Learning new words is an important part of becoming a better reader and writer. Nonetheless, we will not spend much class time studying vocabulary. Learning new words doesn't require much complex thinking, instruction, or class discussion; it simply requires memorization and repetitive practice. In other words, it is something you can, and should, do on your own. Our in-class time is better spent on other things. Thus, you will be responsible for studying the vocabulary lists and taking the vocabulary quizzes independently. 

Every year, I have students who say things to me like, "The vocabulary quizzes seem pointless to me. I don't learn anything because I can just look up the answers while I'm taking the quizzes." I usually respond by saying something like this: "Well...yes...you can look up the answers. But you don't have to look up the answers.  The person making the vocabulary activities pointless is not me. It's you. If you actually want to learn something, it's really simple; just don't cheat."

The primary reason I trust you to study the vocabulary lists and take the quizzes independently is because AP Lang is a college-level course. At the college level, the primary person responsible for making sure you're actually learning something is not the teacher; it's you, the student.  At the college level, the teacher is there to support you, to offer help, and to provide useful resources. They're there to facilitate your learning. They're not there to babysit you or force you to learn anything. Everyone taking a college-level class is there because they chose to be there. And since they chose to be there, it makes sense to give college-level students more freedom and independence--to trust that they'll do what the teacher asks not because they have to but because they, on some level, realize that doing so will benefit them in the long run.

The independence and freedom that comes with going to college (not to mention growing up in general), makes it easier to procrastinate, to cheat, and to get away with doing relatively little work. No one is constantly looking over your shoulder anymore. So as you get older and you're given more and more independence, there are a few important questions that you'll need to answer for yourself:

1) Why work hard if I don't need to?

2) Why not cheat if no one will know?

Those aren't easy questions. 

It will be very easy for you to never study the words and to cheat on every vocabulary quiz. I'm well aware of that. Nonetheless, I've decided to make vocabulary an independent activity because at this level I don't think it's my job to teach you responsibility, accountability, or honesty. At this point, you are old enough to decide for yourself how much you want to learn and what you will and won't accept  from yourself. I will assign vocabulary lists and quizzes to encourage you to expand your vocabulary, but the amount you actually get out of it is completely up to you.