is failure to answer the right question as a result of not reading the essay prompt carefully. Another
very common problem is failure to make at least one direct comparison between the societies or
issues addressed in the essay prompt.
Does my essay require an introduction? No. Many students waste time writing elaborate
introductory sentences or paragraphs to the free-response questions. The best approach is to state
your thesis statement, then defend it with historical details and analyses.
- If the essay prompt asks for a comparison between two regions, must I deal with the regions
as a whole, or may I compare one country from each region? Either approach is allowed. You
may even treat one region as a whole and deal with the second region through the example of one
country. - Is it necessary to know the issues in both regions equally well? No. As long as you answer all
parts of the question, you may write an essay that is stronger in one area than the other.