A FORMULA for LEQ Writing

Summary

In this video, Heimler's History provides a structured formula for writing a Long Essay Question (LEQ) effectively. Instead of focusing on unnecessary rules like a five-paragraph format or a conclusion, Heimler emphasizes creating historically defensible arguments with a flexible structure. The video guides on starting with contextualization, structuring paragraphs with topic sentences, and incorporating a mix of evidence to support claims. Heimler suggests how leveraging the right amount of evidence can lead to earning maximum points, including the complexity point, by challenging your own argument with additional evidence.

Highlights

• The LEQ structure does not require a conclusion unless specified. 🎯
• Begin with contextualization and end the introduction with a solid thesis. 📜
• Body paragraphs should stem from your thesis and be evidence-rich. 🧩
• Using more than two pieces of evidence enhances your score, especially for complexity. 🚀
• Including contradictory evidence can provide depth to your argument. ⚖️

Key Takeaways

• You don't need a five-paragraph essay or a conclusion to ace the LEQ. 📝
• Start with contextualization using specific historical evidence. 🌍
• Craft a strong thesis that is historically defensible. 🏛️
• Use a T-E-A structure: Topic sentence, Evidence, Analysis. 💡
• Incorporate at least four pieces of evidence to aim for complexity. 🔍

Overview

In this engaging walkthrough from Heimler's History, we're shown how to tackle the LEQ, often a daunting task for students. By stripping away unnecessary rules, you're encouraged to focus on historically defensible arguments. Heimler outlines the importance of starting with context and ending with a punchy thesis, while ensuring each paragraph is anchored in solid evidence.

Heimler introduces the T-E-A formula as the backbone for body paragraphs—Topic sentence, Evidence, Analysis. This structure ensures you present a coherent argument supported by historical specifics and analysis. You're encouraged to aim high and include multiple pieces of evidence for a robust argument.

To truly shine, Heimler advises students to seek complexity points by challenging their own arguments with evidence of both change and continuity. This approach not only demonstrates deep historical thinking but also ensures you're not just rote-repeating facts but engaging with them critically.

Chapters

• 00:00 - 00:30: Introduction to LEQ Writing In this chapter, the focus is on providing a formula for writing a Long Essay Question (LEQ). The intention is not to teach how to write an LEQ entirely, but to offer guidance on structuring the essay, especially concerning what to include in the conclusion paragraph. The chapter also addresses a common misconception among students regarding the necessity of a five-paragraph essay structure for the LEQ. The chapter aims to clarify these doubts, emphasizing that a five-paragraph essay is not required.
• 00:30 - 01:00: Structuring the LEQ Essay The chapter focuses on structuring the Long Essay Question (LEQ) required in certain exams. It emphasizes that the number of paragraphs should be driven by the argument's needs rather than a rigid structure, suggesting that a conclusion paragraph is unnecessary as it isn't part of the rubric. The chapter introduces a formula for structuring an essay to maximize points, highlighting that while this template can guide you in earning points, the key is to demonstrate historical thinking. The template is flexible and should be adapted as needed since every LEQ question can differ. The guidance begins with the first paragraph, which should include two or three sentences of contextualization.
• 01:00 - 01:30: Writing the Contextualization and Thesis This chapter discusses the importance of contextualization and thesis in historical writing. It emphasizes the need for incorporating specific historical evidence, including vocabulary words, to support the larger argument. The chapter further advises that the thesis should be concise, no more than two sentences, and must be historically defensible. Additional resources and courses are mentioned for further understanding and learning.
• 01:30 - 02:00: Developing a Roadmap and Body Paragraphs In this chapter, the author discusses the importance of developing a roadmap and body paragraphs for an essay, similar to the Document-Based Question (DBQ) method. It emphasizes the need to establish categories for arguments within the thesis, such as social and political categories, which dictate the topics for body paragraphs. If a thesis has two categories, two corresponding body paragraphs are needed; three categories would require three paragraphs, and so on. The chapter also highlights the structure of body paragraphs, which should include a topic sentence, evidence, and analysis, starting each paragraph with a clear topic sentence that introduces the theme discussed.
• 02:00 - 02:30: Using Evidence in Body Paragraphs The chapter titled 'Using Evidence in Body Paragraphs' emphasizes the importance of integrating evidence effectively to support arguments in essays, particularly in body paragraphs. It suggests beginning with a topic sentence that derives from the thesis. The topic sentence should assert a main point, such as 'X caused significant social change during this period.' Then, the chapter stresses the need for introducing specific evidence to support this statement. At least two pieces of evidence are deemed necessary for adequate support in an LEQ (Long Essay Question), although aiming for four is advised for a thorough argument. The chapter encourages defining key vocabulary terms used as evidence to ensure clarity. Analysis is described as an integral part of using evidence, requiring explanations of how each piece of evidence substantiates the topic sentence and contributes to the overall argument.
• 02:30 - 03:00: Achieving Complexity in Your Essay This chapter focuses on how to achieve complexity in essay writing by effectively analyzing evidence to support the topic sentence and thesis. It emphasizes the importance of showing how evidence supports the claim and suggests using at least two pieces of evidence for a strong argument. Achieving this can earn a high score in essay evaluations, particularly if the essay is contextualized well and demonstrates historical thinking. The chapter reiterates the use of a systematic approach to construct a coherent argument, referred to as the T formula.
• 03:00 - 03:30: Conclusion and Additional Resources In the 'Conclusion and Additional Resources' chapter, the focus is on mastering complexity in essay writing, specifically in LEQs (Long Essay Questions). To achieve this, the chapter suggests using four pieces of evidence rather than the standard two. The process should mirror how the initial evidence is handled: by naming, explaining, and analyzing it. The emphasis is on understanding that earning a complexity point is not merely about adding evidence but comprehensively integrating and analyzing it.

A FORMULA for LEQ Writing Transcription

• 00:00 - 00:30 okay in the last video I gave you a formula for writing a DBQ and in this video I'm going to do the same for the leq so if you're ready to get them brain cows milk with a historically defensible argument then let's get to it now same story here I'm not going to teach you how to ride an leq in this video if you need help with that check out this video right here in this video I'm just going to show you how to structure your essay because that's a question I get a lot from students who watch my videos they want to know what to include in their conclusion paragraph and whether a five paragraph essay is sufficient for the leq and they almost never believe me when I tell them that none of that stuff is necessary you don't need five
• 00:30 - 01:00 paragraphs you only need enough paragraphs to make your argument you don't need a conclusion paragraph because that's not on the rubric so if that's the case then how do you structure your essay for maximum points well I got a formula for you but just remember that this template exists to show you the principles of how to earn the points every leq is going to be slightly different so you may need to break out of the template remember it's not the form that earns you points it's demonstrating that you can think historically but a template is certainly helpful so let's get started okay your first paragraph needs to start with two or three sentences of context ization
• 01:00 - 01:30 these need to include specific historical evidence like actually name some vocabulary words along with an explanation for why these examples of the larger historical context are important to your argument and then end that paragraph with your thesis which should be no more than two sentences and preferably one and that thesis has to be an argument and it has to be historically defensible if you don't know what the fresh heck any of that means then check out my video on writing thesis statements right here or if you're feeling a little Saucy and you want me to walk you through every point on all the required writing for your exam then check the link in the description for my apsa crem course
• 01:30 - 02:00 which will make all your dreams come true okay so just like in the DBQ you're going to need to develop a road map of your essay within your thesis and what that means is you're going to establish the categories of your arguments and just for poops and Giggles let's say your argument and therefore your thesis has two parts social and political so these will be the topics of your two body paragraphs if you have three categories in your thesis then you're going to need three body paragraphs Etc so just like in the DBQ your body paragraph should follow this formula T topic sentence evidence analysis so start your first paragraph with a topic sentence that says the theme for that
• 02:00 - 02:30 paragraph and for this you just steal from your thesis so topic sentence One X caused significant social change during this period and now you have to introduce some evidence to prove that and the evidence that you bring has to be something specific like you know name something a vocabulary word and in order to get full points you have to use a minimum of two pieces of evidence in this leq but I would suggest that you use more than that like aim for a minimum of four so then your paragraph would continue like this one example of social change is vocabulary word then you're going to explain what that vocabulary word is which is to say Define it the analysis part means that
• 02:30 - 03:00 you add one more sentence showing how it proves your topic sentence and by extension your thesis and don't get confused when I say analysis all that means is that you show how your evidence supports the claim in the topic sentence then do that whole thing again for your second piece of evidence now if you successfully do everything I just said with at least two pieces of evidence then you should earn a five out of six on this essay you'll get four points for the contextualization and the thesis and the evidence and then the fifth point will almost come by default here you get a point for constructing your argument in a way that demonstrates historical thinking so if you have a good thesis and you use the the T formula for your
• 03:00 - 03:30 body paragraphs that's exactly what you're going to be doing but then there is one last point to get in this section and that is for complexity and since they about a gazillion ways to earn this point and they could all warrant their own formulas let me just stick with the basics here because you don't actually need to go beyond what I've already taught you here probably the most straightforward way to earn complexity is to make sure that you use four pieces of evidence in your leq instead of just two and you handle those in exactly the same way you handled the first two pieces of evidence you name it explain it and analyze it however listen up the key to earning this point is not simply
• 03:30 - 04:00 multiplying evidence supporting your argument instead choose two pieces of evidence that support your argument and two that potentially challenge it so if your first body paragraph argues that X historical development demonstrates significant social change then choose a second piece of evidence that suggests social continuity yes there was a massive social change and here's why but there was also continuity and here's why so follow that formula and you know maybe all your dreams will come true okay if you don't know how to write a thesis then this is the video you should watch next and you can click here to get my apsa Cram Course if you want me to walk you through every point on the
• 04:00 - 04:30 writing for your course and give you some examples of exactly how to get them all and I'll catch you on the flipflop I'm lout