Social Studies
Concepts and skills
Social studies questions combine content knowledge with source analysis. Expect U.S. history from colonization through the modern era, world history, civics and government, economics, and geography. Know the Constitution's structure, the three branches, checks and balances, federalism, and major amendments. In economics, understand scarcity, supply and demand, opportunity cost, and the roles of consumers and government. Geography questions may require map scale, direction, and region identification.
Traps
Watch for opinion presented as fact and for bias in primary sources. A diary, speech, or political cartoon reflects its creator's perspective and purpose; ask who made it, when, and why. Absolute words (always, never, all) often signal a wrong answer. Avoid anachronism-judging past events by present standards without evidence. Do not confuse chronology or assume that two events close in time are causally related.
Worked example
Suppose a question asks why a factory owner's 1900 letter supports child labor while a reformer's pamphlet opposes it. The best answer notes that each source reflects the author's interests and audience, not that one is simply lying. Rule of thumb: primary sources are evidence of viewpoint as well as fact. For economics, remember opportunity cost is the next-best alternative given up, not every alternative. For civics, checks and balances means each branch can limit the others.