As the 12th-grade AP English exam is entitled Literature and Composition, it is imperative to have a solid literary background in order to score well. Knowledge of a diverse selection of "works of literary merit," including underlying themes and motifs as well as characters and plot, will undoubtedly help students master the open-ended literature essay, and may also help on other sections of the test. It is recommended to incorporate novels that you have worked on during your AP English class, although you may choose to use a work of similar acclaim.

Works of literary merit include, but are not limited to: