How to Write a LEQ (Long Essay Question) for APUSH, AP World, & AP Euro

This paragraph introduces the topic of the video, which is about teaching viewers how to write the Long Essay Question (LEQ) for AP World History, AP US History, and AP European History. The speaker mentions that these courses are graded using the same rubric, making the advice applicable to all. The speaker also promotes their APSA cram course, which provides in-depth strategies and examples for writing DBQs, LEQs, and SEQs, and includes exclusive videos not available on YouTube. The video aims to help students prepare for the LEQ, the last part of the exam, which should be a six-point essay written within 40 minutes, choosing from three prompts. The speaker advises on how to prepare for the prompts by understanding the time periods from which they will be drawn.

In this paragraph, the speaker emphasizes the importance of carefully reading the LEQ prompt to avoid common mistakes that lead to lost points. The speaker, drawing from experience as a grader, advises that under pressure, students' cognitive abilities can be impaired. To combat this, the speaker suggests marking up the prompt to identify the historical thinking skill required, such as comparing or discussing change. The speaker also stresses the importance of focusing on the specified time period in the prompt and provides strategies to avoid confusion due to stress, such as writing out the dates. The goal is to understand the prompt thoroughly to set the foundation for a high-scoring essay.

The speaker discusses the first section of the rubric, the thesis, which is worth one point. To earn this point, the thesis must be argumentative, meaning it should present a claim that others can agree or disagree with, and should not merely restate the prompt. The speaker suggests a structure for the thesis that includes a counter-argument, which sets up the essay for complexity later on. The speaker also explains the second rubric section, contextualization, which involves placing the thesis within a larger historical context. The speaker advises doing this before the period in question, using specific historical evidence and demonstrating its relevance to the argument. The paragraph aims to equip students with the knowledge to craft a compelling and well-structured thesis and contextual background for their LEQ.

This paragraph delves into the evidence section of the rubric, where students can earn up to two points. The speaker clarifies the difference between describing and arguing with evidence. Describing evidence involves naming and defining it, while arguing with evidence requires a deeper analysis and connection to the thesis. The speaker provides a detailed paragraph structure for forming an argument, starting with a topic sentence, naming and describing evidence, and then arguing with it to support the thesis. The speaker emphasizes the importance of using specific evidence and making a clear argument to earn the maximum two points in this section. The advice given aims to help students construct well-reasoned and evidence-backed essays.

The final paragraph focuses on the last section of the rubric, the analysis and reasoning section, where up to two points can be earned. The speaker explains that one point is awarded for demonstrating the historical thinking skill requested in the prompt, such as causation, change, or comparison. The speaker suggests that following the advice given earlier in the video will make earning this point attainable. The second point is for complexity, which is more challenging to earn, with only about two percent of essays receiving it. The speaker recommends weaving a counter-argument throughout the essay, supported by specific evidence in each paragraph, as a strategy to earn this point. The paragraph concludes with encouragement for students to apply these strategies to excel in their LEQ writing and offers additional help through the speaker's essay course.