Let’s break down the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Rubric!
In order to understand the rubric, we need to understand what rhetorical analysis actually is.
What is Rhetorical Analysis?
For Rhetorical Analysis, you’ll be given a nonfiction passage (a speech, a letter, an article, an excerpt of a longer work, etc.).
You’ll want to look for rhetorical choices (what the writer is doing) and analyze how the writer makes choices to convey a message, develop an argument, or achieve a purpose.
AP Lang Thesis
On the College Board Rubric AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Essays, there are 3 rows. The first row is Row A. This is where students can earn “the thesis point.”
A thesis is an overarching claim to the essay. This can be anywhere in the essay, but students typically put these as the last sentence of the introductory paragraph. Putting it there makes it easier for both the student and the person reading your essay.
Important note: when you’re reading an article, remember the thesis could be anywhere in the piece. It doesn’t HAVE to be the last sentence in the introductory paragraph.
On the rubric, it states that students must identify rhetorical choices to earn the thesis point. In my opinion, the thesis point is the easiest point on the rubric.
Readers are looking for specific rhetorical choices. Most students include 2-4 rhetorical choices, depending on what they intend to write about.
For the thesis, you can include devices (nouns) like repetition, comparison, etc.
A rhetorical choice, compared to a rhetorical device, is a verb. You can take those nouns and turn them into verbs. Instead of repetition, you could say repeats. Be specific. Be sure to state what is being repeated, compared, etc.
You can also use other rhetorically accurate verbs to convey what the writer is DOING. Some examples include: addresses, presents, acknowledges, etc. These are more open-ended choices that work well in a thesis.
There are list of rhetorically accurate verbs, but they can get overwhelming. Just keep asking yourself, “What is the writer doing?”
If you have those choices in your thesis, ideally in the verb form, you have a defensible thesis. However, I like students to take this one step further by adding the specific Message, Audience, or Purpose (MAP).
Your rhetorical analysis prompt will ask you about one of these three things: Message, Argument, or Purpose (MAP). Identify which one your prompt is asking you about and analyze that within your essay.
For the purpose of the exam, it’s important to remember that a short introduction is fine because you’ll earn more points in the body of your essay (remember, the clock is ticking!).
To earn the thesis point, here is a sentence frame that you can use:
*anything in all caps can be switched out for what you’re writing about.
In his/her SPEECH to AUDIENCE, SPEAKER CHOICE 1 and CHOICE 2 in order to MAP.
AP Lang Evidence and Commentary
Row B on the rubric is evidence and commentary.
You can earn up to 4 points in Row B. Your goal for Row B will be to earn at least 3 of the 4 points.
Each body paragraph will have its own claim. Think of this like a sub-claim or the main idea of the paragraph. To prove this main idea you need evidence and commentary.
If you’re quoting the passage, be sure to include short quotes. Don’t waste your time writing too many words that aren’t your own. Try to zero in on the important part of the quote and then embed it into your own sentence.
To earn a 1 in Row B, you:
- Have some evidence (the what) to support the claims
- Have little to no commentary (the why)
- Use the commentary to summarize the evidence (to fix this, add “shows” or “because” to explain “why.”)
The score of a 2 or 3 are the two most common scores for evidence and commentary. It’s important to remember, there is a range of what constitutes a 2. Don’t get frustrated if you earn a 2 on one essay, make improvements, and still earn a 2. It’s possible your first essay was at the lower end of a 2 and your improved essay was the higher end of a 2, almost a 3.
To earn a 2 in Row B, you:
- Limited or Simplistic Commentary – there is commentary present, but it’s just scratching the surface. It’s superficial and not digging deep enough to give an interpretation.
- There may be empty or vague phrasing. For example, “and this helps him convey his message.” To improve you could change that to something like, “And this helps him convey his message of perseverance because…”.
- Have a weak line of reasoning (a logical progression of ideas). You may have an underdeveloped paragraph due to a lack of commentary. Your analysis may skip around. To improve this, there are a few quick fixes. Add in consistent references to Message, Argument, and Purpose, Add transition words and phrases, and Analyze in chronological order.
The goal is to earn a 3 in Row B for evidence and commentary.
To earn a 3, you:
- Have one strong paragraph connects the choices to the MAP and rhetorical situation. Other paragraphs might be inconsistent or vague, making the reader “do more work.” The commentary may fail to support a key claim.
- Have a clear claim in the topic sentence that includes the “why.”
- Include specific evidence in the form of a short direct quote or a paraphrase that clearly proves the claim.
- Include commentary about specific word choice or details of the quote. For example, “mentioning “…” allows the SPEAKER to…
- Have more commentary than evidence. You can add “because,” “since,” or “due to the fact that.
A 4 is the highest score in this row. To earn a 4, you:
- Have uniform/consistent development for all of your body paragraphs (compared to the ONE strong paragraph to earn a 3).
- Include a specific Message, Argument, or Purpose
- Analyze the WHOLE passage (you don’t skip over major parts of the paragraph)
- Has a meaningful analysis of specific words and details
The Sophistication Point
This is the most challenging point on the rubric. It’s great to know how to earn it, but I don’t think this is the priority in terms of the rubric. In many cases, I don’t have my students even think about sophistication during the first semester.
There are 3 different ways to earn the sophistication point for rhetorical analysis.
- Situate the issue in a broader context by going beyond the scope of the passage (For example, you could explore the historical context, or the relevance of the message in society today)
- Examine the complexity or tension within the passage (For example, you could look at the tension that exists between the speaker and the audience relationship)
- Write with a vivid and descriptive style (for example, add more adjectives and adverbs, use advanced punctuation like colons or dashes, or use rhetorical choices in your own writing, like meaningful repetition, comparison, etc.)
It’s important to note that doing any of these things one time will not earn you the sophistication point. You will need to write with sophistication throughout the essay.
That is a breakdown of the AP Lang Rhetorical Analysis Rubric. Understanding the criteria readers use to score AP Lang rhetorical analysis essays can help students improve their score.
