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AP Lang March 18-25: FRQ2: Rhetorical Analysis

AP Lang Exam Information

Use Abigail Adams letter as mentor text to practice/learn:

3/18: #1 Grasp the rhetorical situation (WECAMP)
3/21: #2 Deepen your understanding of the rhetorical situation
3/22-23: #3 Generate effective thesis statements which answer the prompt
3/22-23: #4 Find and use evidence and commentary
3/24: #5 Write strong body paragraphs
3/24: #6 Write effective introductions
Write brief, meaningful conclusions
Put it all together and apply what we’ve learned by writing a rhetorical analysis of Abigail Adams’s letter to JQA

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AP Lang March 18: AP Lang Exam Information

Read the mentor text and complete a WECAMP

Go over the Free Response Question 2 Rhetorical Analysis Overview
Read Abigail Adams’s letter to her son John Quincy Adams.
Complete a WECAMP of Adams’s letter.

Be sure to write your name (or names) clearly at the top of the WECAMP sheet and turn in to Mrs. Hazle. Staple your copy of the letter to your response.

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AP Lang March 21: FRQ2: #2 Deepen your understanding of the Rhetorical Situation AP Lang Exam Information

In your notebook, take notes on Rhetorical Choices:

Some common choices:
Link choices to Writer - Audience - Purpose

In your notebook, take notes on WECAMP:

WECAMP (+ tone) = Rhetorical Situation
Probe deeper into what it is
Understand why it matters

Use the #2 Adams “More of the Rhetorical Situation” document to deepen your understanding of the rhetorical situation of Adams’s letter to her son John Quincy Adams.
Find and complete the task:

Canvas → Adams Rhetorical Analysis Work module → “More of the Rhetorical Situation” document.
Work alone or with a tablemate. Each person should submit their own document, but add your group members’ names to your document.
Please complete during class or early evening. I will review and return so we can discuss on Tuesday.

Regarding The Things They Carried: Read through (p1-36) “Spin” and be prepared to discuss on Wednesday with Mrs. Baranoski. p37-81 is due on Thursday night.

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AP Lang March 21-22: FRQ2: Deepen your understanding of the Rhetorical Situation

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AP Lang March 22-23: FRQ2: AP Lang Exam Information

Reading the prompt accurately → writing effective thesis statements

Our focus: WECAMP → Thesis

Review the Q2 (rhetorical analysis) AP exam grading criteria
Begin the #3 Crafting Rhetorical Analysis thesis statements work on Tuesday. Complete on Wednesday and submit to Canvas.

Go to Canvas → Abigail Adams Rhetorical Analysis Work module → “#3 Crafting Rhetorical Analysis thesis Statements”

Work alone or with a tablemate to complete the these tasks on Tuesday:

Turn Barry prompt into question/s
Turn Lippmann prompt into questions
Turn Adams’ prompt into questions
Discuss “Device-Driven” and “Strategy-Driven” thesis statements and set up tasks for Wednesday.

On Wednesday, complete the “#3 Crafting Rhetorical Analysis Thesis Statements” and “#4 Writing Commentary to analyze the rhetorical situation” and submit to Canvas.

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AP Lang 3/22-23: FRQ2: Rhetorical Choices lead to Thesis

After assessing the rhetorical situation (WECAMP + tone)...

Identify the writer’s rhetorical choices:

Rhetorical choices can be devices or a strategies (Usually a device is being used to convey a strategy.)

Devices include:

word choice, syntax, repetition/parallelism, imagery, allusion, figurative language (simile, metaphor, personification, hyperbole)

Strategies include:

shifts in the ideas that are presented; appeals to credibility, emotion, reason; tone; the structure or organization of the passage; details; patterns of arrangement such as compare/contrast, cause/effect, process analysis, narration, exemplification

Link devices to strategies:

Think about strategies as architectural plans and devices as the wood, metal, nails, etc. used to bring the plans to life.

Now you are ready to generate your defensible thesis statement:

Make sure your defensible thesis responds directly to the prompt and analyzes the writer’s choices.

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AP Lang 3/23-24:

FRQ2: Rhetorical Analysis Thesis Statements review

Generating your Thesis Statement:

There are two basic types of thesis statements: device-driven or strategy-driven

Device-driven thesis statements: (Go for this type if you are overwhelmed or feeling really pressed for time)

Pros: are done quickly and easily, give clear direction for you the writer and for the reader
Cons: limits the scope of your essay, is formulaic, tends to end up being about the devices and not about analyzing rhetorical choices (how the devices persuade)

Tip: Device-driven thesis formula:

Writer + strong verb + “through” devices + purpose + message = thesis

Madeleine Albright connects with her audience through parallel syntax, repetition, assertions, and other tactics, to convince her audience that they have an opportunity to change the world and break through the glass ceilings around them.

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AP Lang 3/24: FRQ2: Rhetorical Analysis Thesis Statements

Tip: Strategy-driven thesis statements are stronger: (Go for this type if you can.)

Pros: Good if making multiple claims, more naturally leads you to analyze writer’s rhetorical choices, devices are used as examples to support the strategy.

Cons: harder to construct, challenging while under duress, requires a more nuanced understanding of the text.

Tip: Strategy-driven thesis formula #1:

By + strategies + writer + strong verb + message / purpose. = thesis

Example:

By inspiring the graduates to live courageously and then urging them to challenge adversity, Albright motivates the young women to break the glass ceiling and achieve equality.

In the body of the essay, bring in the devices and show how they are tools to advance the strategy and then how they impact the audience.

Inspiring to live courageously:

Through hopeful diction
Through vivid imagery

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AP Lang 3/23-24: FRQ2: Rhetorical Analysis Thesis Statements

Tip: Strategy-driven thesis formula #2:

Writer + strategies, + “in order to” + message/purpose. = thesis

Example:

Albright contrasts various responses to adversity, relays inspiring stories, and urges graduates to aim high in order to convey to her audience that the noble path in life is one of challenges so that they will persevere and strive to change the world.

In the body of the essay, bring in the devices and show how they are tools to advance the strategy and then how they impact the audience.

Relays inspiring stories:

through humor
through repetition of uplifting words and phrases

Urges graduates to aim high

through vivid imagery
through engaging diction

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AP Lang 3/22-23: FRQ2: #3 Rhetorical Analysis Thesis Statements

On p4 of “#3 Crafting Rhetorical Analysis Thesis Statements” doc, complete the tasks→ submit your doc to Canvas:

Read the Thatcher prompt and sample student thesis statement, then answer the 4 follow-up questions:

Is this thesis strategy- or device-driven?
How do you know?
Is it good or great?
Why?

Task: Write a device-driven and then a strategy-driven thesis statement for the Abigail Adams letter.

Return to our mentor text: Abigail Adams’s letter to her son. Reread the prompt, the letter, and your analysis of the rhetorical situation (WECAMP).
Review our thesis statement tips and steps, and the questions you formulated to turn the prompt into question/s.
Use the device-driven tips and template to write a device-driven thesis statement*:

Use the strategy-driven tips and templates to write a strategy-based thesis statement that could serve as the foundation for a rhetorical analysis of Abigail Adams’s letter:

Submit your #3 Crafting RA Thesis Statement document to Canvas.

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AP Lang 3/23: #4 Writing Commentary to Analyze the Rhetorical Situation

The following tips will help you write effective commentary to enhance the analysis of the provided student sample.

State your example
Explain your example
Analyze for writer:

What does this example suggest about the writer’s (Abigail Adams’s) values, beliefs, or needs?

Analyze for audience:

What does this example suggest about the audience’s (JQA’s) values, beliefs, or needs? About the writer’s perception of these values?

Describe why example is persuasive

Complete “#4 Adams Writing Commentary to analyze the rhetorical situation” and submit your work to Canvas today by 9pm. (You should submit #3 Adams first.)

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AP Lang 3/24: #5 Rhetorical Situation +Thesis + Body Paragraph

Your thesis statement (device or strategy-driven), based upon your close reading and annotation of the prompt and passage, will determine the points you want to develop and support in your rhetorical analysis.

Each of your paragraphs should be arranged around a particular reason or claim you want to make to support your thesis.

In general, a good rule of thumb for crafting effective paragraphs includes:

a claim/main point
evidence from the passage to support your claim (at least 2 strong examples)
analysis for each example which explains how the evidence supports your claim

Remember your practice of analyzing for writer, audience, purpose?

connection back to your thesis
smooth and logical transitions between ideas

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AP Lang Dec. 3/24: #5 Rhetorical Situation +Thesis + Paragraph

How to select and use the best evidence in your paragraphs:

Reminder: Begin with a strong, clear topic sentence which makes a claim about a strategy or a device.
Go back to the passage to find specific examples in the passage which capture the main idea of your topic sentence.

Look for examples from throughout the passage, not just from one part of the text.

Quickly evaluate which examples work the best (or which you understand the best) and use them, cutting down quotes to brief phrases or lists and/or paraphrasing ideas from the passage.
Explain how your examples support your claim and
Link your paragraph back to your thesis.

Review these skills by completing: #5 Rhetorical Situation +Thesis + Body Paragraph. Submit your Adams #5 work to Canvas.

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AP Lang 3/24-25:

Putting it all together by writing a full rhetorical analysis essay

Thursday:

As time allows at the end of class, please read the Friday RA analysis prompt and passage.
This evening, please review the work we have done together since March 18.
Optional: create a “cheat sheet” of notes to reference while writing. You must print these notes and bring to class on Friday.

Friday:

Bring paper and pen and be prepared to handwrite a full rhetorical analysis during class.
You may reference your “cheat sheet” while writing. The only other allowed materials are your paper, pen, and copy of the prompt and passage.

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Slides after this one still need to be updated for 2022

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AP Lang Dec. 9-10: #5 Rhetorical Situation +Thesis + Paragraph

Applying body paragraph tips to the Abigail Adams mentor text

Open your copy of Abigail Adams’ letter (It’s the first doc in the Adams Canvas module). Mark up your document with your observations about the rhetorical situation and examples which might help to support your thesis. You can either print your copy, mark it up, and then submit a photo, or complete your annotations digitally.

Read and annotate the Adams letter
On p2 of your Doc #5:

write your thesis statement (device driven or strategy driven--identify yours)
Write 1 body paragraph which includes a claim/Main point, 2 pieces of Evidence, clear Analysis/commentary of how the evidence supports your claim (remember the advice to analyze for writer and analyze for audience), and how this paragraph connects back to the thesis. Make sure you have smooth, logical Transitions between ideas. (acronym for this type of paragraph: MEAT)

Submit both your annotated copy of Adams’ letter and your Doc #5 to Canvas.