AP History Long Essay Question Rubric

This rubric was designed and is used by the College Board® in grading Long Essay Questions (LEQs) for AP® Histories courses including European History, United States History, and World History. Students may earn up to 6 points for a Long Essay Question response.

Introductory Notes

Except where otherwise noted, each point of the rubric is earned independently. For instance, a student could earn a point for evidence beyond the documents without earning a point for thesis/claim.
Accuracy: The components of this rubric each require that students demonstrate historically defensible content knowledge. Given the timed nature of the exam, a response may contain errors that do not detract from its overall quality, as long as the historical content used to advance the argument is accurate.
Clarity: Exam essays should be considered first drafts and thus may contain grammatical errors. Those errors will not be counted against a student unless they obscure the successful demonstration of the content knowledge, skills, and reasoning processes described in the rubrics.

A. Thesis/Claim

This reporting category a student is awarded 0 to 1 point.

Points	Description
1 point	Scoring Criteria: Responds to the prompt with a historically defensible thesis/claim that establishes a line of reasoning. Decision Rules: To earn this point, the thesis must make a claim that responds to the prompt, rather than merely restating or rephrasing the prompt. The thesis must consist of one or more sentences located in one place, either in the introduction or the conclusion.
0 points	Scoring Criteria: Student's response does not meet decision criteria to earn 1 point.

B. Contextualization

This reporting category a student is awarded 0 to 1 point.

Points	Description
1 point	Scoring Criteria: Describes a broader historical context to the prompt Decision Rules: To earn this point, the response must relate the topic of the prompt to broader historical events, developments, or processes that occur before, during, or continue after the time frame of the question. This point is not awarded for merely a phrase or a reference.
0 points	Scoring Criteria: Student's response does not meet decision criteria to earn 1 point.

C. Evidence

This reporting category a student is awarded 0 to 2 points.

Points	Description
2 points	Scoring Criteria: Supports an argument to the prompt using at least two pieces of specific and relevant evidence. Decision Rules: To earn two points, the response must include two pieces of specific historical evidence to support an argument in response to the prompt.
1 point	Scoring Criteria: Provides specific examples of at least two pieces of evidence relevant to the topic of the prompt. Decision Rules: To earn the first point, the response must identify specific historical examples of evidence relevant to the topic of the prompt.
0 points	Scoring Criteria: Student's response does not meet decision criteria to earn 1 point.

D. Analysis and Reasoning

This reporting category a student is awarded 0 to 2 points.

Points	Description
2 points	Scoring Criteria: Demonstrates a complex understanding of the historical development that is the focus of the prompt, using evidence to corroborate, qualify, or modify an argument that addresses the question. Decision Rules: To earn the one point, the response must demonstrate the use of historical reasoning to frame or structure an argument, although the reasoning might be uneven or imbalanced, or the evidence may be overly general or lacking specificity. To earn the second point, the response may demonstrate a complex understanding through sophisticated argumentation that is relevant to the prompt. This may be done in a variety of ways, such as: Explaining multiple themes or perspectives to explore complexity or nuance; OR Explaining multiple causes and effects, multiple similarities and differences, or multiple continuities and changes ; OR Explaining both cause and effect, both similarity and difference, or both continuity and change; OR Explaining relevant and insightful connections within and across periods or geographical areas. These connections should clearly relate to an argument that responds to the prompt. This understanding must be part of the argument, not merely a phrase or reference. A response may demonstrate a complex or nuanced understanding through effective use of evidence relevant to an argument that addresses the prompt. This may be done in a variety of ways, such as: Explaining how multiple pieces of specific and relevant evidence (at least four) support a nuanced or complex argument that responds to the prompt; OR Using evidence effectively to demonstrate a sophisticated understanding of different perspectives relevant to the prompt. This complex understanding must be part of the argument and may be demonstrated in any part of the response. While it is not necessary for this complex understanding to be woven throughout the response, it must be more than merely a phrase or reference.
1 point	Scoring Criteria: Uses historical reasoning (e.g., comparison, causation, continuity and change) to frame or structure an argument that address the prompt. Decision Rules: To earn the one point, the response must demonstrate the use of historical reasoning to frame or structure an argument, although the reasoning might be uneven or imbalanced, or the evidence may be overly general or lacking specificity.
0 points	Scoring Criteria: Student's response does not meet decision criteria to earn 1 point.

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Long Essay Questions (LEQs)

Long-Essay Questions (LEQs)

AP History Document-Based Question Rubric

Grading Assistant