AP US HISTORY

FRQ 101

What is an FRQ?

FRQ stands for Free Response QuestionYou will be asked to write 2 separate FRQs on

the AP exam in May

The AP Exam – Free Response Section

Time Limit: 130 minutesPercent of Total Exam Score: 50%PART A: 1 DBQ (Document Based Question)

Suggested Time: 15 minutes reading & 45 minutes writing Counts for 22.5% of total score We’ll talk more about this essay at a later date

PART B: 2 FRQs (Free Response Question) Suggested Time: 5 minutes reading & 30 minutes writing

each Each essay counts as 13.75% of total score Standard essays chosen from two groups of questions

each containing two choices (four questions)

Format of FRQs

The FRQ is your standard essayTypically, many students use the 5 paragraph

essay templateHowever, do not feel confined to that! You may

write as many or as few paragraphs as you need to fully answer the prompt

You will need to write a strong thesis statement in your intro paragraph

Though a conclusion is the cherry-on-top, it is not necessary as long as you have proven your thesis throughout your essay I only say this because some students spend so much time

writing the bulk of their essay & don’t get to the conclusion. If you run out of time, do not worry about not finishing –

worry more about fully answering the question throughout the body of your essay

History Essay Writing Tips

Always think of your readerUse black ink onlyDo not use contractionsWrite in the 3rd person

First person = I, we, our, us, me, mine, my Second person = you, your

Write in the past tenseYou may mark out mistakes. BUT…Do not try to be cuteUse STANDARD ENGLISH!Use correct historical terms

i.e. “normalcy” is not a standard English word, but it is a historical term

Facts are names, dates, people, events, places, things

Terms Often Used in AP Essay Questions

Assess the validity of… To estimate, to appraise the value of

Analyze the… Separate into parts or principles and examine each part

Compare and/or… How much alike

Contrast the… How much different

Criticize the… Make judgments as to merit and faults

Degree to which… One step or stage in a progression

Define the… Say what something is; give its meaning

Terms Often Used in AP Essay Questions

Discuss the… Talk about; write about; consider or examine

Describe the… What does it look like; create a mental picture

Extent: To what extent… The range over which something goes; how far

Evaluate the… Ascertain or fix the worth of

Explain the… To make plain, comprehensible, make clear by detail

Illustrate… Explain or make clear by using examples

Terms Often Used in AP Essay Questions

Justify… Use evidence to prove something is right, wrong, or just

Prove… Establish the truth of something by providing factual

evidenceReasons for…

The motives for actions or inactionRelative importance of…

Having pertinence; connected toValid or validity…

How sound, how well-grounded, how good is the stated premise

General Scoring Guideline for APUSH

The 8-9 Essay Contains a clear, well-developed thesis that addresses all parts

of the questions Provide substantial relevant information in support of the

thesis Provides effective analysis addressing all parts of the question May contain minor errors Is well organized and well written

The 5-7 Essay Contains a thesis that may be partially developed and

addresses most parts of the question Supports the thesis with some relevant information Provides some analysis of most parts of the question May contain errors that do not seriously detract from the essay Has acceptable organization and writing

General Scoring Guideline for APUSH

The 2-4 Essay Contains a thesis that may be underdeveloped or poorly

developed Includes minimal information relevant to the question Provides little or no analysis, or contains on generalizations May contain major errors May be poorly organized and/or poorly written

The 0-1 Essay Lacks a thesis or restates the question Has little or no relevant information regarding the question Has little or no understanding of the question May contain numerous errors Is poorly organized and/or poorly written

The – Essay Is blank or completely off task

Before You Begin to Write:

1. Carefully read the question to make sure you understand what it is asking you to do.

Pay careful attention to the TASK WORDS in the question Look closely at the CHRONOLOGY (time periods) of the

question Many students write great essays that unfortunately don’t

answer the question that was asked! You must discuss those time periods, locations, and topics that apply to the question and only those!

2. Take a few minutes to review what you already know about the question and develop a thesis statement

3. Write a brief outline of your essay before you begin to write

The Introduction

This is where you make your first impression on the reader. Therefore, it is important that you have a strong introduction that defines your thesis and your argument.

Your essay should be clearly organized around a thesis statement. The thesis should clearly respond to the question, without

directly repeating it Should represent your own original interpretation or

analysis of the information Should make a clear argument Does not need to be the first sentence of your introduction

and, in fact, provides better essay organization if it is the last sentence in your introduction.

The Introduction

Define important terms (i.e. humanism, secular, absolutism) to demonstrate that you understand the question and the essay topics.

Provide a concise statement (no more than 1 sentence) that places the essay topic in its historical context

Clearly identify the supporting arguments that you will use in your essay. Again, make sure you are responding to all parts of the question

After reading your introduction, your reader should know exactly what your argument is (your thesis) and how you are going to prove it (your supporting arguments) – sometimes called a “preview”

Other Tips

Be sure to write with “voice” in your essay. In other words, pretend that you have some authority on the

subject. Make sure to take a stand in your answer and not be wishy-washy.

Be sure that your essay includes historical facts to prove your thesis. However, “data dumping” will not gain you any extra points and

can result in a lowering of your score. It also runs the risk of you including incorrect data which would hurt your overall score.

Avoid broad survey questions. They appear easy because you know a lot of information about

them. However, they are often the most challenging because of the breadth required to answer them effectively. Writing a provable thesis can pose real problems for these types of questions

Content is critical, but so is your presentation Be attentive to grammar, syntax, spelling, penmanship, etc. A well-

written essay is much easier to understand than a poorly written essay

FRQ

Write down the prompt on a clean sheet of paper.

2005 FRQ: Compare and contrast the ways in which economic

development affected politics in Massachusetts and Virginia in the period from 1607 to 1750.

Your essay will be due FRIDAY SEPT. 21st