PFA - Short Answer Questions (Lesson)

Short Answer Questions

There are strategies and practices you can use to write responses to Short Answer Questions that will earn more points in the course and on the AP Exam.

(Remember that your dual goal is to 1) meet the content standards for the course related to U.S. History and 2) achieve the objectives related to the skills necessary to score well on the AP Exam in the spring.)

On the AP Exam, you will be required to answer 3 short answer questions in 40 minutes. During the course, you will practice writing these short answer questions in some of the modules and every other test will include 1 short answer question.

These short answer questions are not formal 5 paragraph essays. This is demonstrated by the fact that when tested you only have about 10 minutes to write your answer to each question. You do not have to have a formal thesis statement for these essays. However, this does not mean that you do not apply standard grammatical rules to writing the short answers. Use a paragraph structure and you will likely have 1 or 2 full paragraphs. Go for a half page and no more than a page of double-spaced 12-point font in writing these out. Always write in complete sentences and use proper punctuation, including capitalization. Do not write in first person (Example, "I think that...").

When writing your short answers address what you are being asked directly. These are to be short and to the point so don't get on an unrelated tangent or try to write too much about one topic. What you should have is a concise, factually accurate answer that shows higher-level historical thought and analysis. You could also be given a quote or document that your answer will analyze. Think about how you will answer the question, but don't spend too much time planning as you have limited time on the tests.

 

The Questions

You will see 4 options listed on the AP exam. You are to only answer 3 questions. You MUST answer questions 1 and 2 and you will then get a CHOICE between questions 3 and 4.

Question 1

  • Will be over the time periods 3-8
  • Will be based on secondary sources
  • Will typically ask you to respond to a Historian's argument

Question 2

  • Will be over the time periods 3-8
  • Will assess the skill of comparison or causation
  • 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 the time periods 1-5
  • Will assess the skill of comparison or causation, BUT will be whichever skill is NOT assessed in question 2
  • Will not have a stimulus

Question 4

  • Will be over the time periods 6-9
  • Will assess the skill of comparison or causation, BUT will be whichever skill is NOT assessed in question 2
  • Will not have a stimulus

 

Strategies for Answering Short Answer QuestionsStrategies for tackling SAQs include:

  1. Get right to the point. For SAQs, you don’t have to write an introduction or a thesis statement because time and space are limited.
  2. Write in your own words! (Don’t “parrot” the question stem.)
  3. Provide examples that answer “How?” and “Why?”
  4. What is acceptable? Write in complete sentences. (Sentence fragments and bullet points will not be scored in this course or on the exam.)
  5. With limited time and space, go into depth on one (1) example rather than superficially listing multiple examples.
  6. Stay in the time period specified in the question prompt. If your question provides a specific time range like 1785-1810, don’t provide examples outside those dates.
  7. Stay in the box. Write “in the box” on the exam book. No extra pages and no information outside the box. That information will not be scored. Be sure you plan for the limited space before you begin writing.
  8. Evidence and examples are essential. If a question requires one similarity or difference, the AP reader is looking for the main/essential similarity or difference---the most important one.
  9. Watch for categories of analysis or historical themes. Categories of analysis include political, economic, cultural, social, and intellectual.
  10. Assume that your reader has no background knowledge about the topic. Fully explain your examples, evidence, and conclusions.
  11. Minor errors will NOT “kill” your score. If you label an event, for example, incorrectly but you describe it correctly, you’ll likely get credit---it’s better than leaving the space blank. An example of this would be describing the Battle of Vicksburg correctly and labeling the description the Battle of Atlanta, you might get credit. If you leave it blank because you can’t think of the name of Vicksburg, you will definitely not earn any credit.
  12. To write in paragraphs or to separate your writing into Part A, Part B, and Part C? That is the question! There are debates about organization for SAQs. If you write in paragraph form (all parts in one single paragraph), it is more difficult for you to organize your writing and to evenly develop your responses. However, if your writing is in one single paragraph, you can get credit for a comment that should have been in Part A even if you addressed it in Part C. If your response is divided into Parts A, B, and C, then you won’t get credit for a comment that has to be in Part A if you put it in Part C.

You can review additional strategies and tips for SAQs in this document. Links to an external site.

 

A.C.E. Strategy

 This exercise will help you begin to write “like an historian.” It looks like a “fill-in-the-blank” activity; but in fact, it is more than that.

You’ll use this framework to start with and then over time we’ll remove the framework and you’ll do this on your own because it will be habit!

Also, all of these questions are timed when you are taking the AP Exam! (One very helpful practice during the school year is to set a timer and try to adhere to the time limit as much as possible with increasing diligence as we move through the school year. Practicing your writing with a timer is a great way to prepare to pace yourself for the AP Exam.)

 

Infographic - ACE Answer the prompt Cite Evidence Explain the connectionThis is called the A.C.E. Strategy:

A:  Answer the prompt (Make a claim.)

     What does the question ask you to do? What skill do you have to demonstrate?

  • Argument interpretation? (Is it asking you to explain the points of view of different people?)
  • Causation? (Is it asking you to compare/contrast or effects of an event?)
  • Comparison? (Is it asking you to compare/contrast or explain similarities/differences?)

Strategy:  Use the prompt to develop your answer; write your first sentence using the question stem itself and then add your claim as the answer.

 

C: Cite evidence (that supports your claim).

     *Use specific examples (key terms, specific items from the image or document).

Strategy:  Use one of the following stems to make sure you include specific examples as support.

  • For example, ____________, which (did/supports) ________________.
  • One example of this was _____________, which/this led to __________________.

 

E: Explain the connection/finish answering the prompt.

     *How/why does your evidence support your claim? What is the overall answer?

Strategy:  Use one of the following stems to ensure that you include a strong explanation (analysis) point.

  • As a result, _____________________ (answer the prompt).
  • This suggests that _____________________ (answer the prompt).

 

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