does ap lang have a lot of homework

Expert Guide to the AP Language and Composition Exam

The AP Language and Composition Exam is a comprehensive assessment of students' reading, writing, and critical thinking skills. Here is an expert guide to help you navigate and excel in this exam:

1. Exam Format: The AP Language and Composition Exam consists of multiple-choice questions and free-response tasks. The multiple-choice section tests your reading comprehension and analysis skills, while the free-response section assesses your ability to write coherent and persuasive essays.

2. Analyzing Rhetorical Strategies: A key focus of the exam is analyzing and understanding rhetorical strategies used in various texts. This includes identifying and evaluating techniques such as ethos, pathos, logos, and rhetorical devices like imagery, figurative language, and tone. Practice analyzing different types of texts, including speeches, articles, essays, and advertisements.

3. Essay Writing Skills: The free-response section requires you to write three essays: a synthesis essay, a rhetorical analysis essay, and an argument essay. Develop strong essay writing skills, including thesis development, evidence selection, and paragraph organization. Practice constructing well-structured, coherent, and persuasive arguments within the given time constraints.

4. Close Reading and Annotation: Effective close reading and annotation skills are crucial for success in the exam. Learn to identify the main ideas, key details, and rhetorical elements in the provided passages. Annotate the text to mark important points, make connections, and track your understanding of the author's purpose and argument.

5. Vocabulary and Grammar: Enhance your vocabulary and grammar skills to express your ideas clearly and precisely. Use varied and appropriate language to convey your analysis and arguments effectively. Pay attention to sentence structure, punctuation, and word choice to ensure coherence and precision in your writing.

6. Practice and Timed Mock Exams: Regular practice is essential to build your skills and confidence. Take timed mock exams to simulate the exam conditions and develop your time management skills. Review your performance, identify areas for improvement, and seek feedback from teachers or peers.

7. Read Widely: Expand your reading repertoire by engaging with diverse texts from different genres and time periods. Reading extensively will improve your comprehension, vocabulary, and ability to recognize different writing styles and rhetorical strategies.

8. Critical Thinking and Analysis: Develop your critical thinking skills by analyzing the effectiveness of arguments, evaluating evidence, and recognizing biases and logical fallacies. Practice constructing well-reasoned arguments and counterarguments to strengthen your analysis.

9. Stay Updated with Current Events: Stay informed about current events and societal issues as they often form the basis of essay prompts and analysis passages. Familiarize yourself with contemporary debates, social, and political issues, and be prepared to apply your knowledge to the exam questions.

10. Seek Resources and Guidance: Utilize available resources, such as study guides, practice exams, and online resources, to enhance your preparation. Seek guidance from teachers, tutors, or peers to clarify any doubts and improve your understanding of the exam requirements.

The AP English Language and Composition Multiple-Choice

The multiple-choice section of the AP English Language and Composition exam assesses your reading comprehension and analysis skills. Here are some key points to understand and excel in this section:

1. Format and Structure: The multiple-choice section consists of a series of passages followed by a set of questions. The passages can include a variety of genres such as essays, speeches, articles, and excerpts from books or plays. Each passage is accompanied by multiple-choice questions that require you to analyze the author's purpose, rhetoric, and style.

2. Close Reading: Effective close reading is crucial for success in the multiple-choice section. Read the passages carefully, paying attention to details, tone, and the author's use of rhetorical devices. Underline or annotate important sections to help you remember key points and refer back to them when answering the questions.

3. Understanding Rhetorical Devices: Familiarize yourself with common rhetorical devices such as ethos, pathos, logos, irony, figurative language, and tone. These devices are frequently used by authors to convey their message and persuade the reader. Be prepared to identify and analyze how these devices contribute to the author's overall argument or purpose.

4. Analyzing Text Structure: Pay attention to the structure of the passages, including the organization of ideas, transitions, and the use of evidence. Identify the main idea, supporting details, and the logical flow of the author's argument. Understanding the structure of the passage will help you answer questions related to the author's intent and the development of their ideas.

5. Answering Strategies: Develop effective strategies for approaching multiple-choice questions. Read each question carefully, making sure to consider all the answer choices before selecting the best option. Pay attention to qualifiers such as "most likely," "least likely," "best supports," etc. Eliminate clearly incorrect choices and make an educated guess if you are unsure.

6. Time Management: The multiple-choice section is timed, so it is important to manage your time effectively. Pace yourself and allocate a specific amount of time for each passage and its corresponding questions. If you encounter a challenging question, mark it and move on, returning to it later if time permits.

7. Practice with Sample Questions: Familiarize yourself with the types of questions commonly asked in the AP English Language and Composition exam by practicing with sample questions. This will help you become more comfortable with the format and style of the questions and improve your ability to identify key elements in the passages.

8. Review Test-Taking Strategies: In addition to content knowledge, review general test-taking strategies that can improve your performance. This includes strategies for eliminating answer choices, using process of elimination, and managing your time effectively.

The AP English Language and Composition Free Response

The free response section of the AP English Language and Composition exam is designed to assess your ability to analyze and respond to rhetorical prompts effectively. Here are some key points to understand and excel in this section:

1. Format and Structure:

The free response section consists of three essay prompts: a synthesis essay, a rhetorical analysis essay, and an argument essay. Each prompt presents you with a specific task and requires you to analyze and respond to a given passage or passages.

2. Synthesis Essay:

In this essay, you are asked to combine information from multiple sources to create a coherent and well-supported argument. You must demonstrate your ability to understand and synthesize different perspectives on a given topic. It is important to analyze the sources critically, identify their main arguments, and use evidence from the sources to support your own argument.

3. Rhetorical Analysis Essay:

In this essay, you are required to analyze the rhetorical strategies employed by the author of a given passage. You need to identify and explain the author's use of rhetorical devices, such as ethos, pathos, logos, figurative language, and tone. Your analysis should focus on how these devices contribute to the author's overall argument and purpose.

4. Argument Essay:

In this essay, you are expected to construct and support your own argument on a given topic. You must develop a clear and coherent thesis statement, provide relevant evidence, and effectively address counterarguments. It is important to use persuasive techniques and rhetorical devices to strengthen your argument.

5. Organization and Structure:

Structure your essays in a clear and logical manner. Each essay should have an introduction that presents your thesis statement, body paragraphs that support your thesis with evidence and analysis, and a conclusion that summarizes your main points and reinforces your argument. Use topic sentences and transitions to ensure a smooth flow of ideas.

6. Evidence and Analysis:

Support your claims and arguments with evidence from the given passages or external sources. Use specific examples, quotes, and references to demonstrate your understanding and provide strong evidence for your analysis. Avoid making unsupported generalizations or relying solely on personal opinions.

7. Time Management:

The free response section is time-limited, so it is crucial to manage your time effectively. Allocate a specific amount of time for each essay and stick to it. Leave some time at the end to review and revise your essays for clarity, coherence, and grammatical correctness.

8. Practice and Preparation:

Familiarize yourself with the expectations and requirements of each essay type by practicing with past exam prompts and sample essays. Pay attention to the scoring guidelines provided by the College Board to understand how your essays will be evaluated. Seek feedback from teachers or peers to improve your writing skills and address any weaknesses.

AP English Language Prep Tips

Preparing for the AP English Language exam requires a strategic approach to enhance your reading, writing, and analytical skills. Here are some detailed tips to help you excel in your preparation:

1. Read Widely:

Develop a habit of reading a variety of texts, including fiction, non-fiction, essays, newspaper articles, and editorials. This will expose you to different writing styles, perspectives, and rhetorical devices. Pay attention to the author's tone, purpose, and argumentative strategies.

2. Analyze Rhetorical Devices:

Familiarize yourself with common rhetorical devices such as ethos, pathos, logos, figurative language, and rhetorical appeals. Practice identifying these devices in various texts and analyze how they contribute to the author's message and overall effectiveness.

3. Expand Vocabulary:

Enhance your vocabulary by reading challenging texts and keeping a vocabulary notebook. Learn new words, their definitions, and how they are used in context. Utilize these words in your writing to demonstrate a strong command of language.

4. Practice Timed Writing:

Time yourself while writing essays to simulate the exam conditions. Aim to complete essays within the time limit while maintaining clarity and coherence. Practice different essay types, such as synthesis, rhetorical analysis, and argument essays, to strengthen your skills in each area.

5. Read Sample Essays:

Study well-written sample essays from previous AP exams to understand the expectations and scoring criteria. Analyze their structure, use of evidence, and clarity of argument. Take note of effective introductions, strong thesis statements, and well-supported analysis.

6. Develop Writing Strategies:

Learn to effectively structure your essays with clear introductions, body paragraphs, and conclusions. Use topic sentences, transitions, and evidence to support your claims. Craft strong thesis statements that clearly state your position and guide your essay.

7. Analyze Visual Texts:

Practice analyzing visual texts such as graphs, charts, and images. Understand how visual elements convey information, make arguments, and support claims. Pay attention to the intended audience and the overall impact of visual texts.

8. Practice Multiple-Choice Questions:

Regularly practice multiple-choice questions to improve your reading comprehension and analysis skills. Read passages carefully, annotate as you go, and answer questions based on the given information. Pay attention to details, context, and authorial intent.

9. Seek Feedback:

Share your essays with teachers or peers and seek constructive feedback. Learn from their suggestions to improve your writing skills and address any weaknesses. Consider joining or forming study groups to discuss and analyze different texts and essay prompts.

10. Review Grammar and Mechanics:

Brush up on grammar rules and punctuation to ensure your writing is clear and error-free. Pay attention to sentence structure, verb tense, subject-verb agreement, and pronoun usage. A strong command of grammar enhances the clarity and effectiveness of your writing.

Remember that consistent practice, focused study, and critical reading are key to success in the AP English Language exam. Develop a study schedule, allocate time for reading and writing practice, and stay disciplined in your preparation. With dedication and effort, you can improve your skills and perform well on the exam.

AP Language and Composition Test Day Tips

On the day of the AP Language and Composition exam, it's important to be well-prepared and approach the test with confidence. Here are some detailed tips to help you make the most of your test day:

1. Get a Good Night's Sleep:

Ensure you have a restful night's sleep before the exam day. Being well-rested will help you stay focused and maintain mental clarity throughout the test.

2. Eat a Nutritious Breakfast:

Start your day with a healthy and balanced breakfast. Fueling your body with nutritious food will provide you with the energy you need for the duration of the exam.

3. Arrive Early:

Plan to arrive at the exam location early to avoid any unnecessary stress. Familiarize yourself with the exam venue and locate your assigned room beforehand.

4. Bring Necessary Materials:

Double-check that you have all the required materials for the exam, such as your admission ticket, identification, pens, pencils, erasers, and a watch to keep track of time. Be aware of any specific items allowed or prohibited by the testing guidelines.

5. Read Instructions Carefully:

Take the time to carefully read the instructions provided on the exam booklet and answer sheet. Understand the format, timing, and specific requirements for each section of the test.

6. Pace Yourself:

Time management is crucial in the AP Language and Composition exam. Allocate your time wisely, making sure to complete each section within the specified time limits. Pace yourself and avoid spending too much time on any single question or passage

7. Skim the Questions First:

Before diving into the reading passages, quickly skim the multiple-choice questions to get a sense of what to look for as you read. This can help you focus your attention and save time while reading and analyzing the passages.

8. Read Actively and Annotate:

As you read the passages, actively engage with the text. Underline key points, annotate important details, and mark passages that you may want to refer back to later. This will help you remember crucial information and facilitate your analysis.

9. Plan Your Essays:

For the essay sections, take a few minutes to plan your response before writing. Outline your main points, supporting evidence, and a clear thesis statement. This will provide structure to your essay and ensure a more coherent and organized response.

10. Review Your Work:

If time permits, take a moment to review your answers before submitting your exam. Check for any errors or incomplete responses, and make any necessary corrections or additions. Ensure that you have followed the instructions and provided clear and concise answers.

11. Stay Calm and Focused:

Throughout the exam, maintain a calm and focused mindset. Manage test anxiety by taking deep breaths, maintaining a positive attitude, and focusing on the task at hand. Remember that you have prepared for this exam and trust in your abilities.

12. Follow Exam Regulations:

Adhere to the exam regulations and guidelines provided by the College Board. Maintain academic integrity by refraining from any prohibited behavior, such as cheating or using unauthorized materials.

By following these tips, you can approach the AP Language and Composition exam with confidence and maximize your chances of success. Remember to stay calm, trust your preparation, and showcase your skills in analyzing and responding to complex texts. Good luck!

In conclusion, the AP Language and Composition exam can seem challenging, but with the right preparation and approach, you can excel. Understanding the exam format, practicing multiple-choice questions, mastering the free response section, and developing strong analytical and writing skills are essential for success. Additionally, following test day tips and maintaining a calm and focused mindset will help you perform at your best. By leveraging these insights and strategies, you can navigate the AP Language and Composition exam with confidence and achieve a high score. Good luck on your exam!

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AP ® Lang teachers: looking to help your students improve their rhetorical analysis essays?

Coach Hall Writes

clear, concise rhetorical analysis instruction.

Is AP Lang Worth It?

September 3, 2022 by Beth Hall

One of the most common questions I received over on TikTok this summer was “Is AP Lang worth it?” 

The answer is “it depends.”

As someone who teaches both AP ® Language and Composition and College English (concurrent credit,) I think students need to consider a variety of factors before making this decision.

First and foremost, know that much of what I’m about to say depends on your interests/goals, the high school you attend, the state you live in, and where you want to attend college.

What is AP Lang?

For more information about the class, check out this video here . AP ® Language and Composition is a course offered through The College Board. Students have the option of taking an exam in May. Depending on the score they receive, students can earn college credit. More information on that to follow.

What is concurrent credit?

This term might vary a bit depending on where you live, but for the purposes of this blog post, concurrent credit means a college level class taught at a high school. Students receive both high school and college credit. The college credit often comes from a local college or community college and can transfer to other colleges. More information on this to follow as well.

What is dual enrollment?

Again, this term might very in its meaning depending on your school, but for the purposes of this blog post, dual enrollment is when you take an AP ® class and receive college credit from a local university at the same time.

 Availability

In some sense, students are limited to which classes their high school offers. Your school might have more AP ® options than concurrent credit options, or vice versa. Some concurrent credit programs will let students take classes over the summer or online of the school does not offer the class, so definitely talk to your guidance counselor about your options.

Generally speaking, both AP ® exams and concurrent credit classes are less expensive than taking the classes as a college freshman. In that sense, both can be great options.

If cost is a factor, look into the cost of the AP ® exam fee and compare it to the cost of an equivalent concurrent credit class.

There are a few states, mine is one of them, where the state department of education covers the AP ® exam fee for students. Also, in our area, students who qualify for free and reduced lunch can take a couple concurrent credit classes at no cost. Sometimes there are also scholarship options for concurrent credit students. Because this varies from school to school and state to state, talk to your teachers or guidance counselors, as they would likely be able to advise you based on the options in your area.

College Credit

Colleges and universities determine what they will accept for credit, so if you have an idea of which schools you might apply to, see which AP scores they accept and what their concurrent credit policy is. This information is typically on the college or university’s website.

College Credit for AP ® Classes

In regard to AP ® classes, one of the perks is that they are widely accepted for college credit, meaning that if you earn the score the school accepts, it is accepted in place of a college class. If you enter college with multiple AP ® or concurrent credits, you are (in theory) saving money, as you could graduate in 2-3 years instead of 4.

As a word of caution, though, college is a big adjustment, and sometimes “testing out” of several classes, whether it be because of AP ® or concurrent credit, can mean that you end up taking several difficult classes as a freshman–all while you’re adjusting to college life. For some people, this is an easy adjustment. For others, it is a challenge.

The downside of AP ® scores is that you might not earn the score you need. In these instances, I can see how it would be easy to think, “oh man, it was a waste.” But, don’t forget that you are a stronger student because of what you learned in the class. So when asked if AP Lang is worth it even if you don’t make the score you want, I think it is. Honestly, out all the AP ® and concurrent credit options out there, I think AP Lang and College English I (sometimes called Comp. I) are worth it because they reinforce how to read and write about nonfiction, a skill that most students will use in their future classes.

College Credit for Concurrent Credit Classes

With concurrent credit classes, it’s important to realize that in some cases private colleges and out-of-state schools are less likely to accept the concurrent credit. While I know of cases where a student attended a private college or out-of-state college and the schools accepted the concurrent credit, I know cases in which the school did not accept the credit. Just as with a school not accepting an AP ® score, I’d venture to say that the student still gained valuable knowledge from the concurrent credit class even if the credit didn’t transfer.

Moral of the story? Do your research.

Make a spreadsheet of the colleges you’re interested in and keep track of the AP and concurrent credit policies. This will help you make an informed decision once you start applying to colleges and receiving acceptance letters.

For more information about how to make a college list, check out this video here.

This is another factor that varies from school to school. Many schools give a “GPA boost” (5.0 scale) for completing an AP ® class. Schools may or may not give the same GPA boost for concurrent credit or dual enrollment classes.

Is AP Lang Hard?

In addition to being asked “is AP Lang worth it,” I’m also frequently asked if “is AP Lang hard.”

This depends on a variety of factors:

• your interest in English, especially nonfiction
• the classes you have previously taken on will be taking at the same time as AP Lang
• your teacher
• your learning style
• your other commitments (school, family, job, etc.)
• the class content and workload

I love that AP ® Lang focuses on rhetorical analysis, synthesis, and argument, as these are valuable skills. I also love that students are exposed to these skills in different ways throughout the year, as I believe these skills are valuable well beyond the class itself.

Want to know more? Check out this blog post about what is on the AP ® Lang Exam.

So is AP ® Lang hard? Maybe. But one of my goals is to try to make it a little easier for students, which is why I started my YouTube channel and TikTok .

Final Recommendations

When deciding “is AP Lang worth it,” make an informed decision by

• Doing your research to see what all your course options are
• Talking to your teachers, guidance counselors, parents/guardians, and students who have taken the classes at your school in previous years–while it should be your decision, sometimes it’s good to hear other people’s perspectives.
• Making a spreadsheet, t-chart, or list to compare the cost and credits accepted

DISCLAIMER: I am not affiliated with The College Board. The advice and opinions expressed in this video are my own.

For more information about AP ® Language and Composition, please go to The College Board’s website, which can be accessed here.

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AP English Language Summer Work: Home

• Engagement Ideas
• Access Books and Media Online

AP English Language Summer Work

Introduction & expectations.

Do you want to know the secret to success in AP Lang? The students who grow the most and who see the strongest results on both the AP exam at the end of the year and throughout the year in our classwork are...

• Strong readers. They read regularly, they read difficult-for-them texts (in vocabulary and/or complexity of ideas), and they read a variety of types of texts.
• Aware of the world around them. They have a growing understanding of the big events & eras in history, and they are aware of current events and significant aspects of culture that are influencing society today. We call this collection of knowledge your Contextual Pool. 
• Curious, risk-takers, and embrace struggle and/or failure as a natural part of the learning process. 

The goal of our summer work is to help you cultivate these habits for success. 

Our general expectation is that AP Lang students complete a minimum of 2 hours of reading per week during the school year. We want you to work up to that this summer if it's not already a habit. Part of that regular weekly reading should be at least 2 full-length non-narrative (not memoirs or biographies) nonfiction books of sufficient difficulty* for the project described to the right. This will broaden your Contextual Pool and improve your reading speed and fluency. As your situation allows, we encourage you to move beyond that, as the more you do now, the better prepared you will be for the rigors of AP English and the exam next spring.

Text Difficulty

*note on text difficulty.

The College Board expects that students coming into the course can read a variety of texts at the college level. Your goal this summer is to begin to bridge the gap of where your current reading comfort zone is and where we ultimately need to be by the end of the next school year. This means that you need to think beyond the easier books many of you might normally pick up for choice reading. While they absolutely have their place in a rich reading life, we have a lot of work to do to build up your reading stamina and comprehension to prepare you for the exam next spring.

Exploration

For each of the 10 weeks of summer, we would like you to engage with something and write about it in a journal log. That something is going to be a mix of things you Read, Watch, Listen to, or Experience. See the tabs at the top of this page for ideas for each.

• Read : 2 of your journal entries will be on your two  full-length texts you read this summer. Those texts will be informational nonfiction (books that explore a topic or issue, not memoirs or biographies). 
• Read : 2 of your entries will be other, shorter reading experiences. Consider Op-Eds or other journalism pieces.
• Watch : 2 of your entries will be based on something you watch, whether short form (like watching the local news) or longer (like a documentary or series). These could be more argumentative based, like your long reading texts, but they also could be informative in a variety of ways, including information about people. For this category, that's okay, since the goal in this one is to build your Contextual Pool of knowledge. 
• Listen : 2 of your entries will be listening to something, whether that's speeches or podcast episodes or something similar. 
• Experience : 2 of your entries will be writing about a cultural experience you have. Look to do things that would be new for you, that will give you new understanding of cultural references or new knowledge on something you don't know much about. We've provided ideas to help inspire you on the second tab at the top of the screen, especially if you will not/do not have the ability to travel much beyond town or are looking for free or cheap options. We encourage you to talk to your family about ways to schedule these intentionally around family plans and to consider getting together with a group of friends taking the course & doing the experience together. 

These are meant to be completed weekly (although obviously you should chip away at the two longer texts throughout the summer), not all crammed into the end of the summer! You can complete them in any order you want.  ​

Critical Thinking Through Writing 

As you complete each week's engagement activity of your choice, you will fill out a one page journal log on it.  All 10 logs should be together on one Google Document. The Doc will include:

• MLA Heading at the top of the first page only:

Mrs. Palazzo/Ms. Yellin

AP English Language

30 August 2022

• The name of the text/experience, with a hyperlink when applicable
• The date you completed it
• A brief summary of new knowledge or perspectives on issues you've gained (1/3-1/2 page)
• Add words, terms, or phrases you were unfamiliar with that were important enough to this text/experience that it was important for you to look them up or work out their meaning through context. (Don't worry about making this section too long or if you have little or nothing to add here for some entries, especially the experiences. Add what's practical to remember throughout the year if you want to use this information in your own arguments.) 
• Anchor this new information into your growing Contextual Pool by connecting it to prior knowledge or other topics or aspects of life (1/3-1/2 page)
• Include a selfie/photos in your 2 Experiences pages

Submissions

Submissions & Questions

You will submit these three components in one Google Doc into Schoology on the first day of school . You should also be prepared to share and discuss your readings and findings through other activities & assignments at the beginning of the school year.

Questions? Reach out to Mrs. Palazzo and Ms. Yellin and one of us will respond as we are able to.

• Next: Engagement Ideas >>
• Last Updated: Apr 12, 2024 10:39 AM
• URL: https://shrewsbury-ma.libguides.com/aplangsummer

Calculate for all schools

Your chance of acceptance, your chancing factors, extracurriculars, ap seminar or ap lang.

I can't decide if I should take AP Seminar or AP Lang next year. What are the main differences in topics and workload? Which one would you guys recommend if I'm interested in improving my writing skills and critical thinking?

AP Seminar and AP Language and Composition (AP Lang) are both great classes for improving your writing skills and critical thinking abilities. However, they do have key differences in focus and structure.

AP Seminar is part of the two-year AP Capstone program, which emphasizes research skills and collaboration. The course involves exploring complex, real-world issues, translating research findings into presentations, and developing solutions. In AP Seminar, you'll work on team projects, individual research papers, and multimedia presentations. While writing is a component of the class, the emphasis is on research skills, teamwork, and communication.

On the other hand, AP Language and Composition (AP Lang) is primarily focused on the craft of writing, rhetorical analysis, and persuasive writing. In AP Lang, you'll read and analyze non-fiction texts, examine how writers use language and rhetorical devices to communicate their ideas, and practice writing in various styles. The course revolves around writing essays, including synthesis, argumentative, and rhetorical analysis essays.

When it comes to workload, both courses can be demanding, depending on your writing abilities, time management, and the teacher's expectations. AP Lang might have more regular writing assignments, whereas AP Seminar projects involve more collaborative work and research.

If your main goal is to improve your writing skills and critical thinking, AP Lang might be the better fit for you, as it directly focuses on analyzing and crafting effective essays and arguments. That being said, if you're interested in developing research skills and working on collaborative projects, AP Seminar could be a valuable and challenging experience.

Ultimately, it comes down to your academic interests and learning preferences. If possible, talk to current students or teachers in both classes to gain more insight into the expectations and experiences of each course. Good luck with your decision!

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Is AP Language and Composition hard?

AP Language & Composition has a reputation of being one of the easier AP classes, but that does not mean it will be an easy stress-free class. As someone who took AP Lang in the 2021-2022 school year, there are many factors to weigh when deciding to take the class. This course definitely highlights writing rather than reading, and if you are a strong writer, you will do just fine!

Does AP Lang have a lot of writing?

The main objective of AP Lang is to turn you into a stronger writer. This means that you are going to be doing a lot of writing! My first semester of AP Lang we would read short stories every few weeks and then closely analyze them through various writing assignments. In order to score well on these writing assignments, you must possess strong writing skills. Some students in my class that had moved from regular level English to AP Lang often complained about poor grades despite their hard work. Learning to be a strong writer takes time and skills, and to take this course you should have some background in rigorous writing. I moved from honors English to AP Lang, and I felt that my writing skills were just fine.

How much homework does AP Lang have? 

Because AP Lang is under a less tight curriculum than other AP classes, the homework and work-load will really vary by teacher. If you are concerned about the workload, I highly recommend asking students that took the class their thoughts. Personally, my class received about 45 minutes – 1 hour of homework a night. During first semester, homework assignments would typically be responding to prompts through writing. During second semester, homework would typically be working on larger writing assignments, reading books, and preparing for the AP Lang exam. AP lang homework requires you to do it slowly and carefully, as you can not “BS” writing. Additionally, you may receive reading quizzes if you had reading homework the night before. I personally thought AP Lang was one of my lighter classes in terms of homework, but this really varies per teacher.

What books do you read in AP Lang? 

Although AP Lang focuses on improving your writing skills, you will still be doing some reading. In my class we read and analyzed several short stories that included Allegory of the Cave by Plato and M r Pirzada Comes to Dine by Jhumpa Lahiri. We also read 2 books that included “Ceremony” by Leslie Silko and “The Great Gatsby” by F. Scott Fitzgerald. Although there are not as many texts as a course like AP Literature, if you are familiar with any of these texts you know that they are not easy. These texts require many close readings and thoughtful analyzing. If you have not read any rigorous and abstract texts prior to this course, you may struggle a little bit. If you’ve read rigorous texts prior to this course, and are willing to closely and patiently read, you will do just fine!

Is the AP Language and Composition test hard?

Personally, I found that the AP Lang test was one of the easiest AP tests I’ve taken. If you are not taking this course, but still possess strong writing skills, I highly suggest still registering for this test. As long as you are prepared, most people do just fine. The hardest part of this test is hand-writing a 3 hour and 15 minute test. Most people say that their hand feels like its going to fall off by the end of the test. In terms of content, the AP Lang test is really not that bad. It’s composed of:

What is in the AP Lang test? 

Multiple choice – 1 hour, 45% of exam score.

Most students do just fine on the multiple choice section. It’s composed on a few reading analysis passages and a few vocabulary passages. If you have ever taken the SAT or ACT, the multiple choice section is EXTREMELY similar to the english portion of the SAT and ACT. If you have never taken the SAT or ACT, most students do just fine if they do some practice tests. Since it is such a heavy weight of the test, I highly recommend really studying.

Synthesis Question – 55 minutes, 18% of exam score

If you have ever done a DBQ (document based question) in history, the synthesis question is basically the English version of that. Students are given a topic, and then have to argue their stance on the topic using 3 out of the 6-7 sources that they read. If you are able to integrate sources into an argument, you will do just fine. I highly recommend reading the rubric to ensure that you receive all points, and doing a few practices to get a feeling at how long 55 minutes is.

Rhetorical Analysis – 40 minutes, 18% of exam score

Oftentimes, rhetorical analysis is the hardest essay for students. Essentially, you are given a passage of writing, and then have to analyze how the author makes the argument in their writing. In this essay, it is important to know different types of figurative language, different writing techniques, and college board words such as “pathos” (appeals to emotion) and “logos’ (appeals to logic). It is important that you really study for this essay, as oftentimes students have little exposure to constructing essays like this. Once you study and practice, it really isn’t that bad.

Argument- 40 minutes, 18% of exam score

The argument is often the easiest essay for students. Students are constantly exposed to essays similar to this, as it is just responding to a simple prompt. The prompt might be a question as simple as “should people strive for perfection?”. If you are able to argue a position to an argument and bring in real-world evidence on the spot, you will do just fine. I recommend practicing 1-2 essays just to familiarize yourself with pacing. Otherwise, its pretty straight forwards.

Should you take AP Lang?

Overall, while the workload definitely varies on the teacher, most students do just fine in this course. You have to possess strong writing skills and be able to analyze complex texts. The AP Lang test is one of the easiest AP tests offered, so most students will obtain college credit. Personally, being previously prepared for the course, I had a very positive experience taking AP Lang!

If your also thinking about taking AP Lit, check out  Is AP Lit Hard? AP English Literature and Composition Class

If you are also thinking about taking AP US history, check out Complete Guide to Highschool AP US history – Should you take it? .

If your also thinking about taking AP Gov, check out  Is AP Gov Hard? AP US Government And Politics Class

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AP® English Language

Is ap® english language hard.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

Did you know that you can take some of your time in high school to earn college credits? Well, it’s true. Some of your efforts in high school can lead to college credit. How does it work? If you take the AP® English Language and Composition class in high school and pass the corresponding exam, then you can earn credits towards your degree. Not only that, but you will be able to improve your English language skills too.

Through the AP® English class, you will be able to strengthen your writing skills while expanding your vocabulary. You will also learn to read more critically. With a focus on nonfiction written works, you will explore subjects that you can relate to current events or other classwork. Covered materials will include an exploration of diverse styles from multiple time periods. A variety of authors will be examined to present you with a wider range of composition styles and writing techniques.

As you can see, AP® English just builds on the foundation that you have built throughout your time in school. It is based on improving your current capabilities to reach a college level, especially when creating works of an analytical or argumentative style .

Course Overview

The AP® English Language and Composition provides an in-depth study of particular nonfiction texts. The focus is placed on rhetorical analysis and aims to improve your writing skills in the areas of evidence-centered analytic or persuasive pieces.

Reading and writing assignments will be designed to work in conjunction. This allows the key concepts to be explored from both directions, with the student functioning as the reader and the writer throughout the course. Often, the course will include the analysis of current events which allows the students to explore the sentiment of the time and how argumentative writing functions today.

The examination of historical texts will also be reviewed to understand the core issues of the times. Critical analysis will allow you to examine the works based on their original context, as well as through the context of today.

Writing assignments will allow you to explore how you structure responses to issues or concepts. Exploration of formal writing styles will be included, as well as an introduction to various nonfiction genres. The impact of word choice when conveying a perspective will be examined including how individual selections increase or decrease the overall effectiveness of the piece.

Academic Challenges in AP® English Language

Even though writing is a fundamental component of the course, AP® English’s difficulty resides in the reading level required. You will need to be able to employ critical thinking skills to answer fundamental questions regarding the composition of specified works. Further, you will have to be able to integrate the concepts behind these core questions into your written works.

While there are no prerequisites for participating in an AP® English Language course, certain previous experience will make it less challenging. Having a background in rhetorical analysis and formal argument structures will serve as a foundation for the course. Often, these concepts are introduced before a student reaches high school, so you are likely to have the necessary understandings to perform well.

There are no prescribed texts for the course which mean that the texts AP® English reviews are not standardized for all students. While you may focus on certain written works, those taking the course in a different school may work with other pieces of text. However, the CollegeBoard does recommend that teachers choose pieces that are designed to challenge their students’ abilities. Additionally, the selected works should spark discussions regarding multiple potential points of view and their associated stances.

Based on the recommended six to eight hours of activity being dedicated to the subject on a weekly basis, you will likely have a substantial amount of homework. If you have a heavy course load, this could make the class more challenging due to the time expectations.

By the Numbers

All AP® exams are based on a standard scoring system. The scores can range from one to five, with one being the lowest score and five being the highest score available. A minimum score of 3 is required to qualify for college credit at most accredited educational institutions.

The most recent CollegeBoard report , based on data from the year 2013, shows the success rate of students who took the AP® English Language and Composition exam as 57.6 percent. Here is the breakdown of the passing scores:

Based on the most common progression through English courses in high school, the majority of test-takers are in their junior year. This is the point in your education where you will have enough exposure to understand the more advanced concepts, allowing you a higher chance of success than in previous years. Some students attempt the test as sophomores and seniors, though this is less common.

Exam Structure

The CollegeBoard has standardized the structure of the AP® English exam . Section I is multiple choice and accounts for 45 percent of the total exam score. You are given one hour to complete this section and are presented with anywhere from 52 to 55 questions. Many of the questions are accompanied by excerpts from selected nonfiction works. This allows you to refer to the piece while responding to all related questions.

Section II focuses on your writing ability. There will be three free-response questions, also referred to as essay questions. You will be given two hours and 15 minutes to complete this section. 15 minutes of that time is a dedicated reading period. Your responses in this section will be considered to calculate 55 percent of your total exam score.

The writing section focuses on three key composition areas: synthesis, rhetorical analysis , and argument. You will be expected to read multiple passages and refer to the texts to form a single, cohesive argument for your thesis. You will also review nonfiction works to analyze how the author’s word choice affected the overall meaning of the piece. Finally, you will be expected to craft a written argument, with supporting evidence, in response to a specified topic.

The trickiest part about the free-response section is that you must allocate your time appropriately between the three questions. Here is a technique that gives you the best chance of creating quality responses:

1. Read all of the questions at least once.

2. Don’t necessarily answer them in the order they are presented.

3. Start with the piece that seems the easiest to you and work until it is completed.

4. Go to the second easiest piece and finish it.

5. Leave the most challenging piece until the end.

Here’s the deal. This technique helps you build confidence by starting with the area in which you are most comfortable. Additionally, you will likely finish this one quickly in comparison to the others. The second piece may be more challenging, but you are more apt to leave a quality answer than with the third section. Since the most difficult part is the last, you can use all of your remaining time to work on that essay. You may even have more time than you would have initially assumed if you finished the other two pieces faster than you anticipated.

The AP® English review will focus on nonfiction works written in a variety of styles. The features texts can include works across multiple eras as well as a wide selection of topics. The focus will be on critical thinking in regards to how certain features of the texts affect the tone and effectiveness of the work.

The reading and writing assignments are designed to advance your vocabulary and writing skills. It will promote a college-level understanding of the use of language in analytical and research-based works with or without an argumentative tone.

Group discussion may be encouraged to examine works from multiple points-of-view. Further, you may be given assignments designed to challenge another person’s point-of-view on a subject, similar to staging a debate.

Skills Required

If you want to flourish in AP® English, you will need a suitable reading and writing level for the associated work. Often, this includes an advanced vocabulary and a solid understanding of the structures of selected written works.

Analytical and critical thinking skills are also essential, as well as the ability to back arguments with facts. Knowledge of current events can be helpful in crafting arguments based on current sentiment.

Is AP® English Language Worth it?

One of the benefits of taking AP® English courses is that you will be better prepared for the demands of college. Not only will you be introduced to college-level concepts, but you will have the opportunity to build upon them.

Were you hoping for more? Well, here is the best part. By completing the AP® English Language and Composition course, you will be prepared to take the corresponding AP® exam. If you score a 3 or better on the exam, you can qualify for college credit. Not only does this help you reach your goals of earning a degree, it can also save you time and money.

How does it save time? It saves time because it means you will not have to attend that class to graduate. In most cases, introductory English language and composition courses are required for all students. This is true whether you are majoring in English or Zoology. By passing the exam, it is one less class you have to take to earn your degree.

How does it save money? You don’t have to pay for classes you don’t need to attend. Instead, you get credit in the class based on your score, and it goes on your official transcript. This means the credits also transfer if you change schools down the road. Taking an AP® exam is much cheaper than paying for a college course so that you can keep the difference.

If you have an interest in language and writing in general, you will be able to explore new concepts to expand your understanding of the subject. You will be able to improve the quality of your writing and learn to read more critically. You may even find yourself more adept at creating evidence-backed arguments and better prepared for persuasive writing.

Now, for those who are focusing on English as a major, taking AP® English courses can help you create a more solid foundation before you head to college. For those who major in anything else, you may find research papers easier to write. The analytical writing techniques can be applied to the majority of written assignments in college, regardless of the subject. High-quality papers lead to higher quality grades. And who doesn’t want good grades?

If that wasn’t enough, you might also get to explore various current events as topics. You will be able to put your analytical skills to work while reviewing the concerns that face us today. This can help you further your understanding of challenges across the country, and across the globe.

During your studies, you will also be introduced to historical topics through a selection of nonfiction texts. This can help provide a deeper understanding of the sentiment of the time, and provide context for past events. It may even help you excel in your history classes.

Even if you think AP® English Language and Composition sounds difficult, it can certainly be worth the effort. You may be able to earn college credit, saving you time and money when you pursue your degree, and can learn skills that can help you in all of your future coursework. That sounds like a good deal to me.

If taking the AP® English Language class sounds like the right move to you, you will want to sign up for the class. You can speak with your administrator or guidance counselor to see if you can attend the class. Even though the CollegeBoard lists no prerequisites that do not mean your school does not have minimum standards to qualify.

While most schools offer the class, smaller institutions may not have the ability to do so. This can be due to a lack in the number of available teachers as well as low interest in the subject among students. If that is the case, speak with administrators and English teachers to see if a self-study course may be appropriate. They may be able to create a custom AP® English study guide to help you properly direct your efforts.

In cases where taking a course is not an option, you can still take the exam. While this may be a challenging approach, you can work on your own to cover the material. Additionally, scoring guidelines for free-response questions are available. This allows you to write practice essays and review them in the same way the exams are scored. Not only can this help you become comfortable with the format, but it also allows you to train yourself to draft responses with the highest score in mind.

After all of this, doesn’t it sound like the AP® English Language course is the right move? You can advance your writing skills in a way that can benefit all of your future coursework and earn college credits before leaving high school. Not only that, but you can save yourself money by lowering the total amount of tuition it will take to graduate. Doesn’t that sound like a great deal? I think it does, and so do thousands of other students every year. Don’t hold yourself back when you can be earning college credit now. Schedule your class today.

Looking for AP® English Language practice?

Kickstart your AP® English Language prep with Albert. Start your AP® exam prep today .

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Advanced Placement (AP)

If you’re reading this it’s because you’re considering taking Advanced Placement (AP) high school classes or you’re already enrolled in AP classes. That’s great! AP courses are a great way to prepare for college, raise your GPA, and even earn college credit.

But in order for you to get the full benefit out of your AP classes, you’ll need to make sure you know how to prepare for AP classes. That can be tricky: AP classes are designed to be harder, so you’ll need to be proactive about learning class material if you want to earn As.

We’re here to help. This article will help you develop the skills and tools you need to excel in every AP class you take . We’ll discuss:

• What an AP class is, and why they’re beneficial
• A quiz to help you identify your biggest pain points when it comes to succeeding in AP classes
• Specialized study tips customized to show you how to do well in an AP class
• A hypothetical weekly schedule designed to show you how to manage AP classes

There’s a lot to cover, so let’s get started!

Feature Image: David Mulder /Flickr

What Is an AP Class?

The Advanced Placement (AP) Program is a program that is run by the College Board, the same institution that administers the SAT test .

Basically, AP allows you to take college-level courses in high school as a way of preparing you for college . These courses are more in-depth than regular high school courses, but they will give you an excellent introduction to college-style classes, and taking AP courses will make your transition from high school to college easier.

While AP classes are harder and more work, they also come with some pretty big perks, too. Read on to learn about the many benefits of taking AP classes and how to manage AP classes.

What Are the Benefits of Taking AP Classes?

The number one benefit of taking AP classes is that if you do well in them, you increase your chances of college admission ! Having AP courses on your transcript illustrates to college admissions committees that you have a commitment to pushing yourself to excel. Additionally, you show admissions committees that you already have experience with college-level coursework. This shows that you’re ready to succeed academically in college, too. 

Additionally, AP classes can raise your GPA even though they’re tougher than regular classes. That’s because AP classes contribute to your weighted GPA . A weighted GPA takes into account that you’re taking tougher classes by “adding points” to your final AP course grade. That’s how some students can g raduate high school with more than a 4.0 ! Weighted grades can be confusing, so be sure to check out our complete guide to weighted GPAs for more information. 

Another benefit to AP classes is that they give you the opportunity to earn college credit. Each May, you can then take the AP exams for each of the AP courses you took that year. If you pass the exam with a certain grade, you can potentially earn college credit . ( For more information about how this process works, check out this article. ) Earning college credit from your AP courses saves you valuable time and money...and it looks great on your college applications, too. 

Ultimately, AP classes benefit students by providing them with a rigorous education in subjects that you might otherwise have just glanced over in a regular high school class. This could even have the effect of exposing you to new ideas that shape your potential career goals!

The Top 3 Study Tips for Doing Well in AP Classes

Not sure how to do well in an AP class since they’re designed to be difficult. Guess what? It begins with developing good study habits.

In order to do well in an AP class, you’ll need to make sure you’re learning the course content on a daily basis. Trying to cram information into your head the night before an exam just isn’t going to work. So if you’re wondering how to prepare for an AP class, it all starts with studying!

Here are our top tips for studying regularly, efficiently, and effectively. That way you’re making the most out of your daily study time.

Tip 1: Get Ready to Study

First of all, if you’re going to succeed in an AP class, you need to believe that you will succeed in an AP class. You can do it! After all, you wouldn’t even be reading this article if you didn’t have what it takes to succeed in AP classes. 

It’s important that you spend some time making sure you’re confident and prepared to tackle your AP work. One way to do this is through visualization . Visualize yourself succeeding, then work toward that goal. Studies show that visualizing success is almost as effective as actual practice , and doing both yields even better results than practice alone.

Once you’re in a success mindset, it’s time to prepare to study. (Yes...you have to get ready to study.) Create a study habit by picking a study spot in your house or your school’s library. That way you’ll associate that place with studying, which will help you get in the right mindset quickly. Minimize distractions by putting your phone away, turning off your computer’s WiFi, and/or disabling notifications on your smart devices.

And finally, only get out the study materials you’ll be working on that day . Don’t overwhelm yourself with stacks of books and notes! If you’re focusing on AP Biology , for example, there’s no need for you to flip through your AP Literature or AP Physics notes. Focusing on one thing not only makes the study process manageable, it also helps minimize your stress levels.

Tip 2: Take Great Notes in Class

For many students, the problem with study time is knowing what to study. Do you look over your homework assignments? Reread the textbook? It can be kind of overwhelming when you’re faced with learning information on your own!

The key to studying efficiently is making sure you have great material to study with. That begins with class notes . Your homework and your class exams will cover the material your teacher talks about in class—they aren’t going to spring new ideas on you! Taking great notes in class means you’ll have an idea about what information your teacher thinks is important, which means you’ll know what you need to understand before test day.

Once you have great notes, you can start using other class materials as part of your study session . That can include using handouts, textbooks, and even old homework assignments to help you review.

For example, here’s how an AP Chemistry study session might go. You take out your class notes from Monday and review them. They’re over balancing equations, so once you finish going over your notes, you flip open your textbook to find the chapter that covers the same material. There, you realize the book has some practice questions that you haven’t gone over in class. To study, you decide to work through those and check your answers in the back of the book.

In about 45 minutes, not only have you reviewed a core course concept, you’ve also practiced putting that concept to work. Now you’re better prepared to balance equations on your next exam!

Tip 3: Enough Is Enough!

Speaking of balance...even though studying is important, you need to make time for the activities, hobbies, and people that sustain you. Burnout is a real thing, and you won’t be doing yourself any favors if you pursue your studies so vigorously that you harm your mental and physical health.

What often happens in burnout situations is that the student feels so ashamed of not being able to concentrate that they don’t tell anyone. As a result, they fall behind in their coursework, then have difficulty catching back up again. Before you know it, your grades are falling, your GPA goes down, and then you’re even more stressed out than you were when you started studying 24/7 in the first place.

Burnout can be a vicious cycle. The consequences of burnout can be severe, so watch for signs of it. If you’re having trouble concentrating or find yourself resenting the time you spend on your studies, or if you find yourself isolated because you’re so worried about falling behind, it’s time to take a break . Go do something relaxing for a few hours or a couple of nights. Maybe this is the instance in which going to the movies with your friends on a weeknight is a good idea.

Also, make sure you’re being open and honest about your struggles with people you trust. Whether that’s your parents, siblings, friends, or a trusted teacher, it’s important that you speak up if you’re having a hard time. School is important, sure, but so is your health! When you reach out, people can help connect you with resources that can not only alleviate your burnout, but can teach you skills to help you avoid it in the future, too.

3 Time Management Tips for How to Do Well in an AP Class

Now that you know how important it is to study for your AP classes, it’s time to get that study time on your calendar and learn how to prepare for AP classes. But there’s a good chance that your calendar is already full with extracurriculars and other responsibilities.

Don’t panic : we guarantee you can squeeze in study time if you’re smart about how you manage your time. Here are our top tips for time management (and if you’d like some more, be sure to check out our expert guide to managing your time ).

Tip 1: Triage Your Work

Have you ever spent three hours studying for a reading quiz the next day because you felt like you didn’t understand the material completely, only to skip out on studying for your chemistry exam because you ran out of time? The chances are that your reading quiz counted for a much smaller grade percentage than your chemistry exam did. 

Every student has found themselves in a situation where they wish they’d made a different decision about how to use their time. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes. One of the best things you can do to maximize your time is to prioritize your goals. That way you’re tackling the most important material first. 

Think about the emergency room. In the ER, they have a process called triage , in which they assign degrees of severity to a patient's various injuries , so they know which to focus on first. Whenever you get home from school and are about to get started on your homework, triage it first so that you can tackle the most difficult and important work while you’re still fresh and alert, saving the less challenging (or perhaps more enjoyable) work for last.

In order to triage your studying effectively, you need to consider three things: the grade point value of upcoming assignments, your understanding of the material, and your overall performance in the course.

Let’s take a look at an example: Joe is taking AP Biology, AP Statistics, and AP U.S. History. This week, he has a short essay due in U.S. History that’s worth 15% of his grade, one quiz in AP Biology worth 2% of his overall grade, and nothing due in Statistics. But he also has an A in both Biology and U.S. History, but he only has a B- in Statistics. He only has a few hours to study this week. How should Joe spend his time?

Here’s how we would recommend Joe triages his work. First, he should tackle his U.S. History essay. It’s worth a large portion of his final grade, so making a B or C on the assignment could keep him from making an A in the class.

From there, Joe should spend some time studying Statistics. Even though he has a Biology quiz, it’s clear that he has a pretty good handle on the material already since he has an A in the class. But he’s having a tougher time in Statistics, so spending a little extra time studying the course material will probably help him get higher scores on his upcoming work. Then, if he has a little extra time, Joe can quickly review his Biology notes to get ready for his quiz.

The big takeaway is this: make sure you’re doing the most important work first. That way you’re using your time as efficiently as possible!

Tip 2: Make a List

As you’re triaging all your tasks for the week, you’ll also be compiling a list of everything, with notes about the importance of each one. It’s very helpful to keep this list with you, perhaps in a planner or notebook, so that you can keep track in class of all the information that you might forget later. Just because you’re paying attention in class doesn’t mean you’ll remember assignments, due dates, or other important information later!

So what sort of information do you need to keep track of? Along with assignment due dates, you’ll also want to make note of any key ideas your teachers call out in class. You’ll also want to make sure you’re noting any extra credit assignments, special events, or even useful volunteer opportunities that are mentioned in class. Writing these down is a great way to making sure you don’t forget them!

Also, reviewing your planner or notebook every day is key to making this system work. If you’re writing things down and then never looking at them again, it’s not very useful. Pick a time every day when you review your calendar and update your to do list. Doing this at the same time every day helps ensure that you’re staying on top of your responsibilities.

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Tip 3: Get a Good Night’s Sleep

This one is a little less obvious when you’re thinking about spending your time. After all, if you’re getting 8 hours of sleep a night, you’re wasting precious time you could use to study (or play video games), right?

Not so fast. Sleep is actually a key component to making sure your brain and your body stay healthy. After all, your brain is a physical muscle in your body, and there is a direct correlation between the well-being of your body and the capacity of your brain. Consequently, sleep is one of the most important factors in maintaining your mental and physical health.

A recent study shows that people have some very incorrect notions about how much sleep they need, and our culture prides itself on sacrificing our sleep in order to work more. Science shows that your body needs between seven and ten hours of sleep every night, yet over thirty percent of Americans sleep less than that . And when you’re not sleeping, you have a harder time paying attention and retaining formation , which isn’t great for your GPA, either.

When you’re staying organized by prioritizing your work, creating to do lists, and studying regularly, it becomes easier for you to get enough sleep to stay healthy. And the better your sleep is, the better you’ll do in school! So while all-nighters might seem like a good idea, it’s better for your health and your GPA to study ahead of time. That way you can get some much-deserved (and much needed!) rest.

We've put together an AP student's hypothetical week so we can show you how to plan for success.

How to Do Well in an AP Class: Plan Your Ideal Week

We’ve covered our top tips for how to manage AP classes, but it can be hard to see how those tips work in practice. We want to get beyond understanding just how to pass an AP class and show you how to excel in one.

To help, we’ve created a sample weekly schedule to help you figure out how to be successful in AP classes. (Keep in mind that this is just an example—depending on your course load, your ideal schedule will differ.)

Read on to see how to prepare for AP classes in order to be as successful as possible!

First thing’s first: you need to determine what’s on your schedule for the week. When you open your planner, you realize that this week is going to be heavy on reading. You have textbook chapters to read in your U.S. History and Macroeconomics courses, and you’re supposed to finish reading The Great Gatsby for your English class .

Since that’s a lot of reading, you’ll want to keep up with this nightly. You prioritize textbook chapters based on when you have reading quizzes and responses due in class . Right now, you have a reading quiz scheduled in your U.S. History class on Thursday and another reading quiz in your English class on Friday. You also realize that you have a quiz over the last 28 pages of The Great Gatsby, so you decide to split that into chunks so you can space the reading out over the entire week.

You’re also taking two science courses: AP Biology and AP Chemistry. You realize you have a lab report due in Biology on Thursday and an AP Chemistry exam on Friday. That means you’ll need to plan ahead to make sure you’re able to study for your test and finish your lab report.

So you open your planner and add the following due dates to your weekly schedule:

Now that you’re organized, you can tell that the end of the week is going to be hectic. You decide to get a jump on things by reading your Macroeconomics chapter tonight. That way you’ve freed up extra time to study for your quizzes and exams.

Teachers love to assign pop-up homework during the week, so there’s a chance that you’ve been given a handout or two that you’ll have to finish that night to turn in the next day. That’s not unusual: the typical workload for an AP class is about one hour per night per class.

You’ve gotten a quick handout to complete in Macroeconomics, so you tackle that first during your study time since it’s due the next day. Then you spend some time finishing the majority of your Biology lab report since it’s worth 10% of your overall grade. You want to make sure you have enough time to check it over before you turn it in!

Once that’s done, you split your remaining study time between reading for U.S. History, reading for English class, and going over your Chemistry notes. Since you don’t have a reading quiz over The Great Gatsby until Friday, you decide to tackle that reading last to ensure you’ve gotten a head start on studying for your Chemistry exam.

On this hypothetical Wednesday, your U.S. history class is doing an in-class discussion. You’re prepared since you’ve already done the reading, and your teacher gives you props for your excellent ideas in class.

When you get to English class, you realize you’re a little behind on your reading when your teacher splits you into small groups to talk about the characters in the book. You’re only a few pages behind, but you make a note to catch up on your reading that night.

When you sit down to study, you’re tempted to grab The Great Gatsby and start reading. But you know that you have a lab report due tomorrow and a Chemistry exam on Friday that are worth a lot more points than your reading quiz.

So instead of reading right away, you finish your Biology lab report first. Then you spend 30 minutes going over a tricky concept you talked about in Chemistry class before cracking open your copy of The Great Gatsby. By prioritizing your work, you’ve made sure you’re on the right track to do well on your assignments without having to pull an all-nighter.

You turn in your Biology lab report, confident that you’ve done a great job since you started it ahead of time. With that out of the way, you can now spend more time focusing on studying for your Chemistry exam on Friday.

That night, you pull out your quizzes and homework assignments, your class review sheet, and your notes. You spend an hour reviewing your handouts, studying key terms, and working a few extra sample problems . But since you’ve been studying a little every night, you find that you’re feeling pretty confident about the test.

Finally, you settle in to finish your Great Gatsby reading. You’ve got ten pages to read since you didn’t quite hit your reading goal yesterday, but it’s still a manageable amount. Actually, you find it’s a nice break from studying for chemistry!

Today’s a busy day, but because you’ve planned ahead, you’re ready to tackle it. You have your English class first, so you get up a little extra early to review your reading notes in order to ace your quiz. Your chemistry exam is after lunch, so you decide to spend a few minutes studying with your friends before the big test.

There’s a good chance that your teachers will assign your homework for the next week on Friday, so it’s important you take good notes and jot down important assignments and due dates in your planner as they’re announced. Don’t rely on your memory! This list will help you plan your next week so it will be as successful as this one.

But for now, it’s the weekend! Doing well in school matters a lot, but it’s also important to take some time to relax and recharge with your family and friends. Think of your time off as rewarding yourself for a job well done!

What's Next?

If you’d like even more tips for managing your time, don’t miss our article on the top 12 time management tips that everyone needs to know.

In our hypothetical student schedule, we mentioned AP classes. AP classes are advanced placement classes that can help you raise your GPA and potentially earn college credit while still in high school. Get the scoop on AP classes , and learn more about how their difficulty compares to a normal high school curriculum .

Setting aside study time only works well if you know how to study. But don’t worry: anyone can learn how to study well! Our expert guide to studying better in high school, can set you on the path to success .

Want to improve your SAT score by 160 points or your ACT score by 4 points? We've written a guide for each test about the top 5 strategies you must be using to have a shot at improving your score. Download it for free now:

Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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How much homework do you guys have a night realistically?

<p>My schedule next year will be this:</p>

<p>AP Chemistry AP US History AP English Language AP Psychology AP Economics AP Calculus AB Spanish 4.</p>

<p>If you guys take any of these classes, how much homework do you get a night? I need a little insight and I understand that schools vary from place to place, in terms of work amount that is.</p>

<p>APUSH: prepare to read. You don’t have to worry much about reading the textbook except the night before chapter tests and so forth. However, if you plan on taking the AP exam, make sure you read Amsco + Crash Course thoroughly. Apart from reading, the homework isn’t that bad.</p>

<p>APLang: idk about your school, but our class was loaded with busywork. I remember staying up into the wee hours of the night to finish projects…a bunch of BS work.</p>

<p>At my old school, AP Psych was a crapload of work… vocabulary, essays, projects, the like. At my new school, it was just a ton of reading (it was an 18-week course, so about 100 pages a week between the text book and supplemental reading). Nothing intense, just a lot. US History wasn’t a lot of work either, just a lot of reading (thoroughly).</p>

<p>I took AP Biology, AP US, IB English HL, AP Economics, IB French, AP Stats, IB Math SL, and Physics Honors last year and I had about 2-3 hours of homework each night. It really isn’t as bad as you think it will be. During the lacrosse season, I got home at around 6 pm and finished my homework by 10ish, with dinner in between. It’s all about being able to do all your work when you have to, without being distracted by things like the internet or TV (I did that sometimes and it made me take a lot longer to finish my work). Good luck, that seems like a pretty tough schedule.</p>

<p>im guessing you will be a junior next year?</p>

<p>That will be a tough courseload in your first semester, I had a similar course load and I had around 3 hours of homework a night–but I did not do a lot of my homework or the amount of studying i should have done…but i pulled off all As and a 4.83…</p>

<p>your first semester will be the hardest you have ever worked in your life possibly, because you are just getting to know your classes but second semester was pretty chill for me, because I knew exactly what i needed to do to get an A</p>

<p>good luck</p>

<p>I don’t have any AP Psych homework except to outline the chapter and hand it in the day of the test…so easy.</p>

<p>I did AP Calculus AB this year (sophomore). My teacher is simply the best ever - he has no trouble signing extensions or letting you turn in an assignment that is just front/back of the page. Homework is really meant to help you practice.</p>

<p>To answer your question, doing the whole assignment each night would have been ~45-60 minutes, but it was possible for me to do less. I usually did the whole thing just because I enjoyed it and had a light schedule otherwise.</p>

<p>APUSH is BAD. the others are okay, i think it’s only really history that’s bad. ive had most of the APs, and i did okay. honestly, APUSH alone, maybe 2 hours a night if u r fast-ive done 4, 5 hours sometimes, and def days of nonstop studying for tests; then again, i stink in history, cant remember dates, etc. english, the sciences, maths, need some work, maybe 1 hour each; depends on the time. exam time/paper time is really tight, but some days i would have little to none due for anything (but APUSH). Also, do you work ahead on weekends? if you do, you might have some days free; when i worked ahead, i used to be able to have days with like 1 hour or even 1/2 hour total. but its your own schedule. if you do everything the night its due, it might be bad. btw, i’ve had 6 APs in my senior year, and survived fine. it was an okay year. good indicator of college workload (for 16 credits, i mean).</p>

<p>it will be tough…i’d expect 3-4 hrs of hw…plus studying for tests if u wanna get all A’s and 5/4’s on the examp</p>

<p>I took 5 AP classes in school last year - 0 hrs homework. Took 1 online, and I did work whenever I wanted to pretty much. About 3 hours a week.</p>

<p>Then again, my online class was very good, while my school classes have like a 10% pass rate.</p>

<p>AP US History: about 30 pages of reading + an hour assignment to go with it due at the end of every week. AP English Language: an essay to read and digest every night. an essay to write every week or 2. (gayest part about this class was being forced to annotate even if you understood better than everyone else what you read -.-) AP Psychology: tons of bs homework. reading + taking notes on 1 chapter/week (30 pages) AP Macroeconomics: easiest class in my high school career. even easier than my 9th grade health class -.- + it was fun as hell AP Calculus AB: problem sets to do every night…took about half an hour, some people said it took them 30 min - 1 hour too so yea</p>

<p>all the classes i can reflect on. btw are you a junior or a senior?</p>

<p>For APUSH I usually had an hour of homework a night. I didn’t read the material though, so probably closer to 2 hours if I had. I don’t recommend you don’t read the material; definitely keep up on your reading or about a month before the test you’ll be freaking out and studying like a madman.</p>

<p>APUSH is a *****.</p>

<p>I think if you’ve got a good teacher for APUSH who knows her stuff and knows whats gonna be on the test it won’t be that bad. The whole second semester of my class was basically the same thing everyday which ended up in you having a packet to do that took about an hour.</p>

<p>AP US History: It took me about 45-1 hour to read the chapters just because when I read I soak up the information and will go back and reread sentences to make sure I remember. Other assignments included study guide worksheets which took about 15-20 minutes to do. I would recommend taking about 15 minutes a night at least to go over the chapter and read notes though.</p>

<p>AP English Language: About 1 - 1.5 hours of reading a night, a combination of books and essays.</p>

<p>AP Chemistry: I slacked off big time in this class senior year so I rarely did my homework. When I did, it took me about an hour to do the assigned problems (daily). So I would say 30 minutes to an hour on nights when you just have problems and I would say 1.5-2 hours on nights when you need to read a chapter.</p>

<p>7 AP Test this year</p>

<p>around 2-3 hours a night.</p>

<p>AP Calc: HW everynite but she is very flexible and we could turn it in a couple of days late</p>

<p>AP Econ: Idk for your school but my teacher never gave us HW, except a problem set as review for unit tests and econ commentaries for IB portfolio.</p>

<p>APUSH: our teacher was easy we just had to read.</p>

<p>AP Chem: Not much I think, I took last year and I cant remember having alot of hw.</p>

<p>AP Lang and Comp: A practice essay and MC every week and then analyze a bunch of essays and articles and reading.</p>

<p>AP Lit and Comp: Teacher is a joke, did MC every week and like 4 practice essays the WHOLE year, now we have busy work :(.</p>

<p>Its not that bad actually :)</p>

<p>Ap chem -I had a. Insanely hard teacher So I have like a lot of hw every night The homework helped for her tests and compared to her tests The ap exam was a joke </p>

<p>That’s the only class u mentioned I took </p>

<p>From my personal experiences at my HS: APUSH - 1-2 hours of reading, looking over notes, and doing notecards. We also had chapter focus questions to complete for all 43 or 44 something chapters. It was probably my hardest (in terms of efforts put forth and time consumed) one.</p>

<p>AP English Language - Not very much. My class is very relaxed and has more of an honors class feel to it. We did practice essays and read novels, pretty much. I never have much to do for it. </p>

<p>AP Psychology - Incredibly easy. We often have about an hour of homework, but for my class the homework is incredibly paced, around 2-3 assignments every week or so. It’s not that much work other than memorizing terms and applying them.</p>

<p>AP Calc AB - For what I expected, it’s not difficult at all. The calculus concepts were pretty interesting to me, compared to previous math, and most homework takes around 30 min - 1 hour to complete per night, and occasionally we might get class time to go over problems and such. The tests are the most difficult part, as well as formula memorization. </p>

<p>APUSH: About 1.5 hrs per chapter to read/do study guides, more if you do notes (I tried to but quit around the civil war) - this is because our textbook is in my opinion terribly boring, so it takes longer to read</p>

<p>CALC AB: assignments would take around 30 mins each, one per night, due the day of our test (collects about a month of hw at once) so most people do all of them in the last couple days before the test, easiest class i have.</p>

<p>CHEM: under an hour a night of notes or problems, a little more the night before tests, but lab writeups are time consuming. Overall not bad.</p>

<p>LANG: I’m taking a lit/lang class combined, but I think this depends a lot on your teacher. I know people with no work whatsoever, meanwhile my teacher gives a lot of work. Depends on the time you want to spend on it as well.</p>

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• How to Answer the AP English Language and Composition Essay Questions 

April 7, 2024

Answering the AP English Language and Composition Synthesis Essay Question

Sample synthesis essay question.

SUGGESTED TIME: 

15 MINUTES FOR READING THE QUESTION AND SOURCES 

40 MINUTES FOR WRITING AN ESSAY 

Homework has always been part of going to school. In recent years, efforts to improve education have included assigning more homework to students from kindergarten to twelfth grade. Many teachers, parents, and others applaud this increase. Critics, in contrast, claim that heavier loads of homework do more harm than good, not only to children but also to their families. 

Carefully read the following six sources, including the material that introduces each source. Then, in an essay that synthesizes at least three of the sources, take a position on the claim that large amounts of homework have more negative consequences than positive ones. 

Source A (Kohn) 

Source B (Gill and Schlossman) 

Source C (Loveless) 

Source D (Chart) 

Source E (Haley) 

Source F (Chaika) 

Source G (Hanson) 

Instructions: 

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that may establish a line of reasoning. 
• Provide evidence from at least three of the provided sources to support the thesis. Indicate clearly the sources used through direct quotation, paraphrase, or summary. Sources may be cited as Source A, Source B, etc., or by using the descriptions in parentheses. 
• Explain the relationship between the evidence and the thesis. 
• Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation. 
• Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating the argument.

Alfie Kohn, “Homework: An Unnecessary Evil?” Psychology Today , published online at www.psychologytoday.com , November 24, 2012.

The following passage is an excerpt from an article written by an author and specialist in behavior and education. His books include The Homework Myth and What Does It Mean to Be Well Educated?

At the high school level, the research supporting homework hasn’t been particularly persuasive. There does seem to be a correlation between homework and standardized test scores, but (a) it isn’t strong, meaning that homework doesn’t explain much of the variance in scores, and (b) one prominent researcher, Timothy Keith, who did find a solid correlation, returned to the topic a decade later to enter more variables into the equation simultaneously, only to discover that the improved study showed that homework had no effect after all.

. . . When homework is related to test scores, the connection tends to be strongest—or, actually, least tenuous—with math. If homework turns out to be unnecessary for students to succeed in that subject, it’s probably unnecessary everywhere. 

Along comes a new study, then, that focuses on the neighborhood where you’d be most likely to find a positive effect if one was there to be found: the effect of math and science homework on grades in high school . . . . 

This result clearly caught the researchers off-guard. Frankly, it surprised me, too. When you measure “achievement” in terms of grades, you expect to see a positive result—not because homework is academically beneficial but because the same teacher who gives the assignments evaluates the students who complete them, and the final grade is often based at least partly on whether, and to what extent, students did the homework. 

It’s important to remember that some people object to homework for reasons that aren’t related to the dispute about whether research might show that homework provides academic benefits. They argue that (a) six hours a day of academics are enough, and kids should have the chance after school to explore other interests and develop in other ways—or be able simply to relax in the same way that most adults like to relax after work; and (b) the decision about what kids do during family time should be made by families, not schools.

Brian P. Gill and Steven L. Schlossman, “My Dog Ate My Argument,” Op/Ed page of the Los Angeles Times , December 11, 2003.

The following passage is an excerpt from an opinion article written by a social scientist at the RAND Corporation and a history professor at Carnegie Mellon University. 

In our view, homework is the prime window into the school for parents to see, understand and connect with the academic mission of the teachers. It is the primary arena in which children, parents and schools interact on a daily basis. Yet it gets less systematic thought and attention than any other key component of education. Other than the admonition that kids should do more of it, we pay almost no attention to how to improve its design and content. Nor do we do much to prepare teachers to use and evaluate homework, to hold administrators accountable for monitoring the homework load or to cultivate parents’ collaboration. Homework remains an orphan child of the educational excellence movement. 

. . . After half a century of failure to increase student buy-in, it’s time to rethink how to make homework a more valued part of the pedagogic process. In addition to promoting academic achievement, homework can inculcate habits of self-discipline and independent study and can help inform parents about the educational agenda of their school. We must find ways to make homework an interesting and challenging educational experience for students, instead of the uniform, seat-bound, memorization-focused solo exercise it has been. Otherwise, all our talk about high standards and improving student achievement will run up against the same roadblock that has stymied the pursuit of educational excellence in the past.

Tom Loveless, “Do Students Have Too Much Homework?” A report for the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution, Washington, D.C., 2003.

The following passage is excerpted from a report on American education.

The most reliable data support the following conclusions: 1) the typical student, even in high school, does not spend more than an hour per day on homework, 2) the homework load has not changed much since the 1980s, 3) the students whose homework has increased in the past decade are those who previously had no homework and now have a small amount, 4) most parents feel the homework load is about right and, of those who would like to change it, more parents would rather see homework increased than decreased.

. . . Research shows that the relationship of homework with student achievement is positive for both middle and high school students and neutral for elementary school students. The research does not prove causality, an ever-present difficulty with research on many educational practices. High-achieving students in high school, for example, may do more homework because they enjoy studying. They take tough classes that require a lot of work. That does not necessarily mean that homework is boosting their achievement. Low-achieving students in elementary school, on the other hand, may do more homework because they are struggling to catch up. The homework is not causing their learning problems.

“Average NAEP Reading Scale Scores of Students by Age and Amount of Assigned Daily Reading Homework,” Digest of Education Statistics , National Center for Educational Statistics, 2012. 

See image below.

Brian Haley, “What Is the Value of Homework?” July 6, 2006. SearchWarp.com . Accessed August 2, 2006, http://www.searchwarp.com  

The passage that follows is adapted from an article published by a website that promotes the writing of authors in many disciplines, including education. 

Assigning homework serves various educational needs. It serves as an intellectual discipline, establishes study habits, eases time constraints on the amount of curricular material that can be covered in class, and supplements and reinforces work done in school. In addition, it fosters student initiative, independence, and responsibility, and brings home and school closer together. 

. . . Like mowing the lawn or taking out the garbage, homework seems to be a fact of life. . . . But the value of homework extends beyond school. We know that good assignments, completed successfully, can help children develop wholesome habits and attitudes. . . . It can teach children to work independently, encourage self-discipline and responsibility (assignments provide some youngsters with their first chance to manage time and meet deadlines), and encourage a love of learning. . . . Homework can help parents learn about their children’s education and communicate both with their children and the schools. 

Research in the last decade has begun to focus on the relationship between homework and student achievement and has greatly strengthened the case for homework. Although there are mixed findings about whether homework actually increases students’ academic achievement, many teachers and parents agree that homework develops students’ initiative and responsibility and fulfills the expectations of students, parents, and the public. Studies generally have found homework assignments to be most helpful if they are carefully planned by the teachers and have direct meaning to students.

Gloria Chaika, “Help! Homework Is Wrecking My Home Life,” Education World , August 8, 2000. 

The following passage is from an article for school administrators published in an online educational journal. 

“Teachers should devote energy to creating homework that is stimulating and provocative rather than banal,” says Howard Gardner of the Harvard Graduate School of Education. “And parents or mentors should go shoulder-to-shoulder with youngsters, helping to motivate them, thinking of ways in which to help them without giving the answer, and being aware of the child’s special gifts and weaknesses.” 

It sounds great, “but you need parent input for kids to perform, and with the increase in single-parent families, there’s no one at home to help,” veteran fifth-grade teacher Loretta Highfield told Education World. 

“It isn’t that the kids don’t want to do homework; the majority of my students don’t have the skills to go home and do it independently,” added Highfield, a teacher at Florida Avenue Elementary in Slidell, Louisiana. “Even young students are not getting the help at home that they used to.” 

The same seems to hold true for older children. “I have students who have been thrown out of the house or have a financial situation brought on by an ill parent,” Northshore High School (Slidell, Louisiana) teacher Kathleen Modenbach told Education World. “There are others whose after-school jobs pay for car insurance and clothes or whose involvement in extra-curricular activities, private lessons, or sports leaves little time for homework.” 

“For some students, a lot of homework can seem irrelevant,” Modenbach added. “High school students become expert at evaluating the validity of assignments and assigning priorities to them. Kids who wouldn’t dream of cheating on a test or copying a research paper think nothing of copying homework. I find students will do homework when it must be done to pass the class. Anything else is a waste of time and feeds into the vicious circle of beating the homework system.” 

Therefore, as kids deal with assigned homework in their own ways—or grow increasingly frazzled—their too-busy parents are uncertain what to do. Some, wanting their children to be academically competitive, demand extra homework, while others wonder just how much is too much.

Michael Hanson, “Analyzing ‘the Homework Gap’ Among High School Students,” Brown Center on Education Policy, 2017. 

Researchers have struggled for decades to identify a causal, or even a correctional, relationship between time spent in school and improved learning outcomes for students. Some studies have focused on the length of the school year while others have focused on hours in a day or week, and others on hours spent on homework. 

Measuring the relationship between homework and outcomes like test scores can be difficult. Researchers are primarily confounded by an inability to determine what compels students to choose homework during their time off over other activities. Are those who spend more time on homework just extra motivated? Or are they struggling students who need to work harder to keep up? What role do social expectations from parents and peers play? 

Previous studies have examined the impact of this outside time use on educational outcomes for students. A recent study from Berea College in Kentucky identified a causal relationship between hours spent studying and a student’s academic performance through an interesting measure. The researchers took advantage of randomly assigned college roommates, paying attention to those who came to campus with smart phones packed with video games. They hypothesized students randomly assigned to a roommate without much interest in video games would study more, since all other factors remained equal. That hypothesis held up, and that group also received higher grades, demonstrating a causal relationship. 

Other research has relied on data collected through the American Time Use Survey, a study of how Americans spend their time, and [has] shown the existence of a gender gap and a parental-education gap in homework time. Other studies have looked at the relationship between holding a job and students’ time use in discretionary activities, like sleep, media consumption, and time spent on homework.

SOURCE D (referenced above)

The table below has been adapted from research conducted by the National Association of Educational Progress, the nation’s largest testing agency responsible for assessing what America’s K–12 students know and can do in various subjects.

How to Answer the Synthesis Essay Question

Homework. Now, there’s a topic that you must know something about. Being a seasoned doer of homework, you’re probably bursting with ideas on the pros and cons of the stuff and could probably argue brilliantly for or against homework, or come down somewhere between the two poles. Regardless of where you stand, you’re not apt to find yourself short of ideas on the issue. In fact, you may be overloaded and find yourself sifting out only the best arguments among many to include in an essay on the subject.

But beware. This essay assignment is not intended simply to give you a chance to vent about homework. Although your biases will no doubt shape your argument, you mustn’t rely solely on your personal experience and observations. This, after all, is what the AP people call a “ synthesis essay ,” a label that you’ve got to take seriously.

AP English Language and Composition Synthesis Essay Step #1: Cite Sources

Stylistically, it may serve you well to use phrases like “According to Source C, . . .” or “In Loveless’s opinion . . .”, or “A study of students’ reading scores (Source D) shows that . . . ,” etc. Or you can simply cite your sources with parenthetical references—(Source A, Source B)—in your text. Another approach is to name the author or even the title of the sources, but writing out lengthy titles uses up precious time. AP essay readers will look for citations and will penalize essays that contain fewer than three. At the same time, however, you won’t earn extra credit for citing more than three. 

Whether or not you agree with the premise that “large amounts of homework have more negative effects than positive ones,” your task is to write an argument that defends your point of view. Because a researched argument is meant to sway readers whose views may be contrary to yours, you need to gather compelling evidence in support of your position. 

Let’s say that you think homework is generally good for you and the more you get, the better. Right off the bat, then, you have a main idea, or thesis, for your essay. But even if you know immediately where you stand on the issue, take the time to read all the sources carefully, underscoring or circling those ideas you might consider mentioning in your essay. It’s good to read the material with which you don’t agree, too, because in making your case, you can bolster your argument by refuting and revealing the weaknesses in what you’d expect your opponent to say.

AP English Language and Composition Synthesis Essay Step #2: Support Your Position

In building a convincing case, it often pays to gather at least three compelling reasons  to support your position. Although AP students ought not be constrained by the familiar “five-­paragraph” essay, you won’t go wrong following its structure: an introduction, three paragraphs of development, and a conclusion. Why three paragraphs of development? Mainly because three is a number that works. If you can come up with three different arguments, you appear to speak with the voice of authority. One paragraph is too simple. Two is better but still shallow. Three is thoughtful. It suggests depth and insight. Psychologically, three also creates a sense of wholeness for the reader, like the beginning, middle, and end of a story. (Incidentally, it’s no accident that the number three recurs in all literature, from Goldilocks and the Three Bears to the Bible.) Use the sources to bolster your arguments for or against large amounts of homework. But you needn’t depend totally on the sources. In fact, AP readers are likely to look kindly on your own original ideas, provided they are relevant to the issue, clearly expressed, and well-­ developed. On the positive side, you might pick out such ideas as: 

• Homework permits parents to participate with teachers in the education of their children. (Source B)
•  “[T]he relationship between the amount of reading homework and performance on reading tests is especially positive for high school students.” (Source D) 
•  Homework fosters the development of individual initiative and effective study habits. (Source B) 
• Homework provides opportunities for low-achieving students to catch up. (Source C) 
• Homework leads to a lifelong love of learning. (Source F) 
• Homework generally contributes to higher grades, and higher grades can lead to admission to higher-quality colleges. (Source G) 

Or, if you have an unfavorable view of homework, the following ideas can be used to support your argument: 

• Years of educational research have found only a weak correlation between homework and student achievement. (Source A) 
• Large amounts of homework can keep a student from pursuing worthwhile personal interests. (Source C) 
• Homework assigned during vacations is counterproductive; it turns kids away from the joys of learning and deprives them of reading for pleasure. (Source E) 
• More homework does not necessarily lead to better grades. (Source E) 

The given sources either support or decry homework. A middle-of-the-road position may be difficult to defend unless you build a case by refuting arguments presented on both sides of the issue. Source F, which argues against homework, for example, quotes an apparently frustrated teacher: “It isn’t that kids don’t want to do homework; the majority of my students don’t have the skills to go home and do it independently.” 

Because the word “majority” can mean almost all or just over half , the teacher appears to have overlooked the fact that some students can be counted on to work on their own. By generalizing about all students, the teacher in effect deprives some of her kids the opportunity to learn at home. An essay that argues neither for nor against homework might emphasize that universal policies regarding homework don’t work. In other words, when it comes to education, one size cannot fit all.

AP English Language and Composition Synthesis Essay Step #3: Determine Order

Once you’ve collected your ideas for or against the issue, stop for a moment to figure out which idea to put first, which to put second, and so on. Order is important. The best order is the clearest order, the arrangement that readers can follow with the least effort. No plan is superior to another, provided you have a valid reason for using it. The plan least likely to succeed is the aimless one, the one in which you state and develop ideas in random order as they happened to come to mind. It’s better by far to rank your ideas in order of importance by deciding which provides the strongest support for your thesis. Although your best argument may be listed first in your notes, save it for last on the essay. Giving it away at the start is self- defeating because everything that follows will be anticlimactic. An excellent way to arrange your ideas is to lead with your second best, save your best for the end, and sandwich the others in between. This structure recognizes that the end and the beginning of an essay are its most critical parts. A good opening draws the reader in and creates an all-important first impression, but a memorable ending, coming last, is what readers have fresh in their minds when they assign you a grade. But, as always, don’t just follow these guidelines slavishly. If you can justify another organization, by all means use it. 

AP exam readers won’t judge your essay based on the opinion you express. Even if they disagree with you, they are obliged to ignore their own biases and grade you according to the criteria of good writing. They may think that your view is off the wall, but a cogent, forceful essay that smoothly integrates the sources and demonstrates mastery of argumentation will merit a high score.

Answering the AP English Language and Composition Rhetorical Analysis Essay Question

Sample rhetorical analysis question.

SUGGESTED TIME: 40 MINUTES

Read the following passage published back in 1967 by The New York Times. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the structure of the passage and the use of language help convey the writer’s views.

Instructions:

• Respond to the prompt with a thesis that may establish a line of reasoning.
• Select and use evidence to develop and support the line of reasoning.
• Explain the relationship between the evidence and the thesis.
• Demonstrate an understanding of the rhetorical situation.

Rhetorical Analysis Passage

Americans and Western Europeans, in their sensitivity to lingering problems around them, tend to make science and progress their scapegoats. There is a belief that progress has precipitated widespread unhappiness, anxieties, and other social and emotional problems. Science is viewed as a cold mechanical discipline having nothing to do with human warmth and the human spirit. 

But to many of us from the nonscientific East, science does not have such repugnant associations. We are not afraid of it, nor are we disappointed by it. We know all too painfully that our social and emotional problems festered long before the age of technology. To us, science is warm and reassuring. It promises hope. It is helping us at long last gain some control over our persecutory environments, alleviating age-old problems—not only physical but also, and especially, problems of the spirit.

Shiraz, for example, a city in southern Iran, has long been renowned for its rose gardens and nightingales; its poets, Sadi and Hafiz; and its mystical, ascetic philosophy, Sufism. Much poetry has been written in glorification of the spiritual attributes of this oasis city. And to be sure, Shiraz is a green, picturesque town, with a quaint bazaar and refreshing gardens. But in this “romantic” city thousands of emotionally disturbed and mentally retarded men, women, and children were, until recently, kept in chains in stifling prison cells and lunatic asylums. 

Every now and again, some were dragged, screaming and pleading, to a courtyard and flogged for not behaving “normally.” But for the most part, they were made to sit against damp walls, their hands and feet locked in chains, and thus immobilized, without even a modicum of affection from their helpless families and friends, they sat for weeks and months and years—often all their lives. Pictures of these wretched men, women, and children can still be seen in this “city of poetry,” this “city with a spiritual way of life.” 

It was only recently that a wealthy young Shirazi who, against the admonitions of his family, had studied psychology at the University of Teheran and foreign universities, returned to Shiraz and after considerable struggle with city officials succeeded in opening a psychiatric clinic, the first in those regions. After still more struggle, he arranged to have the emotionally disturbed and the mentally retarded transferred from prison to their homes, to hospitals, and to his clinic, where he and his staff now attend them. 

They are fortunate. All over Asia and other backward areas, emotionally disturbed men and women are still incarcerated in these medieval dungeons called lunatic asylums. The cruel rejection and punishment are intended to teach them a lesson or help exorcise evil spirits. 

The West, still bogged down in its ridiculous romanticism, would like to believe that emotional disturbances, dope addiction, delinquency are all modern problems brought on by technological progress, and that backward societies are too spiritual and beautiful to need the ministrations of science. But while the West can perhaps afford to think this way, the people of backward lands cannot. . . . 

. . .The obstacles are awesome, the inertia too entrenched, the people’s suffering too anguished, their impatience too eruptive. Moreover, the total cultural reorganizations such as Asia and Africa are undergoing inevitably engender their own temporary dislocations and confusions. But their goals, the direction, remain constant. We are on the move, however awkwardly at first, to a saner, better world.

How to Answer the Rhetorical Analysis Question

Go back to the original question, which asks you to analyze two features of the passage: (1) its structure, or organization, and (2) its language. The first aspect is fairly specific. As you read the passage, you need to observe what the author discusses first, second, third, and so on. Your essay should explain not only the order of ideas but the reasons the author may have chosen that order. 

The second part of the question is more general. It invites you to analyze the use of language, which may include the author’s choice of words (diction), syntax (word order), figures of speech, use of evidence (such as statistics or logical reasoning), sentence structure, rhythm, sound, tone, or just about any other characteristics of style and rhetoric you choose.

Although the question directs you to write about two different aspects of the passage, the essay itself should be unified. That is, a good essay should not consist of, say, two disparate paragraphs, one exclusively devoted to structure and another to language. Rather, the essay should include material that shows the interrelationship of structure and language in the passage and how those elements contribute to the meaning and effect of the passage. This might be covered in a separate paragraph, or it could be woven into the overall fabric of the essay. 

Before you begin to write , read the passage at least twice: once for an overview and once as you write your analysis. You may notice early on that the opening paragraph contains generalizations about Westerners’ concepts of science and progress. Then the author contrasts the Western view of science and progress with the Eastern view. Immediately, you see that the author, by using the first-person pronoun (as in “many of us”) is speaking from the perspective of an Easterner. Consequently, his discussion of Eastern views is apt to come across as more well-informed, more authoritative, perhaps more personal. 

To support his position, the author gives an extended example—the city of Shiraz—to illustrate just how different the East is from the West. The description and vivid images of Shiraz memorably convey the idea that the “spiritual way of life” has a side to it that many Westerners don’t know about. This is the heart of the passage. The use of quotation marks around “romantic” and “city of poetry” is meant to point out the discrepancy between the idealized and real versions of Shiraz. 

Nearing the end, the author reiterates his initial contrast between West and East, with emphasis on the East. The last paragraph offers a generalized statement about conditions in Asia and Africa, reminding the reader of the contrast made at the very beginning of the passage. Tying the end to the beginning of the passage creates a sense of unity—a desirable feature in any piece of writing.

Answering the AP English Language and Composition Argument Essay Question 

The third essay on the exam requires you to respond to an idea contained in a short statement or paragraph. Your response must be written as an argument that either supports or refutes a writer’s views on a particular subject. Or, if you prefer not to take an either/or position, you can adopt a stance somewhere in between the two.

Writing a persuasive essay involves more than simply expressing your opinion on an issue. The validity of your position must be based on sound evidence. Passion alone won’t do it. You need to corral evidence from your experience, reading, studies, and observation in order to prove that your opinion has merit. 

To argue on behalf of your position, find at least two (three is even better) distinct arguments to support it. It helps, too, to develop a counterargument—an argument most likely to be used by someone who opposes your views—that you can refute in order to persuade readers that you are right and your opponent is not. 

Because topics for AP persuasive essays are unpredictable, it makes sense to arm yourself with a ready-to-use essay-writing strategy—one that, regardless of the topic, lays out the steps to take during the approximately forty minutes it takes to complete the essay. Chances are that you’ve written reams of essays during your school career. Over the years, you may have developed a method for writing blue-ribbon essays. But in case you haven’t, here is a list of steps you can count on. Follow them while you write essays for practice. Then, based on the results you get, amend the list in ways that enable you to write the best essays you can.

• Read and analyze the prompt.
• Jot down ideas that might be used to argue both sides of the issue.
• Review the ideas and choose a position on the issue.
• Articulate a main idea, or thesis, for your essay.
• Arrange supporting ideas purposefully—not simply in the order they occurred to you.
• Introduce the main idea of your essay.
• Develop unified paragraphs in support of your main idea.
• Devote at least part of your essay to refute an argument likely to be used by someone whose opinion differs from yours.
• Choose words and structure sentences that concisely convey your thoughts.
• Write a memorable conclusion but not a brief summary of your essay.
• Edit your essay for clarity, interest, and correctness.

Experience shows that these steps do not need be taken in the order presented, nor is each step discrete. Rather, they often overlap and blend into each other. While composing your essay, for example, you may also be revising and proofreading. Late in the process, you may weave new ideas into your text or shift the location of ideas. In short, no step really ends until the final period is put into place or the AP proctor calls “Time!” We can't tell you exactly how much of the suggested 40-minute writing period to devote to each step. A plan that works for other students may not work for you. In general, however, you won’t go wrong by devoting more than half the time—about 25–30 minutes—to composing an essay and no more than 5–10 minutes planning and polishing it. By now you may have noticed that the basic process of writing a persuasive essay hardly differs at all from that used in writing synthesis or analytical essays. All three require you to read the prompt over and over until you are absolutely sure of what it says and what you are expected to do. The prompt may not interest you right away, but if you really concentrate on the issue, you may soon be bursting with ideas for your essay.

Sample Argument Essay Question

SUGGESTED TIME: 40 MIINUTES

The following paragraph is adapted from Mirror for Man, a book written by anthropologist Clyde Kluckhorn in the middle of the twentieth century. Read the passage carefully. Then, write an essay that examines the extent to which the author’s characterization of the United States holds true today. Use appropriate evidence to support your argument.

Technology is valued as the very basis of the capitalistic system. Possession of gad- gets is esteemed as a mark of success to the extent that persons are judged not by the integrity of their characters or by the originality of their minds but by what they seem to be—so far as can be measured by their wealth or by the variety and material goods which they display. “Success” is measured by their investments, homes, and lifestyles— not by their number of mistresses as in some cultures.

How to Answer the Argument Question

Whether you agree, disagree, or have mixed views on the content of the passage, your job is to write a convincing argument that expresses your opinion. Initially, the word argument may suggest conflict or confrontation. But rest assured that your essay need not be combative. Rather, make it a calmly-reasoned explanation of your opinion on a debatable subject. Your goal is to persuade the reader that your opinion, supported by examples, facts, and other appropriate evidence, is correct. 

If you have strong feelings about the topic, of course you should state them in your essay. But express them in calm, rational language. Be mindful that the essay should not be an emotional rant for or against the issue. 

Consider first whether you agree with Kluckhorn’s definition of “success.” Is it, as Kluckhorn asserts, measured by income and material possessions? Or do you think that a more accurate standard of success in today’s America should be determined by less tangible criteria—things such as happiness or self-respect? Or do you stand somewhere in between those two extremes? 

The actual position you take on the issue is less crucial than your ability to support it fully by drawing from your knowledge, background, experience, or observation. Regardless of your position, be sure to include more than one example. An argument that relies on a single example, however compelling, will fall flat. 

In the prompt, Kluckhorn’s notion of success seems to refer broadly to American society. Resist responding in kind. That is, a short essay shouldn’t focus on the whole of society but only on an identifiable segment—perhaps college-educated professionals or urban, blue-collar Americans. The point is that a narrowly focused essay on a limited topic will always turn out better than one that tries to cover too much ground in just a few paragraphs.

AP Biology Resources

• About the AP Biology Exam
• Top AP Biology Exam Strategies
• Top 5 Study Topics and Tips for the AP Biology Exam
• AP Biology Short Free-Response Questions
• AP Biology Long Free-Response Questions

AP Psychology Resources

• What’s Tested on the AP Psychology Exam?
• Top 5 Study Tips for the AP Psychology Exam
• AP Psychology Key Terms
• Top AP Psychology Exam Multiple-Choice Question Tips
• Top AP Psychology Exam Free Response Questions Tips
• AP Psychology Sample Free Response Question

AP English Language and Composition Resources

• What’s Tested on the AP English Language and Composition Exam?
• Top 5 Tips for the AP English Language and Composition Exam
• Top Reading Techniques for the AP English Language and Composition Exam
• AP English Language and Composition Exam Sample Essay Questions
• AP English Language and Composition Exam Multiple-Choice Questions

AP Human Geography Resources

• What’s Tested On the AP Human Geography Exam?
• AP Human Geography FAQs
• AP Human Geography Question Types and Strategies
• Top 5 Study Tips for the AP Human Geography Exam

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