Chapter 5

1. Chapter 5 Introduction to the Analysis Essay Eileen Medina Veronica Alvarez Samantha Lamosa Maydee Martinez Daniel Camacho

2. Some Basics • Just What Is an AP English Language Analysis Essay? • As you may now by now, the AP test will throw any prompt at your face on the day of the exam. You won't get to pick what you want but you will be able to try and defeat it. • How will you defeat the test in an epic battle of essay writing? • You will puncture it and diminish it's life essence if you prepare yourself for it. The AP English and Composition Test's essay prompts usually are based on ANALYSING rhetorical devices and stylistic element that the author of a literature work uses. • *Tip: Sometimes you may encounter a piece by an author that you already recognize. However, if that is not the case, don't be shaken by the fact you are unfamiliar with it but rather focus on trying and doing your best. Eileen

3. Some basics • What Is the Purpose of the Analysis Essay? • All that the College Board wants to see is whether you can read, understand, and analyze complex works of literature. There’s really not much to it. As for writing, all they focus on is how well you can make use of language and manipulate it to appeal to your readers. • Based on how you write, the level of your writing will be a reflection of your ability to do critical thinking. • Connections made between the passage and the analysis is essential. Don't just simply list them. Explain them and use those connections to reach your goal of writing a great essay that will astound the reader scoring your essay. Eileen

4. Types of Analysis Essay Prompts • What Kinds of Questions Are Asked in the Analysis Essay? • -Types of essay questions are as followed: • Analyzing • Compare & Contrast • Discuss Eileen

5. Analyzing • An author's point of view on a specific subject. • Rhetorical devices used by author to achieve their purpose. • stylistic elements in the passage and their effects. • Author's tone and how it is conveyed. • Author's purpose and how it is achieved. • Some of the ways an author re-creates a real or imagined experience. • How an author presents themself in a passage. Eileen

6. Compare & Contrast/Discuss • Two passages in regards to style, purpose, and tone.’ (C&C) • Two passages in regards to style, purpose, and tone. (D) • *Tip: If the prompt seems to complicated don't give up! If you can't understand, you can choose which references to put into your essay and still do good ASLONG AS YOU ADDRESS THE PROMPT. Also, watch for overconfidence. Eileen

7. Timing and Planning the Analysis Essay • Time is of the essence, but no worries here is a strategy. • 1-3 minutes working and reading the prompt • 5 minutes annotating and underlining • get 2 references that get your attention for an opening and closing • 10 minutes preparing to write • 3 diff methods (highlighting marginal mapping and key words • 20 min writing essay based on your preparation • 3 min proofreading Veronica

8. Working the Prompt • You should spend 1-3 min carefully reading prompt • Tip if test starts at 1 write 140 in margin- it means what time you should be finished with essay • 3 reasons why you need to do 1-3 min analysis of prompt • 1 you know what to expect and aren’t blindsided • 2 internalize question and be more sensitive to detail • 3 you can write complete essay demonstrating adherence to topic • Tip topic adherence= sticking to prompt Veronica

9. Reading and Notating the Passage • After making sure that you understand the prompt, you must read the passage closely. Here are two approaches that you might be comfortable using: • 1. Read the text quickly, then take notes and underline anything you believe to be important. • 2. Read it slowly and take notes while you do so. • TAKE NOTES!! DON'T skip this step. It allows you to identify the most important points in the passage that pertain to the prompt without having to go through the passage later. Samantha

10. Excerpt from “in cold blood” • The village of Holcomb stands on the high wheat plains of western Kansas, a lonesome area that other Kansans call “out there.” Some seventy miles easy of the Colorado border, the country side, with its hard blue skies and desert-clear air, has an atmosphere that is rather more Far Western than Middle West. The local accent is barbed with a prairie twang, a ranch-hand nasalness, and the men, many of them, wear narrow frontier trousers Stetsons, and high-heeled boots with pointed toes. The land is flat, and the views are awesomely extensive; horses, herds of cattle, a white cluster of grain elevators rising as gracefully as Greek temples are visible long before a traveler reaches them. Samantha

11. Except from in cold blood (highlighted) • The village of Holcomb stands on the high wheat plains of western Kansas, a lonesome area that other Kansans call “out there.” Some seventy miles easy of the Colorado border, the country side, with its hard blue skies and desert-clear air, has an atmosphere that is rather more Far Western than Middle West. The local accent is barbed with a prairie twang, a ranch-hand nasalness, and the men, many of them, wear narrow frontier trousers Stetsons, and high-heeled boots with pointed toes. The land is flat, and the views are awesomely extensive; horses, herds of cattle, a white cluster of grain elevators rising as gracefully as Greek temples are visible long before a traveler reaches them. • Bold = 1 • Underlined = 2 • Italicized = 3 Samantha

12. Developing the opening paragraph • Introductions should start off with an opening statement, also known as a "hook". This will catch the eye of the reader and sets the tone for the rest of your essay. • it is recommended to spend a little extra time on introductions because it can help maximize your score. • Another element that should be included in the introduction is your topic/thesis. ! Your topic sentence should be very clear to the reader. • you must also include and identify both the text and its author. • Check list for introductory paragraphs: • 1) Did you start with a hook/ eye catcher? • 2) Have you included the author and title? • 3) Did you specifically mention the (stylistic) elements that you will refer to in your essay? Maydee

13. Writing the Body of the Essay • The body paragraphs is where your analysis and the points you want to make . • Use specific references and details from the passage to prove your ideas. • Don’t paraphrase the original, refer to it directly • -remember to put quotation marks around the exact words and phrases that you extract from the passage. • !!! Use transitions between paragraphs to connect your ideas. • *The book suggests to spend more time on developing the body paragraphs rather than worrying about a conclusion. Your final statement should only link the main ideas from your body paragraphs.* Maydee

14. Other types of analysis essays • There are many different types of analysis prompts you can expect on the exam. Examples include prompts that ask: • Identify the author’s intended effect on the reader • No one can ever know what an author intended unless you could personally ask him/her. When writing about effect think about your personal reaction to the text or how you felt after reading it. • Analyze how an author recreates an experience • Think about how you have tried to recreate an experience for your friends or family and how you told the story and see if any of it relates to the author’s text. • Compare/Contrast • C&C essays are not difficult. You just have to have organizational control over your material. After carefully reading the prompt decide on the structure you want to use to present your points: • Point by point • Subject by subject • A combination of both Danny

15. Rapid review • Analysis is the study of rhetorical strategies and stylistic elements. • Your writing reflects your critical thinking. • Review the types of analysis questions asked on previous exams. • Always address the prompt. • Review the rubrics to understand the rating system. • Remember, the essay on the exam is a first draft. • Follow a timing strategy for writing the exam essay. • Carefully analyze the prompt. Employ close reading and highlighting of the given passage. • “Work” the material. • Write your essays and check against models. • Use echo words. • Form a study group. Score your own essays. Danny