The Multiple-Choice Question
The first part of the Advanced Placement World History examination is a section of 70 multiple-choice questions. You will have 55 minutes to complete the multiple-choice section.
Each multiple-choice question has five distracters, or answer choices. A few of the questions are based on the knowledge of facts. The question below is an example of a fact-based question.
Which peninsula has been the scene of ethnic cleansing?
- Iberian.
- Balkan.
- Italian.
- Scandinavian.
- Yucatán.
The correct answer is Balkan (B).
Most questions, however, require you to analyze the material you have covered in the course. Many of the questions require you to compare among societies, events, or processes, or to indicate how they have changed over a period of time. A few of the questions require you to interpret a photograph, political cartoon, map, chart, or graph. The following question is an example of one that compares between two colonial societies during the new imperialism.
Compared to most African colonies, the British colony in India
- was allowed more practice in self-government.
- was a model of technology transfer.
- did not receive the benefits of improved transportation.
- did not rebel against its European imperialist power.
- was a settler colony.
Answer (A) is correct; the British allowed Indians to engage in some local rule. Answer (B) is incorrect; neither African colonies nor India were recipients of much technology transfer. Answer (C) is incorrect because both benefited from the transportation systems initially established for the colonizing nations. Answer (D) is incorrect; the Sepoy Rebellion was a revolt against British rule in India. Answer (E) is incorrect because India was not a settler colony.
The following are some frequently asked questions concerning the multiple-choice section.
- If I don't know an answer, should I guess or leave the question unanswered? There is no guessing penalty on the multiple-choice section. If you do not know an answer, you should select the answer choice that you think is correct. Unanswered questions will be scored as incorrect answers.
- What strategy should I use to narrow the possible answer choices? Of the five distracters found in each question, one is often obviously incorrect. In addition to the correct choice, there is often another answer which is almost correct. Another possibility is that two of the distracters are correct, but one is a better answer than the other. The best advice is to read the question very carefully to determine exactly what the question is asking, then eliminate the weaker answers until you arrive at the best answer.
- Will I be required to know a lot of dates and people to answer the multiple-choice questions? Some knowledge of specific dates and people will be necessary to answer the multiple-choice questions. For the most part, however, the multiple-choice questions on the Advanced Placement World History examination ask you to compare societies, issues, or trends within one or more of the Advanced Placement World History time periods or to analyze how societies, issues, or trends have changed and remained the same over one or more time periods.
The Document-Based Question
After completing the multiple-choice section, you will have the remaining 2 hours and 10 minutes of the exam to complete the three essays, or free response, questions. You will receive a booklet that contains the prompts for all three free response questions, and a second booklet with lined paper for your responses. You may answer the free response questions in any order. During this portion of the test, you will have to budget your own time; you will not be told at which point you are to move on to the next question.
The suggested time for answering the document-based question is 50 minutes. You should spend approximately 10 minutes reading the documents, 5 minutes in prewriting, and 35 minutes writing your essay. The document-based question will contain about 4 to 10 documents. Although some of the documents will be text, others may be photographs, drawings, political cartoons, maps, graphs, or charts. In order to successfully answer the document-based question (DBQ), you need to meet the following requirements:
- Write a solid thesis statement. Do not simply restate the question. Be sure that you take a stand on one side of the topic addressed by the essay prompt.
- Show by your analysis of the documents that you understand their meaning. You may misinterpret one document and still receive the point for this task.
- Use evidence from all or all but one of the documents to support your thesis. Give specific supporting details from the documents.
- Analyze the documents by grouping them in two or three ways, depending on the question. Do not merely list your documents or summarize them individually in the order in which they appear in the text.
- Analyze point of view in at least two documents. Begin this task by looking at the author, the author's background, the date on which the document was written, and any other information provided in the attribution, or the introductory information given before the document. In your essay, discuss how the author's background formed his or her point of view.
- Identify one type of additional document or source that would be useful in analyzing the essay prompt. Ask yourself, "Whose voice or opinion is missing?" Explain why the document or source is needed.
If you perform all the above tasks satisfactorily, you will receive a total of seven points on the document-based question. You are then eligible to earn one or two additional points by writing an essay that displays one or more quality points such as:
- An exceptionally clear, analytical thesis.
- Exceptionally strong analysis of the documents.
- Analysis of point of view in most of the documents.
- The addition of appropriate additional historical evidence or more than one additional document.
The following are some frequently asked questions regarding the document-based question:
- How do I begin answering the question? Read the question carefully so that you know what the question is asking you to do. A good idea is to underline the task word (such as analyze, compare, evaluate), the topic, and the time parameters (dates, centuries, or periods) contained in the essay prompt.
- What is the next step? Group your documents in several useful categories.
- How do I cite the documents? A manner of citation that is especially useful for the reader who scores your essay is to include the number of the document in parentheses after making a reference to it, for example: (Document 2). You also may choose to mention the name of the author or quote or paraphrase from the document to identify it.
- Where do I place the analysis of bias or point of view? This analysis may be placed anywhere in the essay. It is most effective, however, if discussed in the same paragraph in which the document is analyzed.
- Where do I mention the need for an additional document? The discussion of the additional document may be included anywhere in the essay.
- Will I lose points for incorrect spelling or grammar? No. Each essay begins with a score of "0." As each task required by the question is accomplished, the reader adds a point to the score. Points are never deducted. Because spelling and grammar are not included in the tasks required to complete the essay, incorrect usage will not result in denial of a point.
- Will I lose points for errors such as incorrect dates? Refer to the description of scoring in Question 6. If a date or other information is incorrect, the incorrect information will not be scored. If you have included an abundance of correct evidence in your essay, the incorrect material will not result in loss of opportunity to receive the points for historical evidence.
- What are some of the most common errors students make in answering the question? The most common errors on the DBQ are forgetting to include a discussion of bias or point of view and omitting a discussion of the additional document. Another common error is not answering the question asked in the essay prompt.
- Should I underline my thesis statement? No, the reader is capable of determining whether or not you have included an appropriate thesis statement in your essay.
- May I use a highlighter? Highlighters are not permitted.
The Continuity and Change over Time Question
The continuity and change over time question tests your ability to analyze how societies, trends, or issues have changed and remained the same over long periods of time. The suggested writing time for this essay is 40 minutes, including 5 minutes devoted to prewriting. You will be given a choice of several geographical or cultural regions and will be asked to choose either one or two of those regions on which to base your essay. The continuity and change over time questions will involve change and continuity over one or more of the Advanced Placement World History time periods.
Begin by writing a thesis statement that addresses the topic. Be sure to mention the dates or time periods from the essay prompt in your thesis statement.
Depending on the wording of the essay prompt, you may choose to divide your essay into three sections. Begin by describing the region(s) that you chose at the beginning date mentioned in the essay prompt. In the second part of your essay, describe the region(s) during the middle portion of the time period. In the third section of your essay, discuss the region(s) at the end of the time period addressed in the essay prompt.
In order to address continuity in your essay, consider how the societies or issues remained the same at the beginning, during, and at the end of the time period included in the essay prompt. You must explain how the changes and continuities in your essay relate to global processes occurring at the same time. Analyze the causes and effects of the changes and continuities.
The following are some frequently asked questions regarding the continuity and change over time essay:
- Does the thesis statement have to appear at the beginning of the essay? No, the thesis statement may appear at the beginning or at the end of the essay. Since the thesis statement serves as a guide for the essay, however, it is better to place it at the beginning of the essay.
- Do I have to write a conclusion to my essay? Your essay does not need to have a conclusion. If you have sufficient time to meet all the criteria for the essay and write a short conclusion, fine. If you are pressed for time, however, skip the conclusion and proceed to the next question.
- What are the most common errors made in the continuity and change over time essay? One of the most common errors on this essay is the writer's lack of knowledge of world geographical and cultural regions. (For help in this area, consult Chapter 5 in Step 4 of this manual.) Another common error is omission of a discussion of continuities across the time period. Other essays are not answered successfully because they compare only the beginning and the end of the time period in question and fail to address changes and continuities in the middle portion of the period.
The Comparative Question
The comparative question requires you to write an essay that compares and contrasts societies or issues. This question may cover one or more of the Advanced Placement World History time periods. Suggested writing time for the comparative essay is 40 minutes, including a 5-minute prewriting period. In most cases, you will be given several regions and will be asked to compare issues between two of the regions. Some examples of issues that you may be asked to compare are gender roles, political structures, trade, and migrations.
Begin by writing a thesis statement that takes a stand on one aspect of the issues to be compared. Do not simply restate the essay prompt. A statement such as the following, for example, is not an adequate thesis statement: "There are many similarities and differences between the slave trade in the Indian and Atlantic Ocean basins in the period between 1450 and 1750." An adequate thesis statement might read: "While the Indian Ocean slave trade carried slaves from eastern Africa to European-owned plantations in the Indian Ocean between 1450 and 1750, a more vigorous slave trade across the Atlantic between western Africa and the Americas effected profound and enduring changes upon the societies of the Western Hemisphere."
In order to respond adequately to the comparative question, it is necessary to make one or two direct comparisons between the societies or issues addressed. Analyze the direct comparison by showing the causes and effects of similarities and/or differences. An example of a direct comparison is: "Egypt's natural barriers provided a degree of isolation, allowing the Egyptian culture to develop somewhat independently. Unlike Egypt, Sumer was surrounded by few natural barriers, making it vulnerable to frequent invasions and influences from other civilizations and societies."
A good answer to the comparative question will make more than one direct comparison and will include both similarities and differences. Analysis of the regions or issues within the global context will also strengthen the essay.
The following are some commonly asked questions concerning the comparative essay:
- What are the most common errors on the comparative question? One of the most common errors is failure to answer the right question as a result of not reading the question carefully. Another very common problem is failure to make at least one direct comparison between the societies or issues addressed in the essay prompt.
- Does my essay require an introduction? No. Many students waste time writing elaborate introductory sentences or paragraphs to the free response questions. The best approach is to state your thesis statement, then defend it with historical details and analyses.
- If the question asks for a comparison between two regions, must I deal with the regions as a whole, or may I compare one country from each region? Either approach is allowed. You may even treat one region as a whole and deal with the second region through the example of one country.
- Is it necessary to know the issues in both regions equally well? No. As long as you answer all parts of the question, you may write an essay that is stronger in one area than the other.
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