1. Advanced Placement U.S. History
Analyzing the Prompt

2. Objectives
Understanding the various type of analytical questions asked on AP exams
Systematic Methods of Breaking Down Questions
Complete and Accurate Comprehension of Concepts
Developing an ability to not merely summarize, but infer and draw conclusions

3. Analyzing the Prompt
The objective of prompt analysis is to declare or write a statement of position. This statement is your thesis.
The first step of this process is to breakdown and delineate the prompt. Whoa to you if you neglect to answer what is specifically asked.

4. Common Openings To what extent In what ways/How Analyze Evaluate
How much, degree, quantity
In what ways/How
Give a number of reasons
Analyze
Separate, breakdown into parts, show relationships
Evaluate
Judge, value, rate, rank, show relationships
Describe/Discuss
Give detail, picture, relationships to other things not shown

5. The Parameters Identifying Time and Place
Years, era, decade, location, region, sections, urban, rural, foreign, domestic
Identifying Sides or Positions
Are you asked to take a side?

6. Organizing Your Thoughts
Cause and Effect
What produces an event and what are the results or consequences
Pro and Con
List reasons aimed at a conclusion
Positive and Negative
Agreement, denying, refuse, support
Compare and Contrast

7. Charts and Diagrams
You are often asked to compare and contrast, explain, or evaluate events from various. It is a higher level task that requires a schematic bank of criteria.
The following is a brief taxonomy of economic, political, and social characteristics.

8. Economic Characteristics
Work
Money
Industry
Consumerism
Unions
Barter
Geography
Commerce
Transportation
Agriculture
Means of exchange
Apprenticeship
Raw materials
Trade
Labor
Advertising
Natural resources
monopolies

9. Political Characteristics
Laws
Voting
War
Elections
Rules
Democracy
Borders
Balance of power
Checks and Balances
Government
Regulations
Diplomacy
Foreign relations
Institutions
Leadership
Court Cases
Enforcement
Constitutional

10. Social Characteristics
Education
Recreation
Leisure
Ethnic groups
Relationships
Family
Religion
Schools
Games
literature
Child rearing
Communication
Class Structure
Organizations
Entertainment
Humanitarianism
Discrimination
Racism
Violence

11. Describing and Analyzing
In writing essays, lower grades are given to essays that only describe, higher grades are given to essays that analyze. Here is a glossary to distinguish which of these you are doing.

12. Describing Define Record List Recall Relate How much Where When How
What does it mean
Select
Which one
Choose
Omit
Match
Which is best

13. Analyzing Distinguish Identify Differentiate Appraise Calculate
Experiment
Test
Compare
Contrast
Justify
Criticize
Diagram
Inspect
Debate
Inventory
Question
Relate
Solve
Examine
Categorize

14. The Analytic Method Dissect the Prompt Brainstorm for Facts
Formulate the Thesis
Outline the Essay
Write out the Thesis Paragraph
Get Down to Business

15. Rubric for Oral Prompts
Superior (8-9)
Expressed clearly, on topic/question, fully developed
Substantial, relevant information
Understands complexity of the question; deals with questions in depth, although treatment may not be balanced
Effective analysis
May contain minor errors

16. Rubric for Oral Prompts
Competency (5-7)
Clearly expressed with limited development
Some relative information
Limited understanding of complexity; may deal with only one aspect of the question in some depth, or with all in a more general way
Limited analysis, mostly describes
May contain errors that do not detract from overall discussion

17. Rubric for Oral Prompts
Some Competency (2-4)
Comment may be confused or underdeveloped
Lacks supporting information, or information given is minimal or irrelevant
Ignores complexity; may deal with only one aspect of the question in a general way, or all respects in a superficial way
No analysis
May contain major errors

18. Rubric for Oral Prompts
Incompetence (0-1)
Incompetent response
Simple paraphrases or restatement of the question with no discussion
Little or no understanding of the question

19. Grading Rubric to Essays