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AP English Literature Exam Tips
USINFO | 2014-01-03 15:20
The English literature advanced placement (AP) exam is designed to test students' reading skill and critical analysis. The test, which consists of multiple-choice questions and a written portion, includes reading selected texts and answering questions on content, style and theme. Practice and determination go a long way to getting higher scores on the exam.
Practice Tests
●Practice is the single most important strategy for AP test prep. Practice familiarizes students with the flow of the test and the kinds of questions on the test, as well as the timing of the test. Practicing with a friend can help in the scoring process, which is important because it shows students where they require more practice and study. To keep an eye on progress, chart test scores. Although results will vary slightly from test to test, a chart should illustrate progress.
Answer Elimination
●Anticipate the answer to a question before reading the multiple-choice answers; this helps narrow the answer field and often saves time. When using the process of elimination, occasionally students encounter a situation where they are left with two answers that seem equally correct. In these situations, typically the most specific answer is correct.
Time Management
●Although practice tests help students gain familiarity with the timing of the test, time management skills are useful during the test itself. Students should allot themselves a specific amount of time for groups of answers. For example, if there are 100 questions and students are given 60 minutes, for every 15 minutes students should have answered 25 questions. If falling behind, skip the difficult questions and answer the easy ones first. Scan the questions for short answers and questions that direct students to specific lines, making it easier to find the answer. If time permits, go back for the harder or more complicated questions.
Writing
●The writing portion of the exam is graded based on organizing ideas for clarity and cohesiveness, style and persuasive arguments. To achieve this, students should vary their sentence structures, employ a wide-ranging vocabulary, organize the essay into logical thought and use specifics. Students should use a consistent voice.
Other Tips
●Periodically check the question number against the line number on the Scantron to ensure that they match; some students get the lines confused, which can result in a lot of accidentally wrong answers. Be wary of wild guessing; wrong answers are docked a quarter of a point. Strategies like the process of elimination help students get to the correct answer, but filling in the letter "B" simply because there hasn't been one in a while can be detrimental。
Practice Tests
●Practice is the single most important strategy for AP test prep. Practice familiarizes students with the flow of the test and the kinds of questions on the test, as well as the timing of the test. Practicing with a friend can help in the scoring process, which is important because it shows students where they require more practice and study. To keep an eye on progress, chart test scores. Although results will vary slightly from test to test, a chart should illustrate progress.
Answer Elimination
●Anticipate the answer to a question before reading the multiple-choice answers; this helps narrow the answer field and often saves time. When using the process of elimination, occasionally students encounter a situation where they are left with two answers that seem equally correct. In these situations, typically the most specific answer is correct.
Time Management
●Although practice tests help students gain familiarity with the timing of the test, time management skills are useful during the test itself. Students should allot themselves a specific amount of time for groups of answers. For example, if there are 100 questions and students are given 60 minutes, for every 15 minutes students should have answered 25 questions. If falling behind, skip the difficult questions and answer the easy ones first. Scan the questions for short answers and questions that direct students to specific lines, making it easier to find the answer. If time permits, go back for the harder or more complicated questions.
Writing
●The writing portion of the exam is graded based on organizing ideas for clarity and cohesiveness, style and persuasive arguments. To achieve this, students should vary their sentence structures, employ a wide-ranging vocabulary, organize the essay into logical thought and use specifics. Students should use a consistent voice.
Other Tips
●Periodically check the question number against the line number on the Scantron to ensure that they match; some students get the lines confused, which can result in a lot of accidentally wrong answers. Be wary of wild guessing; wrong answers are docked a quarter of a point. Strategies like the process of elimination help students get to the correct answer, but filling in the letter "B" simply because there hasn't been one in a while can be detrimental。
