AP LONG ESSAY QUESTION (LEQ) WRITING GUIDE
What is an LEQ? / An LEQ is a standard essay question that does not include documents and replaces the old FRQ (free response).How many LEQs on the APUSH Exam? / 1 essay – but you have a choice of 3prompts – all three will focus on the same theme and skill.
How much time? / 40 Minutes (5 minutes recommended for prep time)
What % of the APUSH Exam Score / 15%
How is it scored? / Using a 6-Point rubric, points are rewarded for Thesis, successful use of Historical Thinking Skills, Evidence and Analysis.
What types of questions are asked? / LEQs assess 1 of the following 4 Historical Thinking Skills: Comparison (compare & contrast), Causation (causes and/or effects), and Continuity and Change Over Time.
What time periods are covered? / All periods:
Option 1 will be from Periods 1-3 (1491-1800)
Option 2 will be from Periods 4-6 (1800-1898)
Option 3 will be from Period 6-9 (1890-Present)
From the 2015 APUSH Curriculum Framework:
“To provide opportunities for students to demonstrate what they know best, they will be given a choice of two comparable long essay options. The long essay questions will measure the use of…skills to explain and analyze significant issues in U.S. history as defined by the Thematic Learning Objectives. Student essays must include the development of a thesis or argument supported by analysis of specific, relevant historical evidence. Questions will be limited to topics or examples specifically mentioned in the concept outline but framed to allow student answers to include in-depth examples of large-scale phenomena, either drawn from the concept outline or from topics discussed in the classroom.”
SampleLEQ Prompts:
1. Comparison: Compare and contrast the effects of World War I and World War II on the American home front.
2. Causation: Examine the causes of the rise of organized labor and the effects that unions had on American society from 1865 to 1900.
3. Continuity and Change Over Time: To what extent were immigration patterns to the United States during the Gilded Age a continuation of past immigration patterns before the Civil War and to what extent did they represent change.
Steps for Writing an A.P. U.S. History LEQ
1.Carefully read and analyze the question
• What is the essence of the question? Are there multiple parts to the question that need to be addressed?
• What is the targeted historical thinking skill in the question? (Causation? Comparison? Continuity & Change over time?)
• Define any key terms for yourself.
• Identify the date range parameters.
2.Develop a Tentative Thesis/Position
• This is the argument your paper will make and support.
• Make sure your thesis answers all parts of the question and is well developed
• Make sure you take a strong and clear stand
• Introduce the subcategories (usually 2 or 3 for an LEQ but may vary) that will serve as your body paragraph topics (these may be provided for you in the question or you may need to create your own).
3.Brainstorm & Categorize (for Body Paragraphs)
• Create an organizational matrix - List the subcategories or topics for your body paragraphs from your thesis to help organize your ideas.
• List every relevant issue, historical term, name, event – think KEY TERMS - from the time period that might apply to your essay.
5.Revise Your Thesis and Categories as Necessary
• Revise your thesis, if necessary, and consider creating a complex type of thesis statement by using a key word such as “although,” “despite,” “however,” etc.
• Make sure that each main point is well supported with appropriate analysis and multiple examples.
6.Write the Essay
• Intro:Context/Background Info, Thesis with expanded subcategories
• Body: Topic sentence, Evidence & Analysis, Summary, (Transition if done smoothly).
• Conclusion:Restate thesis, Broader Context – connect topic clearly with another era outside of the date range provided (before or after).
7.Proofread
•Use any extra time to reread your essay.
•Make corrections that are neat and easy to read and understand.
•If you remember new information write a new paragraph, circle it, and draw an
arrow to indicate where the new paragraph should be inserted into the essay.
Basic History Essay Structure
INTRODUCTION:
* Introduction should be relatively brief – anywhere from 3 to 5 sentences.
* Avoid a silly “Hook” sentence or rhetorical question to begin your essay.
Contextualization:Begin with a few sentences setting up the broad historical context of the time of the essay – introducing the time and setting. This is also an opportunity to draw a conclusion about the topic – why was this event so significant? What led up to this event under investigation and what were the larger issues going on during it?
Thesis: The position you will argue and support. This is definitely the most important sentence in your essay. It should be clear and addressing the appropriate Historical Thinking Skill. Well-developed thesis statements often include key words such as “despite” or “although” and may be multiple sentences.
Subcategories: This sentence or group of sentences introduces the reader to the main points that will support your thesis and will be fully developed in your essay. This may also be incorporated into your thesis statement or as a separate sentence or sentences. These need to be in the same order as your body paragraph.
BODY PARAGRAPHS
Topic Sentence— This needs to introduce the argument for you subcategory that will be the topic of you body paragraph. Think of it as the thesis of your body paragraph. This sentence should not just simply state a fact.
Evidence and Analysis—Evidence is the specific information and factual details that will support your theme. Analysis is the explanation of how and why your evidence supports your thesis. These two elements are the heart of any essay.
Closing Analysis/Summary Statement —This sentence will remind the reader of the relevant sub-points made in this paragraph and if possible link to the topic of the following paragraph. Avoid awkward, forced transition statements – if you provide solid closing analysis that should suffice.
CONCLUSION
Thesis Restatement: This sentence should remind the reader of your answer to the question. Restate the thesis in different words than before but the position must not change.
Broader context: Finish your essay with a few sentences (3 to 4) that puts your essay in relative perspective by clearly connecting and explaining how the topic connects to a similar (or clearly contrasting event or topic) in another era (any time before or after date range). But, the students should not write how this is why we are here today! The connection must be specific to earn credit.
History Essay Tips
Things to Do:
- Write essays in third person, in the past tense, using an active rather than passive voice.
- Be specific: clearly identify people, factors, events, actions, and ideas that support your position.
- Define or explain key terms featured in the prompt such as “mercantilism” or “sectionalism” or “Manifest Destiny” – essential to your analysis.
- Anticipate counterarguments & communicate awareness of the complexity of history. The stronger essays confront conflicting evidence rather than avoid it. Prompts usually deal with complex issues that have multiple potential explanations not “obvious” responses.
- Start and end your essay with your strongest arguments/evidence. Bury the weakest point(s) in the middle of the essay.
- Connect your evidence and analysis to broader events and processes in history.
- Remain objective. Do not inject your personal opinion, but take a position on the prompt. Make sure your tone remains formal.
Mistakes to Avoid:
- Overgeneralizations and unsupported statements. Be precise and support your assertions.
- Equivocation. Get off the fence! (Take a reasonable position)
- Use of the first or second person voice (e.g. “I,” “you,” “we,” “us,” “y’all,” etc.).
- In reference to the United States: do not write, “our country” or “we” (in talking about Americans). Write instead, “The United States,” “America,” or “Americans” where appropriate. Do not use pronouns.
- Avoid absolutes (e.g. “all,” “none,” “never,” “always,” “completely,” “perfectly,” etc.) rarely does history deal in absolutes and the use of these terms typically sets up arguments that are easily proven wrong.
- Avoid general statements at the beginning of sentences; for example: this, they, them, he, they. Identify what or who you are discussing, as it makes your essay more clear and sophisticated. Consider as well if you can combine two sentences to make it a more analytical statement.
- Contractions (e.g. “don’t,” “won’t,” couldn’t,” “should’ve, ” etc.). This detracts from the sophistication of the analysis.
- Do not use rhetorical questions. Your job here is to answer questions, not pose them.
- Informal tone, slang, figures of speech, or colloquialisms (e.g. like, lost his shirt, spilt milk, etc.).