How to ccot

1. CCOT Essay
Change-over-Time Writing

2. What is the purpose?
Change over time is a major theme
of historical study
This essay measure your ability to
discuss continuities that accompany
the changes over time
It is a measure of your ability to
recognize the changes and
understand what caused them

3. What is expected of you
Write a thesis that points out the
change over time
Answer all parts of the question
Show the change over time using
relevant history
Analyze the process of change and/
or continuity over time

4. What does that mean?
You are going to write an essay with a
thesis that identifies change over time for
each country or period required, support
that thesis by referencing relevant
history, and contrast that change against
either a starting point or something that
did not change
Still confused? Let’s break it down a step
at a time

5. First – what it is and what it is not
It is not enough to simply talk about
how it was and then talk about how
it is
A successful CCOT essay talks about
how things were prior to change,
and then makes it clear WHY things
changed.
You MUST cover the historical
development

6. How is the CCOT scored?
Look at your handout
Basic Core
0-7 points
You MUST earn all 7 points in order to earn
expanded points
Note that you can receive PARTIAL credit (1 pt
instead of 2 pts) for some of the items
Expanded Core
Note that several items in the expanded core
are simply more detailed versions of the basic
core
TO get an 8 or 9, focus on doing a great job on
the elements that are in both the basic and
expanded core

7. What do the directions mean?
Step 1 – Process the question
You need to know exactly what you are
being asked to do
The basic core places a heavy
emphasis on answering ALL parts of
the question.
Circle each key phrase as you process
the question

8. What do the directions mean?
Step 1 continued
Let’s look at an
example:
Choose ONE of the
following political units
(countries, empires,
etc) and discuss how
technological
developments from
1450 to 1750 changed
its global influence. Be
sure to describe its
position of power and
influence in the
beginning of the period
as your starting point
England
Portugal
Spain
Germany
Russia
Ottoman Empire
China
France

9. What do the directions mean?
Step 1 continued
What key phrases did you circle?
Your list should include
One of the countries
Technological developments from 1450
– 1750
Global influence
Position of power and influence in the
beginning of the period as your starting
point

10. What do the directions mean?
Step 1 continued
So what is it asking you to do?
Choose one of the countries or empires
listed
Discuss its role as a global player in the
early 1400’s or so (BEFORE some
technological impact)
Walk through the technology(s) that
had an impact on the country
Describe the impact – what changes
occurred as a result

11. What do the directions mean?
Step 2 – Build a Framework
The purpose of this is to both provide
you with an outline for an essay and to
ensure that you don’t miss any part of
the question
Using the example from Step 1, begin
by choosing the number of countries as
instructed – one – then create a chart
(see next slide)

12. What do the directions mean?
Step 2 continued
Your chart should include:
A baseline – what was its role in the world
in 1400’s/pretechnology
Impact – what technologies had an
impact on it? Why and in what way?
Change – what changes occurred to its
role in the world as a result of the
technology?
Continuity – what remained the same
despite technological innovations?
If you had been asked to select two
countries, you would create a chart
that had a column for each country

13. What do the directions mean?
Step 3 – Build your essay
Fill in the framework/the chart
Fill in not only the information about
each segment but also the bits of
evidence to support each answer
Completing your chart with both what
changed AND supporting evidence will
help you create most of your essay

14. What do the directions mean?
Step 4 – Write your essay
Once you’ve completed your chart, its
time to start writing
Planning is CRITICAL – the more you
plan, the less time it will actually take
you to write
You have approx. 40 min for this essay,
if you spend 20 min planning, you
should easily be able to write the essay
in the remaining 20 minutes

15. What do the directions mean?
Step 4 continued
Your thesis is critical and MUST be
supported by facts
Answer the question by including key
phrases from the question
Support each of your assertions with
some introductory evidence (save the
details for your body paragraphs)
Transition from the thesis to the body
of the essay

16. The essay
Make sure you address each portion
of the question
Support your claims with evidence
After your introductory paragraph,
each body paragraph should
address one change or one
continuity with specific evidence