AP Language and Composition: Rhetorical Analysis and Research Techniques

1. What are you reading?

2. Recognition, Happy Birthdays and Congratulations!

4. AP Language and CompositionIt’s Tuesday, 15 August 2017 • Time will pass; will you? 76 school days remain in the fall semester. • Today’s Objective: • Students will review the elements of rhetorical analysis.

5. Housekeeping • Today’s socks… • Portfolio exchanges are tomorrow • ECAP is most of the period on Thursday—please complete it on Thursday, or it will become “homework” • Keep abreast of the Daily Course Calendar. • Last updated August 8

6. Coming Due—do not squander time—that’s the stuff life’s made of! • Turn in today: • Narrative essay revisions —tii upload required • Automatic deduction of 5 points for incorrect MLA formatting • Be sure you attach the narrative rubric to the essay • Kennedy Inaugural Address Questions/even or odd • Thursday: • Narrowed research topic with a guiding question • This should be word-processed/MLA, ready to turn in • Last Chance to turn in Thank You For Arguing with a 25% penalty —tii upload required

7. Today’s Class Objective: Students will review the elements of rhetorical analysis. • Review Chapter 2 notes: one sentence summary—turn in notes • Taking a look at some past AP exam questions —rhetorical analysis

8. Today’s Class Objective: Students will review the elements of rhetorical analysis. • Taking a closer look at language: Oliver Goldsmith’s “National Prejudices” page 932 • Assign even or odd questions • Possible Vocab (pick three) • Approbation (N) • Peremptory (Adj) • Scruple (V) • Staid (Adj) • Impetuous (Adj) • Contemptuous (Adj) • Inveterate (Adj) • Appellation (N)

9. Today’s Class Objective: Students will review the standards for credible research, and explore topics and research techniques. • Class Website • Reviewing CARS—your “bible” for research • The CARS Checklist for Research (Credibility, Accuracy, Reasonableness, Support) • Be SAFE when you research—look for Statistics, Anecdotes, Facts and Expert Opinions

10. The “checked practice” assignments I would rather reward you for effort than punish you with a grade for some assignments. We will do a number of “practice” assignments of varying levels of difficulty. I don’t always expect you to have the “right” answers; indeed, there may be many “right” answers as a matter of opinion. What I look for is thought and effort. I can tell by looking at your work approximately how much thought and time was put into the assignment.  Did you attempt to complete the assignment when you got to class, for example? This would definitely not demonstrate effort. If you would like to contest a grade, simply bring the assignment in to me, with proper reasons, and we’ll discuss it. • +: A range (90-100%): Excellence and Effort. Time, effort, and diligence are apparent. All the work is completed; full support is offered for all answers; examples are given when needed. (25 = 22.5-25) •  : B range (80-89%): Adequate work and effort. The work was completed, but more support and effort and development should be apparent. You understood the assignment, but might have done better. (25 = 20-22.5) • -: C range (70-79%): Average work and effort. An attempt was made to complete the assignment, but your understanding of it is not clear, effort may not be apparent and the work may be sloppy. (25 = 17.5-20) • U: D range (50-69%): unacceptable work. Your work is incomplete, rushed, or simply incorrect. This level or work in unacceptable for an AP-level class. (15)

11. Facts do matter—understand the point of credibility

13. Rhetoric • Rhetoric: • The traditional definition of rhetoric, first proposed by Aristotle, and embellished over the centuries by scholars and teachers, is that rhetoric is the art of observing in any given case the “available means of persuasion.” • Close Reading: • Reading to “develop an understanding of a text, written or visual, that is based first on the words and images themselves and then on the larger ideas those words suggest.” • Rhetorical Analysis: • Defining an author’s purpose, then identifying and analyzing the techniques and strategies employed to achieve that purpose.

14. Today’s Class Vocabulary log out? Objective: To review and begin to learn the basics of synthesis writing. • What is synthesis writing? • From a Greek root which means “to put together,” synthesis is the process of bringing together information from various sources, written or visual, to develop a position on a particular topic and form a new whole. • Explanatory Synthesis: brings together sources to illustrate a subject (encyclopedias, textbooks, brochures, museum guides, music performance notes, etc.) • Argumentative Synthesis aims to persuade, to convince readers of a claim. Some evidence (sources) is provided to support the claim, while other evidence (sources) may be used to represent views the writer rejects (commonly known as refutation).

15. AP one-word scoring descriptors for timed writing essays: Ineffective Essays A 4 is “inadequate” A 3 is “unsuccessful” A 2 is “confusing” A 1 is “ugh?” Effective and Adequate Essays • A 9 is “unique” • An 8 is “sophisticated” • A 7 is “effective” • A 6 is “adequate” • A 5 is “uneven”

16. Evaluation • The 9-point rubric • 9-point descriptors • The Anchor Papers—these are “samples”—responses vary • Camera Shots (these are worth 50 points) • Scoring…

17. Whose idea was this rhetoric thing? Socrates: 469-399 B.C.E. Father of Western philosophy and Mentor to Plato. Epistemology and logic. Plato: 424-348 B.C.E. Student of Socrates and founder of “The Academy” Philosophy, logic, ethics, rhetoric and mathematics. Aristotle: 384-322 B.C.E. Student of Plato, and teacher to Alexander the Great.

18. Why Goals and Objectives? • Course Goal—broad, long-term • To understand the elements of argument and other genres or writing, and apply them in both writing, and analysis. • Daily Objective—accomplishing “pieces” of the “goal,” one step at a time • To understand and evaluate the finer elements argument