AP Literature & Language: Improving Multiple Choice Scores
Introduction
- Presenter: Tim Freitas from the Garden of English
- Focus: Improving multiple choice scores for AP Literature (Lit) and AP Language (Lang)
- Emphasis on action to improve scores
Tips to Improve Multiple Choice Scores
1. Read Regularly
- Importance of reading without distractions (e.g., phone notifications)
- Avoid only reading text messages or social media
- Find interesting books, magazines, or websites
- Suggestions:
- Sports: Sports Illustrated, ESPN.com
- Nature: National Geographic
- Pop Culture: The New Yorker
- Poetry: PoetryFoundation.org
- Correlation between frequent reading and high multiple choice scores
2. Practice Multiple Choice Questions Often
- Practice increases reading skills and familiarity with question types
- Resources:
- Garden of English's Ultimate Review Packet for AP Lang
- Marco Learning resources for AP Lit
- Request teachers for AP Classroom access for more practice
- Understand answer rationales by reasoning out correct answers and finding textual evidence
3. Develop Context Clue Skills
- Continue reading even if you encounter unknown words
- Use context clues to infer meaning
- Example: "Triune Tale of Diminutive Swine"
- "Triune": Suggests three (from "tri")
- "Diminutive": Means small (inferred from context)
- Practice by identifying known parts of unfamiliar words (e.g., "labor" in "laborious")
4. Have a Multiple Choice Game Plan
- Tailor strategy based on personal test-taking habits
- If time is an issue, work efficiently and bubble in answers for remaining questions
- Consider strengths and plan order accordingly:
- Struggle with archaic readings? Save for end.
- Prefer certain types of questions (e.g. writing vs. reading)? Start there.
- Be cautious with bubble sheets to avoid errors
- Develop plan before test day to reduce anxiety
5. Recognize Common Wrong Answer Types
- Lead distractors often narrow choices down to a correct answer and a distractor
- Common traits of wrong answers:
- Half-True Answers: Partially correct but include false information
- True but Irrelevant: Correct information not relevant to the question
- Vague vs. Specific: More precise answers are typically correct
Conclusion
- Implementing these tips before test day can improve performance
- Additional resources and practice materials available through the Garden of English
- Encouragement to like, subscribe, and explore further video resources
These notes summarize strategies and tips discussed in the video to help students enhance their skills and confidence when tackling multiple choice sections in AP Literature and AP Language exams.