1. Using Historical Reasoning Skills to Structure AP World History LEQs

2. Exactly what does that mean?
LEQ Rubric
D: Analysis & Reasoning
Uses historical reasoning (e.g. comparison, causation, CCOT) to frame or structure an argument that addresses the prompt pt
Right, Just one problem.
Exactly what does that mean?

3. LEQ Rubric
Rubric Task Verb asks students to “frame or structure an argument.”
Potential Problems:
What’s an argument?
What does “frame” mean?
What does “structure” mean?

4. Argument
Gut Instinct: “Argument” = A verbal fight.

5. Argument
Gut Instinct: “Argument” = A verbal fight. No

6. Argument Gut Instinct: “Argument” = A verbal fight.
Reality: “Argument” = A series of logical statements that lead to a final conclusion.
In others words: (as APWH phrases it)
A line of reasoning that ends with the Thesis/Claim.

7. Argument More familiar metaphor: Dora the Explorer
Dora always has a mission (along with a map that previews the major landmarks/obstacles along the way).
Destination: Grandmother’s House
Landmark #1: Friendly Forest
Landmark #2: Chocolate Mountain
Landmark #3: Silver River

8. How does this Translate to an Essay?
Destination: Grandmother’s House
Landmark #1: Friendly Forest
Landmark #2: Chocolate Mtn
Landmark #3: Silver River

9. How does this Translate to an Essay?
Destination: Grandmother’s House = Thesis
Landmark #1: Friendly Forest
Landmark #2: Chocolate Mtn
Landmark #3: Silver River

10. How does this Translate to an Essay?
Destination: Grandmother’s House = Thesis
Landmark #1: Friendly Forest
Landmark #2: Chocolate Mtn Argument
Landmark #3: Silver River

11. “Framing” or “Structuring” an Argument
Each Paragraph’s topic can strengthen/ weaken an Argument. (duh)
The order of each Paragraph’s can also strengthen/weaken an Argument.

12. “Framing” or “Structuring” an Argument
Possible Comparative Essay Structures
Geographic “Lump”
Sim’s & Diff’s
Categorical
Intro / Thesis ¶
Body ¶ #1: Place A
Characteristic #1
Characteristic #2
Characteristic #3
Body ¶ #2: Place B
Body ¶ #1: Similarities
Sim #1
Sim #2
Sim #3
Body ¶ #2: Diffs
Diff #1
Diff #2
Diff #3
Body ¶ #1: Category #1
Sim, Places A & B
Diff, Places A & B
Body ¶ #2: Category #2

13. “Framing” or “Structuring” an Argument
Advantages & Disadvantages
Geographic “Lump”
Sim’s & Diff’s
Categorical
Simple
Requires little/no planning
Requires little planning
Sophisticated
Encourages request direct comparisons.
Ineffective
Indirect / “Parallel” comparisons (2 separate essays that happen to be on the same sheet of paper)
Not all questions ask for BOTH Sim’s AND Diff’s
Unfamiliar to students
Requires significant planning

14. “Framing” or “Structuring” an Argument
Possible CCOT Essay Structures
Chronological
Changes & Cont’s
Categorical
Intro / Thesis ¶
Body ¶ #1: Early/Begin
Body ¶ #2: Middle
Body ¶ #3: Late / End
Body ¶ #1: Changes
Body ¶ #2: Continuities
Body ¶ #1: Category #1
Changes: Beg-Mid-End
Continuity
Body ¶ #2: Category #2

15. “Framing” or “Structuring” an Argument
Advantages & Disadvantages
Chronological
Changes & Cont’s
Categorical
Simple
Requires little planning
Sophisticated
Encourages Analysis
Ineffective: WHY did X change?
Students often don’t know dates of events/trends
Artificial to “lump” changes/continuities together
Unfamiliar to students
Requires significant factual knowledge & pre-writing/planning

16. “Framing” or “Structuring” an Argument
Possible Causation Essay Structures
Chronological
Duration
Categorical
Intro / Thesis ¶
Body ¶ #1: Early/Begin causes &/or effects
Body ¶ #2: Middle causes &/or effects
Body ¶ #3: Late / End causes &/or effects
Body ¶ #1: Short-term causes &/or effects
Body ¶ #2: Long-term causes &/or effects
Body ¶ #1: Category #1 causes &/or effects
Body ¶ #2: Category #2 causes &/or effects
Body ¶ #3: Category #3 causes &/or effects

17. “Framing” or “Structuring” an Argument
Advantages & Disadvantages
Chronological
Duration
Categorical
Simple
Requires little planning
Sophisticated
Encourages Analysis
Ineffective: WHY did X change?
Students often don’t know dates
of events/trends
Unfamiliar to students
Requires significant factual knowledge & pre-writing/planning

18. Which Historical Reasoning Skill (HRS) to Use?
Any Skill can be used effectively. There is no single “right” way to write an essay.
BUT, some Skills may work better than others, depending on the prompt.
How to know?

19. Applicable to All Skills
Skill “Cue” Words
Comparison
CCOT
Causation
Both
Common
Differences
Shared
Similarities
Unique
Changes
Continuities
Development
Diffusion
Emergence
Evolved
Impact
Outcomes
Process
Transformations
Causes
Consequences
Effects
Goals
Results
Applicable to All Skills
Actions Factors Methods Migrations Reactions Responses

20. So … How to Know which Skill(s)?
Look for “Cue” words in the FRQ
In the period 600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E., different factors led to the emergence and spread of new religions and belief systems, such as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity.
Develop an argument that evaluates how such factors led to the emergence or spread of one or more religions in this time period.

21. So … How to Know which Skill(s)?
WHICH words are the “Cue” words?
In the period 600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E., different factors led to the emergence and spread of new religions and belief systems, such as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity.
Develop an argument that evaluates how such factors led to the emergence or spread of one or more religions in this time period.

22. So … How to Know which Skill(s)?
WHICH words are the “Cue” words?
In the period 600 B.C.E. to 600 C.E., different factors led to the emergence and spread of new religions and belief systems, such as Buddhism, Confucianism, and Christianity.
Develop an argument that evaluates how such factors led to the emergence or spread of one or more religions in this time period.

23. Question’s Topic
“Factors that led to emergence and spread of religions” is the “What” of this prompt.
Note how the prompt is NOT about “religions,”
but the factors that led to the emergence and spread OF religions.
Thus, each ¶’s topic should be “a factor,”
NOT “a religion.”

24. Question’s Topic So, … what are some factors [that] led to …
Which Skill makes the most sense?
Causation?
CCOT?
Comparison?

25. Possible Causation Essay Structure
Body ¶ #1: Merchants’ role in emergence / spread of religions
Body ¶ #2: Missionaries’ role in emergence/ spread of religions.
Body ¶ #3: Empires’ role in emergence / spread of religions.

26. Possible Causation Body ¶ Content
Body ¶ #1: Merchants’ role
Merchants traveled along existing trade routes (Silk, Indian Ocean Basin, Trans-Saharan, Mediterranean)
Intentional/unintentional spread of religions (Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity)
Body ¶ #2: Missionaries’ role
Body ¶ #3: Empires’ role

27. Possible Causation Body ¶ Content
Body ¶ #1: Merchants’ role
Body ¶ #2: Missionaries’ role in emergence/ spread of religions.
Missionaries intentionally spread religions
Missionaries financed/encouraged by merchants.
Body ¶ #3: Empires’ role

28. Possible Causation Body ¶ Content
Body ¶ #1: Merchants’ role
Body ¶ #2: Missionaries’ role
Body ¶ #3: Empires’ role in emergence/spread of religions.
Rulers encouraged religions that increased their own authority/status
Rulers required/enforced a single religion

29. Possible Causation Essay, Overall
Body ¶ #1: Merchants’ role in emergence / spread of religions
Merchants traveled along existing trade routes (Silk, Indian Ocean Basin, Trans-Saharan, Mediterranean)
Intentional/unintentional spread of religions (Buddhism, Confucianism, Hinduism, Judaism, Christianity)
Body ¶ #2: Missionaries’ role in emergence/ spread of religions.
Missionaries intentionally spread religions
Missionaries financed/encouraged by merchants.
Body ¶ #3: Empires’ role in emergence / spread of religions.
Rulers encouraged religions that increased their own authority/status
Rulers required/enforced a single religion

30. Possible CCOT Essay Structure
Body ¶ #1: Merchants’ role in emergence / spread of religions
Body ¶ #2: Missionaries’ role in emergence/ spread of religions.
Body ¶ #3: Empires’ role in emergence / spread of religions.

31. Possible CCOT Body ¶ Content
Body ¶ #1: Merchants’ role in emergence / spread of religions
Cont: trade routes used
Change: which religions spread
Change: where religions spread religions w/ trade partners
Body ¶ #2: Missionaries’ role
Body ¶ #3: Empires’ role

32. Possible CCOT Body ¶ Content
Body ¶ #1: Merchants’ role in emergence / spread of religions
Body ¶ #2: Missionaries’ role in emergence/ spread of religions.
Cont: desire to found / spread
Change: which religions spread
Change: where religions spread religions w/ trade partners
Body ¶ #3: Empires’ role in emergence / spread of religions.

33. Possible CCOT Body ¶ Content
Body ¶ #1: Merchants’ role in emergence / spread of religions
Body ¶ #2: Missionaries’ role in emergence/ spread of religions
Body ¶ #3: Empires’ role in emergence / spread of religions.
Cont: Used relig to promote unity/status/ prestige
Change: which religions promoted
Change: where religions promoted

34. Possible CCOT Essay, Overall
Body ¶ #1: Merchants’ role in emergence / spread of religions
Cont: trade routes used
Change: which religions spread
Change: where religions spread religions w/ trade partners
Body ¶ #2: Missionaries’ role in emergence/ spread of religions.
Cont: motivation for spread
Body ¶ #3: Empires’ role in emergence / spread of religions.
Cont: Used religion to promote unity / status / prestige
Change: which religions promoted
Change: where religions promoted

35. Possible Comparison Essay Structure
Body ¶ #1: Motivation for emergence/spread
Body ¶ #2: Acceptance of emergence/spread
Body ¶ #3: Occupation of who promoted emergence/spread

36. Possible Comparison Body ¶ Content
Body ¶ #1: Motivation for emergence/spread
Sim: Buddhist & Christian missionaries
Diff: Location of Founding/Spread
Body ¶ #2: Acceptance of emergence/spread
Body ¶ #3: Occupation of who promoted emergence/spread

37. Possible Comparison Body ¶ Content
Body ¶ #1: Motivation for emergence/spread
Body ¶ #2: Acceptance
Sim: Support by ruling class
Diff: Geographic Regions spread to by 600 C.E.
Body ¶ #3: Occupation of who promoted emergence/spread

38. Possible Comparison Body ¶ Content
Body ¶ #1: Motivation for emergence/spread
Body ¶ #2: Acceptance of emergence/spread
Body ¶ #3: Occupation of who promoted emergence/spread
Sim: Rulers / Merchants
Diff: Social Class of Promoters

39. Possible Comparison Essay, Overall
Body ¶ #1: Motivation for emergence/spread
Sim: Buddhist & Christian missionaries
Diff: Location of Founding/Spread
Body ¶ #2: Acceptance of emergence/spread
Sim: Support by ruling class
Diff: Geographic Regions spread to by 600 C.E.
Body ¶ #3: Occupation of who promoted emergence/spread
Sim: Rulers / Merchants
Diff: Social Class of Promoters

40. Bottom Line:
Use whatever Skill you think is best, and don’t worry whether it’s the “right” Skill!