1. When can I start posting?
Right away! It's possible that you have already made your presence known on the list and have been directed here by another list member, so you know how to post. If not: you can post to the list by composing and sending an email to ap-english@lyris.collegeboard.com. The message will not appear immediately; all messages are "held" until the list moderator approves them, and then they are relayed to all list members.
Many people like to "lurk" for a while to gauge the pace of things, or to get used to a pattern of requests or discussion. Some people lurk for years and almost never speak up. A good policy is usually to wait until you feel familiar with some of the names you see posting -- that probably means you're starting to get a sense of the place.
Also, it is a good idea to read all new posts before answering a question -- sometimes it has already been answered, and unless you have something new to add, your answer will only add to the list's volume.
Finally, please see the note in Section B.5 about accurately labeling your posts for ease of reading.
2. How do I reply to someone's post?
If you're receiving individual messages:
- If you want to reply directly to the original poster, simply hit the "Reply" button. Please double-check the identity of the original poster before sending your reply in this way. Often people hit "Reply" and the answer goes to a third party -- someone who also replied -- and not to the person who asked the question or made the comment in the first place.
- If you want to make sure your message goes to the whole list, you need to hit "Reply all". That will send your message both to the individual whose email you're reading, and to the list at large. If you want, you can delete the individual's email address from the To: field. Doing so also prevents the individual from receiving two copies of your reply -- one directly from you, and one through the list's message relay.
If you're receiving digests:
- If you want to reply directly to the original poster, you must find and click or cut and paste that person's address from within the email and use it to start your own email
- If you want to reply to the list at large, simply hit "Reply", but make sure you change the subject header.
A good rule of thumb when replying or posting: remember that anything posted to the list will be sent to more than 6000 readers. If the reply is really a personal response, send it only to the individual instead.
3. How do I introduce myself?
There is no standard expectation of introduction, although of course it's always nice to know a few things about the people on the other end of the line. However, it is highly encouraged to sign posts that you make, including your name (and last initial or name if there are many by the same name -- we have several Donnas, a couple of Bens, for example) and ideally, the school or city in which you teach.
There is a general expectation that all members of the listserv are teachers, but there is no way to ensure this, and occasionally some students do end up finding their way to the list. Requests for answer keys to exams, especially if poorly written or made by unfamiliar posters, can be regarded with suspicion, so it's best to establish yourself clearly before making such requests.
4. Who is "in charge" of the list?
The list is sponsored by the College Board, and is hosted by a list provider called Lyris. This EDG is moderated by Tim Averill (timaverill AT comcast.net) a high school AP teacher and College Board consultant who graciously ensures the smooth operation of the list.
Tim founded the list in March of 1994 as a discussion group on the internet. The College Board then took over the list through AP Central and currently sponsors it.
A note from Tim regarding his purposes in founding and maintaining the list:
"My original impetus for the EDG was to expand the work of my summer institutes by sharing all year long. [. . . ] AP-ENGLISH has become a vehicle for the sharing of lesson plans, summer reading lists, tests and assignments, e-texts, curriculum concerns, and approaches to new works. In addition, the EDG allows us to establish new friendships, to locate collaborators for on-line and off-line projects, and to post conference and other announcements. Members of the EDG range from vintage veterans to raw recruits, and the exchanges are lively and invigorating."
5. Is there a cost associated with the list?
Yes, there is a cost associated with each message that is approved, and that cost is related to the length of the messages as well as their frequency. As users, we do not pay this cost, but because the English EDG is particularly voluminous, it is relatively expensive for the College Board to maintain.
For that reason, and in order to continue benefiting from a service that is otherwise free to its users, please keep in mind the following when posting:
- Whenever possible and appropriate, respond only to the person who wrote to the EDG asking for an answer or help.
- Read ALL of the EDG emails before you answer a question. Someone else may have already answered the question.
- Reduce the size of your response by including only that part of the incoming email that you are answering. It is fairly easy to send only the words that are needed rather than a whole history of the dialogue.
- Use the simplest format available for your email (plain text if possible) rather than Rich Text Format (RTF).
- Ask yourself if your reply is appropriate for several thousand people to read.
6. Who are some of the people on the list?
As you become more familiar with the list, you will notice that certain names will crop up again and again. But remember that there are many more people in total than actually actively participate -- over 6000 members! We are an immensely diverse group, representing many different places and perspectives.
Many of the list members are high school teachers who specialize in AP English, but not all of them are. There is a mix of middle school, high school, college, university, virtual school, homeschooling, and retired teachers. The list represents the entire spectrum of experience, from those just out of teachers' college to those who have taught for thirty or more years. Many teach AP, but some do not, although they may have in the past or plan to in the future. Several are College Board consultants who specialize in training AP teachers. Many members have also participated in the exam readings that take place in June to score the exams, and offer valuable perspectives on the methodology of that event, as well as on what kinds of strategies bring students success on their exams.
There are also representatives from some of the major publishers who supply AP-appropriate materials. These members may on occasion make announcements about new texts or other materials available to teachers. They can also frequently answer questions about these materials.
The large majority of the membership lives in the United States, but we also have members living and working elsewhere -- I believe all the populated continents are represented! AP is based in the United States, but the exams are administered all over the world.
One thing we all share is a love of reading, teaching, and communicating.
