Short Answer Questions

This guide organizes advice from past students who got 4s and 5s on their exams. We hope it gives you some new ideas and tools for your study sessions. But remember, everyone's different—what works for one student might not work for you. If you've got a study method that's doing the trick, stick with it. Think of this as extra help, not a must-do overhaul.

📌 Overview

• Students are asked to analyze a variety of provided primary and secondary sources, put historical developments into context, and determine connections between historical developments and processes
• 20% of Exam Score
• 40 minutes for 3 questions (4 given, 3 required)
• Scored out of 3 points

💭 General Advice

Tips on mindset, strategy, structure, time management, and any other high level things to know

• Stick to the 3 or more rule. Aim to get at least 3 well-crafted sentences per answer. For detailed explanations, you should try to have 4-5 sentences.
  • Start with an introduction sentence that answers the question directly, in the most simple way possible. Use sentence two to cite/explain any evidence that backs up your answer. Finally, end with another sentence or two that clarifies your answer and explains it even more.
• Prioritize your questions. Don’t spend too much time on one question, and feel free to answer them out of order. Do whatever you feel confident in answering first or the one that you know right off the bat!
• The SAQ is one of the “simpler” APUSH writing exams, meaning it is fairly straightforward. Overthinking is not your friend, so directly answer what the prompt asks!
• Study the College Board’s rubric before your exam. Reviewing this will help focus your efforts on the things you have to do to get your points.
• Do not tire yourself out over the SAQ section, especially as it is only 20% of the exam score. You can afford to miss one SAQ, but it's more difficult to bounce back from a low LEQ or DBQ score.
• Do not spend too much time on this section or each question. They are fairly straight-forward questions with straight-forward answers; they will not try to trick you. Go with what you know, answer the questions you are confident about first, and do not go overboard.

🕐 Before you Write

What should a student do in the first few minutes, before they start writing?

• Read all directions thoroughly before you jump in. This can save you erasing time later on!
• Break down what the question is asking for. Then, spend a minute jotting down everything you know about the topic. Organize those thoughts and choose the best evidence you have, and you’ll be ready to start writing!
• Plan out your response. Brainstorm vocabulary words that relate to the prompt, and use them to enhance your answer. Don’t spend too much time on this step! (a vocabulary specific term could be something like court case, name, battle, new invention or social idea etc).
• Think about what you can say at the top of your head without over analyzing or going in too deep.
  • For example, if the question asks for a development of the industrial revolution, just write possible evidence you could use like cotton gin, steam engine, or assembly line.
• Brainstorm all the key vocabs related to each SAQ on a scratch paper. Take your ideas and eliminate those that are weak. Then take your good ideas and come up with various reasons for each one, pick the strongest response out of those and actually write it. (Don’t try to make these full sentences, phrases and words are best.)
• Try to think of very specific information. With the LEQ and DBQ as well, you want to choose a specific example to back up your information. This will show that you have more in-depth knowledge of the topic as a whole.
  • For example, if you are talking about a big social change that occurred, try to think of a specific court case, law, influential book, etc. that was partially responsible for that change.

🏛️ How to Structure your Response

• Keep it clear and concise. The first sentence should always restate the prompt. This helps make sure you are actually answering the question without going off topic.
  • In unethical terms, “Slap the reader in the face with the answer” by directly stating it.
  • Don’t beat around the bush or try to contextualize. For an SAQ response, keep it short and quick.
• Use the next few sentences to elaborate on this idea, give related evidence, and explain why the evidence supports your original answer.
• Using the CER method (Claim, Evidence, Reasoning) will help you to remember how simple to keep your SAQ response.

🤔 Choosing Between Q3 or Q4

• You don’t get more points for choosing one or the other question. So, first read both and think to yourself “Which question would I be able to answer strongly?” “Which one do I feel the most confident about answering?”
• Decide which question you could say more about and it is not necessarily the harder or more complex one. Sometimes the easy or simpler one will get you all the points.
• Make sure you can accurately describe the question. This means adding in specific vocabulary terms, dates, or names in order to enhance your response.
• Be clear, relevant, and accurate. You cannot get the point if your answer is overstated, and inaccurate.
• The College Board Rubric for the SAQ responses states that Q3 is from a period of 1491 to 1877, while Q4 focuses on something from 1865 to 2001. Your best bet is to go with whatever period you remember the best, which in many cases, may be the more recent period you learned about.
• Once you’ve read the questions, outline an answer for each by brainstorming evidence for both. Opt for the question where you can present a stronger, accurate response even if the other question sounds more interesting to you. Remember, the main goal is to provide a clear, concise, and accurate answer.