Get a PERFECT SCORE on the SAQ (APUSH, AP World, & AP Euro)
Summary
TLDRThis script offers a guide to acing Short Answer Questions (SAQs) in APUSH, AP World, and AP Euro exams. It emphasizes understanding the prompts and categorizing them by topic, time period, and historical thinking skill. The script introduces the 'TEA' method (Topic Sentence, Explanation of Evidence, and Analysis) for structuring responses. It also alerts students to a recent change in scoring standards, advising them to explain evidence even for 'identify' prompts to avoid losing points.
Takeaways
- 📝 To score on an SAQ, understand the question and use a three-part formula: Topic Sentence, Explanation of Evidence, and Analysis.
- 😓 Many students find SAQs stressful, but they can be simplified with the right approach.
- 🔍 SAQs can be categorized into two types: those with a stimulus (document or image) and those without.
- ✅ For each prompt, you earn either one point or zero points, with occasional two-point prompts.
- ⏰ Time management is crucial; start by reading and marking up the prompts before analyzing the stimulus.
- 🖊️ Mark the prompts for category, time period, and historical thinking skill required for the answer.
- 📖 If there's a stimulus, read and mark it up according to the requirements of the prompts.
- 📈 The TEA method (Topic Sentence, Explanation, Analysis) ensures a structured and focused response.
- 🚫 Recent changes in scoring mean that simply identifying an answer is no longer sufficient; explanation and analysis are now necessary.
- ✍️ Practice and preparation are key, with resources available to help improve AP History writing skills.
Q & A
What are the two key steps to score points on a short answer question (SAQ) in AP History exams?
-The two key steps are to understand what the question is asking you to write about and to use a three-part formula for answering.
Why do some students find SAQs in AP World, AP Euro, and APUSH exams particularly challenging?
-Students find SAQs challenging because they can cause stress and anxiety, leading to difficulty in understanding the question and formulating a coherent response under exam conditions.
What is the significance of the three-part formula 'TEA' in answering SAQs?
-The 'TEA' formula stands for Topic Sentence, Explanation of Evidence, and Analysis. It ensures that the response is structured and directly addresses the prompt, which is crucial for scoring points.
How does understanding the stimulus and the problem help in answering an SAQ?
-Understanding the stimulus and the problem helps in efficiently using the limited time available for answering by focusing on relevant information and avoiding irrelevant details.
What should students mark in the prompts when preparing to answer an SAQ?
-Students should mark the category, time period, and the historical thinking skill required in the prompt to ensure their response aligns with the question's requirements.
Why is it recommended not to start with the stimulus when answering an SAQ?
-Starting with the stimulus can lead to wasted time as students may analyze irrelevant details without a clear understanding of what the prompt is asking for.
What is the purpose of a topic sentence in an SAQ response?
-A topic sentence restates the important parts of the prompt and names a piece of evidence, ensuring that the response stays on topic and increases the chances of scoring points.
Why is it important to explain and analyze the evidence in an SAQ response?
-Explaining and analyzing the evidence is important because it demonstrates a deeper understanding of the historical context and shows how the evidence supports the topic sentence, which is necessary for a complete and high-scoring response.
What has changed in the advice for answering SAQs in AP History exams recently?
-The recent change is that even for prompts that previously only required identification, it is now advised to also explain and analyze the evidence due to the stricter scoring at the national reading.
How many SAQs are typically given in the AP History exams, and how many must students answer?
-Students are typically given four SAQs in the AP History exams and must answer three of them.
What is the recommended length for an SAQ response in terms of sentences?
-The recommended length for an SAQ response is approximately two to three complete sentences.
Outlines
📚 Mastering the Art of SAQs in AP History
The paragraph outlines a strategy for tackling Short Answer Questions (SAQs) in APUSH, AP World, and AP Euro exams. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the question's requirements and applying a three-part formula for responses. The speaker shares that SAQs can be divided into two types: those with a stimulus to interpret and those without, but both types are scored similarly. The advice is to first read and mark the prompts to understand what is being asked before engaging with the stimulus material. The speaker then introduces the TEA method (Topic sentence, Explanation of evidence, and Analysis) for constructing answers, suggesting that even for 'identify' prompts, it's now safer to explain the evidence due to changes in scoring observed in recent exams.
🔗 Additional Resources for AP History Success
The second paragraph serves as a call to action for viewers seeking further assistance with AP History writing. It directs them to additional resources, including a cram course and more writing videos, to enhance their essay skills beyond just SAQs. The speaker concludes on a light note, promising to meet viewers in the next video, maintaining a casual and engaging tone throughout.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Short Answer Question (SAQ)
💡Stimulus
💡Prompts
💡Category
💡Time Period
💡Historical Thinking Skill
💡TEA Method
💡Topic Sentence
💡Explanation of Evidence
💡Analysis
💡AP Exam
Highlights
To score points on a short answer question (SAQ), understand the question and use a three-part formula.
SAQs in AP World, AP Euro, and APUSH are scored similarly, making the advice applicable to all.
SAQs can be classified into two types: those with a stimulus (document or image) and those without.
Each prompt in an SAQ is worth one point, with some occasionally worth two for additional tasks.
On the AP exam, students will receive four SAQs and must answer three, with responses around two to three sentences long.
Begin answering an SAQ by reading and marking up the prompts, not the stimulus.
Mark the category, time period, and historical thinking skill required in the prompts.
After understanding the prompts, review the stimulus and mark it up accordingly.
Use the TEA method (Topic sentence, Explanation of evidence, and Analysis) for answering SAQs.
The topic sentence should restate the prompt and name a piece of evidence.
Explain the evidence by defining it in the context of the prompt.
Analyze the evidence to show how it proves the topic sentence.
Even for 'identify' prompts, now advise explaining the evidence due to recent scoring changes.
The advice to 'T' every answer ensures students are not tricked by the AP scoring system.
The speaker offers additional help with AP History writing through a cram course and more videos.
The speaker's previous advice has changed due to scoring at the national exam this year.
Transcripts
in order to score all the points on a
short answer question or an SAQ you
really only need to do two things
understand what they're asking you to
write about and write it using a
three-part formula easy peasy lemon
squeezy except for a lot of students in
AP World AP Euro and a push the SAQ is
emphatically not easy peasy lemon
squeezy it's more like why is this
seemingly Simple Thing causing my
armpits to sweat and my bowels to squeal
and causing no small amount of
existential dread and the questioning of
all my life choices
lemon squeeze but look it doesn't have
to be that hard you just need someone to
explain it up real nice for you and hey
that's what I'm here for so if you're
ready to get them bring house milked
well let's get to it well make sure you
stay to the end because I need to tell
you how my previous advice for saqs has
completely changed because of what
happened at this year's scoring at the
national exam first let's just swoop in
and figure out what we're dealing with
here a short answer question for APUSH
AP World or AP Euro and by the way
they're all scored the same so
everything I'm about to say here applies
to them all a short answer question can
be classified into two species the first
has a stimulus which will be a document
to read or an image to interpret that
will be followed by three prompts
labeled ABC now the second species has
no stimulus and only three problems for
each prompt you either earn one point or
zero points and there's nothing in
between every once in a while they'll
sneak in a prompt worth two points but
that's only when they're asking you to
do two things now on your AP exam in May
they're going to give you four of these
saqs and you have to answer three of
them your answers do not need to be
essays they just need to be somewhere in
the neighborhood of two to three
complete sentences and I'll tell you
exactly what I recommend in a moment all
right first step understand the stimulus
and the problem so the first thing you
need to do to answer an essay you is to
understand the stimulus and the problem
I would highly recommend that you mark
up these prompts because say it with me
when you're under pressure you are
dumber than you think now where should
you begin well where you're going to be
tempted to begin is by reading or
looking at the stimulus that's your
Temptation I want you to open your hand
wet it down and smack yourself in the
face that is not where you start you
start by reading the prompts they give
you and here's why you've only got
limited time to write your answers and
if you start by trying to analyze the
stimulus you're wasting time because you
don't even know what you're looking for
so start by reading the three prompts
marking them up and then you can move to
the stimulus after you know what to look
for in it now what should you be marking
in those prompts well three things
number one the category or categories
you're asking you to write about number
two the time period they want you to
write about and number three the
historical thinking skill that needs to
frame your answer so for example here's
the first SAQ from the 2022 AP World
exam first Mark the category they want
you to talk about an economic
development here and a political
development here that's really important
because if your answer doesn't fall in
those categories then no points for you
second you mark the time period if your
answer doesn't fall within those years
no matter how brilliant the answer is no
points for you and third Mark the
historical thinking skill and in this
case you can see here lead 2 and that's
a causation question that means whatever
evidence you use in your short answer
question has got to show causation okay
so now that you understand the prompts
you can move to the stimulus if it has
so look at it and Mark it up with what
you need to answer the prompts and now
let's move on to how to answer that how
everyone has their favorite acronym for
answering saqs but for my money the best
one is t-e-a-t topic sentence
explanation of evidence and Analysis and
let me explain your topic sentence is a
single declarative sentence that
essentially restates the important parts
of the prompt and names a piece of
evidence and that's important not
because it earns you a point but because
it ensures that you stay on topic which
does earn you the point so consider this
prompt from the 2022 AP Euro exam
describe one significant cultural or
intellectual change during the
Renaissance my topic sentence would go
like this one significant intellectual
change during the Renaissance was the
emphasis on humanism so look I restated
the important parts of the prompt to
keep me on task and I named the evidence
that shows the change the second part
then is to explain my evidence and
really that just means to Define so mine
would go something like this humanism
described the Renaissance belief in the
unlimited potential of human beings as
ends in themselves now if you did those
two things you're probably feeling
pretty good about yourself but you need
to go one step further and then Analyze
That evidence and that means you need to
show how your evidence proves your topic
sentence now look carefully I'm talking
about an intellectual change during the
Renaissance and I've said that it's
humanism and then I've defined so I've
named the change but I haven't shown how
the change occurred and that is
essential so my third sentence will go
like this prior to the Renaissance the
prevailing view of human potential was
limited by the widespread belief of the
doctrine of original sin but because of
the Innovative work of petrock and other
humanists a new confidence and human
potential began to emerge during the
Renaissance those three sentences will
get you a point you may be objecting
right now saying that's way too much to
talk about highly like can it be any
simpler than that if you would ask me a
year ago I would have said yes it can be
simpler but today my answer is no and
let me explain you may have noticed that
you have basically three task verbs
consistently showing up you have
identified describe and explain what
I've always taught is that for an
identity fi prompt all you had to do was
write a topic sentence and that's it so
for this prompt I would have told you to
write one economic development that led
to the situation on the map was the
force free trade agreements between
Britain and China following the Opium
War just identified the economic
development done but I am no longer
advising that and here's why now even
though the College Board themselves told
us what identify means in their own
course and exam description and that
answer that I just gave meets that bar
at the national reading for AP World
this year the people who scored these
did not give the point unless you also
explained the evidence and that is
madness now as far as I know that only
happened at the AP World reading but if
it can happen there it might happen in
the other subject as well so my advice
is to T every answer that way you'll
never be tricked by the AP overlords who
don't even abide by their own standard
all right well if you need more help
with AP History writing then click right
here and grab my apsa Cram Course and
I've got way more writing videos right
here that are going to help you with all
the other essays as well so I'll catch
you on the flip-flop I'm around
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