AP Exam Info

How to Write the SAQ, LEQ, & DBQ’s!

Exam Date: May 6, 2022
 AP Euro Exam
•  3 hours 15 minutes long

•  55 multiple choice questions

•  3 short answer questions (SAQs)

•  1 document based question (DBQ)

•  1 long essay question (LEQ)

 Section 1
•  Multiple Choice Questions
o  55 questions
o  40% of exam score
o  55 minutes

•  Short Answer Questions (SAQs)

o  Question 1: on secondary source(s)
o  Question 2: on primary source
o  Question 3:
•  Get choice of 2 prompts. You pick.
•  No stimulus given
o  20% of score
o  40 minutes
 Section 2
•  Free Response Questions
o  DBQ:
•  7 documents provided that you must analyze/synthesize
•  25% of exam
•  60 minutes
o  15 minutes to read
o  45 minutes to write

o  Long Essay Question

•  Select from 3 prompts
•  15% of score
•  40 minutes
 SAQ’s
•  Each question has 3 parts:
o  An A, B, & C portion.

•  Each portion of each question needs 3-4 sentence

response.

•  You will earn 3 points per question.

 LEQ
•  You answer 1 question.
o  Pick from 3 prompts

•  Response should be 4-6 paragraphs long.

•  You earn 6 points for a complete answer.

 DBQ
•  You read 7 documents and use the information
found there to answer 1 question.

•  Your response should be 4-6 paragraphs.

•  You will earn 7 points for a complete response.

AP Reasoning/Thinking
Skills
Foundation to Reading the Exam Prompts
 AP Euro Reasoning/
Thinking Skills
•  Contextualization •  Causation
o  place within a larger historical o  Cause and effect
narrative or significance.

•  Comparison
o  Similarities/differences

•  Continuity & Change

o  Patterns over time or breaks in
•  Argumentation those patterns.
o  Identify, describe, and/or
analyze argument or bias.
Let’s practice!
 Name that Reasoning
Skill!
•  LEQ Prompt: Analyze at least two factors that
account for the rise and two factors that explain the
decline of witchcraft persecution and trials in
Europe in the period from 1580-1750.

•  Causation:
o  Looking for cause/effect of rise/decline of witch trials.
 Name that Reasoning
Skill!
•  LEQ Prompt: In what ways and to what extent did
absolutism affect the power and status of the
European nobility in the period 1650-1750? Use
examples from at least two countries.

•  Contextualization:
o  Asking you to place absolutism in the broader historical scope of Europe
during specific time frame.

•  Also could argue continuity and change.

o  Often goes hand in hand with contextualization.
 Name that Reasoning
Skill!
•  LEQ Prompt: Both Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1619-1683)
and Adam Smith (1723-1790) sought to increase the
wealth of their respective countries. How did their
recommendations differ?

•  Comparison:
o  Looking for the differences between the two.
 Name that Reasoning
Skill!
•  SAQ Prompt: Describe one historical situation in
England that influenced the ideas expressed by
Hobbes in the passage.

•  Argumentation:
o  Looking for you to identify or describe and idea.
Reading Prompts
 Breaking Down the
Prompt
•  What is a writing prompt?
o  The directions and information given to you telling you what to write, and
what the reader/audience is looking for.

•  It is very important to thoroughly read & understand

the prompt.
o  You can write a great response and still be wrong if you don’t do what the
prompt asks you to do!!!
 How to Break Down
Prompt
•  1st read it all the way through

•  Then look for keywords like:

o  Compare/contrast, analyze, cite sources, etc.

•  Also look for other directions

o  What length do they want?
o  Do they want you to use evidence from a document?
o  Do they set out any other guidelines or give any other hints?
 Let’s Practice
1st Read the
Prompt!

•  Prompt:

o  Machiavelli suggested that a ruler should behave both “like a lion” and
“like a fox”. Analyze the policies of TWO of the following European rulers,
indicating the degree to which they successfully followed Machiavelli’s
suggestion. Choose two:
•  Elizabeth I of England
•  Henry IV of France
•  Catherine the Great of Russia
•  Frederick II of Prussia
o  Directions: In writing your essay, use specific examples to support your
answer. Suggested writing time is 30 minutes.
 Now Look

Let’s Practice
for
Keywords/
Task

Keyword: analyze, choose

•  Prompt: two, specific examples

o  Machiavelli suggested that a ruler should behave both “like a lion” and
“like a fox”. Analyze the policies of TWO of the following European rulers,
indicating the degree to which they successfully followed Machiavelli’s
suggestion. Choose two:
•  Elizabeth I of England Task: Indicate how
•  Henry IV of France successful rulers were at
•  Catherine the Great of Russia following Machiavelli
•  Frederick II of Prussia
advice
o  Directions: In writing your essay, use specific examples to support your
answer. Suggested writing time is 30 minutes.
 What’s Next?

•  Now you know what they want you to write about.

•  So now we need to know how to write it!!!
SAQ Practice and TEA
 SAQ’s
•  Will answer 3 questions.

•  Will ask you to use following skills:

o  Argumentation
o  Causation
o  Comparison

•  Each response 3-4 sentences long.

•  Each question has 2-3 parts. Must answer & label all
parts!
TEA Method
•  Topic Sentence:
o  Answer the prompt in a clear,
declarative sentence.

•  Evidence:
o  Name a specific piece of
evidence and explain it.

•  Analysis:
o  Demonstrate how your
evidence proves your topic
sentence!
Heimler’s History SAQ
Video
 Let’s Practice!
•  Prompt:
o  Historians have sometimes referred to the period from the mid-
seventeenth century to the late eighteenth century as the Age of
Reason.
•  Provide TWO specific pieces of evidence that support this
characterization of the period and explain how they support
it.
 Let’s Practice! 1st Read the
Prompt!

•  Prompt:
o  Historians have sometimes referred to the period
from the mid-seventeenth century to the late
eighteenth century as the Age of Reason.
•  Provide TWO specific pieces of evidence that
support this characterization of the period and
explain how they support it.
 Let’s Practice! Now Look
for
Keywords/
Task

•  Prompt:
o  Historians have sometimes referred to the period from the
mid-seventeenth century to the late eighteenth century as
the Age of Reason.
•  Provide TWO specific pieces of evidence that support
this characterization of the period and explain how they
support it.
 Try TEA!
•  On your paper, write a short response (3-4
sentences) on the prompt using the TEA acronym.

•  Topic Sentence
•  Evidence
•  Analysis
Peer Review & Discussion
 SAQ #2
•  In this exercise you will look at a traditional 3 part
SAQ. Read the prompt and then answer ALL THREE
parts of the question.

•  Time Given: 15 minutes (more than you usually get)

•  Each part (a, b, c) should have their own TEA

response.
o  Label each response on your answer sheet.
Write Your Response to
SAQ 2
 SAQ #2 Scoring
•  Can earn a total of 3 points:

•  One point for describing one cause of the Protestant

Reformation in England during the reign of Henry VIII.

•  One point for describing one political effect of the Protestant

Reformation in England in the period1500– 1600.

•  One point for explaining one difference between political

effects of the Protestant Reformation in England and the
Protestant Reformation in France in the period 1500– 1600.
SAQ#2 Example & Scoring
Example 1
Example 2
Example 3