Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Hints for the big exam

Four years ago, Mr. Frank Franz, who teaches in Virginia offered a list of great suggestions that will help you write better responses to FRQs.

I posted them then, three years ago, two years ago, last year, and here they are once again.

I think these ideas are excellent. The only thing I’d add to the list would be to paraphrase the question as an introduction. In the last few years some rubrics have insisted that responses have introductions that label what is being discussed.

Here's what Mr. Franz wrote:

Here's the strategy I place on every FRQ I give my students. I believe it helps them focus on the questions and will help them earn as high of a score as possible. Some of these ideas are my own and some are from colleagues who have served as readers and table leaders.

Free Response Strategy

Mark-up the question.

Count up how many points you are trying to earn. (Look for number references, count the verbs)

Write as many sentences as there are points.

Write simple, declarative sentences.

Answer the question asked. Nothing else.

Answer every part of the question.

Look for time references, patterns, and passage of time.

Do not argue with the premise of the prompt.

Skip a line between parts, but do not label.