Scoring the AP Literature and Composition Exam

1. Scoring the AP Literature and Composition Exam Gretchen Lutz Chavez HS 2005

2. Students had 2 and a half hours to write the three essays. Each essay counts a third of the essay credit. The essay portion is worth 55%, The rest of the exam in multiple choices, 55-60 questions in one hour.

3. Research • Writing on demand…is an artificial construct…it is not, however, an insurmountable task nor a mystery. Gere et.al (2005) p.29 • An AP English course in Literature and Composition engages students in the careful reading and critical analysis of imaginative literature. Through the close reading of selected texts, students deepen their understanding of the ways writers use language to provide both meaning and pleasure for their readers. College Board (2005), p. 42. • Students need to understand and participate in grading or scoring writing so they can benefit more fully from teacher grades and prepare themselves for the scoring of writing on demand. Gere et.al.(2005) p. 187. • [The standard is] students apply a wide range of strategies to comprehend, interpret, evaluate, and appreciate texts. They draw on their prior experiences, their interactions with other texts, their word identification strategies, and their understanding of textual features. NCTE and IRA,(1996), p. 3.

4. The Prompt: The poems below, published in 1789 and 1794, were written by William Blake in response to the conditions of chimney sweeps. Usually, small children, sweeps, were forced inside chimneys to clean their interiors. Read the two poems carefully. Then, in a well-written essay, compare and contrast two poems, taking into consideration the poetic techniques Blake uses in each.

5. Applying the rubric Read the designated essays and assign them scores based on the rubric. These essays are the rangefinders.

6. Modifications • G-T students will use rubrics to score their own writing and the writing of their peers. • Special Ed. And ESL students will score the range finders. Then they will use another rubric to score their own TAKS-type essays.

7. References • National Council of Teachers of English and International Reading Association (2005). English: english language and composition english literatature and composition course description. New York: College Board AP. • Gere, A.R. et al, (2005). Writing on demand. Portsmouth NH, Heinemann. • International Reading Association and National Council of Teachers of English (1996). Standards for the English Language Arts. Urbanana, Ill. National Council of Teachers of English.