Synthesis of Course Material #3 - Open and Closed Prompts

We've looked at the two different types of essays on the AP and have practiced writing both in and out of class. They are different but we must approach the prompts in very similar ways. We've learned several "formulas" for writing essays on the AP. The most important is the basic AP question: how does the author use techniques to create effects that create meaning? We must be sure to always answer the hidden "so what?" question, even when it doesn't seem to be in the prompt. Another important formula is TAP - thesis answers prompt. We should just be able to stop after our thesis and have it vaguely answer the question. The last is a formula for an intro paragraph: topic sentence, background, thesis. In theory, we could just have those three sentences, although background may take several and we've learned that it's perfectly alright to have a multi-sentence thesis. We've talked a lot about reading the prompt itself, learning to take our time to make sure we address all the goals of the prompt, identify them as techniques, effects, or meaning, and then writing our thesis to answer all the goals. After we've got our thesis and our intro paragraph, we can start in on the body paragraphs, which should follow pretty naturally from the thesis with one paragraph to explain each of the goals of the prompt. The conclusion, then should wrap up the essay and restate our thesis. This all applies to both types of prompts. The difference, then, is that in a closed prompt we're given text to close read and use to answer the prompt. Most of the one's we've done have been two poems that we have to compare and contrast. We should spend a lot more time on the sheet given to us on closed prompts, as we have to close read and annotate the text to make sure we understand it and can form a thesis to address all the goals of the prompt. In an open prompt, we aren't given any text, although they provide a list of suggestions. We've been told not to look at the list first so that we pick a text to fit the prompt and don't try to make the prompt fit a certain text. This is harder in some ways because we have to remember texts we've read but it's also sometimes easier because we pick what we write about. Both prompts are hard but we're getting better with all the practice!