ACEtheSAQAHistoricalWritingStrategy

JohnBurkowski Jr.AcademyforAdvancedAcademics

AdaptedandRevisedPowerPointLayoutCreatedbyJessicaJenkins

AGENERALWRITINGAPPROACH• InEnglishLanguageArts:

• Claim– Theargumenttobeproven.

• Evidence– Thefactsand/orparaphrasesandquotesusedtosupporttheclaim.

• Commentary– Theexplanationonhowtheevidenceprovestheclaim.

HowtoACEtheSAQ“ACEIT!”

• ThreesentencesforeachpartofanSAQquestion.

• A =Answer. Youdirectlyanswerthequestionbyidentifyingyourhistoricalclaim.- Usespecificfactualinformation,ifapplicable.

• C =Cite. Youbrieflydefine/describeyourclaim.- Usespecificfactualinformation.- Instimulus-basedquestions,useawordorimagecomponent.(“snagaword/image”)

• E =Expand. Youexplainthechoiceofyourhistoricalclaiminresponsetothequestionandlogicallyconnectittorelevanthistoricaldevelopments.

“Howandwhyyourclaimbestaddressestheintentofthequestion.”

ACE– A(Answer)

• Dependingontheprompt,thiscomponentrequiresyoutodirectlyanswerthequestionbyidentifyingaspecifichistoricalclaim,generalhistoricalassertion,orhistoricalinterpretativeanalysis.

• Itisherewhereyouconfidentlyestablishyourhistoricalargument.

• Itissimilartomakingathesis/argumentclaiminanessayortopic/mainideasentenceinasupportingparagraph.

ACE– A(Answer)

• Inasituationofselectingfromprovidedoptions,identifytheoptionyouintendtosupportasaprimarychoice.[SEEEXAMPLEPERIODIZATION]

• Inasituationofidentifyingasimilarityordifference,besuretodirectlyaddressbothcomponentsofcomparison.[SEEEXAMPLECOMPARISONandEXAMPLEINTERPRETATION]

ACE– C(Cite)

• Dependingontheprompt,thiscomponentrequiresyoutodirectlyanswerthequestionbyidentifyingaspecifichistoricalclaim,generalhistoricalassertion,orhistoricalinterpretativeanalysis.

• Thedefinition/descriptionshouldcontainspecificfactualinformation/evidencedirectlyrelevanttothepromptandAnswer.

ACE– C(Cite)• InasituationwheretheAnswerwasidentifyingaspecifichistoricalclaim,youshould

defineordescribetheclaim[SEEEXAMPLECAUSATION]

• InasituationwheretheAnswerwasageneralhistoricalassertion,youshouldciteaspecifichistoricalevent,situation,oreventtoprovetheassertion.[SEEEXAMPLECONTINUITY/CHANGEOVERTIME]

• InasituationwheretheAnswerwasahistoricalinterpretativeanalysis,youshould“snagawordorphrase”tosubstantiatetheinterpretativeanalysis.[SEEEXAMPLEINTERPRETATION]– Thisdoesnotmeantoquoteawordorphrase.

• InasituationwheretheAnswerwasidentifyingaclaimfromalistofoptions,youshoulddefine/describetheselectedoption.[SEEEXAMPLEPERIODIZATION]

ACE– E(Expand)• ThislastcomponentrequiresyoutoexplainhowyourAnswerbestaddressestheprompt.

• LikeanywritingpromptontheAPexam,thereexistsanintentandfocustoassesshistoricalunderstandingonatargetedhistoricallearningobjective,keyconcept,and/orhistoricalthinkingskill.– Thesequestionsaredevelopedbyhistoriansandteachersofhistory.Theyareinherentlydesignedto

directlyassesskeyconcepts,butalsoassessbroadhistoricalphenomenon.

• TheexplanationshouldconnectortiebacktheAnswertothepromptandfulfillitshistoricalintent.

• WhyExpand?TheexplanationoftheAnswershouldincludeafurtherconnectiontoadirectorbroadhistoricalphenomenonrelevanttotheintentandfocusofthequestion.

ExampleCAUSATION

• Prompt(PartA):BrieflyexplainONEimportantpoliticalresponsetothesectionalconflictoverslaveryduringthe1850’s.

• ANSWER: TheKansasNebraskaActin1854wasanotherattempttosettlethesectionalconflictoverslaveryduringthe1850’s.

• CITE: TheactsplittheNebraskaTerritoryintotwonewterritories,NebraskaandKansas,andallowedeachterritorytodeterminefreestateorslavestatethroughpopularsovereignty.

• EXPAND: AlthoughtheKansasNebraskaActattemptedtosettletheconflictoverslaverythroughamoredemocraticmeans,itconsequentlyallowedslaverytoexpandbeyondtheMissouriCompromiselineof36’30andwasconsideredapoliticalvictoryfor“slavepower.”

ExampleCOMPARISON

• Prompt(i.e.PartA):BrieflyexplainONEimportantdifferencebetweentheNorthernregionaleconomyandtheSouthernregionaleconomyintheperiodfrom1800to1850.

• ANSWER: TheNorthernregionaleconomydevelopedanewindustrialandmanufacturingbasewhiletheSouthernregionaleconomypreserveditspredominantlyagrariansociety.

• CITE: TheLowellSystempioneeredmanufacturingandmassproductionintheNorthwhiletheSouthcontinuedtoexpandcashcropplantations,suchascotton.

• EXPAND: TheincreaseinfactoriesintheNorthdevelopedamorefluidwage-earningfreelaborclasswhereastheSouthernplantationeconomypreservedtherigidsocialhierarchyandslavelabor.

ExampleCONTINUITY/CHANGEOVERTIME

• Prompt(i.e.PartA):BrieflyexplainONEexampleofhowcontactbetweenNativeAmericansandEuropeansbroughtchangestoNativeAmericansocietiesintheperiod1492to1700.

• ANSWER: ThespreadofcontagiousEuropean-bornediseasessignificantlydecimatedNativepopulations.

• CITE: Nativesdidnotpossessnaturalimmunitiestosmallpoxandinfluenza,andalmost90%ofthemperished.

• EXPAND: NativepopulationlossesweakenedtheirdefensesandEuropeanconquerorseasilysubjugatedsurvivorsandexploitedtheirlandthroughcolonization.

ExamplePERIODIZATION

• Prompt(i.e.PartA):BrieflyexplainwhyONEofthefollowingoptionsmostclearlymarksthebeginningofthesectionalcrisisthatledtotheoutbreakoftheCivilWar.

• - NorthwestOrdinance(1787)- MissouriCompromise(1820)– AcquisitionofMexicanterritory(1848)

• ANSWER: TheNorthwestOrdinancemarkedthebeginningofthenation’ssectionalcrisis.

• CITE: Thelegislation,establishedundertheArticlesofConfederation,prohibitedslaveryintheOldNorthwestterritory.

• EXPAND: TheideaofafederalgovernmentenforcingitswilloverfuturestateswouldprovecontroversialinfutureconflictsbetweenNorthernandSouthernstates.

EXAMPLEInterpretation

“Most[ProgressiveErareformers]livedandworkedinthemidstofmodernsocietyandacceptingitsmajorthrustdrewboththeir

inspirationandtheirprogramsfromitsspecifictraits...Theyprizedtheirorganizations...assourcesofeverydatstrength,and

generallytheyalsoacceptedtheorganizationsthatweremultiplyingaboutthem....Theheartofprogressivismwastheambitionofthenewmiddleclasstofulfillitsdestinythroughbureaucraticmeans.”– RobertH,Weibe,TheSearchforOrder,

1877-1920

“Women’scollectiveactionintheProgressiveeracertainlyexpressedamaternalist ideology[asetofideasthatwomen’srolesasmothersgavethemaresponsibilitytocareforsocietyaswell].…Butitwasalsosparkedbyamoralvisionofamoreequitabledistributionofthebenefitsofindustrialization.…Withinthepoliticalcultureofmiddle-classwomen,genderconsciousnesscombinedwithanawarenessofclass-basedinjustices,andtalentedleaderscombinedwithgrass-rootsactivismtoproduceanimpressiveforceforsocial,

political,andeconomicchange.”– KathrynKishSklar,“TheHistoricalFoundationsofWomen’sPowerintheCreationoftheAmericanWelfareState,”Mothersofa

NewWorld

Prompt(PartA):BrieflyexplainONEmajordifferencebetweenWiebe’sandSklar’s historicalinterpretations.

ANSWER: WiebebelievesthemiddleclassfueledprogressivereformswhileSklar argueswomenusedgrassrootsinitiativestosupportprogressivereforms.

CITE: Wiebenotesmostprogressivereformerswereambitious middle-classorganizerswhereasSklar focusesonthematernal instinctsofmiddle-classwomen.

EXPAND:WiebearguesmiddleclassreformersusedtheirmeanstoenactreformsthroughlegislationwhileSklarbelievesmiddle-classwomenpursuedreformsbasedonamoralobligationtosociety.

ExampleANALYZINGEVIDENCE

(POLITICALCARTOON/PAINTING/IMAGE)• Prompt(PartA):Brieflyexplainthepointofviewabouttheeconomy

expressedbytheartist.

• ANSWER: ThepoliticalcartoonistbelievestheGildedAgebusinessmenexploitthehard-workingandstrugglinglaborers.

• CITE: Theartistdepictsthecapitalistsaslazyandgreedymoneybagswhorestonthebacksofthevariousindustrialworkers.

• EXPAND: Theworkerskeepthecapitalistsinsulatedfromthewavesofeconomichardtimesshowingtheartist’ssympathyforworkers’livelihoodswhileexposingtheflawsofunregulatedcapitalismofgreedyGoulds andVanderbilts.

RECOMMENDEDACEAPPLICATION• Notdesignedtobeanimmediatewritingsolution.• Strategyshouldbeappliedregularlyandconsistentlythroughoutthecourse.• AppliedtodifferenttypesofSAQstoaddressHistoricalThinkingSkills.• Practice,practice,practice.• AskanSAQquestionpartratherthananentirethree-partSAQ.• Timing

– Applyextendedtimesinearlydevelopmentandapplication.– Administerquestionsinanexam-timedsituationtoassessmastery.

• Allowstudentstoadaptthestrategytotheirabilities.• Adaptthestrategytoyourclassroom,whenpreferred.

GENERALWRITINGGUIDELINES• Beexplicit.– Alwaysusespecificfactualandhistoricalevidenceandavoidansweringonlyingeneralizations.

• Donotquotewordsorphrasesfromexcerpts.[SeeCiteforfurtherclarification.]

• Unnecessaryphrasestoavoid:“Accordingtothehistorian…,”“Asseenintheexcerpt/graph/image…,”“Aswritten/mentionedby…”

• Useactivevoiceandactiveverbs.• Dictionandsyntaxplayanimportantroleinestablishingaconfidenthistoricalclaimandassertioninadditiontodevelopingconciseresponses.– OK->EuropeansbroughtoverdiseasestotheAmericasandithadanimpactonNativepopulations.

– GOFORTHIS->ContagiousEuropeandiseasesdecimatedNativepopulations.

STRATEGICVALUEofACE• KeepsSAQresponsesconcise.• Increaseslikelihoodofearningeachpoint,particularlyoninterpretationprompts.

• Developsabilitytoproveandsubstantiateclaimsandexplanations.• ServesasascaffoldingtechniqueforDBQandLEQessayresponses.• Encouragessophisticatedhistoricalwriting.• ShouldbeconstantlyandconsistentlyappliedwithSAQassessments.• CommonapplicationwithotherAPdisciplinesusingwritingaspartoftheirassessments.– APEnglishLanguageandComposition

GENERALSAQGUIDELINES

• Labeleachpartintheleft-sidemarginsoutsidethebox.• Donotskiplinesordouble-line.• Donotindent.• Donotwriteanintroductionorconclusion.Thisisnotanessay.• Writeincompletesentences.Nobulletpoints orsentencefragments.

• Completeeachtaskinorder;A,B,C.• YoumaywriteanyofthefourSAQsinanyorder.– Recommendedtoanswerintheorderofmostconfidencefirst.