In May 2017, more than 300,000 students sat for the Advanced Placement Psychology exam, according to data from the College Board — making it one of the more popular AP exams. Like other tests, the AP Psychology exam includes two sections: multiple choice and free response.
The free-response portion is 50 minutes in length and contains two questions that are typically research-based or scenario-based. If you hope to earn a score of 3, 4 or 5 on your AP Psychology exam, you will need to excel on the free-response section. Here are three techniques to help you do so.
[Learn five steps to mastering AP free-response questions.]
1. Note verb use in free-response prompts: Test-takers should read all free-response prompts carefully and critically. The verbs in these prompts serve as a signal of what you are expected to accomplish with your answer.
You may encounter verbs like analyze, define, describe, discuss, explain, identify, relate and show. See, for example, No. 1 in this document of 2017 free-response questions on the AP Psychology exam. Students are asked to explain how specific factors play a role in eating behavior.
One way to prepare for free-response questions is to review the definitions of these common verbs and note any similarities and differences. For instance, there is a vast difference between defining and analyzing. Defining is more superficial than analyzing as it involves stating the meaning of a concept or term. Analyzing, on the other hand, requires you to dissect a topic.
Remember that the directions for the AP Psychology free-response section stipulate that, “It is not enough to answer a question by merely listing facts.” You must move beyond stating the obvious to demonstrate that you are thinking about the questions critically. Understanding what you are being asked is one part of this.
[Find out the common mistakes students make prepping for AP exams.]
2. Use psychological terminology in answers: The free-response directions also explicitly ask you to “present a cogent argument based on your critical analysis of the questions posed, using appropriate psychological terminology.” As such, a portion of your grade in this section will depend on whether or not you include the proper vocabulary.
To demonstrate mastery of the subject matter, students should incorporate the psychological terminology that they have learned throughout their AP course. When used correctly, terminology demonstrates comprehension. In the example above related to eating behavior, a word like “stimulus” would be appropriate to include.
[Read how to plan ahead to self-study for AP exams.]
3. Review scoring commentary: To succeed on the free-response portion, you must gain familiarity with the AP scoring commentary. Only those guidelines from the College Board can truly tell you what graders look for when they score your exam.
You can prepare for your test by answering the free-response questions independently and then reading over the sample responses. If your answers resemble the sample responses, you are on the right track.
Another benefit of reviewing the scoring commentary is that you can see what graders are not allowed to assign points for, such as mere summaries. After ample exposure to the College Board’s commentary, you will become aware of patterns in the way questions should and should not be answered.
To do your best on the AP Psychology exam, remember to read all instructions carefully, show off your vocabulary and get familiar with the scoring commentary.
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How to Master Free Responses on the AP Psychology Exam originally appeared on usnews.com
