THE F(ree) R(esponse) Q(uestion)

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THE F(ree) R(esponse) Q(uestion)
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Structure and Stress

• Same structure as the DBQ, but no documents to
  analyze
• Intro
• Thesis
• Topic Sentences (3!)
• Facts that support your thesis and topic
  sentences (tons!)
• Be specific!
• Hardest part of the test? often the questions are
  ridiculously vague
• Dont stress- very few students will own this
  part of the test.
• Youve already been writing FRQs all year? the
  outlines!

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Good News- You Get to Choose!

• 08-09 Test Choose one of these!
• 2. Analyze the long-term and short-term factors
  responsible for the
• disintegration of communist rule in TWO of the
  following states
• Czechoslovakia
• East Germany
• Hungary
• Poland
• 3. Considering the period 1918 to 1948, analyze
  the political and
• diplomatic problems faced by TWO of the following
  newly created
• Eastern European states.
• Austria
• Czechoslovakia
• Hungary
• Poland

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And one of these

• 5. Compare and contrast the economic factors
  responsible for the decline of Spain with the
  economic factors responsible for the decline of
  the Dutch Republic by the end of the seventeenth
  century.
• 6. Analyze various ways in which the Thirty
  Years War (1618-1648) represented a turning
  point in European history.
• 7. Analyze how Galileo, Descartes, and Newton
  altered traditional interpretations of nature and
  challenged traditional sources of knowledge.

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Usually a range of difficulty. Which are the
easiest?
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How to Tackle the FRQ

• You have 30 minutes.
• Approx 5 min prep time and 25 minutes writing
  time
• Step 1- brainstorm relevant facts
• You will find that you know more than you think
  you do!
• Step 2- group facts into relevant categories
• If you are having trouble, think of Persia
  themes.
• Step 3- Write an intro, then your thesis. Then
  write. Stuff your answer with relevant facts!

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Grading Rubric

• 9-7 Stronger
• - Has a clear, well-developed thesis
• - Is well organized
• - Addresses the prompt directly and completely
• - Supports the thesis with ample specific
  evidence
• - Carefully stays within the time period
  specified in the question
• - May contain minor grammar errors even a 9
  need not be flawless
• 6-4 Mixed (Please use the symbols only to
  indicate problem areas)
• - Contains a thesis, perhaps superficial or
  simplistic
• - Has minor to medium organizational issues
• - Attempts to address the prompt, but may not
  succeed fully
• - Some specific evidence in support, but not
  enough (or inaccurate supporting evidence)
• - mostly stays in the time period specified, but
  not always
• - contains notable grammatical errors
• 3-2 Weaker
• - Thesis is confused, absent, or merely restates
  the question
• - Has medium to major organizational issues
• - Has a medium to major problems addressing the
  prompt
• - not nearly enough specific evidence and/or
  evidence may contain major errors.