Ask an Expert, Part 3 – Earning the Complexity Point through a Counterargument, An Example

Ask an Expert, Part 3 – Earning the Complexity Point through a Counterargument, An Example

Tony walks us through an example for using a counterargument to earn the Complexity point in a Long-Essay Question response.

It's a difficult point to earn, and no one strategy will work for any essay prompt. In Part 2 of this series, Tony discusses 4 methods that AP History students can use to earn the complexity point for the LEQ and DBQ essays. In this video, Tony uses an example from class to show how one student used a counterargument, also known as the "2-to-1 Thesis" approach ("Method 1" in the previous installment in the series), to demonstrate historical complexity in an essay about the causes of World War I.

The techniques Tony describes, as well as the example used (WWI), apply to AP World, AP Euro, and AP U.S. History. All 3 courses rely on the same essay rubrics.

Check out Tony's Mastery Series for detailed guidance on how to earn every point on the rubric for the writing portions of the AP World and AP European History exams. Learn more about Tony and his Mastery Series here. If you have any AP history questions of your own that you'd like to see Tony answer, feel free to send them to us at hello@sherpalearning.com.