| The Course: The AP* Language and Composition course assumes that students already understand and use standard English grammar. The intense concentration on language use in this course should enhance their ability to use grammatical conventions both appropriately and with sophistication as well as to develop stylistic maturity in their prose. Stylistic development is nurtured by emphasizing the following: |
| • a wide-ranging vocabulary used with denotative accuracy and connotative resourcefulness; |
SE/AIE: Definitions, in writing: 86–87, 320; Dictionary Use: 575–576; Diction and Style Usage Glossary: 675–688; Vague Words: 676–678; Journal exercises: 10, 62, 70, 78–79, 113, 121, 129, 180, 186, 229, 234, 242, 276–278, 294, 299, 306, 320, 351, 357, 364, 399–400, 405, 414, 463, 469–470, 476–477, 479, 481, 510 |
| • a variety of sentence structures, including appropriate use of subordination and coordination; |
SE/AIE: Review of Basic Sentence Elements: 648–675, 690–691, 698 |
| • a logical organization, enhanced by specific techniques of coherence such as repetition, transitions, and emphasis; |
SE/AIE: Shaping Writing: 11, 31, 36–43, 83–89, 133–138, 193–199, 252–256, 311–318, 320–321, 369–372, 374, 421–424, 426, 486–488, 543–545, 591–593, 634–637; Transitions and emphasis: 193–199; Transitional Words and Phrases: 92, 317, 320–321, 374, 426 |
| • a balance of generalization with specific illustrative detail; and |
SE/AIE: 22–23, 31–33, 42, 48–49, 83, 92, 105–110, 130–133, 138, 140–141, 153–155, 160–161, 203, 205–206, 211, 213–215, 246–247, 252–253, 258, 267, 270, 274–280, 294–295, 300, 306–312, 316, 319–321, 328, 331, 334–341, 343–344, 351–352, 358–359, 364–370, 373–374, 384, 390–396, 414–426, 439, 442–456, 470, 483–490, 492–494, 503, 510–511, 518–522, 541–547, 552, 555, 559, 570–574, 591–592, 598, 632, 638–641 Collecting details: 31–33; observing detail: 48–49; observation of detail in shaping writing: 83–84; professional writer's essay on: 41–41; remembering details: 105–110 |
| • an effective use of rhetoric, including controlling tone, maintaining a consistent voice, and achieving emphasis through parallelism and antithesis. |
SE/AIE: Active and passive voice: 666–668. 676–685, 699, 701; misconceptions about rhetoric: 4; Orientation to rhetorical stance: xxiii–xxiv; Voice and tone: 135–137, 141, 156, 313, 524, 655 |
| Upon completing the Language and Composition course, then, students should be able to: |
| • analyze and interpret samples of good writing, identifying and explaining an author's use of rhetorical strategies and techniques; |
SE/AIE: Questions for Writing and Discussion: 30, 42–43, 45, 62–63, 70–71, 79, 101, 113–114, 121–122, 129–130, 142–149, 151–158, 160–165, 181, 186–188, 191–202, 205–206, 211, 230, 234–235, 300, 306–307, 328–329, 331, 351–352, 358–359, 364–366, 386–387, 400–401, 405–406, 414–415432, 438–439, 464, 470–471, 482–483, 502, 510–511, 532, 539–547, 555; Peer response/review: 91, 139, 319, 373, 425, 491–492, 551–552; Responding to literature essay: 513–518, 518–520, 521–524; Journal exercises: 170–171, 344, 637; In essay tests: 631–641 |
| • apply effective strategies and techniques in their own writing; |
SE/AIE: Editing and Proofreading: 644–648; Techniques: 3–5, 5–15, 21–26, 31–45, 49–50. The Writing Process: 80–93, 130–141, 160–165, 188, 191–202. 214, 244–256, 258, 275–283, 307–318, 320–321, 334–341, 343–344, 366–374, 390–396, 415–426, 442–456, 483–495, 518–524, 540–547, 551–552, 559–599, Writing Under Pressure: 631–638 |
| • create and sustain arguments based on readings, research, and/or personal experience; |
SE/AIE: Technique for: 22–23, 131–132, 154–156, 163, 521, 544–545, 570–571. 591; Argument essay: 442–443, 444–448, 448–452, 454–455, 484–485. 487–488, 490. 492–494 |
| • demonstrate understanding and mastery of standard written English as well as stylistic maturity in their own writings; |
SE/AIE: Drafting an Revising: 31, 32–33, 43–45, 83–89, 89–93, 133–141, 188–202, 244–256, 307–321, 366–375, 415–426, 483–495, 540–547, 569–573; Shaping Strategies: 591–598, 637–638 |
| • write in a variety of genres and contexts, both formal and informal, employing appropriate conventions; |
SE/AIE: Journal writing: 54–55, 109–110, 170–171, 220–222, 282–283, 343–344, 395–396, 455–456, 519–520, 563; Observational writing: 80–93; Memoir: 130–141; Responding to Writing: 188–201; Investigating: 244–258; Explanatory writing: 307–321; Evaluating: 366–374; Problem solving: 415–426; Arguing: 483–494; Responding to Literature: 540–546; Research Paper: 569–574, 591–594; Documenting Sources: 598–615 |
| • produce expository and argumentative compositions that introduce a complex central idea and develop it with appropriate, specific evidence, cogent explanations, and clear transitions; and |
SE/AIE: Explanatory essay writing: 307–321; Composing and shaping arguments: 31, 32–33, 43–45, 83–89, 89–93, 133–141, 188–202, 244–256, 366–375, 415–426, 483–495, 540–547, 569–573, 591–598, 637–638 |
| • move effectively through the stages of the writing process, with careful attention to inquiry and research, drafting, revising, editing, and review. |
SE/AIE: Journal writing: 54–55, 109–110, 170–171, 220–222, 282–283, 343–344, 395–396, 455–456, 519–520, 563; Observational writing: 80–93; Memoir: 130–141; Responding to Writing: 188–201; Investigating: 244–258; Explanatory writing: 307–321; Evaluating: 366–374; Problem solving: 415–426; Arguing: 483–494; Responding to Literature: 540–546; Research Paper: 569–574, 591–594; Documenting Sources: 598–615 |
