AP Long Essay Questions
The long essay questions are the final part of the AP exam. They are also one of the most difficult essays to write, since you need to know a lot of content, write clearly, and work without any prompts. All while at the end of a long exam! Looking for some tips for the long answer essay questions? Read more below.
Read the Prompts
The first step in writing a successful answer to a long essay question is to read all of the prompts. You will have a choice among three possible prompts. Take a second to brainstorm what you know about both topics: do you know much more about one topic or the other? Do you have a clearer sense of what you might argue for one of the prompts? Or do you know more about the historical context for one of the prompts? All prompts are worth the same number of points: choose whichever one you think you will be most successful in answering.
Brainstorm Facts
Once you have decided on the topic you will write on, take a few seconds to think about everything you might know on the topic. Don’t just go with the first idea you have—oftentimes, even better pieces of evidence will occur to you once you give it a bit of a think. Once you have some good material, you can move on—anything that buttresses your argument will receive credit. You do not need to think of the best possible examples to support your argument—just 3 good ones.
Ensure Accuracy
The exam allows for small mistakes here and there, especially if these small errors do not detract from the argument of the essay. However, make sure that the facts that you use to back up your argument are in fact accurate. Take a moment while you are brainstorming to fact check yourself. You could think about the wider historical context, the timeline of history, causes and effects—anything that helps you confirm that the facts you are using are accurate.
Write an Argument and Outline
The next step is to choose the argument that you will have for your essay. The argument needs to respond to the prompt with a specific answer. Often, the prompt might ask you for the most significant effect. Choose 1 effect. Then, looking at your brainstorming, choose 3 facts that support your claim.
For instance, if you had a question asking what was the most important effect of World War II, you might answer that that the most important effect of the Second World War was the global recommitment to international organizations. This is a good argument: it is an opinion, not a fact. Another student could easily argue the opposite. For your pieces of evidence, you could name things like 1) the United Nations, World Bank, etc. 2) the organizations in Europe that predated the European Union, and 3) NATO and the Warsaw Pact. Indeed, number three might be an interesting point of contrast—did NATO help or hinder international cooperation in the same way as the United Nations?
Write Out the Essay
You should familiarize yourself with the rubric for the long essay questions before you take the test. Big picture, make sure that you include: wider contextualization, a clear thesis, and evidence that supports your argument. Historians also appreciate nuance—you can say how your evidence, while supporting your argument, also adds points of contrast or show how not everyone at the time experienced these events in the same ways.
Proofread
This test is a history exam: as long as your writing style is clear enough that it can be read, points will not be taken off on the basis of misspellings or grammatical errors. When you proofread, instead check for historical accuracy and the consistency of your argument. If you can, also add in a sentence or two to add sophistication to your claims.
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