THE APUSH EXAM EXPLAINED for 2017-18

What I’d Like to Talk About (in order)

1. What the actual exam is.
2. What will test day be like?
3. Review timeline, best way to keep up
4. What will we do after exam?
5. What is our exam ‘block’ like/am I exempt?
 Nine Time Periods Focused On 1491 to Present & Overall %s

Approximate Percentage of…

Period Date Range
Instructional
AP Exam
Time
1 1491-1607 5% 5%

2 1607-1754 10%

3 1754-1800 12%
45%
4 1800-1848 10%

5 1844-1877 13%

6 1865-1898 13%
45%
7 1890-1945 17%

8 1945-1980 15%

9 1980-Present 5% 5%
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 AP® U.S. History Exam Design for the New Exam

Section I
Part A: Multiple-choice questions 55 minutes (40%)
(55 questions, organized in sets of 2−5)
• Each set is focused on one or more learning objectives.
• Each set is organized around primary or secondary sources.
• Only 4 choices per question not 5 as were in old exam

Part B: Short-answer questions (3 questions) 40 minutes (20%)

Section II

Part A: Document-based question (1 question) 65 minutes (25%)

Part B: Long-essay question (1 question selected from 2) 35 minutes (15%)

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The Multiple Choice Portion
• A total of 55 Questions to be Answered in 55 minutes
and immediately followed by Short Answer
Questions. (only 49 questions will count)
• All m/c questions have only 4 choices
• All or most m/c questions will have a stimulus or
picture prompt and a series of 3 or 4 questions based
on the stimulus or prompt
• Questions will normally NOT ask for specific
informational fact or person or year.
The Short Answer Section

• There will be 3 questions, each with its own stimulus

and a total of 40 minutes.
• Label answers (A,B,C)
• Use WHW (What, How, Why)
• Stay within the 23 lines
• Be Specific / No Thesis Statements
• Each Question worth 3 points plus multiplier
The DBQ Essay
• Will have total of 7 document
• Will only involve units 3-8 (the core units)
• Use at least 6 (Best to use all)
• Must have a Thesis Statement (I require it in 1st paragraph)
• 7 Point Rubric
• 2 Points Use of Document (Describe vs. Explain)
• HIPP Factors (to get the 2nd point on document use)
• Historical Content
• Intended Audience
• Purpose
• Point of View
The Long Essay

• Will have a choice of three questions

• Units 1-3 or Units 4-6 or Units 7-9
• This is a 6 point Rubric
• Need a Thesis Statement in first paragraph
• Each of the 3 questions will involve the same specific
skill
• Use of knowledge (outside info) is key to higher score
 U.S. History FRQ Design
P1 P2 P3 P4 P5 P6 P7 P8 P9

Required SAQ 1 SAQ 1: Secondary Source

Secondary stimulus

Required SAQ 2 SAQ 2: Comparison or Causation

Primary or visual stimulus

Students select SAQ 3 SAQ 3: Causation or Comparison

one [same skill as SAQ 4, but different from SAQ 2]
No stimulus

SAQ 4 SAQ 4: Causation or Comparison

[same skill as SAQ 3, but different from
SAQ 2]
No stimulus

Required DBQ DBQ

Students select LEQ 2 LEQ 2

one
LEQ 3 LEQ 3
LEQ 4 LEQ 4

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 What will test day be like?

► You need to be at the church no later than 7:30 am

► Bring pencils, pens, a watch, snacks, layers
► There is a form for early dismissal from the exam
► I do not have this form
► The form is not turned into me
► I don’t know the deadline for the form
► I am not in charge of the form
► No.
► See student services for your form needs

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 Study how you study best. Its not to late to figure that out.

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Period 1 & 2 Period 3 Period 4 Period 5 Period 6

Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday

Period 7 Period 8 Period 9 Overflow? Review Test
game? I am not sure

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 What will we do after exam?

► Research Project
► Pick any topic you want
► Research 1 week
► Create thing
► Share thing 2nd week
► Fin

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 How do plebian exams effect us?

► You will have the option to take a teacher made exam

► ALL of you….Yes ALL of you are exempt because you are taking the college board exam
► You will probably take it anyway
► Teacher made exams for AP classes can ONLY help you
► If your grade would lower your overall grade, it will not count
► It will count like a traditional exam (20% of your yearlong grade)
► If you are present you must take the exam
► If you parents think you are present you must be present

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