AP US History: Secrets of the AP Exam

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AP US History Secrets of the AP Exam

• Orwhat you need to know to get through the next
  32 weeks and pass the exam.

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Reasons to take the AP course and try really hard
to pass the exam

• Colleges and universities see AP experience as a
  huge plus.
• AP experience will give you the reading, writing
  and thinking skills so important to college
  success.
• Passing the AP exam will give you college credit
  and save you money in the long run.

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The National Pass Rate

• Only 48 of students who take the AP exam pass
  with a score of 3 or better.
• This is not to scare you, I dont care about
  numbers, but to show you how much work WE have to
  do to make sure you ALL are one of the 48!

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How is the Exam Structured?

• Part IMultiple Choice-80 Questions (55 minutes)
• 50 of the final score
• Part IIWriting Section 1 DBQ 2 Essays (130
  minutes60 70)
• 50 of the final score. Of that, the DBQ counts
  for 45(22.5 overall) and the 2 essays combined
  for 55(27.5 overall).

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How well do I need to do on the multiple choice
section?

• In order to score a 3 (or pass) on this section,
  you must have 48 points (60).

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Multiple ChoiceBREAKDOWN BY ERA
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BREAK DOWN BY GENERAL SUBJECT MATTER
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EXPLANATION OF CHARTS

• A BIAS TOWARD THE CONSTITUTION THROUGH WWI
• POLITICAL AND SOCIAL ACTIVITIES EMPHASIZED
• LITTLE ABOUT ECONOMIC AND CULTURAL TRENDS
• USUALLY, AT MOST FOUR OR FIVE QUESTIONS PAST 1975

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NO MILITARY HISTORY AND TRIVIAL PURSUIT

• THE APUSH EXAM DOESNT ASK ABOUT MILITARY HISTORY
• WHEN IT ASKS ABOUT WAR, THE QUESTIONS CONCERNS
  THE POLITICAL OR SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF A WAR
  RATHER THAN THE DETAILS OF WARFARE
• APUSH QUESTIONS NEVER TEST ROTE MEMORIZATION
  ONLY. WHILE YOU HAVE TO KNOW YOUR FACTS TO DO
  WELL ON THIS TEST, THE QUESTIONS ALWAYS ASK FOR
  INFORMATION IN THE CONTEXT OF LARGER HISTORICAL
  TRENDS.

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What about the DBQ?

• An essay question that requires you to interpret
  primary source documents.
• Documents might include the following

Newspaper articles/editorials Letters/diaries Spee
ches Legislation Political cartoons Charts and
graphs
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A Different DBQ

• The US History DBQ is different than the World
  History DBQ.
• For the US exam, you have to not only discuss the
  documents, but also include outside information
  to prove that you know more about the topic.
• Without outside information, it is impossible to
  get more than a 4 out of 9 on your DBQ!

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What Is the Free-Response Question?

• Two part essay section
• Pre 1870 (one prior to 1740)
• After 1870 (one after 1950)
• Two questions in each group select one from
  each group
• 70 minutes to plan and write both essays

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What Is the Free-Response Question?Continued

• Yes and No
• Multiple arguments
• All outside information
• Not as long or in-depth as DBQ
• Defensible thesis
• Information to support thesis
• Evidence, Evidence, Evidence

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Study, Study, Study!

• For review and other resources, go to my website
• www.caroddoapclasses.com

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Class Discussion

• What is difficult about each of the following
  areas of the course? What can we do as a class to
  better get through them?
• 1. Reading and understanding the text
• 2. Taking effective notes
• 3. Doing well on multiple choice
• 4. Doing well on DBQs
• 5. Doing well on essays

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Goals for the Year

• Take 5 minutes to come up with three SPECIFIC
  goals about what you hope to accomplish in this
  course.
• Your goal should not be as big as to pass the
  exam, but something more specific like take
  more effective Cornell Notes during discussion,
  or, be sure I study my notes for at least twenty
  minutes a night.