HACKS to FLAWLESSLY Integrate Textual Evidence!

Summary

In this engaging video, the host of the Garden of English channel addresses the importance of integrating direct quotes into analytical essays for AP Language and AP Literature students. Despite a scratchy voice due to illness, the host demonstrates dedication by sharing tips on how to effectively use quotes within a 9 to 13 word range, ensuring they are seamlessly woven into the essay's narrative. The video emphasizes the significance of textual evidence and provides discourse markers to guide the reader. The host also models how to provide context for quotes using examples from the AP English Language Exam and the AP Literature Exam, highlighting the need for a smooth flow between the writer's words and the text's. The video concludes with an invitation to access an Ultimate Review Guide for further AP exam preparation, encouraging viewers to engage with the content by liking, subscribing, and watching related videos.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Start with the text: Always have the text you're responding to in front of you and include quotes from it in your essay.
• 📝 Textual Evidence: After a strong topic sentence, provide textual evidence using discourse markers to introduce examples.
• 🚫 Avoid Long Quotes: Keep direct quotes within a 9 to 13 word range to maintain clarity and coherence.
• 🔍 Selective Quoting: Choose only the most important parts of a quote and integrate them seamlessly into your paragraph.
• 🌊 Seamless Integration: Make the transition from your words to the quote and back again smooth, like 'channeling your inner Elsa'.
• ➡️ Use Discourse Markers: Start the second sentence of your paragraph with phrases like 'for example' or 'take for instance' to set up your quote.
• 🔄 Provide Context: Summarize the information around your textual evidence to provide context before introducing the quote.
• 📚 Model Examples: The video provides models using the Chavez piece from the 2015 AP English Language Exam and the 2010 Form B Question 2 to illustrate the process.
• 📈 Watch Previous Videos: Ensure you've watched the thesis and topic sentence videos before this one to understand how all parts of an essay interrelate.
• 📚 Ultimate Review Guide: The Garden of English is producing an 'ultimate review packet' with exclusive materials for AP exam preparation.
• 👍 Engage with the Content: The presenter humorously suggests that likes and subscribes on YouTube are the best cure for their scratchy voice, indicating the value of audience engagement.

Q & A

What is the primary focus of today's video in the 'Garden of English' series?

The primary focus of today's video is to teach viewers how to seamlessly integrate quotes into their analytical paragraphs for essays.

Why is it important to include quotes from the text you are analyzing in your essay?

Including quotes from the text is important because it demonstrates your ability to synthesize your thoughts and reasoning with the actual text, which is a valuable skill for AP exams and beyond.

What is a discourse marker, and how is it used in the context of writing an analytical essay?

A discourse marker is a phrase that signals to the reader how the upcoming information relates to the topic sentence. It is used to segue into an example or evidence in the second sentence of a body paragraph.

What is the recommended length for direct quotes in an analytical essay?

The recommended length for direct quotes in an analytical essay is between 9 to 13 words.

How should you integrate quotes into your essay to make them seamless?

To integrate quotes seamlessly, you should select the most important parts of the quote, provide context before and after the quote, and use your own words to link the language in the quotes so that the transition between your words and the text is smooth.

What is the 'Garden of English Ultimate Review Packet' and how can it help students preparing for their AP exams?

The 'Garden of English Ultimate Review Packet' is a special guide that includes exclusive review notes, guides, materials, videos not found on YouTube, practice multiple-choice questions with explanations, and it covers all nine units for the College Board course and exam description. It also offers practice exams.

What is the significance of watching the thesis and topic sentence videos before this one?

Watching the thesis and topic sentence videos before this one is important to understand how all parts of an essay interrelate and to see how the integration of quotes fits into the overall structure of an analytical essay.

How does the presenter suggest using the text from the piece you're analyzing?

The presenter suggests using the text from the piece as a moral obligation to include direct quotes in your essay, rather than just paraphrasing or summarizing.

What is the presenter's opinion on the presenter's own voice in the video?

The presenter acknowledges that their voice is a little scratchy, which is attributed to being sick and using their voice extensively, including spending over two and a half hours with students.

What is the humorous analogy used by the presenter to explain the process of integrating quotes into an essay?

The presenter uses the analogy of making a tuna sandwich to explain the process of selecting and integrating quotes, emphasizing the need to only use the most relevant parts of the quote, just as one would drain a can of tuna before making a sandwich.

What is the presenter's suggestion for ensuring that the quotes are not too long in the essay?

The presenter suggests that after providing a discourse marker and a lead-in phrase, one should use the words 'after' or 'before' to summarize the context around the textual evidence, which will then flow naturally into the quote.

How does the presenter use the term 'channeling your inner Elsa' in the context of writing?

The term 'channeling your inner Elsa' is used to encourage a smooth and seamless integration of quotes into the essay, much like the character Elsa from Disney's 'Frozen' lets her powers flow naturally.