WRITING AN EFFECTIVE LONG ESSAY QUESTION
(LEQ)
HOW TO APPROACH THE LONG ESSAY!
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EXAM FORMAT – AGAIN 
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3 HOURS & 15 MINUTES
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55 MULTIPLE CHOICE QUESTIONS 40% -
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4 SHORT ANSWERS 20% - MAX. 3 PTS
EACH
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1 DBQ 25% - MAX 7 POINTS POSSIBLE
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1 LONG ESSAY – CHOICE BETWEEN 2
15% - RUBRIC – MAXIMUM 6 POINTS
POSSIBLE
HISTORICAL THINKING SKILLS (HTS)
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ESSAY WILL FOCUS ON ONE OF THESE SKILLS IN PARTICULAR
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CAUSATION: EVALUATE HOW THE FRENCH & INDIAN WAR IMPACTED THE RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN & THE BRITISH COLONIES BETWEEN 1754-1776 –
IDENTIFY, ANALYZE, & EVALUATE CAUSE & EFFECT RELATIONSHIPS IN AN HISTORICAL
CONTEXT, DISTINGUISHING BETWEEN THE LONG & SHORT TERM
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CONTINUITY & CHANGE OVER TIME (CCOT): IDENTIFY & ANALYZE THE CHANGING
RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN GREAT BRITAIN & THE COLONIES BETWEEN 1607-1763.
ABILITY TO RECOGNIZE, ANALYZE & EVALUATE DYNAMICS OF CCOT OF VARYING LENGTHS &
RELATING THOSE PATTERNS TO LARGER HISTORICAL PROCESSES/THEMES
COMPARISON: COMPARE & CONTRAST THE COLONIES IN THE CHESAPEAKE REGION WTH
THOSE IN NEW ENGLAND. ADDRESS 2 OF THE 3 IN YOUR ANSWER: POL., ECO., SOC.
ABILITY TO DESCRIBE, COMPARE & EVALUATE IN VARIOUS CHRONO & GEO CONTEXTS,
MULTIPLE HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENTS W/I 1 SOCIETY & 1 OR MORE DEVELOPMENTS
ACROSS OR BETWEEN DIFFEERENT SOCIETIES
PERIODIZATION: EVALUATE THE EXTENT TO WHICH THE FRENCH & INDIAN WAR WAS A
TURNING POINT IN AMERICAN HISTORY.
CHRONOLOGY! ABILITY TO DESCRIBE, ANALYZE, ETC. & CONSTRUCT MODELS OF HISTORICAL
PERIODIZATION THAT HISTORIANS USE TO CATEGORIZE EVENTS & IDENTIFY TURNING POINTS,
IMPORTANCE OF DATES FAVORS 1 NARRATIVE OVER ANOTHER. HISTORIOGRAPHY – WHAT’S
YOUR INTERPRETATION
RUBRIC: 6 POINTS & 35 MINUTES
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NO DBQ OR LEQ WILL BE SPECIFICALLY ON PERIODS 1 (1491-1607) OR 9
(1980-PRESENT)
THESIS: 0-1 PT. – DO NOT RESTATE, MAKE SURE IT IS CLEAR & ADDRESSES
ALL PARTS OF THE QUESTION/PROMPT
ARGUMENT: 0-2 PTS. – USE SPECIFIC EVIDENCE, CLEARLY & CONSISTENTLY
STATING HOW THE EVIDENCE SUPPORTS THE THESIS OR ARGUMENT &
ESTABLISHING CLEAR LINKAGES B/W THE EVIDENCE & THESIS
APPLICATION FOR HISTORICAL THINKING SKILL: 0-2PTS. – CCOT,
COMPARISON, CAUSATION OR PERIODIZATION: EACH HTS IS EVALUATED
DIFFERENTLY – SEE NEXT SLIDE
SYNTHESIS: 0-1PT. – RESPONSE SYNTHESIZES THE ARGUMENT, EVIDENCE
& CONTEXT INTO A COHERENT & PERSUASIVE ESSAY BY EXTENDING OR
MODIFYING THE THESIS (OPPOSING INTERPRETATION); EMPLOYING
ADDITIONAL APPROPRIATE CATEGORY OF ANALYSIS (POL, ECO, REL, SOC)
BEYOND THAT CALLED FOR IN THE PROMPT; APPROPRIATELY CONNECTS
THE TOPIC OF THE QUESTION TO OTHER HISTORICAL PERIODS, GEO AREA,
CONTEXTS OR CIRCUMSTANCES (CIVIL WAR AMENDMENTS & CIVIL RIGHTS)
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LAST ONE
WHAT DOES A LONG ESSAY RESPONSE LOOK LIKE?
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5 PARAGRAPHS: USE ? AS GUIDE
EACH BODY PARAGRAPH EXPLAIN,
DESCRIBE, EVALUATE, IDENTIFY,
DISCUSS ONE TOPIC/CATEGORY
YOU MUST INCLUDE IN THE ESSAY
THE REQUIREMENTS STATED
 “In your response you should do
the following:
 state a relevant thesis addressing
all parts of the question,
 support your argument w/
evidence using specific examples
 Apply historical thinking skills as
directed by the questions
 Synthesize the elements above
into a persuasive essay”
DECONSTRUCTING YOUR PARAGRAPHS
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INTRO MOST IMPORTANT: BACKGROUND, THESIS, MAIN POINTS OF ARGUMENT
(CATEGORIES/TOPICS)
BY THE END OF THE INTRO READER SHOULD HAVE A CLEAR IDEA OF THE ARGUMENTS
YOU WILL DEVELOP IN THE BODY PARAGRAPHS
USE TRANSITION WORDS OR PHRASES FOR CONTINUITY & TO KEEP READER FOLLOWING
YOUR ARGUMENT
BODY PARAGRAPHS: # & LENGTH WILL VARY BASED ON PROMPT, THESIS, EVIDENCE –
MUST FOCUS ON THE HTS
SYNTHESIS: EXTEND OR MODIFY THE THESIS W/ OPPOSITE ARGUMENT:
INTERPRETATION, HISTORIOGRAPHY,
“ALTHOUGH,……”
EVIDENCE IS SPECIFIC EXAMPLES FROM YOUR KNOWLEDGE BASE: EVENTS, PEOPLE,
TREATIES, WARS, LAWS, REBELLIONS ETC.
CONCLUSION: SUMS UP WHAT READER HAS LEARNED, RESTATE THESIS IN FRESH &
INTERESTING MANNER, RESTATE TOPIC SENTENCES & USE EX FROM ESSAY TO SUPPORT
EACH TOPIC SENTENCE.
DON’T INTRODUCE NEW EVIDENCE OR SUMMARIZE ESSAY IN CONCLUSION
ORGANIZE YOUR MATERIAL FIRST!
EVALUATE THE EXTENT TO
MADISON WERE THE
WAR WITH GREAT BRITAIN
STATEMENT USING SPECIFIC
WHICH THE EMBARGO
POLICIES OF JEFFERSON &
MOST INFLUENTIAL FACTORS THAT LED AMERICA INTO
IN 1812. SUPPORT, MODIFY OR REFUTE THIS
EVIDENCE. WHAT IS THE HTS
POLITICAL – be more specific
FACTS: NAMES, DATES,
PEOPLE
SO WHAT?
ECONOMIC - synonyms
FACTS: NAMES, DATES,
PEOPLE
SO WHAT?
SOCIAL- can be almost
anything
AND MORE FACTS: RELIGION, SO WHAT?
ACTIVITIES, GENDER ROLES