x min read
“Test” Images – Unsplash.com
Introduction
It’s time that we start personalizing and getting specific with our posts. This is one of those.
So, if you’re someone that’s been reading for a while, and has been waiting for personalized and tailored advice according to your class selection, then don’t worry, it’s here.
Leading up to the exam date, our goal here at GG is to prepare you for this class, alongside any other courses to be selected. If you have any options in mind, feel free to let us know on social media.
Step 1: Understanding The Exam Format
For each multiple choice question, there will be something for you to analyze. Based on previous exam MCQs that I’ve answered, one thing that I can let you know is to expect lots of reading. Seriously, your main problem might not even be the DBQ, LEQ, or SAQs. Your real issue when it comes to getting a good score on that exam is actually understanding and interpreting the MCQs.
In a lot of cases, you’ll end up re-reading the questions again and again. Soon enough, you’ll be so deep into it that you’ll just end up realizing that you don’t even know what half of the questions were even asking for.
We’ll discuss how to combat that later.
For now, you need to know what to expect upon receiving the exam. Of course, I can’t guarantee what information you’ll actually see on the exam, because that’s chosen and randomly decided leading up to the date. So, unless somehow someone magically leaks that information, that isn’t happening.
Layout
The layout is as follows:
[text/evidence/letter/document/etc]
[- source/author]
[prompt]
As you can probably see, it’s relatively straightforward. It’s nothing out-of-the-ordinary.
Actual Example
Step 2: Interpreting the Stimulus
There’s a few parts to this, so we’ll break this down.
Firstly, you have to understand what your stimulus is focused on. As a quick side note, when we refer to the “stimulus” in this post, we’re also referring to the text, evidence, diagram, or graph that you’re provided with for answering the prompt.
Again, you need to understand the focus of your stimulus. What exactly is it on?
For example, some things might include:
- Time period
- Region
- Perspective
- Stimulus Type (Diagram, map, painting, letter, general text evidence piece)
- Big Idea/Main Focus
For example, if I were to be reading a letter and answering a few questions following it, the questions I’d like to answer are:
- What is the text focused on?
- Who is the author?
- When was this written?
- What was the purpose of this piece? What is it’s goal?
Secondly, once you’ve finished the first step, make sure that you can successfully understand, comprehend, and extract the information interpreted.
Sure, the Portuguese may have visited Brazil for sugar cane. But, so what? How does this apply to the question that you’re about to answer?
In some situations, you might understand what you just read; but you might not actually understand it. To combat this situation, you need to apply what you’ve just finished reading and connect it to the bigger picture. Considering the Brazil example from earlier, you can connect that to the Columbian Exchange, or the explosion in maritime trade – both more major, general ideas in the concept of World History.
For information extraction, there’s two options:
- Underline/highlight objectives, topics, or ideas that stand out as important.
- Mark up the stimulus, and find a way to make it even easier to refer to whenever you’re answering the question.
Lastly, apply your information and knowledge to the question(s).
Step 3: Read The Source
I always end up forgetting this step, but that doesn’t mean that you should. NEVER SKIP THE SOURCE!
Seriously, you’ll end up finding that 9 times out of 10, the information that you’ll get from the source of the stimulus is actually a pretty decent contributor to your answer of the question you’re answering. It’ll tell you the author (unless they’re anonymous), location at which they’re writing, and the date (which is important, because it’ll notify you as to what time period you’re answering).
Step 4: Read The Question
That thing you’ve been doing since 2nd grade, reading the question and then the passage, yeah; do that again. Don’t read and then go to the question. You want to know what you’re answering before reading anything. Make it easy on yourself, and save yourself some time – unless that’s not what you’re going for.
Step 5: Don’t Forget
In my experience, whenever it comes to large pieces of text, I always end up forgetting whatever I’m reading. No joke, I end up reading the piece, and then just forgetting it after 5 seconds. It’s crazy, but it also sucks.
Just imagine that, having to endure forgetting every word uttered by that author in the stimulus because you’re brain just could care less. Trust me, it happens to the best of us. So, what’s the solution?
Simple problem. Easy fix. As long as you aren’t willing to cost yourself a priceless few minutes that you won’t be getting back.
What To Do
- Mark up the stimulus. Give your brain an easier way to remember the information by pointing out certain details and forgetting the rest.
- Connect what you’re reading to another important historical idea taht might help you answer the question.
- For example, if I’m answering a question regarding the intellectual achievements of the Middle East between 1450 and 1750, and the stimulus covers the perspective of an author during that time, I might say connect this situation to the invention of a technology in Europe during this same time period. Although unrelated, it might help me reach a conclusion as for how valuable the achievements of the Middle East had to be in order for them to achieve so much (especially since Europe were heavily influenced by their accomplishments and feats, leading them to achieve the potential that they’ve had for thousands of years).
- This is a lot to read. So, if you don’t wanna bother, just remember this: connect this stuff to some other stuff that will explain why it’s X.
- For example, if I’m answering a question regarding the intellectual achievements of the Middle East between 1450 and 1750, and the stimulus covers the perspective of an author during that time, I might say connect this situation to the invention of a technology in Europe during this same time period. Although unrelated, it might help me reach a conclusion as for how valuable the achievements of the Middle East had to be in order for them to achieve so much (especially since Europe were heavily influenced by their accomplishments and feats, leading them to achieve the potential that they’ve had for thousands of years).
- Context. If you have context on the occurrence, use that to give your brain an idea of what’s to be expected.
- Associate the subjects in the stimulus with other subjects that are easier to remember. For example, if the prompt is asking you a question regarding the value of Muslim inventions in 1200-1450 and their significance on European economics, you can always take in to consideration the compass and its ability to guide sailors and revolutionize the economy through maritime trade.
Point is, if you can find a way to make your brain remember XYZ, you better do it. However, before you go do that, please don’t waste your time with summarizing or lengthy notes on the side. It’ll waste your time. And after all, you only have a minute per question. That’s already so little time. You don’t want to make this harder on yourself.
“Globe” Images – Unsplash.com
Step 6: Answer The Question
You have the information you need. You are ready to go. Just wait, there’s one more part.
Firstly, read all the options and eliminate the two outliers out of the options provided. The greatest piece of advice that you might be provided with regarding these questions is that these outliers come in two forms:
- Out of the time period. If the scene is taking place in 1400, and the options are events that occurred in 1500, do you seriously think that it’s supposed to be there?
- Different skill set. If the question is asking you to analyze the changes in X, and two of the answers are regarding the continuities that are taking place, don’t bother.
Secondly, apply what you’ve observed in the stimulus and with what you already know on the content inside the course, and answer. The final two options are factually correct, but only one of them are actually correct.
Conclusion
There we have it. Now you know exactly what to do as soon as another MCQ comes up on your path to getting a perfect score on that exam. Next? SAQs.
If you want a general guide to SAQs, then you can check out our most recent post on it here. Tomorrow, our goal is to provide a tailored post to these question types for AP World students.
