thesis statement example leq

How to Write a DBQ, LEQ, & SAQ

General tips.

• Planning, reading, and annotating documents  (15 minutes) and writing essay (40 minutes) 
• Do NOT answer the question in bullet points.
• Read the question carefully.
• Use the language of the prompt to directly answer the questions.
• Look for key action words and circle them (describe, analyze, explain, identify, etc). 
• Look for plurals (ex: reason vs. reasons), if something is plural you must do two!
• USe specific proper nouns that are given in each part of the question. This will support what you are trying to say and will give you credibility. 

ACE The question

• Answer the question using a claim or topic sentence 
• Cite specific factual evidence
• Explain how the evidence proves the claim

DBQ: Requirements

• A DBQ is a document based question where you take information from given documents and write an essay
• There is no set format for DBQ writing, however there are certain things you have to touch up on which are 
• Thesis/Claim 
• Contextualization 

Analysis and Reasoning 

DBQ: Outline

Contextualization

• Conclusion (if you have time)
• Contextualization includes historical information relevant to the prompt
• Think before, during, and after what you are going to be writing about.
• Should be 3-4 sentences.
•        Last sentence is your thesis statement.

1.A Thesis Statement

• Your thesis statement is trying to prove a point.
• DO NOT RESTATE THE PROMPT.
• Should be 1-2 sentences.
• Be specific! 
• A strong thesis answers the “How” or “Why” question about your topic through a specific language.
• Should include date (can be centuries) and location.
• Ex: “ [Event] changed [example #1], [example #2], and [example #3] realities in [given place] during [date].” 
• Body paragraphs  
• Your body paragraphs go into detail for what you are trying to prove.
• Focus on these main categories (think PERSIANS ) based on your promt (remember, you will not need to cover all of these in your body paragraphs , but these are good ways to get analysis points. Political Social, and Economic are the ones that will show up the most).
• I ntellectual
• N ear (Geographical location)
• S ignificant Figures 

What should be included

• Document citations (you can just say “Doc #” next to where you add your information pertaining to the document).
• Description of document (even if it is a picture of a painting, you still have to describe it).
• Why does the document pertain to your thesis statement?
• For at least half of the documents you need to state at least one of the following and explain why it is relevant
• Credibility; is the document reliable?
• Point of view of the author
• Purpose of the document
• Intended audience (who would support/refute)
• *Remember, the whole point of doing this is to strengthen your argument. Choose something that is relevant to what you are talking about so you can earn points!
• Refresh everything that you have stated BRIEFLY.
• Try to end powerful, you want to show you have a complex understanding on what you are talking about.

Scoring on AP Exam 

Thesis/Claim

Responds to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis/claim that establishes a line of reasoning.

The thesis must make a claim that responds to the prompt rather than restating or rephrasing the prompt. The thesis must consist of one or more sentences located in one place, either in the introduction or the conclusion.

Describes a broader historical context relevant to the prompt.

The response must relate the topic of the prompt to broader historical events, developments, or processes that occur before, during, or continue after the time frame of the question. This point is not awarded for merely a phrase or reference.

Evidence from Documents

Uses content of 

At least three documents to address the topic of the prompt

Supports an argument in response to the prompt using at least six documents

Evidence from Beyond the Documents 

Uses at least one additional piece of the specific historical evidence (beyond that found in the documents) relevant to an argument about the prompt.

To earn one point, the response must accurately describe — rather than simply quote — the content from at least three of the documents. 

To earn two points, the response must accurately describe — rather than simply quote — the content from at least six documents. In addition, the response must use the content of the documents to support an argument in response to the prompt

To earn one point, the response must accurately describe — rather than simply quote — the content from at least three of the documents. To earn two points, the response must accurately describe — rather than simply quote — the content from at least six documents. In addition, the response must use the content of the documents to support an argument in response to the prompt

 For at least three documents, explains how or why the document’s point of view, purpose, historical situation, and/or audience is relevant to an argument. 

Demonstrates a complex understanding of the historical development that is the focus of the prompt, using evidence to corroborate, qualify, or modify an argument that addresses the question.

To earn this point, the response must explain how or why (rather than simply identifying) the document’s point of view, purpose, historical situation, or audience is relevant to an argument about the prompt for each of the three documents sourced. 

A response may demonstrate a complex understanding in a variety of ways, such as: • Explaining nuance of an issue by analyzing multiple variables • Explaining both similarity and difference, or explaining both continuity and change, or explaining multiple causes, or explaining both cause and effect • Explaining relevant and insightful connections within and across periods • Confirming the validity of an argument by corroborating multiple perspectives across themes • Qualifying or modifying an argument by considering diverse or alternative views or evidence This understanding must be part of the argument. 

(from AP history DBQ rubric (7 points) - MRCASEYHISTORY. (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2023, from https://mrcaseyhistory.files.wordpress.com/2018/03/ap-dbq-rubric-and-reasoning-skills.pdf ) 

LEQ: Requirements

• An LEQ is long essay question that is usually compare/contrast or cause/effect.
• Thesis based prompt. 
• Should take around 40-50 minutes.
• 15% of total grade. 
• You do NOT NEED to have a five paragraph essay, you need as many to make your point.

LEQ: Outline

• Body paragraph #1
• Body paragraph #2
• Conclusion (if you have extra time). 
•        Last Sentence is your thesis statement.
• Your thesis statement is what you are trying to prove.
• A strong thesis answers the “How” or “Why” question about your topic through a specific language. 
• Should have at least three points 
• ex:  if you are comparing and contrasting the French and American Revolutions,  you can have two differences and one similarity, or one similarly and two differences. 
• “While both [topic 1] and [topic 2] are similar in [similarity #1], they are different in terms of [difference #1] and [difference #2].”
• Body paragraphs 
• Your body paragraphs go into detail for what you are trying to prove
• Start each paragraph with a topic sentence.
• Ex: X caused significant [selected PERSIANS] change during [given period].
• Focus on these main categories (think PERSIANS ) based on your prompt (remember, you will not need to cover all of these in your body paragraphs , but these are good ways to get analysis points. Political, Social, and Economic are the ones that will show up the most).
• Specific examples and analysis to prove your thesis.
• Background information (bringing in an outside source of information) (ex: if you are talking about American and French Revolutions, you can talk about the Haitian Revolution). 
• BE AS SPECIFIC AS POSSIBLE.
• However if you do not know something, do not make something up.

Scoring on AP Exam

Scoring Criteria

Decision Rules

Provides specific examples of evidence relevant to the topic of the prompt.

Supports an argument in response to the prompt using specific and relevant examples of evidence.

To earn one point, the response must identify specific historical examples of evidence relevant to the topic of the prompt.

To earn two points the response must use specific historical evidence to support an argument in response to the prompt.

Analysis and Reasoning

Uses historical reasoning (e.g. comparison, causation, CCOT) to frame or structure an argument that addresses the prompt.

To earn the first point, the response must demonstrate the use of historical reasoning to frame or structure an argument, although the reasoning might be uneven or imbalanced.

To earn the second point, the response must demonstrate a complex understanding. This can be accomplished in a variety of ways, such as:

• Explaining nuance of an issue by analyzing multiple variables

• Explaining both similarity and difference, or explaining both continuity and change, or explaining multiple causes, or explaining both causes and effects

• Explaining relevant and insightful connections within and across periods

• Confirming the validity of an argument by corroborating multiple perspectives across themes

• Qualifying or modifying an argument by considering diverse or alternative views or evidence This understanding must be part of the argument, not merely a phrase or reference.

(From AP history long essay question (LEQ) rubric (6 points). (n.d.). Retrieved March 2, 2023, from http://www.sultztonianinstitute.com/uploads/7/8/5/5/7855396/leq-rubric.pdf ) 

SAQ: Requirements

• An SAQ (Short answer question) allows students to show their knowledge to answer questions from key concepts through a few sentences.
• Does not require a thesis statement.
• Does require complete sentences.
• Usually broken into parts A,B, and C, but sometimes one section might ask two questions (for example, part A might ask two questions and B will ask one) but there will always be three questions asked. 
• There is limited space to answer, so be careful not to overwrite!
• At least half of the questions will include a reference of some sort (ex: photos, charts, graphs) that could be primary or secondary.
• 40 minutes in total to answer all SAQs.

SAQ: Scoring

• Each part of the SAQ is worth 1 point, therefore there are 9 possible points to earn.
• Worth 20% of overall grade (most students who get a 5 get at least 7/9 points on the SAQ).
• Considered “rough drafts” (grammatical errors will not count against you).
• Points are earned through historical accuracy, quality of explanations, and depth of description that answer the question. 
• Remember points are only earned on AP exams. If you do not know something the worst thing you could do is not answer. ANSWER EVERYTHING!

SAQ Outline Example

• The Neolithic Revolution has been seen by many historians as the biggest cause of the early advent of civilizations.
• a)  Identify and explain ONE argument that supports the assertion above.
• b)  Identify and explain ONE argument that refutes the assertion above.
• c)  Explain which is more useful, (a) or (b), in evaluating the assertion above.

Scoring Guide for the above question

●  One point for ​identifying​ and explaining​ one argument that supports the Neolithic Revolution being the biggest cause of the early advent of civilizations. .

• ●  One point for ​identifying​ and explaining​ one argument that refutes (disproves) the idea that the Neolithic Revolution was the biggest cause of the early advent of civilizations.
• ●  One point for ​explaining ​which argument, (a) or (b), is more useful in evaluating the assertion that the Neolithic Revolution was the biggest cause of the early advent of civilizations.

(Birdville ISD / Overview. (n.d.). from https://www.birdvilleschools.net/ ) 

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AP® US History

The ultimate guide to the 2015 ap® us history leq.

• The Albert Team
• Last Updated On: March 1, 2022

Only at the very end of the AP® U.S. History exam do you reach the Long Essay Question (LEQ). As a result, the LEQ is a challenge for even the most prepared test-taker. By this point in the exam, you are mentally exhausted, your hand is tired from writing all the other free response questions, and you just want to go home. That is what makes it so important that you practice for the exam so that even when you’re worn out, you’ll still be able to get the full six points on the AP® U.S. History LEQ.

In this post, we will help you prepare for this part of the test by walking through how the LEQ is scored, with specific examples from the 2015 U.S. History LEQ. By the end of the post, we hope you will be more confident in your ability to succeed on this year’s LEQ. So, let’s get started! Before we get into the specifics of the 2015 questions, though, let us review the overall format of the LEQ in the AP® U.S. History exam.

Format of the AP® US History LEQ

For the 2016 test, the CollegeBoard implemented a new format and rubric for grading the Free Response section of the AP® U.S. History Exam (see here ). Here we will focus on the revised format and rubric, addressing how the 2015 LEQ questions would have been scored under the new system and how you can succeed on this year’s LEQ. Be careful, though, when using resources from before 2016 that focus on the old AP® U.S. History exam format.

The LEQ occurs in the last half of the second section of the exam. It is the final part the exam and lasts for a total of 35 minutes. You will be asked to pick one of two questions to answer, and your response will count for a total of 15% of the overall exam score (see here ). Ideally, you should probably spend about five minutes outlining and the remaining thirty minutes writing the actual response.

The CollegeBoard grades you based on four general categories (with points indicated in parentheses), for a total of six points overall:

• Argument Development Using Targeted Historical Thinking Skill (2)
• Argument Development Using Evidence (2)
• Synthesis (1)

Note that you earn each point in the rubric independently and you will need to show unique evidence for each point (see here ). Thus, you can’t get both a Thesis and Argument Development point from the same sentence.

For the remainder of the piece, let us dive deeper into what each one of these point categories mean and how you can be sure to get all of the points for each one. We will use the 2015 questions and student responses as our examples. Let’s briefly look at the questions and then we will address what students did well and what they did poorly in answering the questions in 2015.

The 2015 LEQ Questions

For the 2015 AP® U.S. History exam, the CollegeBoard asked students to respond to either of the following two LEQs (see here ):

“Evaluate the extent to which the Seven Years’ War (French and Indian War, 1754-1763) marked a turning point in American relations with Great Britain.

In the development of your argument, analyze what changed and what stayed the same from the period before the war to the period after it. (Historical thinking skill: Periodization)”

“Evaluate the extent to which the Mexican-American War (1846-1848) marked a turning point in the debate over slavery in the United States.

The 4 Keys to LEQ Success

The key to LEQ success is to follow the rubric closely. The CollegeBoard looks for concrete evidence that you have completed each element of the rubric. If you have them, you’ll earn points. If you don’t, you will not. There is no partial credit on the AP® exam. Let’s take a look at the general rubric categories you need to touch upon to earn credit on the AP® U.S. History LEQ.

1. Write a Strong Thesis

For the first point in the rubric, the CollegeBoard demands a strong thesis: a historically defensible claim or argument that addresses all parts of the question (see here ). Your thesis should be a relatively easy point for you to achieve because your entire essay depends on having an argument you wish to make—a stand you take on the question. It is simply a matter of stating that overarching argument clearly, either in the introduction or the conclusion. Let us take a look at what made a successful LEQ thesis statement for students taking the 2015 AP® U.S. History exam.

For the first LEQ question about the French and Indian War, you must address the entire question: evaluating the extent to which the Seven Years’ War marked a turning point in American relations with Great Britain. Thus, if you choose to answer this one, you must make a historically defensible claim about the period. For instance, one student argues (see here ):

“The French and Indian War marked a major turning point in American relations with Great Britain, with changes such as increased British control and anti-British sentiment in the colonies, but also continuities such as loyalty to Britain that remained largely untouched by the war”.

Note that the student provides specific historical examples of things that changed with the French and Indian War (that they will follow up on in their essay with evidence) and clearly states their argument that the war marked a major turning point in American relations with Great Britain. A good example of a thesis from the second 2015 LEQ option might be as follows (see here ):

“The Mexican-American War marked a huge turning point in the debate over slavery because it brought to light the controversy of territorial self- determination and asked the question that would define America on a fundamental level: is this country one of slavery or one of freedom?”

This student argues that the Mexican-American war was a turning point and also specifically discusses its relationship to slavery, which they will address for the remainder of the essay. Note, however, that one answer is not necessarily the only answer. For instance, this student earned a thesis point for arguing that the war was not a turning point in the debate over slavery (see here ):

“The Mexican-American War was not a significant turning point in the debate over slavery because sectional divisions over the Mexican Cession did not increase until after the Compromise of 1850, a much more significant turning point.”

You will want to make sure that you can support your thesis statement to get the remaining points for the LEQ, but there is a bit of flexibility in how you can get the “Thesis” point of the rubric.

One way not to get “Thesis” credit on the U.S. History LEQ is to provide only a vague restatement of the question. For instance, this student’s thesis for the Seven Years’ War prompt fails to fully address the question (see here ):

“The Seven Years’ War was a major event in the world’s history, and it played an important role in shaping many nations.”

While the student does make an assertion, they do not evaluate the extent to which the war was a turning point in American relations with Great Britain, nor do they link the war to changes in relations with Great Britain. By not addressing the entirety of the question, the student did not receive credit for the “Thesis” portion of the grading rubric. Similarly, this student address only part of the second LEQ prompt about the Mexican-American War (see here ):

“The Mexican-American War marked a turning point in the debate over slavery in the U.S.”

To receive credit for this thesis, the student should have responded to the entire question, specifically evaluating the extent to which the war was a turning point. If your reader couldn’t read anything from your essay but your thesis, they should still be able to capture your entire argument from the thesis statement alone. When you practice writing theses, be sure to look at them and ask yourself whether or not you can do this: does your thesis completely address the question? If so, you’re ready to further develop your thesis argument with your historical thinking skills and specific historical evidence.

2. Apply Historical Thinking Skills

You will notice at the bottom of each LEQ option, the CollegeBoard prints a “Targeted Historical Thinking Skill”. For the 2015 exam, both of these historical thinking skills were “Periodization,” meaning the graders want you to describe and explain the extent to which the historical development specified in the prompt was different from and similar to developments that preceded and followed it (see here ). Specifically, you will receive one point for successfully describing this period change and a separate point for explaining the extent to which the historical development was similar to or different from developments that preceded and followed it.

Other examples of Historical Thinking Skills you might see on this year’s exam include Causation, Comparison, and Change and Continuity over Time (see here ). For each one of these, you will also be asked to describe the elements involved the causation, comparison, or change/continuity for one point and then explain how they played a role in causation, comparison, or change/continuity.

In the 2015 exam, both questions were “Periodization” questions, however, so let us get to the bottom of how “Periodization” questions are scored:

Your first point for using the Targeted Historical Thinking skill demands that you describe the ways in which the historical development in the prompt differed from or was similar to developments that preceded and followed it. One student writing on the French and Indian War, for instance, focused on similarities between the periods before and after the war as a means of developing their overall thesis that the war was not a turning point in American relations with Great Britain (see here ):

“Both before and after the war, officials attempted to place taxes on colonial goods to finance the empire.”

For this statement, the student earned a point for describing a similarity that carried on before and after the war in support of their thesis. Another student working on the second prompt about the Mexican-American War successfully emphasized the differences between pre- and post-war periods (see here ):

“The Mexican War did exacerbate sectionalism significantly. Before the war, the debate over the expansion of slavery and the balance of free and slave states had been somewhat settled by the Missouri Compromise. However, in the Treaty of Guadalupe – Hidalgo, the U.S. was granted vast new lands, including California and New Mexico. Debate immediately ensued over the state of slavery in the new lands.”

Once you have earned a point for either describing differences and similarities between periods before and after the time frame described in the prompt, you must explain the extent of these differences and similarities for the second point. For instance, differences or similarities that are limited to a particular city or medium have a very different pragmatic impact than do those that occur across the country in a variety of mediums. For instance, one student explains the extent of discontent before and after the French and Indian war, as follows (see here ):

“Discontent became a major change in Anglo-American relations with one another as protest grew to British involvement in American affairs and duties. Before the war, Americans were okay with some taxes and controlled trade restrictions, but the sudden and seemingly illegal tax actions forced protests and traitorous talks, none of which had been prominent before the war.”

The student goes beyond simply describing differences between periods (as required for the first point) and addresses the extent to which they occur (via protests and traitorous talks, for instance). Another student (who had already addressed the level of debate before the war), explains the differences after the Mexican-American War in the second prompt as (see here ):

“After the Mexican- American War, the debate became over what to do with the newly acquired territory and ultimately led to the creation of new parties. … Though the United States was unwilling to admit it, the political aspect of the country was turning into one all about slavery. The demographic of political parties changed and foreshadowed the civil war.”

This student addresses the extent of differences in the demographic composition of the political parties themselves. The key is to tie in an explanation of this extent to a description of the differences and similarities between previous and later periods. If you provide both a description and an explanation of the extent to which these differences and similarities were true, you will receive two points for this section of the rubric.

If on the other hand, you are unable to describe and explain the differences between events before and after the prompt’s period of interest, you will not receive the two points for this section of the rubric. For instance, this student confused the period under question (see here ):

“The U.S. and Great Britain had been on bad terms ever since the American Revolution.”

Since the American Revolution occurred after the French and Indian War, this cannot be an adequate description of the period before the war. Thus, they would not receive a point for their description. Even if you have a factually correct description, however, you may not receive a point if that description is off-topic. For instance, this student’s response to the Mexican-American War prompt does not tie directly into the slavery debate—an essential part of the question (see here ):

“After the Mexican-American War, U.S. gained land in the southwest. Because this would upset the balance of slave and free states too much, the government decided to implement popular sovereignty.”

While the student mentions slavery, they do not complete their thought on why (or if) this relates to the slavery debate itself. As such, they did not earn a point for their description.

Similarly, you will not receive the second point for your explanation of the extent of differences and similarities if you provide only a vague statement or do not clearly tie your writing in to answer the question provided in the prompt. For instance, this student does not move beyond the description of differences phase, providing only a vague statement about the extent (see here ):

“When the war began, colonists did take up arms to assist the British and protect their land, but it wasn’t until the war ended that relations began to change between the colonies and the motherland.”

Likewise, this student writing the from the Mexican-American war prompt provides only a vague description of the differences between periods, without clearly addressing the extent to which the difference was true (see here ):

“When the war ended, the acquisition of new land led to debates over the status of slavery in those territories.”

The key for this point is to be clear. For a periodization question like the ones in 2015, you want to make sure your graders know that you can effectively describe the periods before and after the period in question. Once you have described the periods, then you want to be able to explain the extent to which your description holds. If you do both of these things, you will receive two points for the section.

3. Support Your Argument with Specific Evidence

Up to this point, we have covered three out of five points you can earn through the LEQ rubric. You earn an additional two points by developing your argument by “Using Evidence”. On the exam, you should be able to provide specific, relevant historical examples that address the topic of the question (for one point) and (for a second point) support or substantiate your thesis (see here ).

Some acceptable evidential references that relate to the Seven Years’ War topic might be, for instance (see here ):

• British debt from the Seven Years’ War
• Colonial attitudes toward autonomy before the war
• Similar intellectual and religious attitudes between the colonies and Britain before the war
• Imperial policies in the wake of the Seven Years’ War
• Colonial resentments over treatment of colonial forces by British regulars
• British efforts to pacify and negotiate with American Indians
• Albany Plan of Union

Likewise, if you chose the Mexican-American War LEQ, you might choose to use some of the following acceptable evidence (see the complete list of acceptable evidence here ):

• Manifest Destiny
• Missouri Compromise (1820)
• Increasing fear of slave power
• William Lloyd Garrison, The Liberator (1830)
• Frederick Douglass
• Annexation of Texas (1845)
• Opposition to Mexican–American War among northern Whigs
• Abraham Lincoln’s Spot Resolutions (1846)
• Wilmot Proviso

The key is that you provide some evidence that is relevant to the topic at hand. As long as you do, you will earn a point for this first part of the “Using Evidence” portion of the rubric. This point should be a relatively easy one for you to get if you review your course notes before the exam. To earn this first evidence point, you do not even need to have a stated thesis or a relevant argument—only reference to a relevant piece of historical information (see here ). So, even if you know nothing about the question but a single relevant fact, you will be able to get at least one point for it.

To receive the second point in the “Using Evidence” section of the rubric, however, you need to provide evidence that substantiates your thesis or a related argument. For instance, the CollegeBoards states that acceptable evidence for arguing that the Seven Years’ War was less important as a turning point in different areas might include (see here ):

• The attitudes of everyday colonists
• Trans-Atlantic exchanges throughout the period
• Longstanding trans-Atlantic belief systems including republicanism, natural rights, the Enlightenment, and the Great Awakening
• Unchanged labor systems, including slavery
• The Zenger trial or other events illustrating a growth of distinct colonial identity well before the war
• Previous British policies of mercantilism.

On the other hand, for the same question, evidence that could be used to argue the Seven Years’ War was a major turning point in different areas might include (see here ):

• Taxation and efforts of Britain to assert greater control over colonial affairs
• The fact that British troops remained in the American colonies, there was a standing army, and the Quartering Act of 1765
• The passage of the Proclamation of 1763 to prevent movement of settlers across the Appalachians
• The passage of the Sugar Act (Revenue Act)

For each of these pieces of evidence, you need to make specific reference back to your thesis or relevant argument, demonstrating how this piece of evidence develops the overall argument of your essay to answer the exam prompt.

In the same way, examples of acceptable evidence that could be used to argue the Mexican–American War was not a turning point might include (see here ):

• Ongoing debates over slavery that continued before and after the war with William Lloyd Garrison, as well as The Liberator (1830), and the passage of the Gag Rule before the war
• Prior expansion of slavery into the Texas territories and debates over this expansion, including debates over Texas annexation
• Possibly more significant turning points, such as The Compromise of 1850 or the Kansas–Nebraska Act.

In contrast, evidence that could be used to argue the Mexican–American War was, in fact, a turning point might include (see here ):

• The increased debate over “free soil” and expansion of slavery
• The debates surrounding the Wilmot Proviso
• The need for addressing the influx of new territories and the effect that had on increasing sectional debates over slavery
• The changes to the political party system, including the death of the Whigs and the rise of the Republican Party, much of it centered on issues of expansion of slavery into the territories acquired by through the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.

If you successfully use a piece of evidence like those listed to substantiate your thesis, you will receive a point for the “Using Evidence” section of the LEQ. The key point here is to make sure you support your arguments with evidence. The CollegeBoard does not want you to be tossing around statements without providing clear evidence to support them.

The first point in the “Using Evidence” section gives you a lot of leeway regarding how you earn it. You simply need to mention a relevant piece of evidence to the prompt and you can earn points for your response. However, even if you provide a piece of evidence, you will not necessarily get points for it if it is not relevant to the question or true. For instance, this student confuses the chronology of events when trying to answer the Seven Years’ War LEQ (see here ):

“Some examples of the harsher rules and taxes that were enacted after the war were the Navigation Acts …”

The Navigation Acts were first enacted long before the start of the Seven Years’ War. As a result, even though they the acts did exist, the student did not receive a point because they incorrectly identified how the facts relate to the prompt.

Besides providing chronologically incorrect evidence, however, you can also lose the first point in the “Using Evidence” section by failing to connect it to all aspects of the question. For instance, a student writing about the Mexican-American War failed to clearly connect their evidence to the debate over slavery (see here ):

“The Missouri Compromise was an act that banned slavery in states above a certain parallel. The Kansas-Nebraska Act allowed for popular sovereignty in those new states west of the Mississippi.”

You earn a second point in the “Using Evidence” section of the rubric by substantiating your thesis or relevant argument with evidence. However, if you do not fully explain how the evidence supports your thesis, you will not receive credit for your answer. For instance, this student provides evidence, but does not explain how their evidence supports the argument that the Seven Years’ War was a turning point in American relations with Great Britain (see here ):

“The Seven Years’ War marks a turning point because the colonists refused to agree to British demands.”

The student needs to address more fully how and why colonists’ refusal marks a change from previous periods for this evidence to constitute any substantiation. For this point, the CollegeBoard wants you to engage with the evidence and not just list it out in a rote, memorized fashion. An additional example of unacceptable evidence to substantiate a thesis or relevant argument from a student who chose to answer the Mexican-American War LEQ is as follows (see here ):

“The Compromise of 1850 was drafted that made more of the newly acquired states free, and to appease the South it created the fugitive slave law, which returned ‘escaped’ slave to their owners, but this was abused since many slaves captured and returned were free.”

While this example features a more detailed example than the last one, the student still does not explain how their evidence supports the argument that the war was or was not a turning point in the slavery debate. To earn the second point in the “Using Evidence” portion of the grading rubric, you must use the evidence in service of your argument. In other words, you need to clearly explain how it fits into the larger argument of your thesis.

4. Synthesize Your Argument with Another Historical Development or Course Theme

In the previous sections, we have covered five of the six total points you can earn on the U.S. History LEQ . The final point you can earn is the “Synthesis” point. To earn this final point, the CollegeBoard wants you to extend your argument by explaining a connection between the argument and a development in a different historical period, geographic area, or historical theme (see here ). To get the point, you need to not just mention, but to explain why there is a connection between your argument and an outside theme or development. If you do so, you will earn the final point for the LEQ.

One student, for instance, tied together the results of the French and Indian War with those of the later French Revolution (see here ):

“The French and Indian War’s results were similar to what took place in the French Revolution later on, in that debt from the war helped cause colonial independence from Great Britain, while the debt from involvement in the American Revolution helped inspire the French Revolution.”

They used a completely different period and context to build on their existing argument for why the French and Indian War was a turning point for Americans. As a result, this excerpt earned a point for “Synthesis.”

Similarly, another student compared changing attitudes towards slavery during the Mexican-American War to President Johnson’s later War on Poverty and its effects on the Civil Rights Movement (see here ):

“The increased tensions over the debate over slavery that resulted from the Mexican-American War continued to show themselves in racial tensions in the Civil War and beyond. These tensions boiled up again in the 1960’s as Southerners fought the expansion of rights to African Americans. While the Mexican-American War amounted to a great turning point in the debate over slavery, Johnson’s War on Poverty amounted to a turning point in the Civil Rights Movement.”

Note, however, that you do not need to compare your argument to another historical development to earn the “Synthesis” point. You can also receive the point by addressing how your question might be interpreted from an alternative historical theme. For instance, one student spent their entire essay analyzing the Seven Years’ War from the perspective of political policy and attitude, but compared how an economic perspective might shed light on the question (see here ):

“While the Seven Years’ War changed political policies and attitudes, it also affected economic and commercial ties, as British taxation began to enforce mercantilist policies.”

Likewise, in a political essay about the Mexican-American War, another student discusses other social factors that also played a role in the differences the war created (see here ):

In an otherwise political essay: “The Mexican War created political imbalance because the balance between slave and free states from the Missouri Compromise ended. This loss of power in Congress resulted in an increase in the slave owners’ oppression of their slaves. They were afraid of also losing control of the social class structure seen in the South and the risk of losing their social and economic status. So the political crisis caused by the Mexican War also had a social element as well.”

The key is that all of these successful “Synthesis” points draw upon something external to their central argument or period of inquiry to extend their argument and demonstrate how it fits into the bigger scheme of history.

On the other hand, if you do not explain the connection between two contexts as they relate to the question, you will not receive a point. For instance, this student makes comparisons to the Seven Years’ War but does not explain how each of these conflicts served to foster revolutions in the external contexts (see here ):

“The anger caused by Britain’s strong handed actions left the land of the colonies fertile for the seeds of Revolution to grow in the same way they were in France, Haiti, and other soon to revolt countries of the time.”

To earn the “Synthesis” point, the student would need to expand more on how these other conflicts unfolded and how those processes correspond with the process of history in prompt’s period of interest more generally.

Similarly, another student compares the Mexican-American War to the Spanish-American War regarding land acquisition and imperialism, but does not address the central issue of the exam prompt—slavery (see here ):

“This era is very similar to that of the very late 1800’s in which the U.S. instigated a war with Spain to attain land, as done in Mexico during this period.”

It is not enough to simply state a similarity between the periods. The comparison must be relevant to the overall thesis of your essay and the LEQ itself.

Regarding thematic comparisons, the CollegeBoard emphasizes that students might similarly fail to adequately connect the alternate theme to the primary one used in their argument (see here ). However, one of the main problems for students attempting thematic comparisons is that they fail to address the thesis from an alternative theme at all. For instance, this student spent the majority of the essay discussing political reasons that the French and Indian War was a turning point and said (see here ):

“The war caused changes to political beliefs for both colonists and British officials.”

While this statement may be true, it does not represent an alternative theme from the dominant theme they used throughout their essay. Therefore, the student could not receive points for bringing up the “political” historical theme. They would need to bring up related Economic or Social thematic issues for instance.

Moving Forward

Now that you have seen examples of 2015 students who have succeeded on the AP® U.S. History LEQ and those who have not, it’s time for you try your hand at practice LEQs.

Try and write an answer to both of the questions described in this post with a 35-minute timer. Then, check and see how well you did at earning each one of the six points described in this post.

If you practice enough, writing LEQs will become automatic, and however tired you are by the time you reach the LEQ section of the exam, you will at least have confidence that you can succeed.

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How to Ace the AP World History DBQ: Rubric, Examples, and Tips

Advanced Placement (AP)

AP World History is a challenging class, and in order to get credit for it you’ll have to take an equally challenging exam. And one of the toughest parts of the test is the AP World History document-based question, or AP World DBQ. This question asks you to read and analyze documents on the fly, then write an argumentative essay…all in one hour. 

It can be hard to know what–and how–to study for the AP World History DBQ, especially when you don’t know which documents you’ll receive on test day. But don’t worry: we’ll break down everything you need to know about the AP World History DBQ so you can ace it on test day. (We’ll even give you AP World History DBQ example questions and an AP World History DBQ rubric example!) 

Here’s what we’ll cover:

• An explanation of what the AP World History DBQ is 
• A look at how the DBQ works on the AP World History exam
• A step-by-step process for tackling the AP World History DBQ
• A guide to studying for and answering the AP World History DBQ

Let’s get going!

What Is an AP World History DBQ? 

The document-based question (DBQ) is a question on the AP World History exam in which you are given a selection of seven documents and are asked to write an essay that incorporates information from at least six of them in a coherent argument based on a given prompt.

In other words: you’ll be writing an essay on a topic and incorporating resources that you’re given on the day of the exam! 

The DBQ tests over a wide range of skills , like writing, organizing thoughts, making arguments, making connections between different perspectives, and having a knowledge of world history. Yeah, the DBQs are definitely tough! That’s why it’s important to understand what the DBQ APWH is and how to best tackle it. 

How DBQs Work on the AP World History Exam

The DBQ format AP World History uses consists of a single open-ended prompt , and will focus on the time period of 1450-2001 .

Of the two free response questions, one is a long essay (worth 15%) and one is a DBQ. This means that the sole DBQ is, by itself, worth 25% of your total grade, making it the single most heavily-weighted question on the AP World History exam.  

Here are some actual AP World History DBQ examples from previous years’ AP World History exams:

• “Evaluate the extent to which economic factors led to the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920).” ( 2021 )
• “Evaluate the extent to which the Portuguese transformed maritime trade in the Indian Ocean in the sixteenth century.” ( 2019 )
• “Evaluate the extent to which railroads affected the process of empire-building in Afro-Eurasia between 1860 and 1918.” ( 2018 )

Of course, one of the things that makes AP DBQ questions unique is that you’ll be given seven documents to analyze as part of your essay response. Not only will you have to read and analyze these documents on exam day, you’ll have to include them as evidence in your essay to prove your argument! 

The seven documents you’ll receive will be a mixture of: 

• Primary texts : texts that were actually written in the time period you’re being asked about 
• Secondary texts : texts written by later historians that explain or interpret the time period 
• Images: usually either political cartoons or artwork from the time period 

How many of each type of document you get varies by year, so you’ll need to be comfortable using all three types to support an essay-based argument. 

To answer the AP World History DBQ, you’ll have to read through all seven documents and write an argumentative essay that answers the prompt. So not only will you have to come up with an arguable point, you’ll have to prove that thesis using evidence contained in at least three of the seven documents. If you want to earn full credit for your DBQ, you’ll actually have to use six of the seven documents to support your position! 

Just like in a sport, understanding how to score points on your DBQ is key to doing well on your exam. 

Understand the AP World DBQ Rubric

First, y ou need to understand what the expectations are and how your answer will be graded. Doing this will help you figure out what you need to study and which skills you need to brush up on. It’ll also ensure that you know exactly what a great DBQ response requires so that you earn as many points as possible! 

The good news is that the College Board has provided the AP World History DBQ rubric 2021 as part of their 2021 AP World History: Modern Sample Student Responses and Scoring Commentary document. The AP World History DBQ rubric contains all the information you need to know about how your response will be scored. 

Here’s how the rubric breaks down:

Thesis (1 Point) 

First you’ll need to create a thesis that “responds to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis/claim that establishes a line of reasoning.” In order to get this point you’ll need to make an arguable claim based on the documents that answers the question of the prompt.  

Contextualization (1 Point) 

In order to get a point for contextualization you’ll need to “accurately describe a context relevant” to the time period covered by the prompt. What this means is that you’ll have to describe the political, social, or economic events and trends that contributed to the topic you’re writing about. 

Some of this you’ll know from the provided documents, but some of it you will also be expected to know based on what you’ve studied in AP World History class. You’ll also need to relate your knowledge to “broader historical events, developments, or processes that occur before, during, or continue after the time frame of the question.” In other words, you’ll have to show how the events of this time period are relevant now or how they are similar to some other historical situation.

Evidence (3 Points) 

This category assigns points based on how well you use the documents provided to you on the test. 

For this category, you get one of the potential three points solely for if you incorporate specific evidence that does not come from the provided documents in a way that is relevant to your thesis. 

However, in order to earn the other two points, you must support your argument by using even more evidence from the documents provided . If you use three to five documents, you’ll earn an additional point. If you integrate six or more documents in your response, you can earn up to two points…and full credit for this category!  

Just remember: You can’t just randomly throw information from the documents into your essay, though, you have to use it in a way that supports your argument and accurately represents what the documents are saying . 

Analysis and Reasoning (2 Points) 

For the analysis and reasoning section, you get one point for explaining “how or why the document’s point of view, purpose, historical situation, and/or audience is relevant to an argument,” and you get one point for “complexity,” showing that you understand the time period that the prompt covers and use evidence to prove your understanding and back up your argument . 

Here’s what that means: you’ll have to prove how the documents are relevant to your argument, and your argument has to show that you understand the period you’re writing about. Additionally, you’ll need to write an essay that proves your argument in a way that shows you understand that there are a variety of possible perspectives about that time period or issue, and that not everyone in that period had the same experiences. 

If all that sounds like a lot...that's because it is! But don't worry. We'll walk you through the steps you can take to get prepared for your DBQ.

5 Steps for Tackling an AP World History DBQ

The AP World History DBQ is a complicated question that tests you over several different skills, so there isn’t a simple technique to ace it. However, if you master each of the individual skills it takes to do well on the DBQ examples, you’ll set yourself up to write a successful DBQ! response! 

Here are five steps you can follow to prepare for–and tackle!--the AP World History DBQ. 

Step 1: Use Past AP World DBQ Prompts to Practice

Taking practice exams is a great way to prepare for any standardized test–including the AP World exam. Not only do you get a chance to test your knowledge, practice tests also give you the opportunity to familiarize yourself with the test format…which is really important when it comes to AP World DBQs.

There’s good news when it comes to AP World DBQ prompts, though. College Board’s website has the actual AP World DBQ prompts from 2002-2020 available to download. This means you can take almost 20 practice AP World History exams, as well as access AP World History DBQ example responses and AP World History DBQ rubrics, for free!  

It’s good to take one practice test before you start studying intensely for it because that will let you know where your skills are now (and it’ll let you track your progress). However, the nature of a free response means that it won’t be easy for you to grade by yourself. When it comes to assessing your response, use the AP World History DBQ rubric and honestly assess whether or not you incorporated the information thoroughly and accurately. If that doesn’t work for you, you can always ask a family member, tutor, or teacher to give you feedback on your response as well! 

Don’t be afraid to use multiple AP World DBQ prompts as part of your test prep strategy. The more DBQs you do, the better prepared you’ll be on test day! 

Step 2: Practice Creating a Thesis

A thesis statement is a sentence or two, located in your essay’s introduction, that explains what your essay will be about. In this case, your thesis will outline the argument you make in your AP World DBQ. 

The most important aspect of your thesis is that it has to make a claim that is both arguable and relevant to the prompt you’re given. However, you don’t want to just restate the prompt in your thesis! 

Here’s what we mean. Say you’re given the following prompt:

“Evaluate the extent to which economic factors led to the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution (1910–1920).” 

You don’t want your thesis to be “Economic factors led to the outbreak of the Mexican Revolution,” since that just restates the prompt without adding in your own argument. To write a great DBQ, you want to make a specific claim about how and why economic factors led to the Mexican Revolution, and you want to be able to use the AP World History DBQ documents provided to prove it!

Here are two AP World History DBQ examples that College Board considers acceptable theses for this prompt:

• “Mexico’s inability to resist the political dominance of the United States and European powers was the most significant factor in leading to the revolution because foreign dominance prevented the Mexican government from enacting economic reforms.”
• “Ethnic tensions were just as important in leading to the Mexican Revolution as economic factors because much of the economic exploitation that was occurring in Mexico affected poor indigenous communities.”

See how these two examples both make specific claims? The first argues that foreign influences prevented the Mexican government from enacting economic reforms. This is a claim that the author can prove by showing how foreign governments interfered with the Mexican government, and how that action led to reforms being stalled. 

The second AP World History DBQ example thesis addresses something more complex: how ethnic tensions led to economic exploitation. The author can then use the provided documents as evidence that poor indigenous communities were exploited, and can argue that those actions led to the Mexican Revolution.

Outlines take a little time, but they'll keep your DBQ from derailing. (Staying on topic is key!)

Step 3: Practice Creating an Outline

Remember the AP World History DBQ is timed, and you’ll only have one hour to complete it! To keep your writing organized and on track, it’s a good idea for you to create a quick outline before you jump into writing your essay. 

Having said that, you’ll need to be careful not to spend too much time on your outline so you have enough time to write your DBQ. That’s why we recommend spending 15 minutes reading documents, 5 minutes outlining your essay, and 40 minutes writing your response. 

The most important things that your outline will need are an introduction and conclusion ! Your introduction sets up your thesis while your conclusion restates your thesis and explains how it’s relevant to the reader in some way–perhaps by showing that a similar claim could be made about another time period, or that the effects of the thesis are still being felt today. 

Apart from your intro and conclusion, you’ll need body paragraphs. Since you only have about 45 minutes to write this essay, you don’t want too many of them. Three or four body paragraphs will be enough to make your argument. The most important thing about your body paragraphs is that each of them supports your argument and incorporates information from the documents!

To help you out, here is an example of a usable outline for the AP World History DBQ:

• Set up your argument and include your thesis.
• You can break down your thesis into several steps, which will then become the topics of each body paragraph
• Tell the reader what they need to know about the historical situation. 
• Include any information you might already know from outside the provided documents.
• Make the first point you mentioned in your introduction.
• Use information from the documents to illustrate and prove your point.
• Include two or three documents that support your point 
• Just like the previous paragraph, use two or three different documents to prove the second point of your thesis
• If you make a third point in your thesis, explain it here using one or two different documents as evidence 
• Restate your thesis and summarize the main points you’ve made.
• Show how it’s relevant to the reader.

Your outline doesn’t need to be anything fancy–it just needs to give you an idea of how to structure your DBQ. Trust us: outlining might seem like a waste of time, but having a guide will make writing go much faster. 

Step 4: Practice Incorporating Quotes and References

As you write your essay, you’ll need to use examples from the documents provided–and each time you do, you’ll need to indicate which documents you pulled the information from . You’ll do this whether you are quoting your source or just paraphrasing it. 

Here are two attribution examples that College Board considers acceptable for the AP World History DBQ:

• (Document 1): “The finance minister tells strikers that unemployment is the result of supply and demand and is out of the government’s hands, a position which probably increased people’s discontent with the government because they were unwilling to help.”
• (Document 2): “The newspaper cartoon shows that the government was willing to use violence to put down popular protests against a rigged election system. Such oppressive government policies may have contributed to increased support for the eventual revolution.”

Note that both of these connect the contents of the document to the argument the author is trying to make. They don’t just paraphrase or quote the contents of the document for the sake of using them– you should use documents to support your argument!

Keep in mind that the College Board is pretty specific about how they want you to use AP World history DBQ documents. In the 2021 AP World History Scoring Guidelines rubric, College Board makes the point that you should “ describe and explain ” the contents of the document: By “describe'' they mean you should point out to your reader what about the document is relevant and illustrate it as if the reader did not have the document in front of them. 

From there, you’ll need to explain the document. That means you should use the document to show the reader why changes or situations in history have happened or why there is a relationship between two factors you’re writing about. 

Step 5: Understand Time Management

One of the most important skills you can acquire by taking multiple attempts at the AP World DBQ practice test will be time management. 

When you’re in the actual test environment, you won’t be able to use your phone to set a timer or alarm, so it’ll be difficult to keep track of how much time you’re spending on reading and re-reading the documents, brainstorming, and outlining. You want to leave yourself the majority of the time allowed (which will be one hour) for writing. 

College Board’s AP World History DBQ rubric recommends that you spend 15 minutes reading the documents and 45 minutes writing the essay . When you write your practice DBQs, be sure to use this format so you can get a feel for how much time you do (or don’t!) have for the question. Practicing with a timer is a great way to make sure you’re using your time wisely on test day! 

4 Tips for Studying for and Answering the AP World History DBQs

Now that you’ve read our step-by-step process for tackling the AP World History DBQ and have seen several AP World History DBQ examples, here are some expert tips on doing well on the AP World History DBQ . We’ve developed these tips based on the AP World History rubric to make sure you earn as many points as possible! 

Tip 1: Know Your Rubric

Go through the AP World History DBQ rubric 2021 and notice that it tells you exactly how to earn points in each category . Most categories are worth multiple points, so you need to know how to earn all the points possible. 

For example, the rubric is clear about how to earn points for your thesis statement. You’ll have to make sure that you have a thesis that states outright what argument you are trying to make if you want to earn credit for that category of the rubric! 

The scoring for the DBQ is pretty objective, and knowing exactly what the scorers are looking for will help you earn the most points possible.

Tip 2: Your Essay Can Contain Errors

In an AP World History DBQ, you’ll be able to make tiny errors and still be able to earn full credit for your response. 

Before you get too excited, there are big (and we mean big!) limits to this rule. For instance, you can’t misrepresent a document by saying an author makes one claim when they clearly aren’t. You also can’t write something that is obviously wrong, like that America continues under British rule because the revolution was unsuccessful! 

But you can make minor errors that don’t detract from your argument as long as you are demonstrating a knowledge of the time period and the ability to incorporate evidence to make an argument. So for example, you can make the mistake of saying that President Nixon’s impeachment hearings began in July 1974 (instead of May, when they actually began), and still earn full credit as long as you aren’t making an argument that depends on the accuracy of those dates.  

Tip 3: Write for Clarity 

One thing to keep in mind is that you’re graded on the quality of your argument and how well you prove it– you don’t get graded on how beautifully or fluently you write ! 

So, while you’ll want to use correct grammar and write as clearly as you can, don’t spend too much time making your writing beautiful. Instead, focus on clearly explaining your ideas! 

To this end, you won’t have points taken away for grammatical errors unless they make it difficult for the graders to see how you’ve used the evidence to make an argument. So while you want your writing to be as error-free as possible, it’s more important that you’re making your argument as clearly–and as persuasively–as possible. 

Tip 4: Write for Relevance

As you’re outlining and writing your AP World DBQ, ask yourself, why is this relevant to today’s readers? To earn a perfect score, you’ll have to tie your argument to another time period or historical situation. 

This is your chance to show that while the period you’re writing about may have been long in the past, the events are still relevant to us today ! This is why we read, write, and study history in the first place. So as you outline and write your DBQ, make sure you’re doing your best to show your reader why this historical moment or event is still important.

What’s Next? 

No matter what AP course you’re taking, you’ll want to have a study plan in place when it comes to exam time. This blog article can help you put together a prep strategy that works.

Not sure what a “good” AP test score is for AP World History? This list of the average AP test scores for every exam will help you understand how your scores stack up. 

Perfect test scores are great, but do you really need a perfect AP World History score? Our experts will explain the pros and cons of getting perfect 5s on your AP exams . 

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Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.

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AP World History: Sample DBQ Thesis Statements

Using the following documents, analyze how the Ottoman government viewed ethnic and religious groups within its empire for the period 1876–1908. Identify an additional document and explain how it would help you analyze the views of the Ottoman Empire.

Crafting a Solid Thesis Statement

Kaplan Pro Tip Your thesis can be in the first or last paragraph of your essay, but it cannot be split between the two. Many times, your original thesis is too simple to gain the point. A good idea is to write a concluding paragraph that might extend your original thesis. Think of a way to restate your thesis, adding information from your analysis of the documents.

Thesis Statements that Do NOT Work

There were many ways in which the Ottoman government viewed ethnic and religious groups.

The next statement paraphrases the historical background and does not address the question. It would not receive credit for being a thesis.

The Ottoman government brought reforms in the Constitution of 1876. The empire had a number of different groups of people living in it, including Christians and Muslims who did not practice the official form of Islam. By 1908 a new government was created by the Young Turks and the sultan was soon out of his job.

This next sentence gets the question backward: you are being asked for the government’s view of religious and ethnic groups, not the groups’ view of the government. Though the point-of-view issue is very important, this statement would not receive POV credit.

People of different nationalities reacted differently to the Ottoman government depending on their religion.

The following paragraph says a great deal about history, but it does not address the substance of the question. It would not receive credit because of its irrelevancy.

Throughout history, people around the world have struggled with the issue of political power and freedom. From the harbor of Boston during the first stages of the American Revolution to the plantations of Haiti during the struggle to end slavery, people have battled for power. Even in places like China with the Boxer Rebellion, people were responding against the issue of Westernization. Imperialism made the demand for change even more important, as European powers circled the globe and stretched their influences to the far reaches of the known world. In the Ottoman Empire too, people demanded change.

Thesis Statements that DO Work

Now we turn to thesis statements that do work. These two sentences address both the religious and ethnic aspects of the question. They describe how these groups were viewed.

The Ottoman government took the same position on religious diversity as it did on ethnic diversity. Minorities were servants of the Ottoman Turks, and religious diversity was allowed as long as Islam remained supreme.

This statement answers the question in a different way but is equally successful.

Government officials in the Ottoman Empire sent out the message that all people in the empire were equal regardless of religion or ethnicity, yet the reality was that the Turks and their version of Islam were superior.

Going Beyond the Basic Requirements

• have a highly sophisticated thesis
• show deep analysis of the documents
• use documents persuasively in broad conceptual ways
• analyze point of view thoughtfully and consistently
• identify multiple additional documents with sophisticated explanations of their usefulness
• bring in relevant outside information beyond the historical background provided

Final Notes on How to Write the DBQ

• Take notes in the margins during the reading period relating to the background of the speaker and his/her possible point of view.
• Assume that each document provides only a snapshot of the topic—just one perspective.
• Look for connections between documents for grouping.
• In the documents booklet, mark off documents that you use so that you do not forget to mention them.
• As you are writing, refer to the authorship of the documents, not just the document numbers.
• Mention additional documents and the reasons why they would help further analyze the question.
• Mark off each part of the instructions for the essay as you accomplish them.
• Use visual and graphic information in documents that are not text-based.

Don’t

• Repeat information from the historical background in your essay.
• Assume that the documents are universally valid rather than presenting a single perspective.
• Spend too much time on the DBQ rather than moving on to the other essay.
• Write the first paragraph before you have a clear idea of what your thesis will be.
• Ignore part of the question.
• Structure the essay with just one paragraph.
• Underline or highlight the thesis. (This may be done as an exercise for class, but it looks juvenile on the exam.)

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Score Higher on AP World History 2024: Tips for LEQs

10 min read • june 18, 2024

Long Essay Question (LEQ)

This guide organizes advice from past students who got 4s and 5s on their exams. We hope it gives you some new ideas and tools for your study sessions. But remember, everyone's different—what works for one student might not work for you. If you've got a study method that's working, stick with it. Think of this as extra help, not a must-do overhaul.

• Students are asked to pick one topic out of 3 and write a historical essay supporting an argument
• 15% of Exam Score
• Spend about 40 min
• Thesis/Claim (1)

Contextualization (1)

• Uses 2x specific evidence (2)
• Analysis & Complexity (2)

💭 General Advice

Tips on mindset, strategy, structure, time management, and any other high-level things to know

• Do practice tests. These will help you understand the format and pace of the AP exams and are an excellent study tool.
• Just write. Think about what you want to say for the rubric points, but just write for the rest of the essay. You wouldn’t have made it this far if your writing wasn’t good! Trust yourself.
• The LEQ is not as scary as some teachers may make it seem. Be confident in yourself and your knowledge.
• Spend at least 30 minutes studying every day in the month leading up to the exam. It may feel excessive, but studying is vital to success on this exam.
• The DBQ and LEQ are done together in 1 hour and 40 minutes. Remember to pace yourselves; you have 50/50 for each composition. Don’t make the same mistake students make of spending too much on one section and not the other. The proctor will not tell you to move to the next portion, so make sure you keep your own pace and write.
• Don’t stress about the LEQ! The name may sound scary, but it really is just an extended version of the SAQs. Don’t stress; it is simple if you read the question a couple of times.
• Remember that the people grading the tests wish to give you as many points as possible, so try to do your best!
• You will be given the guidelines for points on the same page that your prompt will be on. Throughout the essay, look back and ensure you follow those guidelines.
• It’s ok to take 15-20 minutes to write out your intro paragraph. It helps you set up the rest of your essay, the points for your body paragraphs, and even a counterargument that may help you reach the complexity point and extend your argument.
• It essentially uses the information you probably already know, and as you write, more and more will come to you and help you write a cohesive essay (so long as studied!).
• Knowing the general information is key, and piecing it together while writing will happen more naturally than you think.
• If your mind blanks out during this section, just start writing something. You will be surprised at how much you remember (of course if you studied a bit or paid attention in class!).
• Writing something is better than writing nothing. You don’t get points off for incorrect information. In the worst case scenario where you don’t know something, you could happen to write the correct information if you just write down anything you know.
• Put extra effort on prep work because if you have a solid preparation and somewhat organized thought then you can do great on the essays.

🕐 Before you Write

What should a student do in the first few minutes before they start writing?

• First of all, take a deep breath! Take a few seconds to relax and collect your thoughts.
• After picking your topic, consider how you want to organize your essay. How will you hit all of the rubric points? What historical events should you discuss?
• Have a loose guideline written out to remember the connections and points you want to cover in the essay.
• Write a plan for the essay and anything you remember about the topic before writing the actual essay. This will help your mind narrow down to the main things you should write about instead of going on a tangent.
• When stating points you’ll make in the essay, remember to add why it’s essential to know that to answer the question and address that in your essay.
• When you write your claim out in your planning time, make sure to address a counterargument that can be made to refute it
• Don’t stress too much about the time. Many students tend to have extra time after writing their LEQ, so you have more time than you think.
• You are okay! Remember that you are fantastic and highly clever; you wouldn’t still be in AP if you weren’t.
• This is a rough drat, so you won’t get points deducted for spelling and grammar.
• Before you start writing your essay, plan out your intro paragraph. Write your thesis and figure out the topic for your context and the time period you want to begin in. If it asks about political, economic, or social aspects of WHAP, jot down what you remember from the periods before, during, and after. This will help you establish and extend your argument.
• Circle all keywords from the prompt and brainstorm ideas while doing that. Remember what the question is asking and what time period it’s asking from.

💡 Tips for Earning Each Point

Claim/thesis (1).

• One at the start of your writing (this will help you organize your writing based on your main ideas. Think of this thesis as a “draft”)
• Your final thesis after your writing is completed (this thesis is more specific to your writing and will be more specific than the first thesis.)
• Keep it simple. A wordy thesis statement is more complicated and unnecessary to write.
• A claim/thesis always needs to be argued. Restate the question in the LEQ, but please remember to include a claim that can be argued. If you write a thesis that is stated as a fact without formulating an argument, you need to prepare a defense.
• Only restate the question if you can add an arguable claim to it. It might be helpful if you try adding three topics that support your claim.
• Your thesis can go anywhere in the essay, but a lot of students tend to place it in the last sentence of their intro paragraph.
• LEQ: In the late twentieth century, the spread of free-market economic ideas led to numerous changes worldwide. Develop an argument that evaluates the extent to which the spread of free-market ideas led to economic change during this period.
• ⇒ Thesis: In the late twentieth century, the spread of free-market economic ideas led to numerous changes worldwide, including but not limited to a more significant division between classes based on wealth and the new arrival of the middle class.
• LEQ: To what extent did American foreign policy change after the Spanish-American war?
• ⇒ Thesis: Although the war brought new foreign territories, American policy has not changed as would be suggested by some historians due to the disinterest in controlling Cuba, the maintained isolationism, and the release of gained territories.
• Your thesis doesn’t always have to be “high extent” or “low extent”, sometimes using “however this also occurred” or “medium extent” is acceptable as long as you’re able to support it.
• This section should be about 2-4 sentences and should cover as much information as possible about the historical background of your topic. Don’t get carried away with specifics.
• Think about what events led up to your topic. Dynasties, political parties, and other organizations are very important to note, as they say a lot about the region and time period you will be covering.
• Always focus on the W’s (who, what, where, when, why) and the H(how) of the given topic. Be as direct as possible. Always cover the history behind the topic, essential figures, where it took place, its cause, etc. The College Board bases its grading on how much you remember, the effects, and your understanding of the topic. You’re also being graded based on how you can establish a link between the topic at hand and evaluating or comparing its long-term effects and also what caused it.
• The use of transition words is of the utmost importance to establish links, make comparisons, or show the effects of something. In order to use transition words correctly, you have to know what the question is asking.
• Address significant eras or time periods like the Industrial Revolution, Renaissance Era, the Age of Exploration, etc. Also, remember to explain the zeitgeist of the time.
• Do not go more than 100 years back in time, and keep events in factual order.
• Be sure to establish a strong link between the contextualization and the prompt or your thesis, as this sets the stage for your argument and positions your writing effectively.

Specific Evidence Usage (2)

• Always attribute your sources, even when paraphrasing. Start your sentence with “According to ________, the Mongols ________.”
• Use transition words to connect the outside source with your topic.
• Quality of evidence matters more than quantity, so it’s better to have one good fact rather than a bunch of unnecessary and irrelevant information.
• Avoid using statistics, primarily because you may put in the wrong number when you’re on a time crunch.
• Contextualize your outside evidence within its time period to provide a deeper understanding. Consider global events and their relevance to your topic.
• Explore the long-term impacts of your topic by asking yourself: What were the lasting effects of your topic? These can also be explained in your evidence, especially if the impact was global (i.e., Industrial Revolution).
• Think through if there were other significant events in the same geographical region during the same time period. If so, write about it, tying it back to your topic.
• Explicitly state the significance of the evidence and how it relates to your topic.
• If you don’t remember time period make sure to be extremely detailed with the event and give approximate time periods, such as “after WWI” or “during the 20th century” to provide context.

Complexity (2)

• Remember to connect your topic to an event in a different time period throughout your essay. Putting one sentence will not earn you the complexity point. Remember, history always repeats itself. For example, if you’re discussing Spanish colonization of the Americas, you can connect that to British imperialism in India, or vice versa.
• You could also write a paragraph at the end comparing and contrasting the events or acknowledging different sides of your argument and refuting them.
• Acknowledge both sides of the argument, even the side you disagree with! This is probably the hardest to do, but you can start with a nuanced thesis: Although ______ is ______ because ______, this is (more/less) _______ because ______. Then, at the end, address both perspectives in depth.
• For compare/contrast, make sure to show distinct things that make the two sides different and what makes the two events unique. By specifying the nuances that make them the same/ different, it will allow you to earn the point.
• For continuity/change, show how a specific event changed what was considered the norm before (speak about before and about how it changed), and show how it continued a thought process or behavior that is apparent before and after the event.
• For causation, speak about what were the causes of the event, and specify what happened as a result from that event happening.

🤔 Choosing Which Question to Answer

• Choose a topic that you feel the most comfortable writing about. It doesn’t have to be your favorite or most exciting topic, but it should be the one you know the most about.
• The LEQs on the exam may be similar to practice LEQs you’ve done in the past. If you see something familiar you’ve written about before, it would be wise to consider it.
• If all the topics are outside your knowledge, pick the one you remember the most out of the four and start writing. You’ll feel the knowledge come back to you as you write what you remember, and you can achieve the points for the rubric.
• There are four questions in the LEQ, each about a distance time period spanning 1200-1450, 1450-1750, 1750-1900, and 1900-present. You're more likely to get the point if you choose a question based on a time period that you know from the bottom of your heart.
• If you remember the W’s(who, what, where, when, why) and the H's ( how) of a topic related to that question, choose it. The College Board is not only testing your memory but also your understanding of the context and themes that go farther than just memory.
• Most of the LEQ questions are pretty general. You don’t need to know everything about, say, 1700-1800, but knowing a major event like the Industrial Revolution can lead you to different ideas, such as changing work cultures, families, unions, etc., that are all obviously tied with the event.
• Choose a topic you can give specifics about. Everyone remembers the Mongols, but can you elaborate on how their vast empire affected and was dependent on the Silk Road? Pick whatever question you can more thoroughly explain.
• If you’re planning to do the more recent time period remember that it is expected to be more specific and you’re expected to know more about it. However, ultimately, choose a topic you feel the most confident in. Brainstorm ideas for each prompt, and choose the one for which you can provide the most compelling response.

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