FURTHER HELPFUL DIRECTIONS FOR AP COMPOSITION SUMMER ASSIGNMENTS
ITEM ONE: READING LISTS: You are required to stick with the lists and assignment choices included – for both parts of the assignment (I & II) - on this website. You will be required to present your chosen novel(from Part I of the assignment) and discuss your four chosen smaller pieces (from Part II of the assignment) on the first day of class.
ITEM TWO: CAREFUL WRITING: There are four sentence patterns in the English language. Run -ons and fragments are not among them.
Always Write about literature in the Present tense — unless the past tense is required.
Example: When Jane Eyre first tells Mr. Rochester that she loves him, he is pleasantly surprised. Of course his first wife, Bertha, had been hidden away for many years. But it was only now that Jane’s presumed ignorance of the matter was finally confirmed.
Keep a careful eye on agreement issues - particularly between subject and pronoun.
When a kid tells you their stomach hurts…is incorrect. Most of these problems can be fixed by switching to plural subjects. (Generally, if it’s true for one, it’s true for all). Watch out though. The statement now needs to say: When kids tell you their stomach hurt… It is important to recall that all kids do not share one stomach.
ITEM THREE: WORD PROCESS: Obviously it is required for every take-home essay assignment. I will never accept disks or e-mails of assignments. My printing capability is limited, as is my time with you in class. Therefore, I am unable to spare ink, paper, and class time in order to complete your assignments. I will come to class everyday prepared to teach, with the required materials necessary for your successful learning. I, therefore, expect you to attend class on time everyday, prepared to learn, with the required materials and completed assignments.
ITEM FOUR: TITLE PAGES are never necessary (in fact, I prefer you don’t use them), but please include your last name on line one of each page.
ITEM FIVE: Any assignment that is unavailable on day one of class will NOT be accepted. (Further, assignments throughout the school year, that are not turned-in by 2:14 p.m. on their assigned due dates will not be accepted.) The grade for this work is based on 200 points. If you fail marking period one, it will not be possible to achieve an A in the class until at least the end of the third marking period.
Please remember that this is a college level class. You will, therefore, be graded based on college level expectations. This is in regards to the effort you put forth.
Please take full advantage of the use of my e-mail address for questions, keeping in mind that it may take me up to two days to return your message(this will be especially important to keep-in-mind as the beginning of the school year approaches).