Name:
Date:
AP English Language and Composition
Study Notes
The purpose of this document is to provide a study guide template for your use while you learn new
course concepts and to create a review tool for your use later in the course.
Key Terms:
Directions: Add the definition for each term in the middle column and an example that matches the
term in the final column. Add additional key terms as needed.
The Rhetorical Situation
Key Term Definition Example
rhetoric
strategic decisions to achieve a using pink medicine to appeal to
rhetorical situation specific effect kids
A writer's defensible position that displays sleep helps improve memory
claim
their position on a subject
formal expression about a writer's sleeping more improves cognition,
thesis thereby increasing memory
claim
writer
speaker
The people who read or hear a the seniors when a college rep is
audience talking to them
text
the goal the writer hopes to getting seniors to come to their
purpose college
accomplish
writer's claim that is developed Yale is ranked highly according to
message with evidence many sources, so it is a great college
atmosphere affecting the seniors have to start applying to
context creation of the text colleges
what triggers the writing of the Yale wants more students to get
exigence text money
appeals
ethos (credibility)
logos (reasoning)
pathos (emotion)
credibility
bias
Claims and Evidence
Key Term Definition Example
position writer's stance on a subject smoking is bad
perspective the lens through which
something is viewed smoking is dangerous
dangers to your lungs are
reasons sub-claims to support a claim
dangers to the whole body
information used to support people with bad lungs have
evidence
reasons shorter life spans
Source
synthesis
commentary
valid
credible
reliable
coherence
limitation
concession
exception
counterargument
rebuttal
refutation
primary source
secondary source
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Lines of Reasoning
Key Term Definition Example
line of reasoning
induction
deduction
persuasion
methods of
development
narration
description
definition
compare/contrast
cause/effect
sequence
arrangement
fallacy
Style
Key Term Definition Example
Word Choice
diction
tone
connotation
denotation
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modifier
adjective
adverb
ambiguity
pronoun
antecedent
jargon
euphemism
colloquialism
negation
Tropes
symbol
image
motif
metaphor
analogy
extended
metaphor
allusion
irony
satire
sarcasm
juxtaposition
pun
hyperbole
understatement
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Schemes
syntax
antithesis
parallel structure
rhetorical question
repetition
antithesis
arrangement
phrase
clause
sentence
fragment
simple sentence
compound sentence
complex sentence
coordination
subordination
conjunction
conjunctive adverb
Punctuation and Design Features
colon
semicolon
dash
ellipses
parenthesis
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Key Ideas:
Directions: In this section of your study guide, record key concepts or ideas from each unit. This is a
good place to record ideas and concepts that you want to remember for the AP exam.
Types of Evidence:
Fact - a truth known by actual experience or observation, something known to be true Anecdote - a brief account of a particular incident or event
Analogy - a comparison based upon similar features of two things
Statistic - a numerical fact or set of data
Example - an instance used to illustrate
Detail - a piece of information
Illustration - a picture, photograph, diagram, cartoon, chart, artwork, infographic, or other visual
Expert opinion - testimony that comes from a credible source in a particular field
Personal observation - something that the writer has seen
Personal experience - something that the writer has firsthand knowledge of
Testimony - a statement made by someone who has experience but not necessarily as an expert
Experiment - an observation generated under a controlled condition
Characteristics of Strong Evidence:
Logical Fallacies:
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Rhetorical Analysis Essay:
Argument Essay:
Synthesis Essay:
Multiple Choice:
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Additional Notes:
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