Get a PERFECT SCORE on the SAQ (APUSH, AP World, & AP Euro)

Heimler's History
27 Oct 202205:22
EducationalLearning
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TLDRThe video script offers a comprehensive guide for students tackling Short Answer Questions (SAQs) in APUSH, AP World, and AP Euro exams. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the prompts and categorizing them based on the stimulus provided. The script introduces a three-part formula—T-E-A (Topic Sentence, Explanation of Evidence, and Analysis)—for constructing effective responses. The speaker advises against beginning with the stimulus, instead recommending to first mark up and understand the prompts. The script also addresses changes in the scoring rubric, highlighting the necessity of not only identifying but also explaining and analyzing evidence to earn points, a shift from previous advice. The speaker offers additional resources for further assistance with AP History writing.

Takeaways
  • 📝 Understand the structure of a short answer question (SAQ) - it can be either stimulus-based with three prompts (A, B, C) or without stimulus but with three scoring prompts.
  • 🎯 Start by reading and marking up the prompts rather than the stimulus to save time and ensure you know what to look for.
  • 📌 Mark the category, time period, and historical thinking skill required in the prompts to guide your answer.
  • 📈 For stimulus-based questions, analyze the document or image after understanding the prompts to find relevant information.
  • 📝 Use the TEA (Topic Sentence, Explanation of Evidence, Analysis) formula to structure your SAQ response effectively.
  • 👉 The topic sentence should restate the prompt and introduce a piece of evidence, ensuring you stay on topic.
  • 🔍 In the explanation part, define the key terms and evidence to provide context for your analysis.
  • 🧠 The analysis should show causation or the relationship between the evidence and the topic sentence, proving your point.
  • 🚫 Do not assume that simply identifying or describing is enough - the recent AP World exam scoring suggests the need for explanation and analysis.
  • 📚 Adapt your approach to TEA for every answer to avoid being caught off guard by the AP exam graders' expectations.
  • 💡 Seek additional resources, like the apsa Cram Course, for more guidance on AP History writing and to improve your essay skills.
Q & A

  • What are the two main things one needs to do to successfully answer a short answer question or an SAQ?

    -To successfully answer a short answer question or an SAQ, one needs to understand what is being asked and write about it using a three-part formula.

  • What is the difference between the two types of short answer questions mentioned in the transcript?

    -The first type of short answer question has a stimulus, such as a document or image, followed by three prompts labeled A, B, C. The second type has no stimulus and only three prompts, with each prompt being worth one or two points.

  • How many SAQs will students receive during the AP exam in May, and how many do they have to answer?

    -Students will receive four SAQs during the AP exam in May and they have to answer three of them.

  • What is the recommended structure for answering an SAQ?

    -The recommended structure for answering an SAQ is a three-part formula: a topic sentence (T), an explanation of evidence (E), and an analysis (A).

  • Why is it important to start by reading the prompts rather than the stimulus when approaching an SAQ?

    -Starting by reading the prompts first helps to understand what to look for in the stimulus, saving time and ensuring that the analysis is focused and relevant to the question.

  • What are the three things to mark in the prompts when analyzing an SAQ?

    -The three things to mark in the prompts are the category or categories to write about, the time period to consider, and the historical thinking skill required to frame the answer.

  • How has the scoring guideline for AP History essays changed recently?

    -The recent change in the scoring guideline requires students not only to identify the required elements in their essays but also to explain and analyze the evidence provided, which was not strictly enforced in the past.

  • What does the acronym T-E-A stand for in the context of answering SAQs?

    -In the context of answering SAQs, T-E-A stands for Topic Sentence, Explanation of Evidence, and Analysis.

  • What is an example of a topic sentence for a prompt asking about a significant cultural or intellectual change during the Renaissance?

    -An example of a topic sentence for such a prompt would be: 'One significant intellectual change during the Renaissance was the emphasis on humanism.'

  • How does the speaker suggest showing causation in the evidence for an SAQ?

    -The speaker suggests showing causation by explaining how the evidence provided proves the topic sentence and demonstrates the change or effect being discussed.

  • What advice does the speaker give for students who feel overwhelmed by the complexity of SAQs?

    -The speaker advises students to focus on understanding the prompts and the stimulus, use the T-E-A structure for answering, and not to be tricked by the complexity, as following the recommended structure will ensure they cover all necessary points.

Outlines
00:00
📝 Strategies for Answering Short Answer Questions (SAQs) in AP Exams

This paragraph discusses the approach students should take when answering short answer questions (SAQs) in AP exams such as AP World, AP Euro, and APUSH. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the prompts and the stimulus, marking up the prompts to identify categories, time periods, and historical thinking skills required. The paragraph introduces a three-part formula for answering SAQs: T-E-A (Topic sentence, Explanation of evidence, and Analysis). It advises starting with reading and marking up the prompts before moving on to the stimulus, ensuring that the response is focused and relevant. The speaker also shares a change in their advice due to recent exam scoring trends, recommending a more detailed explanation and analysis of evidence, even for prompts that previously only required identification.

05:00
📚 Adapting to Changes in AP Exam Scoring Standards

The second paragraph addresses the recent changes in AP exam scoring standards and how they impact the advice given for answering SAQs. The speaker notes that even though the College Board provides definitions for task verbs like 'identify', 'describe', and 'explain', the actual scoring may require a more comprehensive approach. The speaker's previous advice was to write a topic sentence for 'identify' prompts, but the new scoring trends indicate that explanations and analyses of evidence are necessary for earning points. The speaker advises students to use the T-E-A method for all answers to ensure they meet the highest standards and avoid being tricked by the AP exam scoring system. The paragraph ends with a call to action for students seeking further help with AP History writing, directing them to additional resources.

Mindmap
Keywords
💡Short Answer Question (SAQ)
A Short Answer Question (SAQ) is a type of question found in exams like APUSH, AP World, or AP Euro, which requires students to provide concise yet complete answers to a given prompt. In the context of the video, SAQs are scored based on the student's ability to understand the question, use relevant evidence, and present a clear argument within two to three sentences. The video emphasizes the importance of structuring SAQ responses effectively to maximize points.
💡Stimulus
In the context of the video, a stimulus refers to the source material provided in an SAQ, such as a document or an image, which students must analyze and use as a basis for their responses. The video advises students to first understand the prompts and only then refer to the stimulus, ensuring that their answers are focused and relevant to the question asked.
💡Prompts
Prompts are the specific questions or instructions that guide students' responses in an SAQ. They often require students to write about particular categories, time periods, or historical thinking skills. The video emphasizes the importance of marking up and understanding these prompts to ensure that the response is on topic and meets the grading criteria.
💡Category
A category in the context of the video refers to the specific thematic or subject area that a student's response must address. For example, a prompt may ask for an economic or political development, and correctly identifying and addressing the required category is crucial for earning points on an SAQ.
💡Time Period
The time period is a specific historical interval that a student's response must relate to when answering an SAQ. The video stresses that responses must be focused within the specified time frame to be considered valid and to earn points, regardless of the brilliance of the answer outside the given time period.
💡Historical Thinking Skill
Historical thinking skills are the analytical methods used to interpret and understand historical events, trends, and sources. In the context of the video, these skills are required to frame the student's answer to an SAQ. For instance, a causation question would require the student to demonstrate how one event led to another, showcasing their ability to analyze historical connections and changes.
💡TEA Structure
The TEA structure is a recommended format for answering SAQs, which stands for Topic Sentence, Explanation of Evidence, and Analysis. The video suggests using this structure to ensure that responses are well-organized and effectively address the prompts. A topic sentence restates the prompt and introduces the evidence, the explanation defines the evidence, and the analysis shows how the evidence supports the topic sentence.
💡Causation
Causation is a historical thinking skill that involves understanding the relationships between events, where one event (the cause) brings about another (the effect). In the context of the video, for a causation question, the student must provide evidence that clearly shows how the identified change occurred due to specific factors or events.
💡Humanism
Humanism is a cultural and intellectual movement that emphasizes the importance of human beings and their potential. In the Renaissance, as mentioned in the video, humanism involved a belief in the unlimited potential of humans. This concept is used as an example of an intellectual change during the Renaissance period, highlighting how humanists like Petrarch contributed to a new confidence in human potential.
💡Original Sin
Original sin is a religious concept that suggests humans inherit a tainted nature and a proclivity to sin due to the first disobedience of Adam and Eve in the biblical narrative. In the video, it is contrasted with the humanist view that emerged during the Renaissance, which challenged the notion of limited human potential based on original sin.
💡AP Exam
The AP Exam, or Advanced Placement Exam, is a series of tests offered by the College Board to high school students in the United States. The video discusses the format and scoring of SAQs in AP History exams, such as AP World History, AP European History, and AP United States History, which are designed to assess students' ability to analyze historical materials and construct coherent arguments.
Highlights

To score points on a short answer question or SAQ, two key actions are required: understanding the question and using a three-part formula for writing.

For AP World, AP Euro, and APUSH exams, the SAQ section can be particularly challenging despite the seemingly simple format.

The anxiety and stress associated with SAQs can lead to existential dread and questioning of life choices for many students.

Understanding the prompts is crucial before analyzing the stimulus material, as it saves time and ensures focus on relevant information.

When marking up prompts, focus on the category, time period, and historical thinking skill required for the answer.

In the 2022 AP World exam, one SAQ asked about economic and political developments, emphasizing the importance of staying within the specified categories for scoring.

The TEA method (Topic Sentence, Explanation of Evidence, Analysis) is recommended for answering SAQs effectively.

The topic sentence should restate the important parts of the prompt and name a piece of evidence to ensure staying on topic.

Explaining evidence involves defining the terms and concepts mentioned in the topic sentence.

Analysis requires showing how the evidence proves the topic sentence, demonstrating the causation or connection between the evidence and the claim made.

The 2022 AP Euro exam included a prompt about cultural or intellectual changes during the Renaissance, where humanism was identified as a significant change.

Even if a response is brilliant, it will not earn points if it does not fall within the specified time period or categories.

Recent changes in AP exam scoring may require more than just identifying or describing; explaining the evidence might now be necessary for earning points.

The advice for AP History writing has evolved, and it is now recommended to use the TEA method for every answer to avoid being tricked by the AP scoring system.

For further assistance with AP History writing, resources such as the APSA Cram Course and additional writing videos are available.

Transcripts

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