Transcript All AP essays are written in response to an essay “prompt.”

Lesson 1
Understanding the
Essay Prompt
MHS AP U. S. History
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All AP essays are written in
response to an essay “prompt.”
Understanding what this
prompt asks you to do is the
first important skill you need
to acquire.
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Here are two examples

Sample DBQ prompt:
–

How successful was organized labor in improving
the position of workers in the period from 1875 to
1900? Analyze the factors that contributed to the
level of success achieved.
Sample free response prompt:
–
Compare and contrast United States foreign policy
after the First World War and after the Second World
War. Consider the periods 1919-1928 and 19451950.
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Tip #1

The first thing you need to do is to read the
WHOLE prompt, every word of it. This is
especially true if the prompt is in two sentences
like this one. . .
–

How successful was organized labor in improving the
position of workers in the period from 1875 to 1900?
Analyze the factors that contributed to the level of
success achieved.
The first mistake that many students make is in
reading and answering only part of the prompt
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Tip #2

Having read the whole prompt, circle or
underline the VERBS. These words will give
you your task.
–

How successful was organized labor in improving
the position of workers in the period from 1875 to
1900? Analyze the factors that contributed to the
level of success achieved.
The important verb, and thus your task, is in
the second sentence: ANALYZE.
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Tip #3

After finding the verbs, look carefully and mark
any CONJUNCTIONS and circle or underline
them. For instance
–

Compare and contrast United States foreign policy
after the First World War and after the Second World
War. Consider the periods 1919-1928 and 1945-1950.
You must compare AND contrast these periods to
successfully complete the task. Doing only one or
the other will lower your score
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Tip #4

Go back and look carefully at the VERB in
the prompt. This word will tell you what
you are expected to do. The following is a
list of commonly used verbs and
explanations for the tasks they indicate.
These are verbs the College Board has used
recently.
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Commonly used verbs and
verb phrases

Analyze
–

Explain how AND why something occurred. Any
question that uses “how” and/or “why” is an analysis
question even if the word “analyze” is not in the
prompt.
Assess the validity
–
How true is the statement. The statement doesn’t
have to be all true; it can be true in one instance or
circumstance and false in another.
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Commonly used Verbs
(continued)

Evaluate
–

Which factor was most important. You usually
need to rank several events or factors and specify
which is most and which is least significant.
To what extent
–
This prompt frequently requires you to specify a
cause and effect relationship and then state which
causes were more important.
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Commonly used Verbs
(continued)

Compare AND contrast
–

To do this correctly you need to discuss BOTH
similarities AND differences between two events or
periods. It is important to both in a balanced way
without shortchanging either.
Discuss or Consider
–
These are frequently used in free response prompts.
They should be written as analysis essays.
–
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Tip #5

Define any terms in the prompt that you need
to explain. For instance, a recent essay prompt
asked students to assess the validity of this
statement: “Reform movements in the United
States sought to expand democratic ideals.”
Jot down some “democratic ideals” and be
prepared to explain how they are democratic.
Failing to do this will lower your score.
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Tip #6

Clearly understand the time period in the
prompt. If the prompt asks you to discuss
reform between 1865 and 1900, you must
include information for the WHOLE time
period. You can help yourself do this by
listing information from the last 10 years of
the time period in the prompt FIRST, then
working backward with your details.
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Tip #7
After you are clear as to your task (analyze,
evaluate, etc.) sketch out a quick, informal outline
of how you are going to proceed. This is very
important to guaranteeing that you cover the
whole prompt.
 For instance, if you were writing the following
prompt. . .

–
Compare and contrast United States foreign policy
after the First World War and after the Second World
War. Consider the periods 1919-1928 and 1945-1950.
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



You might jot down a
simple “outline” like
the one at the right.
You would list things
that were similar in
BOTH periods,
Then list the
differences in BOTH
periods.
Your essay would then
have either four body
paragraphs as indicated
by the circles

1919-1928
1945-1950
similarities
differences
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
Or you might have two
longer and more
involved paragraphs as
indicated by the two
ovals. In either case, you
would have organized
your thinking so that
you cover all of the
material you need to
cover to address the
prompt completely.

1919-1928
1945-1950
similarities
differences
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Lesson 1 Summary
Read the WHOLE prompt!
 Mark the VERBS and the
CONJUNCTIONS in the prompt. Think
about that verb. What, exactly, are you
being asked to do. Consider the whole
prompt. ORGANIZE your thinking
BEFORE you begin writing.

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MHS AP U. S. History