1. AP Tips…

2. The Exam…
Section I Part A (60% of total score): 55 Multiple Choice in 55 minutes (make sure you answer them all)
*40% of total score
*Not penalized for guessing
*You are not expected to know them all…do your best
Section 1 Part B: 4 Short Answers with parts a, b, c in 45 minutes
*20% of total score
*Skip lines in between a, b, etc.
*Aim for minutes per question depending on how many parts it has
*3-6 sentences each
BREAK IN BETWEEN SECTION 1 AND 2 .

3. Section II Free Response (40% of total score) DBQ/Long Essay= 55 minutes and 35 minutes *25% of score comes from DBQ *15% of score comes from long essay *Devote 45 minutes to writing DBQ…use to brainstorm and read docs *The remaining 35 minutes should be saved for long essay *The proctor should tell you when to move on but bring a watch to time yourself

4. 7:30 in Gym
Try to relax…if you feel tension creeping in, take a few deep breathes…imagine your most relaxing place and then move on

5. Do the questions you are familiar with first…
Don’t panic if you are not sure of a few questions in a row…
For the essays, brainstorm…let your mind do free associations…there is more on the hard drive than you realize

6. Get a good night’s sleep and eat a good breakfast

7. Bring a watch…bring a watch…bring a watch!!!

8. Bring a snack
Pencil/Pens (black or
blue ink)

9. For the essays, WRITE NEATLY
For the essays, WRITE NEATLY. Try to fill out the form…Remember to answer the question.
Underline key parts of question…make sure you know that it is asking
Brainstorm
Prove your thesis with examples…have a strong thesis!!
Synthesis, clear linkage for long essay
Synthesis, contextualization for DBQ
You don’t have to cite every fact imaginable but do give supporting evidence
Don’t use we, I, us
Remember your rubric for DBQ and long essay

10. Don’t use quotes from the docs
Use PHIA on docs and reference doc only to support what you are arguing
Remember to reference document like this “(Doc 1)

11. Assess yourself Strong U.S. History test content
Troublesome test subjects
Use your time to go over the areas that demand attention and effort
Did I go back and review recent history of 1950s, 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s,…21st century?
Reading packet up front for 21st century
Go over the prompts given today

12. Predicted DBQ:
Labor history: the role/impact of the Knights of Labor, AFL, Socialism, and IWW (late 1800s-1925)

13. Multiple Choice There will be a few we have not covered
Guess your best.., AP IS NOT DEDUCTING POINTS FOR WRONG GUESSES… SO GUESS, GUESS, GUESS.
Do the ones you know first!! Then go back to the ones you do not know…try to eliminate at least one answer

14. When 2 out of 4 choices are opposites, pick one of those two as the best guess
B,C, D are best guesses
All of the above is generally a good choice…especially if you can find 2 that are true
Play a true or false game on multiple choice options

15. ID those questions you are not sure of with a little mark and then review it on a second pass
First impressions (initial guesses) are often best
If an answer comes to you out of the blue, it is probably your right brain at work…don’t fight the intuition unless YOU ARE SURE YOU’RE WRONG

16. Use context clues or vocabulary words to help you eliminate incorrect choices
Scantrons are graded by a scanner…erase any stray marks…bubble dark enough