How I Self-Studied for AP Lang and Got a 5

Ms. Peer Editor
8 Dec 201909:47
EducationalLearning
32 Likes 10 Comments

TLDRIn this informative video, Miss Peer shares valuable strategies for acing the AP English Language and Composition exam. She emphasizes the importance of understanding rhetorical and literary devices, and suggests practical techniques for tackling multiple-choice questions and essays. Miss Peer recommends using resources like Barron's book for practice and creating an 'info bank' of outside knowledge to enrich the essays. Her tips, including the order to approach the essays and how to use sources effectively in the synthesis essay, aim to help students maximize their potential on the exam.

Takeaways
  • πŸ“š Start by reading the questions first in the multiple-choice section to identify line references.
  • πŸ–Š Underline and annotate the passage with question numbers corresponding to line references.
  • 🧠 This approach keeps your mind fresh and focused on specific details before general questions.
  • πŸ“ˆ Understand rhetorical and literary devices thoroughly for the exam, not just their definitions.
  • πŸ“š Use Barron's book for practice as it tends to be more challenging than the actual AP exam questions.
  • πŸ€” Categorize the type of questions you get wrong and adjust your strategy accordingly.
  • πŸ“ Write the three essays in order, saving the argument essay for last as it doesn't require outside sources.
  • πŸ” For the synthesis essay, supplement provided sources with outside information to strengthen your argument.
  • 🎯 Ensure documents only support your argument, not lead it, in the synthesis essay.
  • 🌟 Practice rhetorical analysis by identifying frequent devices in past AP exam passages.
  • 🏦 Create an 'info bank' of outside knowledge applicable to various prompts for the argument essay.
Q & A
  • What is the speaker's main purpose in the video?

    -The speaker aims to share their personal strategies and tips for successfully self-studying and achieving a high score on the AP English Language and Composition exam.

  • What is the first strategy the speaker suggests for tackling multiple-choice questions?

    -The speaker suggests reading the questions first without looking at the passage, identifying line references, and then underlining and annotating those lines in the passage for later reference.

  • Why does the speaker recommend focusing on specific details before broader questions in the multiple-choice section?

    -Focusing on specific details first helps to keep the mind fresh and allows for a more targeted analysis, making it easier to address the broader questions after having already engaged with the text's specifics.

  • How does the speaker suggest preparing for the recognition of rhetorical and literary devices?

    -The speaker advises not only learning the definitions but also understanding the practical application of these devices by providing examples from texts, which helps in recognizing them in the exam.

  • Which resource does the speaker find particularly helpful for practicing multiple-choice questions?

    -The speaker finds the Barron's book helpful because it provides a challenging practice with various question types and allows for targeted improvement by identifying and practicing weak areas.

  • What is the speaker's approach to the essay section of the exam?

    -The speaker does the three essays in order, saving the argument essay for last, and emphasizes the importance of practicing and creating an 'info bank' of outside knowledge to apply to any prompt.

  • How does the speaker recommend using outside information in the synthesis essay?

    -The speaker suggests incorporating outside information to supplement the provided sources, forming your own argument and using statistics and pieces from documents to support it, rather than relying solely on the documents.

  • What strategy does the speaker use for the rhetorical analysis essay?

    -The speaker recommends practicing with past AP exam passages, identifying the most frequent rhetorical devices, and learning how to recognize and analyze their importance in conveying the author's message.

  • Which additional resources does the speaker recommend for essay preparation?

    -The speaker recommends both Barron's and Cliff Notes for their sample essays, which provide a solid foundation for constructing a good thesis and effectively incorporating evidence.

  • How does the speaker suggest making the persuasive or argument essay stand out?

    -The speaker suggests creating an 'info bank' of diverse knowledge from various sources and making unique connections to support the argument in a way that distinguishes the essay.

  • What advice does the speaker give for test-takers to reduce stress on exam day?

    -The speaker advises doing thorough preparation work, such as identifying frequent rhetorical devices from past exams, to focus more on how those devices contribute to the author's message rather than just finding them.

Outlines
00:00
πŸ“š AP English Language Exam Strategies

This paragraph introduces Miss Peer, an editor who shares her strategies for self-studying and achieving a score of 5 on the AP English Language and Composition exam. She discusses her approach to multiple-choice questions, which includes reading questions first, identifying line references, and annotating the passage. Miss Peer emphasizes the importance of understanding rhetorical and literary devices and suggests using Barron's book for practice. She also encourages readers to share their strategies in the comments section.

05:03
πŸ–‹οΈ Mastering the Essay Section

In this paragraph, Miss Peer shares her approach to tackling the essay section of the AP English Language exam. She advises doing the three essays in order and provides specific strategies for each type of essay. For the synthesis essay, she recommends incorporating outside information to enhance the essay. For the rhetorical analysis essay, she suggests practicing with past exams and identifying common literary devices. Lastly, for the argumentative essay, she recommends creating an 'info bank' of outside knowledge to apply to various prompts. Miss Peer also mentions the usefulness of resources like Cliff Notes for sample essays.

Mindmap
Keywords
πŸ’‘AP English Language and Composition Exam
The AP English Language and Composition Exam is a standardized test offered by the College Board in the United States. It is designed to assess high school students' proficiency in English language and composition skills. In the video, the speaker shares their personal experience and strategies for achieving a high score on this exam, making it a central theme of the content.
πŸ’‘Multiple Choice Strategies
Multiple Choice Strategies refer to the systematic approaches and techniques used to answer multiple-choice questions effectively. In the context of the video, the speaker outlines specific strategies they used to tackle the multiple-choice section of the AP English Language and Composition Exam, emphasizing the importance of understanding the questions and the passage before attempting to answer.
πŸ’‘Rhetorical Devices
Rhetorical Devices are linguistic techniques used by writers or speakers to persuade or influence the reader or listener. In the video, the speaker highlights the importance of understanding rhetorical devices for the AP English Language and Composition Exam, particularly in the context of analyzing texts and constructing effective essays.
πŸ’‘Barrion's Book
Barrion's Book is a reference to a test preparation book series, often used for AP exams. In the video, the speaker recommends using Barrion's Book for AP English Language and Composition to practice and understand the exam's question format, as they find it more challenging than the actual exam questions.
πŸ’‘Synthesis Essay
The Synthesis Essay is a type of writing assignment in which a writer must combine and analyze information from multiple sources to form a new argument or understanding. In the video, the speaker shares tips for the Synthesis Essay section of the AP English Language and Composition Exam, emphasizing the use of outside information to enhance the essay.
πŸ’‘Rhetorical Analysis Essay
The Rhetorical Analysis Essay is a type of writing assignment where the writer examines the rhetorical strategies used by an author to persuade or influence the audience. In the video, the speaker discusses the importance of practicing and familiarizing oneself with common rhetorical devices to excel in this section of the AP English Language and Composition Exam.
πŸ’‘Persuasive Essay
The Persuasive Essay is a type of writing where the author aims to convince the reader of a particular point of view or argument. In the video, the speaker provides advice on preparing for the Persuasive Essay section of the AP English Language and Composition Exam, including creating an 'info bank' of outside knowledge to apply to any prompt.
πŸ’‘Info Bank
An 'Info Bank' is a collection of information, facts, and knowledge that can be used to support arguments or enrich writing in essays and other compositions. In the video, the speaker recommends creating an 'info bank' before the AP English Language and Composition Exam to have a resource of diverse and relevant information for the Persuasive Essay section.
πŸ’‘Cliff Notes
Cliff Notes is a series of study guides and test preparation resources designed to help students understand and analyze literature, as well as prepare for exams. In the video, the speaker mentions Cliff Notes as a useful resource for sample essays for all three prompts in the AP English Language and Composition Exam.
πŸ’‘Study Strategies
Study Strategies refer to the methods and techniques used to learn and retain information effectively. In the video, the speaker shares their personal study strategies for the AP English Language and Composition Exam, including how they prepared for the multiple-choice section, essays, and overall exam content.
Highlights

The speaker shares tips and tricks for self-studying for the AP English Language and Composition exam, which helped them achieve a score of 5.

A strategy for the multiple-choice section is to read the questions first and then underline and annotate the passage with question numbers corresponding to line references.

Focusing on specific details before moving to broader questions can help keep the mind fresh and improve comprehension.

Understanding rhetorical and literary devices is crucial for the exam, and it's more important to know their applications than just their definitions.

The Barron's book is recommended for its challenging multiple-choice questions that prepare students for the AP exam's format.

Analyzing the types of questions one gets wrong and adjusting strategies accordingly can be beneficial for improvement.

For the synthesis essay, incorporating outside information can set one's essay apart from others that rely solely on provided sources.

The synthesis essay should use documents to support, rather than form, the main points of the argument.

Practicing with past AP exam rhetorical passages helps in identifying and understanding the significance of literary and rhetorical devices.

Creating an 'info bank' of outside knowledge before the exam can be useful for the argument essay, providing a wide range of examples and connections.

The speaker used a reference to 'The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks' in their essay, demonstrating how unique connections can strengthen arguments.

Both Barron's and Cliff Notes are recommended resources, particularly for their sample essays which provide a foundation for constructing a good argument.

The video aims to help viewers prepare for the AP English Language exam by sharing personal strategies and recommending helpful resources.

Transcripts
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