AP Test Basics

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AP Test Basics

• How to get the credit you deserve

Charlie Blair-Broeker Cedar Falls (Iowa) High
School ctb-b_at_cfu.net
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AP Scoring Scale

• 5 Extremely well qualified
• 4 Well qualified
• 3 Qualified
• 2 Possibly qualified
• 1 No recommendation

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Part 1 Multiple Choice

• 100 Questions
• 5 answer choices per question
• 70 minutes (42 seconds per question)
• No time prompt from proctor
• 2/3 overall exam credit

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Part 1 Multiple Choice

• Scanner skillsbring eraser or whiteout

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(No Transcript)
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Part 1 Multiple Choice

• Scanner skillsbring eraser or whiteout

• Course description has of questions in each area

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Part 1 Multiple Choice

• Scanner skillsbring eraser or whiteout
• Course description has of questions in each area

• Questions organized from easiest to hardest

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Part 1 Multiple Choice

• Scanner skillsbring eraser or whiteout
• Course description has of questions in each
  area
• Questions organized from easiest to hardest

• ¼ pt. guessing correction for each wrong answer

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If you randomly answered

• Likely right 20
• Likely wrong 80
• Penalty .25 x 80 20
• Final score 0

• Conclusions
• If you can eliminate 1 or more answers guess
• Pure guesses shouldnt hurt your overall score
• Dont leave more than 5 questions blank

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How well do you need to do?

• Approximate conversions
• Assuming average essays
• Corrected MC of 60 3 on exam
• Corrected MC of 70 4 on exam
• Corrected MC of 80 5 on exam

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Part 2 Free Response
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Part 2 Free Response

• 2 equally-weighted questions
• 50 minutes (25 minutes per question)
• Time prompt with 10 minutes to go
• 1/3 overall exam credit
• Instructions call for dark blue or black ink
• Fatal error beginning to write before beginning
  to think

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Part 2 Free Response

• To impress your reader
• Get to the point (intros conclusions count for
  nothing)
• Write in simple, declarative sentences
• Organize answer into paragraphs
• Write legibly!

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Part 2 Free Response

• Rubric scoring
• Readers are looking for specific points

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From 2005 Free Response Question 2

• Value of diagnostic labeling
• Point 1 Advantages of diagnostic labeling can be
  established by briefly explaining any of the
  following. Labels can
• help professionals communicate clearly and
  efficiently with one another.
• improve the reliability/consistency or
  validity/accuracy of diagnosis or categorization.
• help determine an appropriate course of
  treatment.
• help predict the course of a disorder.
• increase insight for those wishing to cope with a
  disorder.
• meet general scientific purposes or stimulate
  appropriate research on the nature of disorders.
• allow for more objective discussion of disorders.
• facilitate appropriate billing or recordkeeping.
• Trap Do not award this point for advantages that
  are overly vague (e.g, Labels are good.).

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A Typical Scoring Grid
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Part 2 Free Response

• Rubric scoring
• Readers are looking for specific points

• Range 6 to 16 (typically 8 to 10)
• Usually possible to anticipate points from the
  structure of the question
• Some points will be easy and others hard

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Part 2 Free Response

• General principles
• The Oprah rule
• Misinformation and shotgunning
• Spelling, grammar, and the nuture rule

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Part 2 Free Response

• Goals of a good essay question
• Reliable scoring
• Good distribution of scores
• Better prepared students score higher

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Part 2 Free Response

• The mindset of a reader