AP Test AP Test PreparationPreparation

A Bit of History You May Want to Know To understand the importance of writing essays and using language to prove the

truth (RHETORIC)

Ancient GreeceAncient Greece

Once upon a time in Ancient Greece, there were scholars who decided that the rules for written and oral expression needed to be formalized; among these were Plato and Aristotle. This marked the birth of rhetoric. They continued on this path because they realized the importance of understanding speech in order to rule a vast empire (The Princeton Review, 2008).

Middle AgesMiddle Ages

In Europe, during the Middle Ages, the rules of rhetoric became even stricter. It was determined that to give “proper” form to thought, one had to follow certain rules of expression.

And on top of all that, knowledge was held in secret in monastaries, for only special people to use.

RenaissanceRenaissance(the rebirth of (the rebirth of knowledge)knowledge)

After the Middle Ages, there was a revival in copying or modeling the rhetoric from Antiquity (the glorious days of Rome, Greece and Persia).

Everyone was striving to live up to the brilliance of the past.

Let’s revisit some of these famous Renaissance scientists, artists inventors …

Renaissance GiantsRenaissance Giants

Francis Bacon-English philosopher

(1561-1626)Nicolaus Copernicus-Polish

astronomer(1473-1543)Galileo Galilei-Italian astonomer(1564-1642)Johannes Gutenberg-German

inventor(1400-1467)Sir Isaac Newton-English

physicist/scientist(1642-1727)

Renaissance GiantsRenaissance Giants

Andreas Vesalius-Belgian biologist who studied the human body (1514-1564)

Johannes Kepler-German mathematician/astronomer/astrologer

(1571-1630)Tycho Brahe-Danish astonomer (1546-1601) His assistant was

KeplerParacelsus-Swiss/Austrian

alchemist/physician/occultist (1493-1541)

Martin Luther-German priest/theology professor (1483-1546)

RenaissanceRenaissance(the rebirth of (the rebirth of knowledge)knowledge)

Shakespeare-English playwright (1564-1616)

Michelangelo-Italian sculptor and painter

And my favorite…..Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519) Italian all-purpose Renaissance

man: painter, sculptor, writer, inventor,

and good guy who liked to write his secret notebooks in mirror writing. (Bill Gates owns one of da vinci’s notebooks).

Leonard da Vinci’s Leonard da Vinci’s WorkWork

Leonardo’s Mirror Leonardo’s Mirror WritingWriting

In an era when left-handedness was considered the devil's work and lefties were often forced to use their right hand, Leonardo was an unrepentant southpaw. It has been suggested that this "difference" was an element of his genius, since his detachment allowed him to see beyond the ordinary. He even wrote backwards, and his writings are easily deciphered only with a mirror.

The rest of the story….The rest of the story….

The rest of the story as it pertains to you and your AP Exam can be summed up this way…

For hundreds of years writers tried to get rid of all this formal rhetoric and invent new forms of writing. Sometimes writers preferred no form at all.

By the second half of the 20th century, writers had succeeded in doing this!

Do we need rhetoric Do we need rhetoric today?today?

An unfortunate side effect of all this writing freedom was really crappy writing in colleges. Reasoned discourse all but disappeared! Horrified professors began to complain that university students were handing in disorganized, illogical drivel.

The pendulum swung the other way. Now freshmen composition is a requirement in every college/university in any accredited institution.

The formal study of grammar, usage and rhetoric returned.

All 4 year liberal arts All 4 year liberal arts colleges require a colleges require a freshmen to take freshmen to take literature and literature and composition-this equals composition-this equals ONE year of classes.ONE year of classes.

Really smart, proactive high school students trying to place out of the freshmen composition classes began to flock to AP English Comp classes.

The other advantage of passing the AP test is that you save money by not having to take that class ($500-$5000).

Don’t confuse this May exam with its sister-

AP English Literature Test (280,000 students take it)

In May, about 256,000 students will take the AP English Language and Composition Test.

Colleges/Universities that Colleges/Universities that have this requirement…have this requirement…

http://www.marquette.edu Core of Common Studies Introduction The University Core of Common Studies is

the intellectual heart of a Marquette education, built on our Jesuit tradition and designed for successful life in the 21st century. The core is composed of nine knowledge areas essential to a well-educated person:

rhetoric mathematical reasoning theology human nature and ethics science and nature individual and social behavior literature and performing arts diverse cultures histories of cultures and societies SUNDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2009

10am to 3pm OPEN HOUSE

Colleges that require Colleges that require rhetoric or college rhetoric or college freshmen composition…freshmen composition…

ALL UW System schools: Parkside Madison Whitewater Oshvegas River Falls Platteville Stevens Point Green Bay Stout Milwaukee

Colleges that require Colleges that require rhetoric or freshmen rhetoric or freshmen composition…composition…

All out of state colleges and universities:

◦Michigan◦Minnesota◦ Iowa◦Ohio◦ Indiana◦South Dakota◦North Dakota◦Pennsylvania◦New York◦Delaware ◦California◦Florida, etc.

Colleges that require Colleges that require freshmen composition freshmen composition (rhetoric).(rhetoric).

All private colleges: Carthage Ripon Lawrence Luther Wartburg College Harvard Yale Brown Radcliff Augustana Princeton Cardinal Stritch, Etc.

Colleges that prefer Colleges that prefer you take APyou take AP

MSOE◦There is a possibility you don’t

specifically have to take freshmen comp (rhetoric)…

◦But without it, how do you think you will succeed in Independent Study when you have to write that freakingly huge paper and present it to your department? Oh that’s right, where is your MLA and APA now? And don’t call me..I’m dead to students who don’t listen in high school to my advice…….

◦Am I making myself clear? Or have I wasted a perfectly good Sunday morning working on this powerpoint?

Taking the AP English Taking the AP English and Literature Test and and Literature Test and the AP English Language the AP English Language and Composition Testand Composition Test

The number of students who take the Language exam has grown dramatically over the past 5 years. The AP English Literature Test and the AP English Language and Composition Test are similar in format and are given on 2 different days during AP week in May. You could schedule yourself to take both tests. Many students do!

Who pays for the test if I want to take it?

Taking the AP TestTaking the AP Test

Questions and Answers

Work CitedCracking the AP English

Language & Composition Exam, 2008,The Princeton Review, Inc, Random Publishers, New York, New York.