AAE - Multiple Choice and Short Answer. (Lesson)
Multiple Choice and Short Answer.
Multiple Choice.
You earn one point for every question you get correct and no points are deducted for incorrect or skipped responses.
But beware!! Just because a point isn't deducted doesn't mean you should skip it! Unlike typical classroom tests where you start with 100 and deduct incorrect points, on the AP exam you start with a bank of 0 and ADD correct points in. So even though a skipped answer doesn't deduct points it doesn't add points either.
Types of Multiple Choice Questions.
What the College Board says: The multiple-choice section will consist of 55 questions, organized into sets of three to five questions that ask students to respond to stimulus material (primary or secondary sources, including text, maps, graphs, images, etc). Each multiple-choice question will address one or more of the learning objectives for the course as well as directly connect to the concept outline and to one or more course themes. Each question will also test one or more of the six historical thinking skills discussed in the curriculum framework, reflecting the course's emphasis on the acquisition and application of historical reasoning. While a question set may focus on one particular period of European history, the individual questions within that set may ask students to make connections to thematically linked developments in other periods. Multiple-choice questions will assess students' ability to reason about the stimulus material in tandem with their knowledge of the historical issue at hand.
Short Answer.
What the College Board says: The short-answer section will consist of four questions that require students to use historical thinking skills and content knowledge to respond to stimulus material, a historian's argument, or a general proposition or question about European history. As in the multiple-choice section, stimulus material may consist of a primary or secondary source, including texts, images, charts, graphs, maps, etc. Two of the four short-answer questions will include stimulus material. Each short-answer question will directly address one or more of the thematic learning objectives for the course and assess historical thinking skills. Each short-answer question will ask students to analyze historical developments and/or processes using examples drawn from the concept outline or other examples explored in depth in classroom instruction. The short-answer questions may require students to take a position based on the stimulus material presented, identify a significant cause or effect, or account for differences and similarities in perspectives, historical developments, etc.
Interpreting the Prompt.
The first thing you need to look for on any short answer question is the attribution line - it helps you situate the source (geographically and chronologically) which allows you to then pull material out of the passage and figure out where are you in the curriculum.
Secondly, look at the question. Each one has 3 parts to it. Sometimes you will see A B C, but the tasks can be grouped as well. If the tasks are grouped, rather than seeing A, B, and C, you will only see A and B but one of those will ask you to discuss TWO items. In the example above, A asks you to complete ONE task and B asks you to complete TWO tasks.
You have to answer all three parts in order to to get all the points offered.
Going Beyond Identification.
Almost EVERY short answer question will ask you to Explain or Describe. In order to get the point you HAVE to explain (HOW was the presence of Huguenots in France a CAUSE of the French wars of religion) This is WHY x caused y.
The best way to practice these skills during the course is to always go the extra step, and ALWAYS explain your reasoning. You want to constantly be making these connections. (Think how is it similar, how is it different?) Comparisons will be very helpful in these types of tasks. You will have assignments throughout the course that ask you to look at these comparisons and connections.
What you should know:
- Description (What do you see, how is it different, expand, etc) - is equivalent to identification so you have to move on to why.
- For SAQs, we aren't looking for the "nitty gritty details;" think more in terms of broad processes/connections.
- However, you should give a specific example/evidence to support the analysis - AND be certain to give different examples for EACH point.
- For quotes/secondary sources, go through each line, try to determine what he/she is saying, what the main point is.
- In the question, if there is a "supports" there will ALWAYS be an "undermines" (you need to look at it from both sides).
- Remember that "Turning Points" don't always have to be positive events.
- The 3 tasks are worth 1 point each (you can earn up to 3 points per Short Answer for 12 points overall).
- YOU MUST WRITE YOUR ANSWERS IN COMPLETE SENTENCES.
- You must EXPLAIN each of your answers. You can not get the point for that part of the question for simply listing a name.
- You need to answer each point separately.
- These are not linked to a specific amount of writing - you can answer in just 3 sentences, or it can be more, just so long as the EXPLAIN piece is covered.
The Questions.
You will see 4 options listed on the exam. You are to only answer 3 questions. You MUST answer questions 1 and 2, you will then get a CHOICE between questions 3 and 4.
Question 1 -
- Will be over the time period 1600-2001
- Will be based on secondary sources
- Will typically ask you to respond to a Historian's argument
Question 2 -
- Will be over the time period 1600 - 2001
- Will assess the skill of causation OR continuity and change over time
- Will be based on a primary source (either text or a visual source such as art, maps, charts, or graphs)
Question 3 -
- Will be over periods 1 & 2 (1450-1815)
- Will assess the skill of causation OR continuity and change over time BUT will be whichever skill is NOT assessed in question 2
- Will not have a stimulus
Question 4 -
- Will be over periods 3 & 4 (1815-2001)
- Will assess the skill of causation OR continuity and change over time BUT will be whichever skill is NOT assessed in question 2
- Will not have a stimulus
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WHAT THE COLLEGE BOARD SAYS? SECTIONS ARE QUOTED DIRECTLY FROM THE COLLEGE BOARD'S AP EUROPEAN HISTORY COURSE AND EXAM DESCRIPTION GUIDE AVAILABLE AT APCENTRAL.COLLEGEBOARD.COM