Xemba Translations Project Plan

Xemba Translations Project Plan Project Performance Measurement Metrics The broad objectives of the work of any project manager are the delivery of a project on time, within budget, and within the quality criteria. These objectives provide the basis for the development of performance measurement metrics for any project. The following five metrics will be applied to the performance measurement of the Xemba Translations Project.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Xemba Translations Project Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The first metric is the measurement of the budgeted cost of labor versus actual cost of labor. While general metric dealing with all costs would still provide some information, the nature of labor in this project calls for proper accounting for its use. The human resource for this project came with a price tag. The hourly pay model gives a clear indication of what it costs the company to motivate human resource commitement to the project. The measurement for this metric will be the number of hours billed versus the number of hours in the project plan. The project will be performing poorly if the budgeted hours are less than the hours actually used in the project for the designated work packages. The second metric is similar to the first one, although it is related to the cost of acquisitions. It measures the budgeted versus the actual cost of acquisitions. This metric needs monitoring because of the expected increase in the cost of acquisitions. This expectation arose from the realization that the company will need twelve more computers to complete the project. The measurement of the metric will be similar to the method used to measure staff performance. This is the calculation of the money actually spent on acquisitions versus the money budgeted. If more money goes to the acquisitions compared to the money in the budget for that purpose, then the project will be off budget. The third metric to be used in the measurement of project performance will be the variance between the scheduled versus the actual time spent on the activities of the project. The deadline for the project is the beginning of the third quota. A failure to keep time will have consequences for the company’s operations. This measure will come from the Gantt charts for the project, which show the amount of time needed to complete the project.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More A related metric will be the task completion rate. This metric will combine the Gantt chart values with time indicators to determine whether the project stakeholders are handling their tasks as planned. The task completion rate will help determine whether the pace of the project at any time is commensurate to the targets set to complete these tasks. This metric, calculated weekly, will give a value indicating the pa ce of the project. The project is currently behind schedule and there is need to monitor the daily progress of the tasks to ensure that everything ends on time. The task completion rate will provide the basis for making conclusions about any discrepancies in the delivery of work packages. It is essential to complete the project on time, which is before the third quarter. The reason why the work packages are important to measure is that they provide critical information for reporting the progress of the project to all stakeholders. The completion of any work package constitutes a project milestone. The calculation for this metric will rely on time. Justification of Metrics The need to deliver the project on time and within budget informed the decisions that guided the choice of metrics for performance measurement for the project. The five metrics deal with time management or financial management. The justification for the using labor expenses as a metric for the project is as follows . First, the company committed some employees and contract workers to work on the project. The company bills the project for the time the employees and contract workers spend working on the project. Secondly, the time that the members of staff spend working on project reduces the overall project time. This means that an observation of how much money goes towards paying for the resource persons is an indirect indicator of the progress of the project.Advertising We will write a custom case study sample on Xemba Translations Project Plan specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The decision to have a separate metric measuring the cost of project acquisitions came from the realization that there is need to keep track of the cost of items earmarked for purchase. The main items that the company will need to acquire are new computers that can replace slower ones. There is information that the number of computers the company needs to buy to replace the slow computers is more than the number estimated at the beginning of the project. A second reason to monitor these computers is that the supplier will be late in supplying the computers by two weeks. This is because there was a fire that affected their main supplier. In addition to these two reasons, it is necessary to make a decision regarding the type of computers to buy. The choices that exist now are between laptops and desktop computers. The laptops are more expensive. This means that buying desktop computers may help in managing the budget. However, there are operational factors regarding their use that need consideration. The third metric regarding schedule management arose because of the need to bring the project back on track. All the work packages are behind schedule. There is need to identify the causes of delay and to find ways of ensuring that the project concludes on time. Keeping track of the schedule will benefit the project in two ways. First, it will ensure tha t there is an objective measure of the use of time at regular intervals. This will help in the identification and elimination of the sources of delay in the project delivery. Failure to uncover the causes of delay may cause further interruptions to the project. Secondly, the project needs to recover time because of the delays already experienced. The only way to measure the degree of recovery needed and the impact of new measures geared towards the recovery of time is by using a performance measure that tracks the schedule. The task completion rate as a metric will help monitor the actual output derived from the project resources. The first reason for measuring the task completion rate is that this is the only way that the project management team can know whether the resources assigned to the project are creating value for the project.Advertising Looking for case study on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Secondly, task completion is the basic unit of measurement of the delivery of project goals. It is an accurate means of measuring the progress of the project. The final metric chosen to measure project performance is the rate of delivery of work packages. The work package is a larger unit of work which completion amounts to a milestone for the project. The first reason for choosing this metric is that it is very important for reporting progress to the stakeholders such as the management. Secondly, the delivery of a work package is a milestone for the project with a complete set of benefits. It is important to keep track of the completion rate of the work packages in this regard. Project Status Based on Metrics Resource Name Cost per Hour ($) Budgeted Hours Budgeted Cost ($) Work Completed ($) Remaining Hours Projected Hours to Complete Project Time Overrun (hrs) Cost Overrun ($) Elizabeth 70 121.43 8500.1 122 -0.57 0 0.57 39.9 Hugh 70 120 8400 103 17 17 0 0 Kimberly 70 76 5 320 72 4 16 12 840 Phoebe 68 98 6664 76 22 20 -2 -136 Ben 68 138 9384 93 45 52 7 476 Zeke 65 384.67 25003.55 153 231.67 245 13.33 866.45 Malinda 75 224 16800 58 166 160 -6 -450 Willis 70 108 7560 160 -52 68 120 8400 Jackson 45 268 12060 177 91 112 21 945 Valene 60 150 9000 116 34 64 30 1800 Kendrick 40 78 3120 86 -8 0 8 320 Marcel 75 432.85 32463.75 268 164.85 200 35.15 2636.25 Clemencia 80 218.05 17444 104 114.05 114 -0.05 -4 Lianne 37.5 204 7650 170 34 110 76 2850 Darius 55 72 3960 30 42 42 0 0 TOTAL 2693 173329.4 1788 905 1220 315 18583.6 Table 2: Analysis table for various costs The Budgeted cost of labor for the project was 173,329.4 dollars. Projected time overrun shows that the money required for the project to go to completion is 18,583.6 dollars. This is an increase of 10.7% from the original budget. This proves that there is a need to monitor the way the resources use project time because of the obvious increase in the budgetary deficit for th e project. Willis and Marcel lead in both the time spent on the project above the budgeted time, and the time needed to complete their tasks. Special focus needs to go into monitoring the time these two employees spend on the project. The company budget shows that acquisitions for the project must not exceed 73,670.57 dollars. The report presented, which is related to the need to acquire new computers shows that the company needs to buy twelve extra computers. The initial plan was to buy thirty-five computers. However, after auditing the existing ones, the total number of computers due for replacement went up to forty-seven. This will escalate the cost by between 11,400 dollars and 14,200 dollars, depending on whether the company acquires desktop computers or laptops. Variance in Activity Time Task Name Work (hrs) Baseline (hrs) Variance (hrs) Actual (hrs) Remaining (hrs) % Work Complete Computer inventory and requirements 375.95 340 35.95 375.95 0 100% Technical support 197. 33 200 -2.67 160.67 36.67 81% Computing support 258 210 48 192 66 74% Document servers 356 330 26 242 114 68% Shared drives 351.2 310 41.2 228.8 122.4 65% FTP Sites 621.67 609 12.67 230.87 390.8 37% Firewalls 417.6 424 -6.4 97.6 320 23% Web-based meetings 430 270 160 260 170 60% 3007.75 2693 314.75 1787.89 1219.87 Table 3: Activity summary of tasks and work packages Task Completion Rate The activity summary shows that in almost all areas, there will be a need for more time than scheduled. Various factors affected the progress of the project. The important issue to bear in mind at this point is that most work packages will require more time to deliver. Table 2 also shows that work package delivery is still very low, with the completion of only one work package. The high number of hours beyond the planned time that the project requires before completion is of more interest. Impact of Current Problems The analysis of the status of the project revealed the following i ssues. First, two employees will account for more than fifty percent of all cost overruns related to labor. The two employees carry the highest staff costs for the project. Marcel and Willie will require more than 10,000 dollars out of the total projected cost overrun of about 18,000 dollars. This presents three problems to the project. First, it means that any interruption in the availability of these two employees will lead to further delays in the project. Secondly, the nature of task distribution that led to this situation reveals a fundamental problem with the original organization of the project. The two employees seem to carry an inordinate amount of responsibility in the project. This may lead to lapses or inclusion of errors in their output because of the strain on them. Thirdly the two employees need extra time to complete their tasks because of the exhaustion of their previous time allocation This is an indication that there is need to investigate the actual distribution of work in relation to the two employees. Is there a chance that the two employees are not creating value for the project as initially intended? The second main problem that the analysis revealed is that the project will exceed the budget by more than ten percent. This conclusion comes from two observations. The first observation comes from the projection that the cost of staff will exceed the budget by 10.7 %. These projections came from the estimated time the project staff members require to deliver the project. The causes of the delays that led to the need for more time still exist. For instance, not all information that relates to the operations of the final system is available. It is only wise to anticipate some more delays that may lead to the need for more time, especially in relation to the testing of the new system. The second observation is that the cost of acquisitions will exceed the budget. The reason for this is that there are components whose necessity became apparent only after the inception of the project. For instance, the budget estimates show that the number of new computers the organization will need to buy to replace the slower ones is thirty-five. However, the actual number of computers that the organization needs to replace is forty-seven. This will increase the cost of acquisitions by more than 10,000 dollars. The third main problem the analysis revealed is the risk of catastrophic failure of the system. The two main aspects of the project that will lead to this eventuality are time and technical constraints. The rigid deadline set when the project started, demands the completion of the project before the third quarter. The project is already behind the schedule because of various factors. The only way to ensure that the project ends on time is to increase the work rate of the employees available or to assign more employees to the project. The second problem related to the technical limits is that the team must work within. Many techni cal risks exist around the project. If any of the associated risk events occurs, the project will be in jeopardy. The relationship between this situation and the analysis above is that the project is under dire time and resource constraints. If there is no injection of new resources to support the delivery of the project on time, then the available resources may not be sufficient to mitigate the risks. All it will take for a catastrophic failure to occur is one mistake. Mitigation Measures The mitigation measures needed to deal with these problems are as follows. First, there is a need to undertake an audit of the work assigned to Marcel and Willis. This will help determine the cause of the huge time requirements that they need to complete their work packages. In the event that the distribution of work was overwhelming for them, then it will be important to assign more resources to handle aspects of their work packages. If the audit shows that they are incompetent, then the best act ion in the interest of the project will be to replace them. Nothing can bring the project back on budget at this stage. Since the management gave an allowance of going over-budget by up to ten percent, there is need to approve the necessary funds to cover for the impending shortfall. This will ensure that the team meets the quality criteria for the project. The board needs to approve a supplementary budget to cater for the financial shortfalls experienced by the project so far. The risk of catastrophic failure due to time and resource constraints is the most challenging issue to deal with in this project. The risk management matrix revealed that several risks could occur concurrently leading to catastrophic failure. This will require very careful management of the project to keep these risks from taking place. The best way to ensure that the entire project succeeds is to bring the project online in phases. It will also help to carry out more performance tests than earlier planned. I t is also possible to increase the resources available to the project to increase the work rate of the employees. This will enable the project team to handle the risks more easily. Executive Summary Xemba Translations is in the middle of an IT project geared towards making it possible for telecommuters to work effectively for Xemba. The new risks identified include the likelihood for resource competition among project priorities, and an increase in labor costs. Other risks are the failure to meet the project deadline and the potential for a catastrophic technical failure due to implementation mistakes arising from pressure to deliver the project on time. The metrics that will help in measuring the performance of the project are as follows. The first metric is a comparison of budgeted cost versus the actual cost of labor. This arises from the realization that labor consumes project funds at an hourly rate. The second metric is a comparison of the budgeted cost of acquisitions versus the actual cost. The third metric is the measurement of the actual time consumed by project activities, compared to the scheduled time. The fourth metric is the task completion rate. The project has fifty-five tasks. This metric will help to measure how well the project is performing based on task completion rate. The fifth metric is the measurement of the delivery of work packages. After applying these metrics, the main problems uncovered during the project are that two resource persons account for more than fifty percent of labor cost overruns. Marcel and Willie need more 10,000 dollars to complete their work. The second problem is that the project will exceed the budget by more than ten percent. The third main problem is that there is a risk of catastrophic failure of the project arising from the time and resource constraints. The measures required to mitigate against these problems include auditing Marcel and Willie’s work to ensure they are competent and that they are ca pable to deliver on their workpackages within the remaining time. Secondly, the project requires more money for it to be completed on time. It is necessary to approve the required money as soon as possible because it exceeds the 10,000 dollar threshold. Thirdly, from this point, the project manager must observe every process closely to ensure no more time goes to waste. References Arson, E. W., Gray, C. F. (2011). Project Management: The Managerial Process,. New York, NY: McGraw Hill International. Meredeth, J. R., Mantel, S. J. (2011). Project Management: A Managerial Approach (8 ed.). Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley and Sons. Phillips, J. (2010). IT Project Management. New York: McGraw Hill Professional.

Expert Guide to the AP Language and Composition Exam

Expert Guide to the AP Language and Composition Exam SAT / ACT Prep Online Guides and Tips With the 2016 AP English Language and Composition exam approaching on Wednesday, May , it’s time to make sure that you’re familiar with all aspects of the exam.In this article, I’ll give a brief overview of the test, do a deeper dive on each of the sections, discuss how the exam is scored, offer some strategies for studying, and finally wrap up with some essential exam day tips. Exam Overview The AP Language and Composition exam tests your rhetorical skills. Essentially, how do authors construct effective arguments in their writing? What tools do they use? How can you use those tools to craft effective writing yourself? That is the essence of rhetorical analysis. The exam has two parts: the first section is an hour-long, 52-55 question multiple-choice sectionthat asks you questions on the rhetorical construction and techniques of a series of nonfiction passages. The second section is free response. It starts with a 15-minute reading period, and then you’ll have 120 minutes to write three analytical essays: one synthesizing several provided texts to create an argument, one analyzing a nonfiction passage for its rhetorical construction, and one creating an original argument in response to a prompt. You will have about 40 minutes to write each essay, but no one will prompt you to move from essay to essay- you can structure the 120 minutes as you wish. In the next sections I’ll go over each section of the exam more closely- first multiple choice, and then free response. The AP English Language and Composition Multiple-Choice The multiple-choice section is primarily focused on how well you can read and understand nonfiction passages for their use of rhetorical devices and tools. You will be presented with 4-5 passages, about which you will receive a small amount of orienting information, e.g. â€Å"This passage is excerpted from a collection of essays on boating† or â€Å"This passage is excerpted from an essay written in 19th-century Haiti.† You will be asked somewhere from 10-15 questions per passage. There are, in general, eight question types you can expect to encounter on the multiple-choice section of the exam. I’ve taken my examples from the sample questions in the â€Å"Course and Exam Description.† Magic eight-ball says there are eight types of multiple-choice questions! Type 1: Reading Comprehension These questions are focused on verifying that you understood what a certain part of the passage was saying on a concrete, literal level. You can identify these questions from phrases like â€Å"according to† â€Å"refers,† etc. The best way to succeed on these questions is to go back and re-read the part of the passage referred to very carefully. Example: Type 2: Implication These questions take reading comprehension one step further- they are primarily focused on what the author is implying without directly coming out and saying it. These questions will have a correct answer, though, based on evidence from the passage. Which interpretation offered in the answers does the passage most support? You can identify questions like these from words like â€Å"best supported,† ‘â€Å"implies,† â€Å"suggests,† â€Å"inferred,† and so on. Example: Type 3: Overall Passage and Author Questions These questions ask about overall elements of the passage or the author, such as the author’s attitude on the issue discussed, the purpose of the passage, the passage’s overarching style, the audience for the passage, and so on. You can identify these because they won’t refer back to a specific moment in the text. For these questions, you’ll need to think of the passage from a â€Å"bird’s-eye view† and consider what all of the small details together are combining to say. Example: Type 4: Relationships Between Parts of the Text Some questions will ask you to describe the relationship between two parts of the text, whether they are paragraphs or specific lines. You can identify these because they will usually explicitly ask about the relationship between two identified parts of the text, although sometimes they will instead ask about a relationship implicitly, by saying something like â€Å"compared to the rest of the passage.† Example: Type 5: Interpretation of Imagery/Figurative Language These questions will ask you about the deeper meaning or implication of figurative language or imagery that is used in the text. Essentially, why did the author choose to use this simile or this metaphor? What is s/he trying to accomplish? You can generally identify questions like this because the question will specifically reference a moment of figurative language in the text. However, it might not be immediately apparent that the phrase being referenced is figurative, so you may need to go back and look at it in the passage to be sure of what kind of question you are facing. Example: Type 6: Purpose of Part of the Text Still other questions will ask you to identify what purpose a particular part of the text serves in the author’s larger argument. What is the author trying to accomplish with the particular moment in the text identified in the question? You can identify these questions because they will generally explicitly ask what purpose a certain part of the text serves. You may also see words or phrases like â€Å"serves to† or â€Å"function.† Example: Type 7: Rhetorical Strategy These questions will ask you to identify a rhetorical strategy used by the author. They will often specifically use the phrase â€Å"rhetorical strategy,† although sometimes you will be able to identify them instead through the answer choices, which offer different rhetorical strategies as possibilities. Example: Type 8: Style and Effect Some questions will ask you about stylistic moments in the text and the effect created by the those stylistic choices. What is the author evoking through their stylistic choices? You can identify these questions because they will generally mention â€Å"effect.† Example: Some very important stylish effects going on here. TheAP English Language and CompositionFree Response The free response sectionhas a 15-minute reading period. After that time, you will have 120 minutes to write three essays that address three distinct tasks. Because the first essay involves reading sources, it is suggested that you use the entire 15-minute reading period to read the sources and plan the first essay. However, you may want to glance at the other questions during the reading period so that ideas can percolate in the back of your mind as you work on the first essay. Essay One: Synthesis For this essay, you will be briefly oriented on an issue and then given anywhere from six-eight sources that provide various perspectives and information on the issue. You will then need to write an argumentative essay with support from the documents. If this sounds a lot like a DBQ, as on the history AP exams, that’s because it is! However, this essay is much more argumentative in nature- your goal is to persuade, not merely interpret the documents. Example(documents not included, see 2015 free response questions): Essay Two: Rhetorical Analysis In the second essay, you’ll be presented with an excerpt from a nonfiction piece that advances an argument and asked to write an essay analyzing the rhetorical strategies used to construct the passage’s argument. You will also be given some orienting information- where the passage was excerpted from, who wrote it, its approximate date, where it was published (if at all), and to whom it was directed. Example(excerpt not included, see 2015 free response questions): Essay Three: Argument In the third essay, you will be presented with an issue and asked to write a persuasive essay taking a position on the issue. You will need to support your position with evidence from your â€Å"reading, experience, and observations.† Example(from 2015 free response questions): This doesn't look like a very well-constructed argument. How The AP Language and Composition Exam Is Scored The multiple-choice section of the exam is worth 45% of your score, and the free-response section is worth the other 55%. So each of the three free-response essays is worth about 18% of your score. As on other APs, your raw score will be converted to a scaled score of 1-5. This exam has a relatively low 5 rate. Only 9.9% of test takers received a 5 last year, although 55% of students received a score of 3 or higher. In terms of how the raw score is obtained, the multiple-choice section is similar to other AP multiple-choice sections: you receive a point for every question you answer correctly, and there is no penalty for guessing. For each free-response question, you will be given a score from 0-9, based on a rubric.The rubrics all assess, in general, 3 major things: How well you responded to the prompt:Did you completely and fully address all of the tasks presented in the prompt, without misunderstanding any of them? How convincing and well-supported your argument was: Do you take a clear position that is not overly basic, simplistic, or obvious? Can you comprehensively support your position with evidence? Is your evidence well-chosen and well-explained? Do you tie everything back to your main argument? Have you thought through the implications of your stated position? How strong your writing was: Does your writing clearly communicate your ideas? Are your sentences not just grammatically correct, but sophisticated? Do you have a consistent style and a strong vocabulary? Is your paper well-organized and logically arranged? Each rubric broadly assesses these three factors. However, each task is also different in nature, so the rubrics do have some differences. I’ll go over each rubric- and what it really means- for you here. Synthesis Essay Rubric Score What the Rubric Says What This Means 9 Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for the score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument, thorough in development, or impressive in their control of language. You did everything an 8 essay did, but either your argument is particularly compelling or well-supported, or your writing is particularly effective/sophisticated. 8 Essays earning a score of 8 effectively address the task in the prompt. They develop their argument by effectively synthesizing at least three of the sources. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and convincing. The prose demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not necessarily flawless. You thoroughly responded to the prompt, successfully using (and citing) at least three of the sources to support your argument. You supported your argument in a persuasive way. Your writing is competent, although there may be some minor errors. 7 Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for the score of 6 but provide more complete explanation, more thorough development, or a more mature prose style. Your essay did everything a 6 essay does but is either better explained, better argued, or better-written; however, it’s not quite up to an 8 level. 6 Essays earning a score of 6 adequately address the task in the prompt. They develop their argument by adequately synthesizing at least three of the sources. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and sufficient. The language may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear. You responded to the prompt in a reasonable way. You used and cited at least 3 of the sources in creating your argument. You supported your argument in a reasonably persuasive way, although not as compellingly as an 8 essay. Your writing is generally understandable. 5 Essays earning a score of 5 address the task in the prompt. They develop their argument by synthesizing at least three sources, but how they use and explain sources is somewhat uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writer’s argument is generally clear, and the sources generally develop the writer’s position, but the links between the sources and the argument may be strained. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas. You did respond to the prompt. You used and cited at least 3 of the sources in creating your argument, but you did not use all of them particularly effectively. The connection between the documents and your argument is underdeveloped. Your writing is mostly understandable but may have errors. 4 Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately address the task in the prompt. They develop their argument by synthesizing at least two sources, but the evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient, or unconvincing. The sources may dominate the essay’s attempts at development, the link between the argument and the sources may be weak, or the student may misunderstand, misrepresent, or oversimplify the sources. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be inconsistent in controlling the elements of effective writing. You did not adequately respond to the prompt. You used and cited at least two sources, but you did not effectively link them to your argument. Your essay may summarize sources instead of truly taking a position, or you may have misread the sources. Your writing is not consistently clear. 3 Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for the score of 4 but demonstrate less success in addressing the task. They are less perceptive in their understanding of the sources, or their explanation or examples may be particularly limited or simplistic. The essays may show less maturity in their control of writing. Your essay did not adequately respond to the prompt. Your interpretation of the sources is incorrect or your argument is overly simplistic. Your writing is overly basic or unclear. 2 Essays earning a score of demonstrate little success in addressing the task in the prompt. They may merely allude to knowledge gained from reading the sources rather than cite the sources themselves. These essays may misread the sources, fail to develop a position, or substitute a simpler task by merely summarizing or categorizing the sources or by merely responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate, or inappropriate explanation. Essays that score 2 often demonstrate consistent weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of control. You barely addressed the prompt. You may not cite any sources directly, misunderstand the sources, never take a position, or write things that are not relevant to the prompt. Writing is very weak, including grammatical issues. 1 Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for the score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in their explanation, weak in their control of writing, or do not allude to or cite even one source Your writing barely addressed the prompt. Explanations are extremely simple, writing is incredibly weak, or sources are not used or cited at all. 0 Indicates an off-topic response, one that merely repeats the prompt, an entirely crossed-out response, a drawing, or a response in a language other than English. You made no attempt to respond to the prompt. - Indicates an entirely blank response You didn’t write anything! Time to synthesize this dough into some cookies. Rhetorical Analysis Essay Rubric Score What the Rubric Says What This Means 9 Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for the score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument, thorough in their development, or impressive in their control of language. You achieved everything an 8 essay did, but the quality of either your argument or your writing is exceptional. 8 Essays earning a score of 8 effectively analyze the rhetorical strategies used by the author to develop his/her argument. They develop their analysis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate and convincing, referring to the passage explicitly or implicitly. The prose demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not necessarily flawless. You successfully and persuasively analyzed the rhetoric of the excerpt in a way that is strongly supported by specific examples in the text. Your writing is versatile and strong. 7 Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for the score of 6 but provide more complete explanation, more thorough development, or a more mature prose style. You achieved everything a 6 essay did, but your argument was either better explained or supported or your writing was of a higher caliber. 6 Essays earning a score of 6 adequately analyze the rhetorical strategies used by the author to develop his/her argument. They develop their analysis with evidence and explanations that are appropriate and sufficient, referring to the passage explicitly or implicitly. The essay may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear. You successfully analyzed the rhetoric of the excerpt, using appropriate references to the text. Your writing was generally understandable. 5 Essays earning a score of 5 analyze the rhetorical strategies used to develop the author’s argument. The evidence or explanations used may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas. You analyzed the rhetoric of the excerpt, although evidence from the passage may have been poorly used or deployed. Your writing is mostly understandable but may have errors. 4 Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately analyze the rhetorical strategies used by the author to develop his/her argument. These essays may misunderstand the passage, misrepresent the strategies the author uses, or may analyze these strategies insufficiently. The evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient, or unconvincing. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be inconsistent in controlling the elements of effective writing. You did not analyze the rhetoric in the passage in a reasonable way. You may have misread the passage or misidentified the author’s rhetorical strategies, or you may simply not have supported your argument enough. Textual evidence may not be appropriate to the task at hand. Your writing is not consistently clear. 3 Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for the score of 4 but demonstrate less success in analyzing the rhetorical strategies the author uses to develop his/her argument. They are less perceptive in their understanding of the passage or the author’s strategies, or the explanations or examples may be particularly limited or simplistic. The essays may show less maturity in control of writing. A 3 essay has similar weaknesses to a 4 essay, but displays less understanding of the passage or the author’s intent. The writing may also be even more inconsistent or basic. 2 Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in analyzing the rhetorical strategies used by the author to develop his/her argument. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, misread the passage, fail to analyze the strategies used, or substitute a simpler task by responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate, or inappropriate explanation. The essays often demonstrate consistent weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of control. You barely analyzed the passage. You may have misunderstood the assigned task, seriously misread the passage or the author’s intent, or responded to something other than the prompt. Writing is consistently weak. 1 Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for the score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in their explanation, or weak in their control of language. A 1 essay is has similar weaknesses to a 2 essay, but is even more poorly supported or poorly written. 0 Indicates an off-topic response, one that merely repeats the prompt, an entirely crossed-out response, a drawing, or a response in a language other than English. You made no attempt to respond to the prompt. - Indicates an entirely blank response. You didn’t write anything! Examine your texts closely! Argumentative Essay Rubric Score What the Rubric Says What This Means 9 Essays earning a score of 9 meet the criteria for the score of 8 and, in addition, are especially sophisticated in their argument, thorough in their development, or particularly impressive in their control of language. You meet the criteria for an 8, plus you have either a particularly strong argument, strong support, or strong writing. 8 Essays earning a score of 8 effectively develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and convincing, and the argument is especially coherent and well developed. The prose demonstrates a consistent ability to control a wide range of the elements of effective writing but is not necessarily flawless. You persuasively address the prompt, using strong evidence to support your argument. Your writing is strong but not necessarily perfect. 7 Essays earning a score of 7 meet the criteria for the score of 6 but provide a more complete explanation, more thorough development, or a more mature prose style. A 7 essay meets the criteria for a 6 essay but is either better-argued, better-supported, or more well-written. 6 Essays earning a score of 6 adequately develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence and explanations used are appropriate and sufficient, and the argument is coherent and adequately developed. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but generally the prose is clear. You reasonably address the prompt, using reasonable evidence to support your argument. Your writing is generally good but may have some mistakes. 5 Essays earning a score of 5 develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence or explanations used may be uneven, inconsistent, or limited. The writing may contain lapses in diction or syntax, but it usually conveys the student’s ideas. You do address the prompt, although the support for your argument may be sparse or not wholly convincing. Your writing is usually clear, but not always. 4 Essays earning a score of 4 inadequately develop a position on the issue presented. The evidence or explanations used may be inappropriate, insufficient, or unconvincing. The argument may have lapses in coherence or be inadequately developed. The prose generally conveys the student’s ideas but may be inconsistent in controlling the elements of effective writing. You do not adequately address the prompt or form a strong argument. Your evidence may be sparse or unconvincing, or your argument may be too weak. Your writing is not consistently clear. 3 Essays earning a score of 3 meet the criteria for the score of 4 but demonstrate less success in developing a position on the issue. The essays may show less maturity in control of writing. 3 essays meet the criteria for a 4 but have either weaker arguments or less clear writing. 2 Essays earning a score of 2 demonstrate little success in developing a position on the issue. These essays may misunderstand the prompt, or substitute a simpler task by responding to the prompt tangentially with unrelated, inaccurate, or inappropriate explanation. The prose often demonstrates consistent weaknesses in writing, such as grammatical problems, a lack of development or organization, or a lack of coherence and control. You barely addressed the assigned task. Your essay may misunderstand the prompt. Your evidence may be irrelevant or inaccurate. Your writing is weak on multiple levels. 1 Essays earning a score of 1 meet the criteria for the score of 2 but are undeveloped, especially simplistic in their explanation and argument, weak in their control of language, or especially lacking in coherence. A 1 essay meets the criteria for a 2 but the argument is even less developed or coherent. 0 Indicates an off-topic response, one that merely repeats the prompt, an entirely crossed-out response, a drawing, or a response in a language other than English. You made no attempt to respond to the prompt. - Indicates an entirely blank response. You didn’t write anything! As you can see, the synthesis rubric is focused on how you used sources, the analysis rubric is focused on how well you analyzed the text, and the argument rubric is focused on the strength of your argumentative writing without outside sources. Achieving a high score on an AP Lang and Comp essay is no easy feat. The average scores on essays last year were all under 5, with the Synthesis essay at about a 4.7 and the other two at just over 4. So even getting a 7 out of 9 is very impressive! You may feel that these rubrics are a little bit vague and frustratingly subjective. And, indeed, what separates a 6 from a 7, a 7 from an 8, an 8 from a 9 may not be entirely clear in every case, no matter the pains taken by the College Board to standardize AP essay grading. That said, the general principles behind the rubrics- respond to the prompt, build a strong argument, and write well- hold up. If you can write strong essays in the time allotted, you’ll be well on your way to a score of 5 even if your essays got 7s instead of 8s. So what can you do to prepare yourself for the frenzy of AP English Lit activity? The best kind of frenzy is a puppy frenzy! AP English Language Prep Tips Unlike its cousin, the AP English Literature and Composition exam, the AP Language and Composition exam (and course) have very little to do with fiction or poetry. So some students used to more traditional English classes may be somewhat at a loss as to what to do to prepare. Luckily for you, I have a whole slate of preparation tips for you! Read Nonfiction - In a Smart Way A major thing you can do to prepare for the AP Lang and Comp exam is to read nonfiction- particularly nonfiction that argues a position, whether explicitly (like an op-ed) or implicitly (like many memoirs and personal essays). Read a variety of non-fiction genres and topics, and pay attention to the following: What is the author’s argument? What evidence do they use to support their position? What rhetorical techniques and strategies do they use to build their argument? Are they persuasive? What counterarguments can you identify? Do they address them? Thinking about these questions with all the reading you do will help you hone your rhetorical analysis skills. Learn Rhetorical Terms and Strategies Of course, if you’re going to be analyzing the nonfiction works you read for their rhetorical techniques and strategies, you need to know what those are! You should learn a robust stable of rhetorical terms from your teacher, but here’s my guide to the most important AP Language and Composition terms. If you want to review, there are many resources you could consult: Wikibooks offers a list of â€Å"Basic Rhetorical Strategies,† which explains some of the most fundamental rhetoric-related terms. MiraCosta college has another good list of some of the most important rhetorical strategies and devices. A heroic individual from Riverside schools in Ohio uploaded this aggressively comprehensive list of rhetorical terms with examples. It’s 27 pages long, and you definitely shouldn’t expect to know all of these for the exam, but it’s a useful resource for learning some new terms. Another great resource for learning about rhetorical analysis and how rhetorical devices are actually used is the YouTube Channel Teach Argument, which has videos rhetorically analyzing everything from Taylor Swift music videos to Super Bowl commercials. It’s a fun way to think about rhetorical devices and get familiar with argumentative structures. Finally, a great book- which you might already use in your class- is â€Å"They Say, I Say.† This book provides an overview of rhetoric specifically for academic purposes, which will serve you well for AP preparation and beyond. Write You also need to practice argumentative and persuasive writing. In particular, you should practice the writing styles that will be tested on the exam: synthesizing your own argument based on multiple outside sources, rhetorically analyzing another piece of writing in-depth, and creating a completely original argument based on your own evidence and experience. You should be doing lots of writing assignments in your AP class to prepare, but thoughtful, additional writing will help. You don’t necessarily need to turn all of the practice writing you do into polished pieces, either- just writing for yourself, while trying to address some of these tasks, will give you a low-pressure way to try out different rhetorical structures and argumentative moves, as well as practicing things like organization and developing your own writing style. Not the most auspicious start to an argumentative essay. Practice for the Exam Finally, you’ll need to practice specifically for the exam format. There are sample multiple-choice questions in the â€Å"AP Course and Exam Description,† and old free-response questions on the College Board website. Unfortunately, the College Board hasn’t officially released any complete exams from previous years for the AP English Language and Composition exam, but you might be able to find some that teachers have uploaded to school websites and so on by Googling â€Å"AP Language complete released exams.† I also have a guide to AP Language and Composition practice tests. Once you’re prepped and ready to go, how can you do your best on the test? AP Language and Composition Test Day Tips Here are four key tips for test-day success. You are one hundred percent success! Interact With the Text When you are reading passages, both on the multiple-choice section and for the first two free-response questions, interact with the text! Mark it up for things that seem important, devices you notice, the author’s argument, and anything else that seems important to the rhetorical construction of the text. This will help you engage with the text and make it easier to answer questions or write an essay about the passage. Think About Every Text’s Overarching Purpose and Argument Similarly, with every passage you read, consider the author’s overarching purpose and argument. If you can confidently figure out what the author’s primary assertion is, it will be easier to trace how all of the other aspects of the text play into the author’s main point. Plan Your Essays The single most important thing you can do for yourself on the free-response section of the AP English Language exam is to spend a few minutes planning and outlining your essays before you start to write them. Unlike on some other exams, where the content is the most important aspect of the essay, on the AP Language Exam, organization, a well-developed argument, and strong evidence are all critical to strong essay scores. An outline will help you with all of these things. You’ll be able to make sure each part of your argument is logical, has sufficient evidence, and that your paragraphs are arranged in a way that is clear and flows well. Anticipate and Address Counterarguments Another thing you can do to give your free responses an extra boost is to identify counterarguments to your position and address them within your essay. This not only helps shore up your own position, but it's alsoa fairly sophisticated move in a timed essay that will win you kudos with AP graders. Address counterarguments properly or they might get returned to sender! Key Takeaways The AP Language and Composition exam tests your rhetorical skills. The exam has two sections. The first section is an hour-long, 52-55 question multiple-choice test based on the rhetorical techniques and strategies deployed in nonfiction passages. The second section is a two-hour free-response section (with a 15-minute initial reading period) with three essay questions: one where you must synthesize given sources to make an original argument, one where you must rhetorically analyze a given passage, and one where you must create a wholly original argument about an issue with no outside sources given. You’ll receive one point for every correct answer on the multiple-choice section of the exam, which is worth 45% of your score. The free-response section is worth 55% of your score. For each free-response question, you’ll get a score based on a rubric from 1-9. Your total raw score will be converted to a scaled score from 1-5. Here are some test prep strategies for AP Lang: Read nonfiction with an eye for rhetoric Learn rhetorical strategies and techniques Practice writing to deploy rhetorical skills Practice for the exam! Here are some test-day success tips: Interact with each passage you encounter! Consider every text’s overarching purpose and argument. Keep track of time Plan your essays Identify and address counterarguments in your essays. With all of this knowledge, you’re ready to slay the AP English Language and Composition beast! Noble knight, prepare to slay the AP dragon! What's Next? Taking the AP Literature exam? Check out our ultimate guide to the AP English Literature testandour list of AP Literature practice tests. Taking other AP exams? See our Ultimate Guides to AP World History, AP US History, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP World History, and AP Human Geography. Need more AP prep guidance? Check out how to study for AP exams and how to find AP practice tests. Have friends who also need help with test prep? Share this article! Tweet Ellen McCammon About the Author Ellen has extensive education mentorship experience and is deeply committed to helping students succeed in all areas of life. She received a BA from Harvard in Folklore and Mythology and is currently pursuing graduate studies at Columbia University. Get Free Guides to Boost Your SAT/ACT Get FREE EXCLUSIVE insider tips on how to ACE THE SAT/ACT. 100% Privacy. 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