AP US History · Exam guide
AP US History SAQ Explained: How the Short-Answer Questions Are Scored
The short-answer section is the fastest way to pick up points, and the easiest place to lose them to vague writing. You answer three questions in 40 minutes. Each has three parts, labeled (a), (b), and (c), worth one point each, and the whole section counts for 20 percent of your exam score. This guide explains how each part is scored, what the words identify, describe, and explain really ask for, and shows a weak and a strong answer from AP US History.
The three questions
| Question | What you get |
|---|---|
| Question 1 | One or two secondary sources, which are historians' interpretations. You are asked about their arguments. |
| Question 2 | One primary source from the time period. You are asked about its content, context, or point of view. |
| Question 3 or 4 | No source. You choose one of two prompts and answer from your own knowledge. |
The two source-based questions draw on Periods 3 through 8 (1754 to 1980). For the choice question, you pick between two prompts from different parts of the course.
How each question is scored
| Part | Points | What earns it |
|---|---|---|
| Part (a) | 1 | An accurate, specific answer to part (a), usually naming a person, event, law, or idea. |
| Part (b) | 1 | An accurate, specific answer to part (b). If the task says explain, you must give the reasoning, not just an example. |
| Part (c) | 1 | An accurate, specific answer to part (c), with the explanation the task asks for. |
| Per question | 3 |
What identify, describe, and explain ask for
| Task word | What it asks for |
|---|---|
| Identify | Name one specific, correct thing: a person, event, law, policy, or idea. One clear sentence is enough. |
| Describe | Give specific details about what something was like, such as features, parts, or characteristics. |
| Explain | Give the reasoning. Say how or why, using "because", "which led to", or "as a result". An example alone does not earn the point. |
Most lost points come from writing an example when the task says explain. Check the task word on each part before you write.
A sample question, answered
Answer (a), (b), and (c). (a) Identify ONE federal policy proposed or passed between 1846 and 1861 that dealt with slavery in the western territories. (b) Explain ONE way the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854) increased tension between North and South. (c) Explain ONE way the Dred Scott decision (1857) increased tension between North and South.
It is vague and has no specific content. "Made people angry" does not say who, why, or what happened. This earns nothing.
It names the specific change the law made, then explains the result with a cause-and-effect chain and concrete outcomes.
Notice what the strong answers have in common. Each starts with the answer, names something specific and accurate, and, when the task says explain, includes a "which led to" or "because" connection. None of them has an introduction.
How to handle each type of question
Secondary sources (Question 1). Read for each historian's main claim, not the details. The parts usually ask you to identify a difference between the interpretations, then to name a specific piece of evidence that supports one of them. Your evidence must come from your own knowledge, not from the passages.
Primary source (Question 2). Before answering, note who wrote it, when, and for whom. Questions often ask how the author's situation or purpose shaped the source, or what the source shows about its time. Use specific information from the source and from the period.
No source (Questions 3 and 4). Choose by what you can write, not by how familiar the title sounds. Quickly list one specific fact for each part before you write.
A 40-minute time plan
| Minutes | What to do |
|---|---|
| 0 to 12 min | Question 1 (secondary sources). Spend one or two minutes reading, then answer parts (a), (b), and (c) in order. |
| 12 to 24 min | Question 2 (primary source). Read the source and note who wrote it, when, and why, then answer each part. |
| 24 to 40 min | Read both choices for Question 3 and Question 4, pick the one where you know the most, and answer it. Use leftover minutes to add a specific detail to any answer that is vague. |
Common mistakes
- Writing an essay. There is no thesis, introduction, or conclusion, and extra sentences earn nothing.
- Answering a different part than the one asked. Label (a), (b), and (c) and answer each in order.
- Mixing up similar events, such as the Missouri Compromise (1820), the Compromise of 1850, and the Kansas-Nebraska Act (1854). Learn each as a name, a date, and a result.
Frequently asked questions
How many points is the AP SAQ worth?
Each of the three AP US History short-answer questions is worth 3 points, one for each part, for 9 points in all. The section counts for 20 percent of your exam score.
Do I need a thesis or an introduction?
No. Short answers should start with the answer. There is no thesis, introduction, or conclusion, and extra sentences earn nothing.
Do I have to write in full sentences?
Yes, short ones. Bullet points or fragments can leave the reasoning unclear, which matters most on parts that say explain.
What counts as specific?
A named person, event, law, policy, or idea that is accurate and relevant, plus a clear connection to what the question asks. General statements do not count.
How should I split my time?
You have 40 minutes for three questions, so plan on about 12 to 13 minutes each. If you are stuck on a part, write what you do know and move on.
Keep practicing
Every unit review in the AP US History course ends with two short-answer questions and a model answer to compare with, in all nine units. These free lessons also build the skills the SAQ tests:
See the AP US History course Free lessons and lesson list
Other guides:
- AP US History DBQ Rubric Explained: How the 7 Points Are Scored
- AP US History LEQ Rubric Explained: How the 6 Points Are Scored
- AP World History SAQ Explained: How the Short-Answer Questions Are Scored
- AP European History SAQ Explained: How the Short-Answer Questions Are Scored
AP is a registered trademark of the College Board, which is not affiliated with and does not endorse this site. This guide is our own explanation of the question types and scoring. For the official scoring guidelines, see the College Board.