Topic Sentences (AP Language)

A number of you still seem to be struggling with topic sentences for the persuasive essays. Once again, please consider reviewing the cheat sheets which will give you a template that should help you begin the transition to effective, argumentative topic sentences.

It’s still right here. 🙂

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Compulsory Voting Essays: Major Issues

There are a few major issues that cropped up in the compulsory voting essays. Pay particular attention to these as you revise.alt

  1. General proofreading needs to be dramatically improved. Check your paper for spelling, grammar, and usage errors before hitting submit. A number of these errors dramatically reduces your ethos.
  2. Parallelism, especially in the thesis statements, needs to be more consistent.
  3. Given that the essay considers a possible potential future, you should write in the present tense. Rather than saying what compulsory voting does, focus on what it would do.
  4. Concessions need to be genuine. A number of you only offered half-hearted concessions before attacking the other side. 
  5. Use naysayers to avoid repetition and to add sophistication to your arguments. They were a specific requirement for this prompt–and many of you didn’t include a single one in your response.
  6. Topic sentences are always arguments.
  7. Development, development, development: make sure that you’ve provided enough analysis and evidence to support your claims.
  8. Slippery slopes are logical fallacies, not fun summer games.

Revision Due Dates

  • Period 3 (Sunday at 11 p.m.)
  • Period 5/6 (Sunday at 1 p.m.)
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Toulmin Model

This site uses some different language than the language we used in class, but it’s certainly a helpful way to visualize the model.

 

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AP Language Classical Persuasion Test

Be ready for the Classical Persuasion test on Friday. It will cover 

  • logos, pathos, ethos, kairos
  • SOAPS
  • Tone
  • and application of all of the above.

You can download notes for the test here.
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AP Language Final

The final for AP Language is a oral presentation with three components and a brief written element:

  • A Beowulf-style boast about your achievements this year (oral)
  • A favorite moment with another student in the class this year (oral)
  • A passage from the reading that we read this year that moved or changed you in some way (oral)
  • A brief letter reflecting on your writing portfolio (written, no more than 3 paragraphs) 

 

The oral portion of the presentation only needs to be one-two minutes long.

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