1 The A.P. Exam Tuesday, May 3rd 2011 at 8:00 a.m.

2 Dear Educator: We are writing to inform you of a change related to all AP® Exams, except AP Studio Art, that will be taken in May Please share this information with students preparing to take AP Exams this year. Beginning with the May 2011 AP Exam administration, total scores on multiple-choice sections will be based on the number of questions answered correctly. Points will no longer be deducted for incorrect answers and, as always, no points will be awarded for unanswered questions. Existing research confirms that both formula scoring (in which points are deducted for incorrect answers) and rights scoring (in which no points are deducted for incorrect answers) are valid scoring procedures. As AP has expanded, we have needed to create additional versions of each AP Exam to support test-taking worldwide. Unlike most other high stakes exams, AP Exams have a heavily weighted free-response section, which requires specific test development and scoring processes that ensure AP Exams are comparable in difficulty from version to version. The change to rights scoring simply enables us to streamline those processes. This change will not make AP Exams any easier or harder for students. The number of points needed to earn AP Exam scores of 5, 4, 3 and 2 is, as always, based on how well college students perform during the pre-testing of AP Exam questions. Thank you for all you do to provide your students with access to high-quality AP opportunities. Your efforts are laying the groundwork for your students' future college success. Sincerely, The AP Program Dear Educator: We are writing to inform you of a change related to all AP® Exams, except AP Studio Art, that will be taken in May Please share this information with students preparing to take AP Exams this year. Beginning with the May 2011 AP Exam administration, total scores on multiple-choice sections will be based on the number of questions answered correctly. Points will no longer be deducted for incorrect answers and, as always, no points will be awarded for unanswered questions. Existing research confirms that both formula scoring (in which points are deducted for incorrect answers) and rights scoring (in which no points are deducted for incorrect answers) are valid scoring procedures. As AP has expanded, we have needed to create additional versions of each AP Exam to support test-taking worldwide. Unlike most other high stakes exams, AP Exams have a heavily weighted free-response section, which requires specific test development and scoring processes that ensure AP Exams are comparable in difficulty from version to version. The change to rights scoring simply enables us to streamline those processes. This change will not make AP Exams any easier or harder for students. The number of points needed to earn AP Exam scores of 5, 4, 3 and 2 is, as always, based on how well college students perform during the pre-testing of AP Exam questions. Thank you for all you do to provide your students with access to high-quality AP opportunities. Your efforts are laying the groundwork for your students' future college success. Sincerely, The AP Program

3 Overview of the Exam Multiple Choice50% Total Listening Dialogues and Narratives questions20%30-35 mins. Reading Comprehension questions30%50-60 mins. Free Response50% Total Writing Informal Writing Presentational Writing 1 prompt (15%) 10 minutes 30%65 mins. 1 prompt (20%) 55 minutes Speaking Interpsersonal Speaking Presentational Speaking 5-6 response prompts (10%) 20 seconds to respond to each 20%Approx. 20 mins. 1 prompt (10%) 2 minutes to respond

4 In the first listening section students will hear a series of several brief dialogues or narratives, after which they hear questions, in Spanish, and will select the best choice among the answers printed in their exam booklets. The short dialogues and narratives do not include the printed questions, while the long narratives do include the questions. Students will be able to view the answers in their booklets, but will hear the questions only one time. In the first listening section students will hear a series of several brief dialogues or narratives, after which they hear questions, in Spanish, and will select the best choice among the answers printed in their exam booklets. The short dialogues and narratives do not include the printed questions, while the long narratives do include the questions. Students will be able to view the answers in their booklets, but will hear the questions only one time. Back to Overview

5 Informal Writing: Students will have 10 minutes to read a prompt and write their responses. Examples may include writing an message, a letter, a journal entry, or a postcard. Informal Writing: Students will have 10 minutes to read a prompt and write their responses. Examples may include writing an message, a letter, a journal entry, or a postcard. What's Different? Informal/interpersonal writing will be added. There will be more writing tasks that will evaluate how well you write in a real-life situation. Example: Back to Overview Directions: For the following question, you will write a message of about 60 words in length. You have 10 minutes to read the question and to write your response. Instrucciones: Para la pregunta siguiente, escribirás un mensaje con una extensión de unas 60 palabras. Tienes 10 minutos para leer la pregunta y escribir tu respuesta. Imagínate que tuviste que salir de casa por un par de horas. Escríbele a tu hijo una carta. Explícale por qué te fuiste y cuando resgresarás Estipula todo lo que quieres que haga antes de que regreses Incluye los quehaceres Menciona sus responsabilidades personales Menciona lo que harás con tu hijo cuando regreses. Imagínate que tuviste que salir de casa por un par de horas. Escríbele a tu hijo una carta. Explícale por qué te fuiste y cuando resgresarás Estipula todo lo que quieres que haga antes de que regreses Incluye los quehaceres Menciona sus responsabilidades personales Menciona lo que harás con tu hijo cuando regreses.

6 Presentational Writing: The fourth part of the writing section will reflect an integration of the following skills: listening, reading, and writing (an example of the interpretive and presentational modes). Students will be required to read two documents, listen to a related source/recording, and respond to a written prompt. All sources, both written and aural, will be authentic -- either in their original format or re-recorded. Students will be encouraged to make reference to and cite all of the sources. Students will have 7 minutes to read the printed sources and then will listen to a stimulus of approximately 3 minutes. After listening to the prompt, students will have 5 minutes to plan their responses and 40 minutes to write their essays. The total time allotted for this section will be approximately 55 minutes. Presentational Writing: The fourth part of the writing section will reflect an integration of the following skills: listening, reading, and writing (an example of the interpretive and presentational modes). Students will be required to read two documents, listen to a related source/recording, and respond to a written prompt. All sources, both written and aural, will be authentic -- either in their original format or re-recorded. Students will be encouraged to make reference to and cite all of the sources. Students will have 7 minutes to read the printed sources and then will listen to a stimulus of approximately 3 minutes. After listening to the prompt, students will have 5 minutes to plan their responses and 40 minutes to write their essays. The total time allotted for this section will be approximately 55 minutes. Back to Overview

7 The reading component will be comprised of journalistic and/or literary selections followed by multiple-choice questions. In addition, some of the written texts may include a visual component or a Web page. As in the past, students will be asked to identify the main points and significant details and make inferences and predictions from the written texts. Some questions may require making cultural inferences or inserting an additional sentence in the appropriate place in the reading passage. The reading component will be comprised of journalistic and/or literary selections followed by multiple-choice questions. In addition, some of the written texts may include a visual component or a Web page. As in the past, students will be asked to identify the main points and significant details and make inferences and predictions from the written texts. Some questions may require making cultural inferences or inserting an additional sentence in the appropriate place in the reading passage. Back to Overview

8 Interpersonal Speaking: The first part of the speaking section will include a task that measures speaking skills in an informal setting. There will be a conversation role- play situation (an example of the interpersonal mode). Students will be asked to interact with a recorded conversation. There will be five or six opportunities for the students to answer. Each response will be 20 seconds in length. Students will have time to read an outline of the simulated conversation and the instructions before participating in the simulated conversation. Interpersonal Speaking: The first part of the speaking section will include a task that measures speaking skills in an informal setting. There will be a conversation role- play situation (an example of the interpersonal mode). Students will be asked to interact with a recorded conversation. There will be five or six opportunities for the students to answer. Each response will be 20 seconds in length. Students will have time to read an outline of the simulated conversation and the instructions before participating in the simulated conversation. Back to Overview

9 Presentational Speaking: The second part of the speaking section will be an example of the interpretive and presentational mode. It integrates three skills: reading, listening, and speaking. Students need to give an oral presentation in a formal or academic setting. They will be asked to read one document and listen to a recording, after which they will have two minutes to prepare for the presentation and two minutes to answer the question related to the sources. Students will be encouraged to make reference to and cite all sources. Presentational Speaking: The second part of the speaking section will be an example of the interpretive and presentational mode. It integrates three skills: reading, listening, and speaking. Students need to give an oral presentation in a formal or academic setting. They will be asked to read one document and listen to a recording, after which they will have two minutes to prepare for the presentation and two minutes to answer the question related to the sources. Students will be encouraged to make reference to and cite all sources. Back to Overview