-76)

Papers in this score range meet criteria for a 4, but demonstrate less understanding of cited sources. Position taken by writer is not really developed. These papers may also exhibit less control of standard conventions. Word choice is weaker and extremely general.


These papers demonstrate little success in taking a position that defends, challenges, or qualifies a claim. They may merely allude to knowledge gained from the sources rather than citing the sources themselves. These papers may have misunderstood the prompt and/or failed to develop a position. These papers also exhibit weakness in writing. Word choice is weak.

1 (60)



“-“ Off topic

WRITING CODES SHEETLast Name & Page #

(on all pages)

Name

Teacher

Course (Class)

Day Month Year (no commas)

Title of Paper

Margins should be one inch on each side (top/bottom & right/left). Student should put

name on all pages with their last name and page number placed on the top of the page at the right

margin (ex. Egan 1). On the title page, each student should put their name, teacher’s name, name

of the class, and the date (27 August 2005) flush with the left margin. The title should be centered

and the font should be 12 pt. Times New Roman. Each line is double spaced.

On the left side of the page, the teacher will give comments for revising the paper. The

right side of the page will have comments for editing (grammar, usage, etc). These will be

communicated with codes and will be placed on the same line where the mistake was made. Please

refer to the following legend.

Code error Code errorsp spelling Case/Number error with case, numberawk awkward AP apostrophecap capitalization FS fused sentencec comma WC word choicedev details needed WW wrong wordFR fragment tense tense of verbCS comma splice ??? What are you talking

about?S/V subj/verb agreement paragraph mark start new paragraphP/A Pronoun agreement VAR Sentence variation is not

evidentORG Organization is weak

Primary Texts

Yagelski, Robert P. and Robert K. Miller. The Informed Argument, 6th edition. Boston: Thomson Wadsworth, 2004.

McMichael, George and James S. Leonard. Concise Anthology of American Literature, 6th Edition. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2006.

Texts to be bought by students or borrowed from school repositories:

Fahrenheit 451, Ray Bradbury

The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald

Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne

Farewell to Arms, Ernest Hemingway

Of Mice and Men, John Steinbeck

The Crucible, Arthur Miller

Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain

All other texts will be in the forms of handouts.

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