AAE - The Essays (Lesson)

The Essays.

Document Based Question.

1 Question, 60 minutes, includes a 15 minute planning period

What the College Board says: Document-Based Question Section II, Part A of the AP Exam consists of the document-based question—an essay question that measures students' ability to develop and support an argument using historical source material as evidence. The question focuses on topics from 1600 to 2001. The seven documents included in the document-based question may include charts, graphs, cartoons, and pictures, as well as written materials of varying lengths. These are chosen to illustrate interactions and complexities about the historical topic that is the subject of the question. In their responses, students should develop an argument about the question and utilize the documents to support this argument. Students should also explain elements of the authorship of the documents that affect their historical significance, such as point of view, purpose, historical situation, and/or audience. The document-based question also requires students to relate the documents to a historical period or theme and, thus, to focus on major periods and issues. For this reason, other knowledge about the topic being assessed, beyond the specific focus of the documents, is important and must be incorporated into students' essays to earn the highest scores.

What should you expect:

  • 7 documents
  • Documents can be a variety of resources. What might you see? Charts, Maps, Art pieces, excerpts from secondary sources, excerpts from speeches, journals, and more.
  • Each DBQ will have a focus skill (such as causation, continuity and change over time, or comparison)
  • The DBQ will assess material from 1600-2001.

What's the difference between "Use" and "Support"? What to do to be successful:

  • Formulate a thesis that responds to all parts of the question.
  • Use relevant evidence from at least four of the documents to prove your thesis.
  • Analyze two of the docs in terms of
    • Intended audience
    • Purpose
    • Historical context
    • Author's point of view
  • relate the docs to a historical period or theme, this will assess your ability to bring in outside knowledge (you need to place the docs into a historical context). You will be required to include outside knowledge. You must provide an example or additional piece of specific evidence beyond those found in the documents to support or qualify the argument.
  • Documents do not need to be grouped, nor is there a paragraph style requirement, instead think in terms of discussing issues rather than groupings. There is no requirement that states the essay must be a certain number of paragraphs. If a traditional five paragraph essay format works for you - great! But a three paragraph one will be accepted as well. You must have an introduction with a thesis and you must have a content discussion, but how you format that is left up to you.

Each DBQ will have specific instructions - You should get used to looking at those as they will be extremely helpful in telling you the specific tasks necessary to score well on this portion of the exam. And be sure to note: the prompt "Compare" ALWAYS means to "Contrast" as well - even if it is not directly stated!

 

What you should know about the rubric:

  • You can download a copy from the list below.
  • You can get a point if you only use 3 documents, but you get 2 points if you use 4 documents to support your argument.
  • There are a variety of ways in which documents can be analyzed.
  • The expectation is that students incorporate outside knowledge.
  • Contextualization means to connect to broader events.
  • "Demonstrates a Complex Understanding," similar to what you will see in the Long Essay Question; there are a variety of ways to earn this point (elaboration on thesis statement, using 7 documents, bringing in the methods and approaches acquired in other disciplines -- integrating AP Art history info or information learned in another course), etc.
  • You can not "double dip" - the example you give for contextualization can not also count for outside information, etc., each point must have its own evidence.
  • You should have a copy of it out EVERY TIME you write a DBQ for this course.

 

Long Essay Question.

1 Question. 40 minutes, plus a 15 minute planning period (shared with the DBQ)

What the College Board says: To provide opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know best, students will be given a choice between two comparable long essay options. The long essay questions will measure the use of historical thinking skills to explain and analyze significant issues in European history as defined by the thematic learning objectives. As with the document-based question, student essays will require the development of a thesis or argument supported by analysis and synthesis of specific, relevant historical evidence. Students will be expected to illustrate in their responses that they have mastered a targeted skill, such as continuity and change over time, comparison, causation, or periodization. Both long essay questions on the exam will target the same skill, which varies from year to year, and the tasks required of students will be very similar. The questions will address different chronological periods and topics. Questions will be limited to topics or examples specifically mentioned in the concept outline but framed to allow student answers to include in-depth examples, drawn either from the concept outline or from topics beyond the concept outline discussed in the classroom. 

 

What you should know: 

  • You get to choose between 3 prompts.
  • All three questions will focus on the same Historical Reasoning Skill and the same theme.
  • The Historical Reasoning skill WILL be indicated in the directions though you will most commonly see Continuity and Change, Comparison, and Causation.
  • Language will be similar if not parallel.
  • Question one will address period 1 (1450-1648), Question two will address period 2 (1648-1815) OR period 3 (1815-1914), and Question three will address period 3 OR period 4 (1914 - present).
  • Period 3 WILL NOT be assessed twice; if it is addressed in question 2, then question 3 will address period 4.
  • Allows you to make the decision on which time period and historical perspective you are best prepared to write about.

 To be successful:

  • Formulate a thesis that addresses ALL parts of the question.
  • Use relevant, specific evidence in support of the thesis. Your essay should clearly read as a European history essay... It should not be so general that someone reading it could read it interchangeably as a US History essay. You need to specify European examples.
  • Successfully apply the targeted Historical Reasoning Skill being assessed.
  • You can also identify and explain here. Identify the answer and explain how it is relevant.
  • You need to demonstrate analysis.
  • Use separate examples for each point of explanation - what you use as an example for Contextualization can not be used for Evidence or for Analysis and Reasoning. Each must be different.

 

What you should know about the rubric:

  • You can download a copy from below.
  • Use of evidence is worth up to 2 points.
  • The last point is "Demonstrating a Complex Understanding" which can be achieved in a variety of ways.
  • You should have a copy of it out EVERY TIME you write an LEQ for this course.

 

Still have questions? Need more information on what to do with the LEQ and the DBQ? Never fear, the following pages will take you through some of the requirements with a bit more explanation. We'll start with some basics you need for both, then move into specifics for the DBQ.

 

 

Resources to Download.

Download the  resources below. They may be helpful to you as you start working on DBQs and LEQs.

 

 

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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