TWO Steps to a Perfect LEQ Score (AP World, APUSH, AP Euro)
TLDRThe video script offers a comprehensive guide on how to excel in writing the Long Essay Question (LEQ) for APUSH, AP World, and AP Euro exams. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the prompt, marking key elements such as time period and historical thinking skills, and crafting a thesis that sets a clear line of reasoning. The script outlines strategies for contextualizing the argument, effectively using evidence to support and challenge the thesis, and employing historical reasoning to earn maximum points. The presenter also suggests resources for further assistance, including an APSA CREM course for in-depth understanding of the rubric and essay writing techniques.
Takeaways
- 📝 The LEQ (Long Essay Question) is a critical part of APUSH, AP World, and AP Euro exams, and scoring a perfect score is achievable with the right approach.
- ⏰ Students have 40 minutes to write the LEQ, which comes after multiple choice, short answer questions, and the DBQ (Document-Based Question).
- 🎯 The College Board provides information on the time periods that will be covered in the LEQ, allowing students to prepare accordingly.
- 🔍 Reading and understanding the prompt is the first step in writing the LEQ, with a focus on identifying the time period, historical thinking skill, and categories to write about.
- 📈 A strong thesis is essential for earning the first point, and it must be historically defensible and establish a clear line of reasoning.
- 🕒 Contextualization is key for the second point, where the thesis argument should be placed within a larger historical context relevant to the time period.
- 📚 Describing and supporting the argument with evidence is crucial for the third and fourth points, with a focus on using specific historical evidence.
- 🧠 Historical reasoning is the basis for the fifth point, where the essay should demonstrate the skill of causation, change, or comparison as required by the prompt.
- 🔥 Complexity and nuance can earn the sixth point, with advice given to use a mix of evidence that both supports and challenges the argument to show a deeper understanding.
- 📌 Marking up the prompt is advised to ensure key elements are not forgotten, especially under pressure during the exam.
- 📈 The rubric for the LEQ is detailed and specific, with points awarded for thesis, contextualization, evidence, and analysis/reasoning.
- 📖 Utilizing additional resources like the APSA Crem course can provide further depth and understanding for writing effective LEQs.
Q & A
What is the LEQ in the context of AP exams?
-The LEQ, or Long Essay Question, is a part of the AP (Advanced Placement) exams such as APUSH (United States History), AP World, and AP Euro (European History). It is the final task in the exam, for which students have 40 minutes to write an essay without any external help or documents.
How does the College Board inform students about the periods from which LEQ questions will be drawn?
-The College Board provides this information in advance within the course and exam descriptions. It is not a mystery and is often presented in a chart format for clarity.
What are the three key elements to mark on the LEQ prompt?
-The three key elements to mark on the LEQ prompt are the time period, the historical thinking skill required (e.g., causation, comparison), and the categories or themes to write about.
What should a thesis in an LEQ do?
-A thesis in an LEQ must be historically defensible, meaning it should make an argument and take a stand on the topic. It should also establish a line of reasoning, showing how the argument will be defended throughout the essay.
How can students ensure they do not write outside the given time period?
-Students should underline or mark the time period mentioned in the prompt. If the period is given in centuries, they should write out the numbers to avoid confusion, such as writing '1900s' for the 20th century.
What is the purpose of the contextualization paragraph in an LEQ essay?
-The contextualization paragraph sets the stage for the argument by providing historical background relevant to the thesis. It should use specific historical evidence and should ideally be placed before the period being discussed.
How many points can be earned for describing evidence in the LEQ rubric?
-Students can earn one point for describing two pieces of evidence related to the prompt. To earn two points, they must support their argument with two pieces of evidence.
What is the difference between describing evidence and supporting an argument with evidence?
-Describing evidence involves naming and defining it, while supporting an argument with evidence requires integrating the evidence into the essay to demonstrate and prove the thesis or sub-arguments.
How can students structure a paragraph to make an argument?
-Students should start with a topic sentence that reflects one of the sub-arguments from the thesis. Then, they should present their evidence and tie it back to the topic sentence and thesis, demonstrating how the evidence supports their argument.
What is the significance of using at least four pieces of evidence in the analysis and reasoning section of the LEQ?
-Using at least four pieces of evidence can help students earn a point for complexity. It demonstrates a nuanced understanding of the topic by supporting the argument with some pieces of evidence while challenging it with others, showing a deeper analysis.
What is the advice for writing a successful LEQ?
-To write a successful LEQ, students should thoroughly understand the prompt, mark key elements, develop a clear and defensible thesis, provide historical context, describe and support their arguments with evidence, and use historical reasoning to make a nuanced argument.
Outlines
📝 Understanding the LEQ Prompt and Structure
This paragraph introduces the Long Essay Question (LEQ) format for various AP history exams, emphasizing its importance and potential difficulty. The speaker explains that the LEQ is the final task in the exam, with a 40-minute time limit and no external help allowed. The speaker advises students to choose the question they are most familiar with and previews the steps to achieve a perfect score. The paragraph also mentions the College Board's provision of time periods for potential essay questions, highlighting the importance of understanding the prompt and marking key details such as time periods and historical thinking skills required.
🎯 Crafting a Thesis and Approaching the Rubric
The speaker delves into the specifics of writing the LEQ, starting with understanding the prompt and marking key elements such as time periods and historical thinking skills. The importance of a thesis that is historically defensible and establishes a line of reasoning is emphasized. The speaker provides a formula for constructing a thesis and explains how to earn the first point in the rubric. The paragraph then discusses the second point for contextualization, advising on setting the historical stage with specific evidence relevant to the prompt. The speaker also touches on the importance of specificity and vocabulary in historical writing.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡LEQ
💡AP Exam
💡Rubric
💡Historical Thinking Skill
💡Thesis
💡Contextualization
💡Evidence
💡Analysis and Reasoning
💡Historical Periods
💡College Board
💡AP Human Geography
Highlights
The LEQ (Long Essay Question) is a critical component of APUSH, AP World, and AP Euro exams, with a standardized rubric across all.
To achieve a perfect score on the LEQ, understanding the provided time period is crucial; mistakes in this area are common among students.
The historical thinking skill required for the essay should be identified and marked from the prompt, as it frames the entire essay.
Categories provided in the prompt must be adhered to; writing about unrelated categories can result in significant point deductions.
The College Board provides information on potential question periods in their course and exam descriptions, allowing for preparation.
A thesis that is historically defensible and establishes a line of reasoning is essential for earning the first point in the rubric.
Contextualization of the thesis argument should be done before the discussed period for clarity and effectiveness.
Specific historical evidence should be used in the contextualization paragraph to set the stage for the argument.
Describing evidence involves naming and defining it, while supporting an argument with evidence requires tying it back to the thesis.
A structured paragraph with a topic sentence, evidence, and reasoning that supports the thesis is crucial for a strong argument.
The analysis and reasoning section of the rubric awards points for using historical reasoning and demonstrating complexity through evidence.
Using at least four pieces of evidence to support and challenge the argument can demonstrate a nuanced understanding, aiding in earning points.
The video provides a formula for constructing a thesis that restates the prompt and outlines the evidence to be used.
The speaker suggests an additional resource, the APsaCrem course, for in-depth strategies on writing DBQs, LEQs, and SAQs for various AP courses.
Transcripts
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