AP History Exam Review & Writing Hints

Test Format
Stimulus Based Multiple Choice:
● 55 items, 55 minutes, 40% of the overall score
Short Answer Essays:
● 4 items, 50 minutes, 20% of the overall score
Free Response Questions: (total time 90 minutes)
> Document Based Question (DBQ)
● 1 item, no choice, 55 minutes, 25% of the total score
> Long Essay Question (LEQ)
● 1 items, choose from 2 presented, 35 minutes, 15% of the total score

General Hints for Long Essay Questions

Be aware that most prompts will fit into one of three types:
1. Similarities and Differences
2. Cause and Effect
3. Continuity and Change Over Time

Generic DBQ Format

Opening Paragraph
● Place the prompt in the larger historical context
● Make a clear thesis statement at the end of the paragraph answering all parts of the question
DBQ Body Paragraphs (variable depending on prompt)
● Use all the documents
● Group the documents in appropriate ways
● Analyze point of view in several of the documents
Conclusion
● Suggest a couple of other documents that would be useful and why they would be useful
● Extend the scope of your thesis
● Connect to another topic, era or event

Generic LEQ Format

Opening Paragraph
● Place the prompt in the larger historical context
● Make a clear thesis statement at the end of this paragraph answering all parts of the question
LEQ Body Paragraph #1
● Discuss Similarities, Causes or Continuities
● 3 to 4 points of evidence with some sort of explanation as to “why” (information w/ commentary)
LEQ Body Paragraph #2
● Discuss Differences, Effects or Changes
● 3 to 4 points of evidence with some sort of explanation as to “why”
Conclusion
● Refine your thesis
● Connect to another topic, era or event
Think about major processes in various eras:
● Look on the College Board web page for a list of eras regarding your course
● Think about why these years were chosen for the break points and why they overlap
APUSH Example Era List:
1. 1491-1607
2. 1607-1754
3. 1754-1800
4. 1800-1848
5. 1844-1877
6. 1865-1898
7. 1890-1945
8. 1945-1980
9. 1980-Present Day

Use categories to think about make sense of the processes going on in different
eras:
● Political
● Economic
● Religious
● Social
● Intellectual
● Artistic
● Near (Geography and Demographics)