AAE - Point of View (Lesson)
Point of View.
POV . . . quite possibly the 3 most dreaded letters in AP European - often outranking DBQ in sheer terror value. POV, or Point of View, are statements that demonstrate a higher analysis of the document. It allows you to demonstrate that certain authors or documents may have certain biases or meanings. . . that their responses are a product of their culture, job, region, and much more. You are expected to incorporate one for each document you discuss.
Worried? Don't be. It really isn't as difficult or confusing as it might seem, you just have to figure out what the basic format is and then go from there.
Here are the 3 basic steps in creating POV - You are looking at a doc in terms of:
- Who said it.
- What was said.
- And most importantly, WHY they might have said it.
It is what makes POV. Without it, you simply have attribution. The Why component explains motives behind the statement . . . "it is natural he felt this way because . . .", "one would expect a father to speak highly of his son because . . .", ". . . most certainly his role as the Defense Minister influenced his views and caused him to look at the situation with disdain."
When determining POV it is important to note that different documents serve different purposes and people often have influences that impact their writings or recollections. When evaluating the bias of a document ask yourself these questions:
- What is the tone of the document? (is it sarcasm? a speech to promote nationalism? is the author angry? melancholy?)
- What is the purpose of the document? (is it a private letter? a government report released to the people? Is it meant to inspire? to inform? to persuade?)
- Is the author a reliable source? (are they knowledgeable about the information? are they trustworthy? is there a personal bias that might interfere with their ability to look at something objectively?)
POV can be difficult for some to grasp and others just instinctively know how to do it. If you struggle with POV, often the easiest way to explain it is for you to see examples of what IS POV and what ISN'T. Typically, it is something you must practice, and you should consider your course DBQs to be practice. This is where you will try out POV statements, and receive feedback over them, allowing you to continue to develop this skill. But, don't worry, you will also be provided with several items to help you along the way.
The Big, Bad Wolf.
What do the big, bad wolf and the 3 little pigs have to do with DBQs and POV? Read the excerpt to find out. Links to an external site.
Think about the story of the 3 Little Pigs that you have grown up with. . . how is this version different? Why is this version different? Which version do you trust as being more accurate? Why? What might have influenced the Wolf's story?
It is taking this idea of "influence" into account that creates Point of View. When reading a document, you need to take into account how the person's background, the reason for the document, and even the time period shape your interpretation of what is being said. We often consider history to be "dead men and dates," but the reality is there is nothing stagnant about history. It is ever changing, being reinterpreted or new discoveries changing our conceptions about what actually did happen.
If you major in History in college, there are a multitude of careers you can follow, one of which, an archivist, helps determine just what exactly happened in the past. Researchers and archivists dig deep into Archives, sifting through old land deeds, wills, newspapers, diaries, and much more. They combine the information found to create a picture of what occurred.
Writing POV.
Acceptable types of POV:
- Relating authorial point of view to the author's place in society.
- Evaluating the reliability of the source.
- Recognizing that different kinds of documents serve different purposes.
- Analyzing the tone of the document.
While there are 4 main ways of demonstrating POV, there really is no prescribed method for how to construct a POV statement provided you include who said it, what is being said, and WHY it might have been said. The fill in the blank examples below may be a good place to start as you begin the process of creating POV. Then move more toward the types of examples you will see in the handouts you can download below.
You may wish to explore further by downloading the following handouts:
- Examples of POV using APPARTS Links to an external site.
- Examples of POV using MAGS Links to an external site.
You will also want to download this resource created by Sigrid Olsen from Sprague High School. Ms. Olsen reviewed 15 years of DBQs and the sourcelines for their documents to determine common themes of POV. All of her findings are here. . . she has separated possible POV clues into categories and listed items to consider when writing POV, plus several examples. It's an amazing resource for you.
Download "Words for POV" here. Links to an external site.
You should know...
POV is only one of several ways you can achieve the extended analysis point on the national exam. The College Board requires that for at least two documents, you explain how or why the document's point of view, purpose, historical situation, and/or intended audience is relevant to an argument.
So if that's the case, then why do we focus so much on POV?
Because it encompasses much of what the other items require. Which means if you fall short on POV in your DBQ, you may have written enough to gain credit for one of the other methods. This will allow you to still get that point on the rubric. POV demonstrates a deeper analysis of the material, which is also a way you can gain the complexity point on the rubric. All in all, it is something that will be of great benefit to you. So while it is a step further than what the College Board requires, it is something we will strive for in this course to set you up for the best possible outcome on both your in-class DBQ assignments and the national exam.
Your Turn...
Can you determine POV? Read the statements in the activity below, and in each instance decide if you think that statement would or would not count as POV. Keep in mind these statements are from a previous DBQ which you have not yet read. As you read the statements, see if each answers the 3 questions we've discussed (who said it, what was said, why they may have said it).
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