AP English Literature and Composition
I. Course Description
Students enrolled in this course will study the literary works, in several genres, of both American and British authors.
The works selected for study will require careful, deliberative readings that yield multiple meanings. Students are
expected to
 develop a repertoire of reading comprehension strategies that they can draw on flexibly to comprehend,
analyze, and critique both literary and informational texts
 develop a repertoire of writing strategies and a facility with certain types of writing commonly taught in the AP
classroom, including argumentative writing, research writing, literary analysis, and creative and reflective writing
 speak effectively in interpersonal, group, and public contexts
 become active and effective listeners
 view and produce media critically
II. Scoring Components
SC1
The course includes an intensive study of representative works such as those by authors cited in the AP
English Course Description. By the time the student completes English Literature and Composition, he
or she will have studied during high school literature from both British and American writers, as well as
works written in several genres from the sixteenth century to contemporary times.
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SC12
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SC14
The course teaches students to write an interpretation of a piece of literature that is based on a careful
observation of textual details, considering such elements as the use of figurative language, imagery,
symbolism and tone.
The course teaches students to write an interpretation of a piece of literature that is based on a careful
observation of textual details, considering the work’s structure, style and themes.
The course teaches students to write an interpretation of a piece of literature that is based on a careful
observation of textual details, considering the work’s social, cultural and/or historical values.
The course includes frequent opportunities for students to write and rewrite timed, in-class responses.
The course includes frequent opportunities for students to write and rewrite formal, extended analyses
outside of class.
The course requires writing to understand: Informal/exploratory writing activities that enable students
to discover what they think in the process of writing about their reading (such assignments could
include annotation, free writing, keeping a reading journal, reaction/response papers, and/or dialectical
notebooks).
The course requires writing to explain: Expository, analytical essays in which students draw upon textual
details to develop an extended interpretation of a literary text.
The course requires writing to evaluate: Analytical, argumentative essays in which students draw upon
textual details to make and explain judgments about a work’s artistry and quality.
The course requires writing to evaluate: Analytical, argumentative essays in which students draw upon
textual details to make and explain judgments about a work’s social, historical and/or cultural values
The AP teacher provides instruction and feedback on students’ writing assignments, both before and
after the students revise their work that help the students develop a wide-ranging vocabulary used
appropriately.
The AP teacher provides instruction and feedback on students’ writing assignments, both before and
after the students revise their work that help the students develop a variety of sentence structures.
The AP teacher provides instruction and feedback on students’ writing assignments, both before and
after the students revise their work that help the students develop logical organization, enhanced by
specific techniques to increase coherence. Such techniques may include traditional rhetorical
structures, graphic organizers, and work on repetition, transitions, and emphasis.
The AP teacher provides instruction and feedback on students’ writing assignments both before and
after they revise their work that help the students develop a balance of generalization and specific,
illustrative detail.
SC15
The AP teacher provides instruction and feedback on students’ writing assignments both before and
after they revise their work that help the students establish an effective use of rhetoric including
controlling tone and a voice appropriate to the writer’s audience.
III. Required Texts
Students will be provided with a copy of Perrine’s Literature. They should also seriously consider obtaining a personal
copy of the various novels, plays, poems and short fiction used in the course. Students may purchase copies from a local
new or used bookstore. Limited copies of the literary works are available for check-out from the English Department or
the local library. Students may use Kindle or Internet versions of the texts. The following list of titles is required.
Students will also be asked to obtain a copy of a novel from the approved reading list of Pulitzer and Nobel Prize
winners. [SC1]
Arp, Thomas, and Greg Johnson, eds. Perrine's Literature: Structure, Sound & Sense. 11th edition.
Foster, Thomas C. How to Read Literature like a Professor.
Huxley, Aldous. Brave New World.
Kingsolver, Barbara. The Poisonwood Bible.
Morrison, Toni. Beloved.
Shakespeare, William. Hamlet.
Shelley, Mary. Frankenstein.
Stoppard, Tom. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead.
IV. Assignments
Writing: Students will have a number of timed writings in class. [SC5] The Departmental AP Scoring Rubric will be used to score these
assessments. Essays should possess insight, an understanding of the literature read, and demonstrate a good command of Standard
Written English. Timed writings may be re-written after consultation with instructor. Formal essays and research papers will be
assessed based on the AP Literature Composition Rubric. [SC6] Students will participate in peer editing and teacher consultations over
writing. [SC11. SC12, SC13, SC14, SC15] Multiple drafts are required for a polished work. MLA format will be used for all typed
essays. Ideas presented in these papers are expected to be original and represent the critical thinking encouraged in AP students.
Discussions: Students will be asked to participate in discussions over assigned works. These discussions may include group
presentations or individual contributions. The same level of insight and originality expected in writings for this course should also be
exemplified through oral analysis. Cooperation with peers is required.
Reading: Students are expected to complete all assigned readings for this course. Annotations and note-taking may be authentic to the
students’ learning style; however, close reading and careful observation are required. Students should consider such elements as
figurative language, imagery, symbolism and allusion. Students will also consider the structure of a work and will want to reflect on a
literary work’s theme as well as social, cultural, and historical values. [SC2, SC3, SC4, SC7]
Multiple-choice Assessments: Reading comprehension and understanding of the effect of literary devices will be assessed through
multiple-choice quizzes and exams. Students may expect questions over plot and characterization; however, most multiple-choice
assessments will ask students to analyze the writing of a given passage. These assessments will require students to demonstrate
knowledge of literary and narrative elements. [SC1]
V. Course Guide
Unit 1-- Summer Reading
approximately 3 weeks
Students are asked over the summer to complete and reflect on several readings that will assist them in engaging in the
AP classroom immediately upon entering in the fall. Students will annotate the works, write responses, and prepare for
discussion. These particular works lend themselves to an insightful discussion of symbol, biblical allusion, character
motivation and dystopian themes. [SC1]
Readings:
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
How to Read Literature Like a Professor by Thomas Foster [SC1]
Written response to The Poisonwood Bible: After reading and annotating the work independently, students will write an
essay. [SC7] Using The Poisonwood Bible as their literary selection, students will choose one of the prompts below and
respond in a two-page essay, or in approximately 700 words. The essay must be typed in MLA format. [SC6, SC11, SC12]
Topic A: A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations
beyond itself. In literary words a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning.
Focusing on one symbol from The Poisonwood Bible, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the
work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the
plot. [SC2, SC3, SC8]
Topic B: The meaning of some literary works is often enhanced by sustained allusions to myths, the Bible, or
other words of literature. The Poisonwood Bible makes use of such a sustained reference. Write a well-organized
essay in which you explain the allusion that predominates the work and analyze how it enhances the work’s
meaning. Do not merely summarize the plot. [SC2, SC3, SC8]
How to Read Literature Like a Professor: Students will select one of the chapters from the work and write a 500-word
essay, applying the concepts discussed in this chapter to a previous piece of literature they have read. [SC2 or SC3]
Unit 2-- College Entrance Essays
approximately 2 weeks
Students will select from three of the provided topics. They will journal, organize, and write multiple drafts for revision.
The students’ goal is to create a narrative which provides a fair and personal depiction of who they are. [SC6, SC8, SC9,
SC10, SC11, SC12, SC13, SC14, SC15]
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Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be
incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.
Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?
Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision
again?
Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it
meaningful to you?
Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your
culture, community, or family.
Unit 3—Introduction to Short Fiction
approximately 3 weeks
Students will study several short stories from American and British authors dating from the late 1800s to the 1960s.
Students will read and annotate for author’s style and tone, paying particular attention to point of view,
characterization, imagery, symbolism, irony and narrative structure. [SC1]
Readings from Perrine’s Literature:
“The Story of an Hour” by Kate Chopin (1894) pg. 524
“The Darling” by Anton Chekhov (1898) pg. 213
“Miss Brill” by Katherine Mansfield (1921) pg. 174
“The Jilting of Granny Weatherall” by Katherine Anne Porter (1930) pg. 269
“A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner (1930) pg. 526
“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson (1948) pg. 261
“Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?” by Joyce Carole Oates (1966) pg. 469
Journals: Students will respond informally to each story, reflecting on what they have read as well as any social or
political arguments the author may be assembling. [SC7]
Timed Writings: 2003 Question 2 “The Other Paris”; 2010 Question 2 “Cherry Bomb”; 2009 Question 2 The Street [SC2,
SC5, SC8, SC9]
Process Paper: Students will select one of the following topics to explore in an essay. Students will use textual evidence
to support interpretations of the story. The student will submit multiple-drafts for peer and instructor review. [SC2,
SC3, SC4, SC6, SC8, SC9, SC10, SC11, SC12, SC13, SC14, SC15]
Essay Topics:
 Analyze how irony in “The Story of an Hour” reveals the social values of the period.
 Discuss how Olenka’s several relationships with male characters in “The Darling” help to elucidate the theme.
 Analyze the symbolism of “Miss Brill” as it contributes to the characterization of the main character.
 Discuss how the stream of consciousness reveals Granny Weatherall’s fears in “The Jilting of Granny Weatherall.”
 Analyze how the author develops Emily’s character in “A Rose for Emily” as it reveals the values of Southern society.
 Discuss how the dispassionate tone of “The Lottery” contributes to its criticisms of human society.
 Interpret Connie’s motivation for going with Arnold Friend in “Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?”
Unit 4—The Romantics and Frankenstein
approximately 4 weeks
Students will study the imaginative works of Romantic writers including Wordsworth, Keats, Lord Byron, Coleridge, Percy
Bysshe Shelley and Mary Shelley, examining the social, cultural and historical values of the period as well as the literary
components which make these artists relevant. [SC1]
Readings: Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
Readings from Perrine’s:
“When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer” by Walt Whitman pg. 1009
“I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud” by William Wordsworth (1770-1850) pg. 1015
“The World is Too Much with Us” by William Wordsworth pg. 682
“Kubla Khan” by Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834) pg. 951
“To Autumn” by John Keats (1795-1821) pg. 702
“Bright Star” by John Keats pg. 711
“Ode to a Grecian Urn” by John Keats pg. 917
“La Belle Dame sans Merci” by John Keats pg. 980
“Ode to Nightingale” by John Keats pg. 981
“Stanzas” by Lord Byron (1778-1824) pg. 853
“Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792-1822) pg. 758
Journals: Students will maintain a reader response journal accompanying the poetry of the Romantic period. The journal
will provide students with an opportunity to discover their more intuitive responses to the literature and to compare the
views of the period with their own. [SC4, SC7, SC10]
Timed Writings: Students will complete multiple timed writings over the poetry, considering use of figurative language,
imagery, symbolism and tone. At least one timed writing will include a comparison of two poems. [SC2, SC5, SC8, SC9,
SC10] In addition to timed writings over poetry, students will also be asked to use Frankenstein as a literary selection to
answer various Question 3 prompts including the following:
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2000. Many works of literature not readily identified with the mystery or detective story genre nonetheless involve
the investigation of a mystery. In these works, the solution to the mystery may be less important than the
knowledge gained in the process of its investigation. Choose a novel or play in which one or more of the
characters confront a mystery. Then write an essay in which you identify the mystery and explain how the
investigation illuminates the meaning of the work as a whole. Do not merely summarize the plot.
2003. According to critic Northrop Frye, "Tragic heroes are so much the highest points in their human landscape
that they seem the inevitable conductors of the power about them, great trees more likely to be struck by lightning
than a clump of grass. Conductors may of course be instruments as well as victims of the divisive lightning."
Select a novel or play in which a tragic figure functions as an instrument of the suffering of others. Then write an
essay in which you explain how the suffering brought upon others by that figure contributes to the tragic vision of
the work as a whole.
2006. Many writers use a country setting to establish values within a work of literature. For example, the country
may be a place of virtue and peace or one of primitivism and ignorance. Choose a novel or play in which such a
setting plays a significant role. Then write an essay in which you analyze how the country setting functions in the
work as a whole.
2008. In a literary work, a minor character, often known as a foil, possesses traits that emphasize, by contrast or
comparison, the distinctive characteristics and qualities of the main character. For example, the ideas or behavior
of the minor character might be used to highlight the weaknesses or strengths of the main character. Choose a
novel or play in which a minor character serves as a foil to a main character. Then write an essay in which you
analyze how the relation between the minor character and the major character illuminates the meaning of the
work.
Process Paper: Students will compare and contrast two poems. One of the poems must be from a Romantic poet studied
during this course. The student may choose the second poem for comparison, selecting from contemporary or romantic
writers. Students will use textual evidence to assist in interpreting the works’ structure, style, and themes as they reflect
the historical period and views of the poets. [SC3, SC4, SC6, SC8, SC9, SC10, SC11, SC12, SC13, SC14, SC15]
Unit 5 Metaphysical Poetry
approximately 3 weeks
Students will study the British poets (and American) of the seventeenth century typically identified as Metaphysical.
Students will analyze word choice, imagery, figurative language, conceit, paradox, pun and irony as these literary devices
reveal the attitude of the poet or speaker. [SC1]
Readings from Perrine’s Literature:
“A Hymn to God the Father” by John Donne (1572-1631) pg. 685
“A Valediction: Forbidding Mourning” by John Donne pg. 721
“Hymn to God My God, in My Sickness” by John Donne pg. 743
“The Sun Rising” by John Donne pg. 751
“Batter my heart, three-personed God” by John Donne pg. 760
“The Canonization” by John Donne pg. 915
“Song: Go and catch a falling star” by John Donne pg. 958
“Peace” by George Herbert (1593-1633) pg. 736
“The Pulley” by George Herbert pg. 882
“Here Lies a Lady” by George Herbert pg. 995
“The Collar” by George Herbert
“The Author to Her Book” by Anne Bradstreet (1612-1672) pg. 709
“To His Coy Mistress” by Andrew Marvell (1621-1678) pg. 722
“Delight in Disorder” by Robert Herrick (1951-1674) pg. 899
“To the Virgins, to make Much of Time” by Robert Herrick pg. 733
Poetry Journals: Students will respond informally to each reading in order to explore their reactions and observations
regarding the poetry read in class. [SC7, SC9]
Timed Writings: 1996 Bradstreet’s “The Author to Her Book”; 2010 Question 1 Compare and Contrast Samuel Johnson’s
poem to poetry of A.E. Housman; 2014 Gascoigne’s sonnet [SC2, SC5, SC8]
Research Paper: Students will select one of the following poets: John Donne, Andrew Marvell, George Herbert, or Robert
Herrick. After close-reading at least three of the poet’s works, students will research a common theme or style of the
poet. The student will synthesize at least three secondary sources in a literary interpretation of the poet’s work,
employing precise use of MLA format. [SC2, SC3, SC4, SC 6, SC8, SC9, SC10, SC11, SC12, SC13, SC14, SC15]
Media Presentation: Students will select a poem from the assigned readings to interpret through video. In groups,
students will create a 4-5 minute video using images and dramatic portrayal to create a vivid interpretation of the work.
Students will discuss the scene from the new opera “Doctor Atomic” and compare to Donne’s “Batter my heart.” [SC7]
Unit 6 —Shakespeare and the Elizabethan Age
approximately 7 to 8 weeks
Students will study the tragedy Hamlet as well as the poetry of the Elizabethan Age. Students will discuss and analyze
themes and literary devices used by Shakespeare to include elements of tragedy, foreshadowing, blank verse, and
dramatic irony. Particular attention will be paid to the language and structure of the soliloquys and sonnets. [SC1]
Readings: Hamlet by Shakespeare
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead by Tom Stoppard
“Gertrude Talks Back” by Margaret Atwood
Readings from Perrine’s:
“Blow, blow, thou winter wind” by Shakespeare
“Let me not to the marriage of tur minds” by Shakespeare
“My mistress’ eyes” by Shakespeare
“Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?” by Shakespeare
“That time of year” by Shakespeare
When my love swears that she is made of truth” by Shakespeare
“One day I wrote her name upon the stand” by Spenser
Journals: Students will use journals to assist in early analysis of literary forms such as the sonnet and tragedy and in early
analysis of literary devices such as figurative language, imagery, symbols, and allusions. [SC7]
Timed Writings: Students will write an analysis of given passages from the poet’s plays and sonnets as well as timed
writings over the work as a whole. Students will be allowed opportunities to re-write and revise timed writings after
conferences with peers and instructor. Questions from the 1990 (Henry IV, Part II) and 2009 (Henry VIII) exam will be
used in class. [SC2, SC3, SC4, SC5, SC11, SC12]
Unit 7 Contemporary Literature with a Study of the Novel Beloved
approximately 4 weeks
Students will read the novel Beloved, studying how the literary elements and structure contribute to the themes of
mother/daughter relationships and the psychological effects of slavery and oppression. [SC1]
Readings:
Beloved by Toni Morrison
Poetry:
“My Mother” by Claude McKay
“Mother to Son” by Langston Hughes
“The Mother” by Gwendolyn Brooks
“Mother and Poet” by Elizabeth Barret Browning
“Nature -- the Gentlest Mother is” by Emily Dickinson
“If Nature smiles -- the Mother must” by Emily Dickinson
“My Mother’s Body” by Marge Piercy
“if there are heavens my mother” by e.e. Cummings
“Metaphors” by Sylvia Plath pg. 717
Journals: Students will respond informally to the authors’ style, use of literary devices, and character development.
Students will discuss the value of parental relationships as they are exemplified through the authors’ works and various
literary periods. [SC7]
Timed Writings: Working on skills for the opened-ended free response question, students will choose from 2001, 2003,
2005, 2007 and 2014 Question 3 prompts. [SC5, SC8, SC9, SC10]
Process Writing: Students will write an analytical argument drawing upon textual details to support their claims
regarding the relationships of the female characters in the work. [SC6, SC8, SC9, SC10, SC11, SC12, SC13, SC14, SC15]
Unit 8 Contemporary Literature
4 weeks
Students will read a major contemporary work, studying the moral development of the characters as they grow into
maturity and face their pasts. Students will analyze how complex plot structures and devices such as point of view,
foreshadowing, flashbacks, and irony function to advance the action in a work of fiction. [SC1]
Readings (Students will select one of the following novels):
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
Bless Me, Ultima by Rudolfo Anaya
The Kitchen God’s Wife by Amy Tan
Poetry:
“Mirror” by Sylvia Plath pg. 669
“I knew a woman” by Theodore Roethke pg. 999
“The Waking” by Theodore Roethke pg. 822
“Mad Girl’s Love Song” by Sylvia Plath pg. 991
“Filling Station” by Elizabeth Bishop
“Ghost of a Chance” by Adrienne Rich pg. 719
Journals: Students will maintain a dialectical journal of the work selected. [SC7] Students will reflect on the themes of
the contemporary pieces as they reveal the values of the today’s society. [SC4, SC10]
Timed Writings: Students will select two of the following prompts. Using their independent reading selection as
evidence, the student will write a well-developed essay. [SC3, SC5, SC8]
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2010, Form B. “You can leave home all you want but home will never leave you.” -- Sonsyrea Tate
Sonsyrea Tate’s statement suggests that “home” may be conceived of as a dwelling, a place, or a state of mind. It may have
positive or negative associations, but in either case, it may have a considerable influence on an individual. Choose a novel or play
in which a central character leaves home, yet finds that home remains significant. Write a well-developed essay in which you
analyze the importance of “home” to this character and the reasons for its continuing influence. Explain how the character’s idea
of home illuminates the larger meaning of the work. Do not merely summarize the plot.
2011. In a novel by William Styron, a father tells his son that life “is a search for justice.”
Choose a character from a novel or play who responds in some significant way to justice or injustice. Then write a well-developed
essay in which you analyze the character’s understanding of justice, the degree to which the character’s search for justice is
successful , and the significance of this search for the work as a whole.
2011, Form B. In The Writing of Fiction (1925), novelist Edith Wharton states the following:
At every stage in the progress of his tale the novelist must rely on what may be called the illuminating incident to reveal and
emphasize the inner meaning of each situation. Illuminating incidents are the magic casements of fiction, its vistas on infinity.
Choose a novel or play that you have studied and write a well-organized essay in which you describe an “illuminating” episode or
moment and explain how it functions as a “casement,” a window that opens onto the meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere
plot summary.
2012. “And after all, our surroundings influence our lives and characters as much as fate, destiny or any supernatural agency.”
Pauline Hopkins, Contending Forces
Choose a novel or play in which cultural, physical, or geographical surroundings shape psychological or moral traits in a
character. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how surroundings affect this character and illuminate the
meaning of the work as a whole. Avoid mere plot summary.
2013. A bildungsroman, or coming-of-age novel, recounts the psychological or moral development of its protagonist from youth
to maturity, when this character recognizes his or her place in the world. Select a single pivotal moment in the psychological or
moral development of the protagonist of a bildungsroman. Then write a well-organized essay that analyzes how that single
moment shapes the meaning of the work as a whole.
2014. It has often been said that what we value can be determined by what we sacrifice. Consider how this statement applies to a
character from a novel or play. Select a character that has deliberately sacrificed, surrendered, or forfeited something in a way that
highlights that character’s values. Then write a well-organized essay in which you analyze how the particular sacrifice illuminates
the character’s values and provides a deeper understanding of the meaning of the work as a whole.
Research Paper: Students will adapt their timed writings into a larger process paper. The students will support claims
with textual evidence and use secondary sources of literary criticism to argue their interpretation of the work as a
whole. The student will synthesize at least six secondary sources, employing precise use of MLA format. [SC2, SC3, SC4,
SC 6, SC8, SC9, SC10, SC11, SC12, SC13, SC14, SC15]
Unit 9—Creative Writing
approximately 3 weeks
Following the style and forms of the writers studied throughout the year, students will create an original poem, short
story or 10-minute play.
Journals: Students will brainstorm ideas and free-write several poems and short stories, reflecting on past experiences,
drawing upon the imagination or the experiences of others. Students will experiment with genre, tone, and point of
view. Students will evaluate the appropriateness of the topic to the chosen genre and consider organization strategies.
[SC7]
Process Paper: Students will create an original sonnet and short story, using the stages of the writing process such as
drafting and editing. Students will consider sophisticated word choice, sentence patterns, literary devices and
organization. {SC7, SC11, SC12, SC13, SC14, SC15]
Speaking and Listening: Students will present their works to the class in an informal reading. Students reading will use
appropriate and natural gesture, facial expression, posture, movement and vocal variety to establish credibility and
contribute to the effectiveness of the presentation. Students listening will determine appropriate responses and
monitor the effect of their responses.
AP English Literature Scoring Rubric - Timed Writing
The score will reflect a judgment of the essay’s quality as a whole. In no case may an essay with many distracting errors
on grammar and mechanics be scored higher than a 2. Essays with no textual evidence to support the analysis/argument
will not be scored higher than a 2.
9-
has all the qualities of an 8 essay, and the writing style is especially impressive, as is the analysis of the specifics
related to the prompt and the text. (95-100)
8 - will effectively and cohesively address the prompt. It will analyze and/or argue the elements called for in the
question. In addition, it will do so using appropriate evidence from the given text. The essay will also show the writer’s
ability to control language well. (90-94)
7 - essay has all the properties of a 6, only with a more complete well-developed analysis/argument or a more
mature writing style. (85-89)
6 - essay adequately addresses the prompt. The analysis and/or argument is on target and makes use of appropriate
specifics from the text. However, these elements are less fully developed than scores in the 7, 8, or 9 ranges. The
writer’s ideas are expressed with clarity, abut the writing may have a few errors in syntax and/or diction. (80-84)
5 - essay demonstrates the writer understands the prompt. The analysis/argument is generally understandable but is
limited or uneven. The writer’s ideas are expressed clearly with a few errors in syntax or diction. (71-79)
________________________________________________________________________
4 - essay is not an adequate response to the prompt. The writer’s analysis/argument of the text indicates a
misunderstanding, an oversimplification, or a misrepresentation of the given passage. The writer may
use evidence which is inappropriate or insufficient to support the analysis/argument. (66-70)
3 - essay demonstrates all the properties of a 4, but demonstrates less understanding of the prompt, less success in
developing a clear position, or less control of writing. (56-65)
_______________________________________________________________________
2 - essay indicates little success in speaking to the prompt. The writer misread the question, only summarizes
the passage, fails to develop the required analysis/argument or simply ignores the prompt and writes
on another topic. (51-55)
1 - essay is a lower 2 because it is even more simplistic, disorganized and lacks control of language. (45-50)
Attachment A
AP Literature Composition Rubric
A {100-95}
Excellent
Content 40%
appropriate to
audience and purpose,
original, significant,
thorough, supported
with substantial,
insightful, relevant
detail and analysis
Excellent
Organization 20%
Attachment B
Very
Good
skillful sentence
variety, mastery of
compound-complex
structures, parallelism,
agreement, tense,
number, word
order/function,
pronouns,
prepositions,
negatives
Very
Good
demonstrates mastery of
conventions, including
MLA formatting, neat ,
few errors of spelling,
punctuation,
capitalization,
paragraphing
Excellent
Mechanics 10%
Very
Good
sophisticated range,
precise word choice
and usage, word form
mastery, appropriate
register, effective
figurative language
Excellent
Language Use 20%
Very
Good
sense of controlling
purpose, orderly,
moves coherently, with
compelling logic
toward conclusion;
paragraphs
developed; transitions
are graceful as are
citations from the work
Excellent
Vocabulary 10%
A {9490}
Very
Good
B {89-85}
B {84-80}
{79-75}
{74-60}
{Below 60}
Good
Average
Fair
Poor
Very Poor
clearly defined,
supported with less
substantial, concrete or
relevant detail,
commentary bordering
on the obvious, lacking
original insight
Good
Average
somewhat choppy, few
transitions, possesses a
sense of controlling
purpose but may be
unorganized, citations
are blended
Good
Average
adequate range,
somewhat vague,
occasional errors of
word form, choice, and
usage, some figurative
language
Good
Average
limited sentence variety,
effective but simple
constructions, minor
problems in complex
constructions, faulty
parallelism, few errors
of agreement, tense,
number, word
order/function,
pronouns, prepositions,
negatives, articles
Good
Average
occasional errors of
MLA formatting, spelling,
punctuation,
capitalization,
paragraphing but
meaning not obscured
generic commentary,
limited perception of
subject, little substance,
inadequate
development of topic,
faulty reasoning
Fair
Poor
non-fluent, no transition,
ideas confused or
disconnected, lacks
logical sequencing and
development, citations
are weakly integrated
into student’s writing,
choppy
Fair
Poor
limited range, vague,
frequent errors of word
form, choice, and
usage, clichés, slang,
redundancies, little or
no figurative language
Fair
Poor
major problems in
simple/complex
constructions, frequent
errors of negation,
agreement, tense,
number, word
order/function, articles,
pronouns, prepositions,
and/or fragments, runons, deletions, comma
faults, meaning
confused
Fair
Poor
frequent errors of
spelling, punctuation,
capitalization,
paragraphing,
meaning confused or
obscured
does not show
perception of
subject, nonsubstantive, not
pertinent, OR not
enough to
evaluate
Very Poor
does not
communicate, no
organization,
lacks citations,
OR not enough
writing to evaluate
Very Poor
meaning
confused or
obscured,
inadequate
command of
vocabulary, OR
not enough to
evaluate
Very Poor
virtually no
mastery of
sentence
construction rules,
dominated by
errors, does not
communicate, OR
not enough to
evaluate
Very Poor
no mastery of
conventions,
dominated by errors of
spelling, punctuation,
capitalization,
paragraphing, OR not
enough to evaluate
NOTES