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[[American History Lecture Eight|Lecture]] - [[American_History_Homework_Eight|Questions]] - [[American History Homework Eight Answers|Student Answers]]

[[American History Lecture Eight|Lecture]] - [[American_History_Homework_Eight|Questions]] - [[American History Homework Eight Answers|Student Answers]]

Next week: 30-question test, roughly broken down as follows:  10 questions political, 5 questions economic, 5 questions social, 5 questions intellectual and 5 questions foreign policy.

Next week: ''about'' 30 questions (the total will be different for the boys and girls tests), roughly broken down as follows:  10 questions political (e.g., presidents and congressmen), 5 questions economic (e.g., taxes and inflation), 5 questions social (e.g., slavery), 5 questions intellectual (e.g., inventions and books) and 5 questions foreign policy (e.g., wars and treaties).

Know your [[Presidents of the United States|list of presidents]], by memorizing the list and counting forward.  For example, who was 10th President? (Count forward from Washington until you reach [[John Tyler]].) Who was the president in 1826? ([[John Quincy Adams]])

Know your [[Presidents of the United States|list of presidents]], by memorizing the list and counting forward.  For example, who was president in 1842?<ref>[[John Tyler]]</ref> Who was the president in 1826?<ref>[[John Quincy Adams]]</ref>

Cartoons: a combination of facts and argument by the cartoonist.  He uses caricatures to express a point of view.  The key to deciphering cartoons is to have attention to detail, to pick up all the clues.

There will be several cartoons on the exam. Realize that cartoons are a way for someone to describe facts with a point of view, in order to make a political statement.  The cartoonist uses caricatures and draws situations in order to express a point of view.  The key to deciphering cartoons is to have attention to detail, to pick up all the clues.

History exams are weighted by importance, and a big mistake in preparation is to spend too much time on an obscure time period or issue.  Only one third of the first CLEP exam (through Reconstruction) is devoted to the beginning of time to 1789.  So don't start with that period and burn out before you reach 1790 to 1877, where two-thirds of the questions will come from.

Many students make the mistake of answering a cartoon question too quickly.  A cartoon is a mystery, like an unsolved crime.  As soon as a cop arrives on a crime scene, he does not jump to a conclusion about who committed the crime.  He gathers all the evidence.  He considers possibilities.  He wants an explanation that fits all the facts.  He looks for a motive.  Approach cartoons the same way.

"Time is money" is a famous, and true, saying.  The time you spend not making money, or making little money, could be spent making more money.  Lost time is lost opportunity to make money, or do something else useful, such as charity or prayer.

More generally, look for a purpose to a question, particularly the cartoons.  Develop a sense of historical purpose in these exams.  Prefer an answer choice that adds meaning and purpose to a question.

You will spend a certain amount of time preparing for the midterm exam.  Call that amount of time "x".  How you allocate that time to different areas of 1500-1877 will make a difference on how well you do on the exam.  If you spend 90% of x on the period between 1500 and 1700, then you will do poorly on 90% of the questions, because they will be from the period 1700 to 1877.  You would have done far better to spend the 90% of x on the time period that will have 90% of the questions.

 

 

A similar concept applies to studying for exams.  You will spend a certain amount of time preparing for the midterm exam.  Call that amount of time "x".  How you allocate that time to different areas of the overall time period (1500-1877) will make a difference on how well you do on the exam.  If you spend 90% of x on the period between 1500 and 1700, then you will do poorly on 90% of the questions, because they will be from the period 1700 to 1877.  You would have done far better to spend the 90% of x on the time period that will have 90% of the questions.

A tip on reading maps on exams:  before Civil War there was no West Virginia.  If you see West Virginia on a map, then it was after the Civil War started.

A tip on reading maps on exams:  before Civil War there was no West Virginia.  If you see West Virginia on a map, then it was after the Civil War started.

Three ingredients to your exam score:

<>Three ingredients to your exam score:

*time spent studying

*time spent studying

*how effective your method of studying is

*how effective your method of studying is

On a 30 question exam, each of the above categories is worth a few more correct answers.  Add them up and you can boost your score by 6 points or more on a 30-question exam, or 100 points or more on the SAT II.

On a 30 question exam, each of the above categories is worth a few more correct answers.  Add them up and you can boost your score by 6 points or more on a 30-question exam, or 100 points or more on the SAT II.

Consider the cartoon question on the midterm exam.  Most students answered it too quickly.  A cartoon is a mystery, like an unsolved crime.  As soon as a cop arrives on a crime scene, he does not jump to a conclusion about who committed the crime.  He gathers all the evidence.  He considers possibilities.  He wants an explanation that fits all the facts.  He looks for a motive.  Approach cartoons the same way.

Identify the time period of a history question before trying to answer it.

 

More generally, look for a purpose to a question, particularly the cartoons.  Develop a sense of historical purpose in these exams.  Prefer an answer choice that adds meaning and purpose to a question.

One final exam-taking tip:  identify the time period of a history question before trying to answer it.

'''Above all, understand a question before trying to answer it!'''

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