Approaches to writing the essays for the AP English Language and Composition Exam.
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| 12002927447 | Example or illustration | Using specific examples to illustrate an idea. Tips: 1). Use examples that your reader will identify with and understand 2). Draw examples from "real life," "real" culture, and well-known folklore 3). Make sure examples really do illustrate the main point 4). Introduce examples with transitions | 0 | |
| 12002927448 | Classification | Dividing up whatever is at hand into groups according to certain characteristics. Used to more easily analyze and explain. Tips: 1). Very useful for analyzing or explaining 2). Make sure there is a central idea (thesis) 3). Sort information into a manageable amount of meaningful groups that do not overlap 4). Justify the thesis, not the categories | 1 | |
| 12002927449 | Comparison and contrast | Finding the similarities and differences between objects, people, characteristics, and actions. Used to explain, or to argue in favor of one of the two elements. Tips: 1). Find common elements from both A and B 2). Do not write A in one paragraph and B in another 3). Combine common elements into a limited number of groups 4). Do not attempt to justify the groups, only present them | 2 | |
| 12002927450 | Analogy | Explaining things by comparing them with other things. Tips: 1). Use for expository writing, not argumentative writing 2). Use to explain something difficult to understand or that is abstract 3). Make sure the audience will readily understand the "simple" or concrete subject | 3 | |
| 12002927451 | Process analysis | Explaining how to do something or how it was done. Tips: 1). Sequence is chronological and usually fixed 2). Make sure the stages are clear by using transitions 3). Make sure the terminology is appropriate for the reader | 4 | |
| 12002927452 | Cause and effect | Explaining why things should be or should have been done. Tips: 1). Do not confuse the relating of mere circumstances with a cause-and-effect 2). Turn casual relationships into causes and effects with carefully chosen examples 3). Make sure to carefully address each step in a series of casual relationships | 5 | |
| 12002927453 | Definition | Defining things in terms everyone would understand. Tips: 1). Keep the reasoning for defining something in mind while writing 2). Define key terms according to what you know of your audience 3). Explain the background (history) when relevant to the definition 4). Define by negation when appropriate | 6 | |
| 12002927454 | Description | Describing things in order to make the essay lively and interesting and hold the reader's interest. Tips: 1). When possible, call on all five senses 2). Place most striking examples at the beginning and end of paragraphs 3). Use concrete nouns and adjectives; nouns should dominate. 4). Employ figures of speech and action verbs when appropriate | 7 | |
| 12002927455 | Narration | A story in which pieces of information are arranged in chronological order. Tips: 1). Structure events in chronological order 2). Make the story complete with a beginning middle and end 3). Provide a realistic setting 4). Establish a clear point of view | 8 | |
| 12002927456 | Induction and deduction | Using specific examples to reach general conclusions, and using generalizations to draw a conclusion about a specific case. Tips: 1). Induction goes from the specific to a generalization 2). Make sure there is sufficient evidence to support the claim 3). Deduction goes from a generalization to the specific 4). Make sure the generalization has sufficient credibility before applying it to specific cases | 9 |
