A.P. Euro Understanding the Different Types of P.O.V.

Why Point of View is essential to your success on the Exam?

In evaluating your essays for the exam A.P. Readers are looking for your ability to analyze and critique the documents, not simply to accept them as pure fact. Many students make the mistake of assuming documents that they read are completely accurate. Instead, you should approach the documents for what they are; first hand accounts written by certain people during particular time periods usually with an agenda or purpose. As an A.P. student you are expected to demonstrate to the test readers that you have analytical and higher-level thinking skills by the way in which you treat documents.

In what ways can you demonstrate your understanding and knowledge of P.O.V in your essay? In general there are five types of P.O.V. that A.P. readers will be looking for.

1. Attribution: You demonstrate attribution by noting the name of the author of the document along with their position/social status or rank. By doing this you are showing that you understand the document is just not accepted fact. I would encourage you to always give attribution when you cite a document in your essay.

Below is an example of attribution:

- Bartolome de Las Casas, a militant friar, said….

2. Authorial Point of View: Every author has a perspective or point of view. You need to be able to demonstrate to the readers that you both identify and comprehend what that point of view is. Items that affect an author's point of view are: social status, religion, ethnicity, country, gender, or occupation.

Below is an example of authorial point of view:

Jacque Ciompi, as a French peasant, enjoyed seeing Marie Antoinette guillotined, since as a peasant and member of the third estate he was in favor of