chroni

I'm not asking about grammatical or syntax errors, but more about the structure, organization, and content of the essay.

IceQube

The biggest issue is not answering the question, or tangentially brushing on the question.

No matter how hard the question is, just answer it. You might not have a fully developed position on the future of the US Postal Service (2012 prompt #1), but pick a side and argue it throughout your essay. Straddling the fence, talking about the USPS in general, or talking about something tangential to the issue such as mailboxes -> poor essay score (scores 0 - 3). Don't go down this route. My recommendation is just to take the first route delineated below, especially if your M/C section is decent. The pressure is high on test day, and you likely won't have much time to craft a multifaceted thesis. And remember, you have three essays to write in total; don't invest all your time in one essay. 3 average essays is better than 1 exceptional essay and two 1-paragraph "essays." Nevertheless, if you know everything about USPS, and can take a nuanced stance on the issue, go for it !

Taking a side and arguing that side -> at least an average essay (scores 4-6).

Taking a side and arguing that side with tact -> exceptional essay (7-9).

Crafting a multifaceted thesis without coming across as straddling the fence -> exceptional essay (7-9).


Another mistake is to respond to any quotes or stimulus material that might be given to you as part of the prompts. Don't respond to the quotes. Respond only to the question posted by the prompt. The source material is only provided for you to chew over, not to respond to. See the 2012 FRQs, prompt #3 for a salient example.


2012 Lang FRQs: http://apcentral.collegeboard.com/ap...g_language.pdf

marvin100

Lit or lang? In Lit, the biggest & most common error is excessive summarization. The essays are for analysis, and even one paragraph that focuses mostly on plot details will seriously hurt your score.

rebeccar

I've been unofficially "tutoring" people on their college writing portfolios and a few things I've noticed:

--Just because you're thinking something in your head doesn't mean the reader thinks it too. You need to explicitly say it. For example, as someone who read the book, it might be logical to you that X is related to Z through Y, but that merits a discussion about Y which a lot of people just completely leave out because they know it "in their head" and don't think to write it out.

--It's so obvious, but go back to the prompt/question. So many people get on a really good roll, but then end up diverging from the actual question.

--This one kind of goes back to my first point, now that I think about it: too much plot summary. A lot of times, people simply write out the plot of a scene to make their point, but they don't actually relate it to what their point is. For example, say, you're trying to write a paragraph about race relations in To Kill a Mockingbird: "Tensions between black and white characters are apparent throughout the novel. This is clear through the main conflict of Tom Robinson, a black man, standing accused against Mayella, a white lady. The town immediately believes Tom is guilty before the trial starts, and even when Atticus presents solid evidence, they refuse to listen. Furthermore, the courthouse is separated into white and black seating areas." I wrote that in about eight seconds but I think you can see my point; you're saying things that are technically right, and in your head, it's obvious why they represent race relations, but you're not actually saying anything about it. You need to expand and analyze and make things crystal clear. When I edit people's essays, it's so frustrating because in my mind I know what they're trying to say, but they don't actually say it so it's as if the point doesn't exist at all.

--Thesis! Your thesis is so important and sets the tone for the whole essay. One of the most annoying ones is "There are many similarities between the characters of Franny and Zooey, but also many differences as well." Don't be so vague. You need to actually say what you're trying to say.

dirkslam41

If your seems to go of on a tangent at some point in your essay, tie it back to your thesis to remind your reader that you haven't lost the focus of your essay.

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tatiauc

Repetition.