AP English Literature and Composition
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Advanced Placement English Literature and Composition (or AP English Literature and Composition) is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.
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[edit] The Course
This course is designed for able and motivated students with a command of standard English, an interest in exploring and analyzing challenging classical and contemporary literature, and a desire to analyze and interpret dominant literary genres and themes. Students learn and apply methods of literary analysis and write with a variety of purposes to increase precision in expression..
[edit] Commonly Read Novels and Major Literary Works
The College Board publishes a recommended reading list, while emphasizing that it "does not mandate any particular authors or reading list." The reading list contains four major categories:
- Poetry, ranging from the 15th century (William Shakespeare) to living poets (Seamus Heaney);
- Drama, ranging from Greek tragedies (Aeschylus) to post-modern absurdists (Tom Stoppard);
- Fiction – novels and short stories, from the 18th century romantic comedies of Jane Austen to the famous "Lost Generation" of F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway;
- Expository prose (essays), including Ralph Waldo Emerson and George Orwell.
[edit] Grade Distributions
In 2006, 281,111 students took the exam from 11,904 schools. The mean score was a 2.89 and the standard deviation was 1.05.
The grade distribution for 2006 was:
| Score | Percent |
|---|---|
| 5 | 7.1% |
| 4 | 20.8% |
| 3 | 34.3% |
| 2 | 29.8% |
| 1 | 8.1% |
