Introduction
AP Literature is by far the most rigorous class I have taken. Reflecting back on the year, it has been one with a lot of growing. From the first timed multiple choice test to the first timed write--everyone strives to become a better AP student. This sub-page is designed to give AP students one last tool to use before heading into the thing we've all been waiting for--the exam. This page will include information on common mistakes made during the test, as well as how you can improve your overall multiple choice and writing scores. So take a close look, and GOOD LUCK!
Two Common Mistakes From AP Students
Time Management- Many students will struggle with prioritizing their time to the best of their ability. With only three hours to complete 55 multiple choice question along with three essays, the ability to pace yourself is something you need to master.
From my personal experience along with some of my classmates, timing yourself on the multiple choice is done differently compared to the essays. You have exactly one hour to complete 55 questions, which is nearly one minute per question. In reality, that isn't a lot of time considering you have to read all the prompts as well as making sure you analyze them correctly. This is a much quicker pace compared to the two hours you have to complete three essays: which averages to 40 minutes per essay. Now this doesn't mean you have to divide all your essays up equally--you can spend different amounts of time and each essay as long as you are aware of the amount of time you have life to make sure all of your work is complete. The time management required for your essays is much more free-ranged than the multiple choice, however, they are equally important. Tips: The best way to make complete use of your time is to stay organized and busy. There may come a time when you get to a particular prompt or question and feel stuck . Instead of sitting there stuck, move on to something different, but also make a note to return to the problem so your work is complete. |
Being Too Confident- It is important to recognize your skill,s however, blowing off preparation because you feel very confident could end up coming back to bite you. We have worked hard all year in preparation for this one test; don't let laziness the last few weeks be the reason you don't get at least a three on this exam!
Tips: Do everything your teacher (Mrs. Rutan) tells you to do to prepare for this test--there's probably a reason they're telling you these things in the first place. However, when preparing for this test--like everything else--there is such a thing over doing it. As students, we have ALL the tools necessary to pass this test, now all we need to do is realize we have them and apply them when the time comes.
Establishing some sort of confidence is very important. We should feel confident going into this test because we have prepared all year for just three short hours. It's important to know going into the test that YOU believe you will pass it. I know first-hand there will come times in this class where it's hard to be positive, but those are the times where you really have to be. Keeping an optimistic attitude towards something you've worked so hard for will ultimately help you achieve the big goal.
Tips: Do everything your teacher (Mrs. Rutan) tells you to do to prepare for this test--there's probably a reason they're telling you these things in the first place. However, when preparing for this test--like everything else--there is such a thing over doing it. As students, we have ALL the tools necessary to pass this test, now all we need to do is realize we have them and apply them when the time comes.
Establishing some sort of confidence is very important. We should feel confident going into this test because we have prepared all year for just three short hours. It's important to know going into the test that YOU believe you will pass it. I know first-hand there will come times in this class where it's hard to be positive, but those are the times where you really have to be. Keeping an optimistic attitude towards something you've worked so hard for will ultimately help you achieve the big goal.
AP Multiple Choice
The multiple choice has been one of my stronger points this yea, however, at the beginning of the year, it was a major struggle adjusting to the rigor of this type of test. Throughout the year we were given a lot of handouts regarding how to help us pass this exam. I went through all of the old handouts and picked a few tips that I thought were the most important.
1. Annotate- If I'm being honest, I never thought it would hear these words come from me, but here we are. At the beginning of the year my stubborn self did not want to annotate the passages for the multiple choice. I have learned that writing down things you notice, different themes, and even tone shifts will ultimately increase your understanding of the passage. One of my favorite tools for annotating this year is threading; threading is basically organizing the passage into different sections so that YOU can understand it better. Here is an example from earlier in the year:
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2. Vocab- It may seem redundant, however AP vocab is it's own breed. At the beginning of the year our comprehension may not have been as strong because of our lack of knowledge for the AP vocab. Expanding your AP vocab will increase your comprehension of the passages which will help you when it comes to answering the multiple choice questions. Here is a link to a Quizlet with an excess of vocab:
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3. Practice Makes Perfect (Maybe)- Practice, Practice, and practice some more. You don't start training for a triathlon the day before the big event so don't wait till the last minute to prepare for this test. We have done a TON of practice tests this year, but it's always smart to do some practice on your own time as well. With a lot of practice, you will build your endurance and become more comfortable for the dreaded hour long multiple choice questions.
AP Essay
1. Plan Your Ideas- This was also another struggle of mine. When I would receive a prompt I would hop right into writing it rather than having an organized plan. Many people think planning is a waste of time, but the 5-7 minutes you spend planning will save you time later because you won't have to stop and wonder where you are going next. This is one of the most important tools to use in my opinion because it allows you to save time and also organize your thoughts so you can have a thorough paper.
The picture on the left is an earlier writing--as you can see the only planning I did was write down my claim. I feel like my lack of organization during this timed write was the reason I didn't get the results I wanted. The picture on the right was done as homework; we were given two prompts to go home and analyze, then come back the next day with a "plan" as if we were to actually write on these prompts
2. Include Themes- This is something we have talked about ALL year. My writings from earlier in the year were much weaker than they are now because I didn't possess the skill to write about the prompt as well as bring in some sort of theme whether it be about society, humanity, etc. Once I started to implement themes into my writings it made my overall analysis better as well as improve my essay scores. As AP students, we are expected to go above and beyond and doing this in your writings will guide you to the score you are shooting for.
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3. Be CREATIVE- The people who grade your essays have seen hundreds of the same exact paper. Redundancy will be the main cause for your writing to have a lower score. With adding variety, you may give your AP reader a breath of fresh air from what they have been reading--which will result in a higher score. In a way, it would be an epiphany for the AP reader, so please, be creative!
Conclusion
I hope all of the information provided has--in some way--helped you to prepare for the AP Literature Exam. Even if they information was redundant, it's still a great way to review. Now, we all have the tools possible to guide us towards a successful outcome. So when the test comes, relax and remember what you know, GOOD LUCK!