AP Essays

What do they want me to do?

The following list of "directive words" appeared in an American Historical Association newsletter article about essay writing on the AP History exams.  If you understand what you are being asked to do, you will clearly end up with a better-finished product.

Assess- judge the value of character of something;

                     evaluate.

Compare- examine for the purpose of noting similarities and

                         differences.  

Contrast- compare in order to show points of difference.

Criticize- make judgements of a word

Define- give the meaning of a word, phrase or concept;

                    determine or fix the boundaries or extent of

Describe- give an account of; give a word picture of

Discuss- talk over; write about; consider or examine by

                      argument or from various points of view; debate;

                      present the different sides of

Enumerate- mention of list separately; name one after

                            another

Evaluate- give the good points and the bad points; give an

                        opinion regarding the value of; discuss the

                        advantages and disadvantages

Explain- make clear or plain; tell the meaning of; make clear

                      the cause or reason of Identify and (with another                     

                      directive word such as "Identify and evaluate";

                      define and give the significance

Illustrate- make clear or intelligible through examples

Interpret- explain the meaning of; make plain; present your

                        thinking about

Justify- show good reasons for; present your evidence;

                    offer facts to support your position

Prove- establish the truth or genuineness of something by

                    giving factual evidnece or logical reasons.

Reconcile- bring in harmony, make consistent by use of

                          argument and evidence

Summarize- state or express in concise form; give the main

                                points briefly

Trace- follow the course of; give a description of the

                    progress of; Ascertain by investigation.

***Note:  A thesis statement is always critical.  Readers are in a hurry and they evaluate the quality of an answer quickly; therefore, first impressions are lasting ones.

1.          Always answer the question asked.  Now is not the

             time to simply tell what you know even if it is off the           

             subject.  Why did this event happen the way it did?

2.          Define key terms, words or concepts immediately. 

             Keep the question and its answer in the correct

             historical context.

3.          Provide a concept or central idea that will let you then

             expand it to explain a set of historical circumstances.

4.          Try to be specific about where you are headed with

             your answer.  A good thesis statement will provide

             enough organization to structure the rest of your

             essay.