Preparing Stimulus-Based

Multiple Choice Questions

Preparing examples for each periodization (there are 6). Meaning
you should have 6 stimuli and no less than 18-30 multiple choice
questions and answer sheet.
It is 40% of your test and the largest area of
weakness

• The first part of your WHAP exam on the 16th of May is the 55 minutes of
stimulus-style multiple choice questions. There are usually between 3-5
questions which are contextual based, reading comprehension based, both,
how a historian might utilize it and connecting to another time, place ar
theme. This is the first portion of your test and counts for 40% based on 55
multiple choice in 55 minutes. We have utilized hundreds of these style
throughout the school year and will do even more after break. Your goal
now is to create some of your own to add to our repository. Here is an
example from College Board https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/ap-
world-history-course-and-exam-description.pdf
• . Here is s step by step process. Here is what the College Board Says
Directly from the AP College Board

• The multiple-choice section will contain a number of sets of questions,

with between two and five questions per set that ask students to
respond to stimulus material: a primary or secondary source, including
texts, images, charts, graphs, maps, etc. This stimulus material will
reflect the types of evidence that historians use in their research on
the past. The set of multiple-choice questions about the material will
draw upon knowledge required by the curriculum framework, and each
question will address one of the learning objectives for the course.
Events and topics contained in the illustrative example lists will NOT
appear in multiple-choice questions unless accompanied by text that
fully explains that topic to the student
Step 1: Find stimuli from each periodization- some examples can be maps, charts, graphs,
artifacts, two passage primary or one passage primary one passage secondary (there must
be 6 in all one for each periodization

• Look at textbook
• Look at the myriad DBQ’s we have done
• Look at review books
• Look at websites
• Look at college board site
https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-world-history/exam/past-exam-questions
• Look at do now’s
• Go to library and take out some books
• Borrow some of my books
• MC Wording format file:///H:/MCQ%20Formats%202016-2017.docx.pdf

•
 Step 2: cut and paste onto a word document (leave room for 3-5
questions)

Source: https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/ap/sample-questions-ap-world-history-exam.pdf
Step 3: Create stimulus based questions you may utilize 1 reading comprehension, one contextual, one
combo and one for ho a historian might utilize (additional one to link to another time, place or theme
Step 4: Create choices which can be omitted and with good answers (other two
are about different events, regions, periodization’s) but one which is the definite
answer
Step 5. Put them all together to help with
review of periodization’s, regions and themes

• Like a short version of the test for the purpose of review

• Will allow you to practice far more than we have in our repository
• Gives you a better understanding of how the AP puts the test
together and allows you to research materials which could be on
the test (see curriculum) https://
secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/ap/ap-world-h
istory-course-and-exam-description.pdf
• Begins the process of reviewing for May 16th 2019
Step 6: Create an answer sheet explaining
the why the correct answer is correct

• There are many ways to do this including choosing the right

answer and why:
• Or why the right answer is correct and the others are not (see
back of your model)
Documents to know
Foundations- 600 B.C.E- 600-1450 1450-1750 1750-1900 1900-
600 B.C.E 600 C.E present

HAMMURABI's TAO TE CHING, EDICT on BUDDHI GUTENBERG BIBLE, DECLARATION of IND

EPENDENCE Treaty of
SM 1450, Johannes
CODE, 1700 550 BCE, Lao Gutenberg , 1776, Thomas Versailles
, c. 845, Emperor
BCE (BABYLON) Tzu (CHINA) Wuzong, (CHINA) (GERMANY) Jefferson (USA)
Universal
WEALTH of NATIONS
EPIC OF 12 TABLES, 451 CHARTER of FEAL
EPIC OF SUNDIATA,
c. 1450 (MALI) , 1776, Adam Smith Declaration
GILGAMESH, BCE (ROME) TY (SCOTLAND)
1700 BCE LESSONS FOR , 1110, Monk
95 THESES, 1517,
Martin Luther DECLARATION of the of Human
(BABYLON) WOMEN John (FRANCE) (GERMANY) RIGHTS of MAN Rights
 , 1789, National
, 80 CE, Ban 1,001 ARABIAN NI A SHORT ACCOUNT Mein Kampf
RIG VEDA, 1700 GHTS OF THE DESTRUCTIO Assembly (FRANCE)
BCE (INDIA) Zhao (CHINA) , c. 1200,
N OF THE WEST INDI JAMAICA LETTER, Betty Freidan
ES 1815, Simon Bolivar
BOOK OF THE SERMON ON TH (ARABIA) , 1542, Bartolome The Feminine
(JAMAICA)
DEAD, 1500 E MOUNT EPIC of SUNDIATA de las Casas
, 90 CE (ROME) (SPANISH AMERICA)
COMMUNIST MANIFE
STO
Mystique
BCE (EGYPT) , c. 1300 (MALI)
CODE OF JUSTI TRAVELS in AFRIC SLAVE TRADER, , 1848, Karl Marx Rachel
BOOK OF 1700, WILLIAM (GERMANY
NIAN A & ASIA Carlson’s
SONGS, 1000 , 529 CE, , 1354, Ibn
BOSMAN (AFRICAN
BCE (CHINA COAST) Silent Spring
Justinian Battuta
(MOROCCO
(BYZANTINE
Political- Economic-Geographic

• East Asia- isolated by Gobi, Himalaya and Pacific

• South Asia- sub-continent along Indian ocean( monsoon winds) centrally located
• Latin America- because of European imperialism and culture diffused ( language and religion)
• West and East Europe- divide politically and culturally after the fall of Rome ( later Communism became important between East and
West)

• Central Asia- the traditional area of the nomadic steppe peoples ( Turks, Huns, Mongols, etc.)
• Sub-Saharan Africa- connected through trans- Sahara trade, isolated by desert for many years
• Middle East- ethnocentric designation (U.S) also called South West Asia, noted by trade, civilization and religion (90% Muslim)
• North America- politically and culturally different than Latin America by Northern European colonization and identified by Canada, the
U..S and Mexico which is also part of Latin America
• Maps help historians conceptualize world history by identifying the ethnocentric bias of regions
based on political perspective (Middle East), evaluation the economic resources of the region and
their value (South Asia) and by identifying the dominant cultural traits of language and religion of the
territory (Latin America)
 Using themes, Regions and Periodization to Develop
Free response topic

Themes Periodizations Regions

Theme 1: Interaction Founations-600 East Asia
Between Humans and B.C.E (5%)
the Environment South Asia ( and SE
Theme 2: Asia)
600 B.C.E-600
Development and
Interaction of C.E(15%) Central Asia
Cultures
Theme 3: State- 600-1450(20%) Middle East
Building, Expansion,
and Conflict 1450-1750(20%) East Europe
Theme 4: Creation,
Expansion, and Using your Western
1750-1900(20%) Europe of Mind
skills: Habits
Interaction of
Economic Systems Sub-Saharan Africa
Theme 5: 1900- present(20%)
Development and North America
Transformation of
Social Structures Latin America
History-Culture-Location

• North America
• Latin America
• West Europe
• East Europe
• East Asia
• Central Asia
• South/South East Asia
• Middle East
• Sub-Saharan Africa
Dates, Periodization and
region practice
Other resources and source material for
stimuli
• A History of WHAP exams 2002-2016 just click on freed response (DBQ is first one ): http://
apcentral.collegeboard.com/apc/members/exam/exam_information/232215.html
• The ultimate sourcebook: Paul Halsall of Fordham university
https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/
• Old 5 steps to a 5 review book (pdf format) http://
www.lindblomeagles.org/ourpages/auto/2012/3/28/58359479/5%20Steps%20To%20A%20
5%20AP%20World%20History%202008-2009.pdf
• Practice Princeton test: http://
www.lindblomeagles.org/ourpages/auto/2012/3/28/58359479/5%20Steps%20To%20A%20
5%20AP%20World%20History%202008-2009.pdf
• Rework some old tests: https://www.varsitytutors.com/ap_world_history-practice-tests
• Here’s some released tests: http://
www.lew-port.com/cms/lib/NY19000328/Centricity/Domain/135/ap%20world%20midter
m%20sample%20questions.pdf Adobe Acrobat
Document

• Try this practice with only one question (you should have 3 to 5) click on icon
Preparing S.A.Q ( An Alternative Assessment)

• Since the last time we really focused on Short answered questions was in
preparation for our 1st quarterly (way back in October during my paternity
break) it is high time that you start to consider (or reconsider) the skill sets
employed in creating and/or writing one (or in this case 6 one for each
periodization).If you recall, the amount of components involved in the SAQ
are 3(it’s a magic number after all). There could be an A (one thing) and a B
(two things). Perhaps a separate A, B and C. Where you will Address the
question, Cite specific evidence that supports it and Explain why it supports
your thesis (A.C.E) IN total there should be no less than 9 sentences
cumulatively but no more than 15. There will be three S.A.Qs on your WHAP
test May 17th 2018, which will count, for 20% of your grade and you will have
40 minutes to write them. So what do you do?
Step by Step preparation

• 1. For each periodization think of a particular development to discuss causes/effects,

continuities/changes, similarities/difference or synthesis to another time, place or
theme.
• 2. You may choose stimuli for some to support or just prompts to respond to or
perhaps both. Link to my page https://www.whiteplainspublicschools.org/Page/20704
3. Make sure that there are three components to (A.C.E) answer which is acceptable
and that you are capable of doing yourself in 9-15 sentences.
• 4. Put it together on a word document identifying periodization and theme and
region.
• 5. Answer it in 9-15 sentences
• Examples:
From the 2017 Princeton Review
Another
Sources: You may utilize all the ones for
stimulus-style or the following
• College Board Updated site: https://
apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-world-history/exam
• Practice Samples: https://
apcentral.collegeboard.org/pdf/sample-questions-ap-world-history-exam.pdf?course=ap-worl
d-history
• Freemanpedia Practice : http://www.freeman-pedia.com/short-answer/
• How to S.A.Q: https://
www.birdvilleschools.net/cms/lib/TX01000797/Centricity/Domain/6027/SAQ%20Information
%20and%20Instructions.pdf
• Another How to with template: http://www.teacheroz.com/16-17SAQrubric.pdf
• I am in love with this site for everything : https://
www.davis.k12.ut.us/site/handlers/filedownload.ashx?moduleinstanceid=111329&dataid=162
814&FileName=The%20Ultimate%20Students%20Guide%20to%20AP%20World%20History.pdf