Symbols in AP Stimulus Questions

Symbols in the Source

    Source

    c. or ca. (circa)

    CE (Common Era)

Symbols in Quoted Text

    [Brackets]

    ... or .... (Ellipses)

    sic, (sic), sic  ​

Let's start with what the source is!  The source is information that tells you about the background of a historical document.  This information can include the writer's name, the document's title, a description of the document, and the date it was created.  Sometimes, source information may include a description of the author or the historical circumstances surrounding a document's creation.  It's also common for some of this information to be missing or unknown.  The older a document is, the less information we tend to have.

This information is set apart from the actual text of the document.  This ensures it's easy to distinguish between the original text and helpful background information.  You will see the source set apart in different ways depending on the type of question.

Here's the basics:

• Multiple Choice Questions and Short Answer Questions always put the sourcing information after the document.  The document is aligned with the left margin.  The source information is aligned to the right margin of the page.
• Document-Based Questions put the source information before the document.  This information is typically labeled with the word "source."  Both the document and the source are aligned with the left-side of the page.  The source includes everything after the word source until there's a return (new paragraph).
• Some teachers use resources that don't follow AP formatting in their classes.  There's nothing wrong with this!  But you may also see source information in italics or set off with a dash (-).  Source information usually reads like a list and most documents are not lists.  This can be another way to identify the source information.

Circa is a Latin word that means "around" or "about."  It is often abbreviated as ca. (ca. 1790) or c. (c. 1790).  When circa is abbreviated, the c is almost always lowercase.

Circa is almost always used with a date.  For example, a person may have been born "circa 1790."  This indicates that the person was born around the year 1790.  It shows that the author knows the general time the person was born, but they're not sure of the exact date or year.  Circa is also used for deaths, a document's creation, and other significant historical events.

You're significantly more likely to run into circa in AP World History than AP US History.  This is because AP World History covers older topics than AP US History does.   Historians typically have more information about recent documents and events than older ones.  The further back you go, the more likely it is that the precise timeline is blurry.  ​

Common Era is used as a direct substitute for AD.  Therefore, you will find this abbreviation used after a date or range of dates.

Western Europe and the United States use the same calendar system.  The Christian tradition plays an important role in this system.  The years are number by how far away they are from the date of Jesus's birth.  The year he was born is zero.  Everything after that year was traditionally indicated using the abbreviation AD (Anno Domini).  Every year before Jesus's birth was indicated using BC (Before Christ).

For example, I am writing this article in 2025 AD.  In 2025 BC, pharaohs still ruled over Egypt.

In day-to-day life, we typically don't include the AD/BC designation.  We can determine from context what people mean.  If you say you were born in 2008, nobody is going to think you are four thousand years old.

In history, it is often necessary to specify.  Historians often study time period that are very old.  In addition, other parts of the world and earlier societies use different calendars.  This creates problems with the AD/BC situation.  First, it doesn't reflect the culture and traditions of non-Christian groups.  But it would also create a lot of confusion to invent a totally new system.  (Look at what happened when the US tried to switch to the metric system.  Total failure.)

BCE and CE are a compromise.  In this system, the year's number doesn't change.  We just sub in CE for AD.  We use BCE (Before Common Era) instead of BC.  This reduces the religious implications without causing total chaos.

Almost all of AP World History and AP US History take place in the Common Era.  For the most part, you don't need to worry about the BCE time period.  ​

Brackets refer to the following symbols: [ and ].  Like parenthesis, they are most often used in pairs.  Unlike parenthesis, they're not commonly used in day-to-day writing.  This means that writers can use them to indicate that minor changes have been made to a quotation.  Brackets tell you that the text inside of the documents was not in the original documents.

Brackets are used correctly when they don't change the meaning of the author's text.  Instead, brackets provide clarity.  Brackets can be used to correct minor spelling and grammar errors.  Brackets are also used to substitute words with other phrases.  For example, people often refer to individuals without using their names.  In context, it may be clear who the writer means, but a small quote may not provide enough information.  

Here's an example.  A historian with a letter that refers to "the esteemed gentleman from Virginia" may feel that their audience would be confused by the phrase.  They may omit the original text and add "[George Washington]" to clarify.  If they think its important to know that the document's author respected George Washington, they may choose to keep the text and add the name in brackets.  "The esteemed gentleman from Virginia [George Washington]" conveys the respect of the original author and who the author respects.  ​

Ellipses are a series of three dots.  In quoted text, these dots tell you that some of the text was removed from the quotation.  Elipses can be used at the beginning, in the middle, or at the end of a sentence.  When they occur at the end of the sentence, they are immediately followed by a period.  This creates a set of four dots.

Like brackets, ellipses should not be used to change the meaning of a text.  Ellipses should not be used to omit words or phrases that typically alter the meaning.  These words include "not" and "always."  They are intended to remove parts that are irrelevant to a current topic.  ​

Sic is a Latin word that means "so" or "thus."  Sic is used in several Latin phrases, and it takes on a special meaning when used alone in quoted text.  When writers add the word "sic" to a quotation, it means they the writer chose to include unedited text.  In other words, the writer wants to emphasize that they quoted the original text as it was written.

Writers most often do this when the original text contains a grammatical error or unusual phrasing.  This clarifies that the error wasn't made by the writer when they quoted the text.

Here's an example.  When I was working on my senior thesis, I used a source that included the word "fuden'."  In context, it was clear that the author was saying "feuding" with a regional dialect.  If I quoted the text with the word sic, it would have preserved his original words and intent.  It would have also spared my readers from wondering what a "fuden'" was.  Unfortunately, I did not do that, and it made my meaning unclear.  Learn from my mistakes!

An asterisk is a raised star that often appears before or after a sentence.  Like this!*  A superscript is a raised number.  In history writing, the superscript appears before or after a sentence.  For example!¹  Each of these symbols is used once in the document, and then repeated after the text of the document with an additional note.  That way, you can match the symbol with the relevant note.

These two symbols have a similar purpose.  They indicate that the writer has more information about the topic, but they don't want to put it inside the document itself.  The symbol tells you that additional information exists, but you'll need to look elsewhere.  Our princess is in a different castle.

Writers chose to put the information in a different location for several reasons.  First, some notes are simply too long.  The College Board has used these symbols to define terms or give background information on a topic.  It would be difficult to keep track of the main point of the document if there's a lengthy note in the middle.  Superscripts are more often used when the writer wants to comment on multiple things.  This is because a new number can be used each time.  This means the writer does not need to interrupt the flow of the document multiple times.  It also makes it easier for the reader to track down the correct note.

So, where is the note?  In AP history classes, it is most often found just after the document.  You'll see an asterisk or a superscript that matches the one in the document.  That's the note that goes with the section of the document where the first asterisk or superscript was inserted.

If your teacher requires summer reading or you're a nerd, you may encounter full-on footnotes or end notes.  In this situation, you'll likely see superscripts and not asterisks.  The note will be at the bottom of the page (the foot) if it's a footnote.  If you don't see it there, then it's at the end of the book.  That makes it an end note.  In history books and articles, end notes and footnotes are the proper place for citations, comments, and miscellaneous information.  Always read them.  It's where the good stuff is.

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