AP Government

1. AP Government Introduction

2. http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_usgov.html?usgovpolhttp://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/sub_usgov.html?usgovpol • Above is the address for U.S. Government on the College Board Site. This site will provide information for the A.P. Government class and the AP Government test in May, 2011.

3. AP Courses and College Credit • Not all colleges accept AP courses for credit. Check with the college(s) you plan to attend to find out if they accept AP courses.

4. The Class • This class is taught at a college level. The textbook is at a college level. Reading is important. The test will reflect the readings in subject matter and style.

5. The AP Government Test • The AP Government test will be given in May,10th 2011, 8am to 12pm. The highest score is a 5 and the lowest is a 1. The test will be comprised of multiple choice questions and 4 essays. All questions will be based on a through understanding of the material. These questions are very abstract and require detailed and analytical answers.

6. AP Government site • U.S. Government & Politics • Download the Course Description (.pdf/535KB).Complete course and exam information is available in the Course Description.Requires Adobe Reader (latest version recommended). • The AP Government & Politics: United States course provides an analytical perspective on government and politics in the United States. This course involves both the study of general concepts used to interpret U.S. politics and the analysis of specific case studies. It also requires familiarity with the various institutions, groups, beliefs, and ideas that constitute U.S. political reality. While there is no single approach that an AP Government & Politics: United States course must follow, certain topics are generally covered in college courses.

7. Topics to be covered • Topic Outline • The topic outline below summarizes the major content areas covered by the U.S. Government & Politics Exam. The multiple-choice portion of the exam is devoted to each content area in the approximate percentages indicated. The free-response portion of the exam will test students in some combination of the six major categories outlined below. The outline is a guide and is by no means an exhaustive list of topics or the preferred order of topics. • Constitutional Underpinnings of United States Government (5-15%) • Political Beliefs and Behaviors (10-20%) • Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media (10-20%) • Institutions of National Government: The Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal Courts (35-45%) • Public Policy (5-15%) • Civil Rights and Civil Liberties (5-15%)

8. Studying for the Test • The College Board web site, www.collegeboard.com, provides a guideline and materials for studying for the test.

9. AP Government Exam • The Exam • Put your knowledge of U.S. Government & Politics to the test -- and gain some college credit in the process. The exam gives you the chance to showcase your knowledge of the following areas: constitutional underpinnings of U.S. government; political beliefs and behaviors; political parties, interest groups, and mass media; institutions of national government: the Congress, the presidency, the bureaucracy, and the federal courts; public policy; and civil rights and civil liberties. • About the Exam • The two-hour and 25-minute test includes a 45-minute multiple-choice section and a 100-minute free-response section. When studying for the exam, keep in mind that you'll be tested on the following skills, abilities, and knowledge: • Knowledge of facts, concepts, and theories pertaining to U.S. government and politics • Understanding of typical patterns of political processes and behavior and their consequences (including the components of political behavior, the principles used to explain or justify various government structures and procedures, and the political effects of these structures and procedures) • Analysis and interpretation of data and relationships in U.S. government and politics • Written analysis and interpretation of the subject matter of U.S. government and politics • Section I: Multiple-Choice • There are 60 questions in the multiple-choice section. Unlike other multiple-choice tests, random guessing can hurt your final score. While you don't lose anything for leaving a question blank, one quarter of a point is subtracted for each incorrect answer on the test. But if you have some knowledge of the question and can eliminate one or more answers, it's usually to your advantage to choose what you believe is the best answer from the remaining choices. • Section II: Free-Response • You'll have 100 minutes total to answer the four free-response questions. Each essay is weighted equally toward your final score. It's recommended that you spend 25 minutes on each question. • For the most part, the questions require you to integrate knowledge from different content areas. You may have to discuss examples, elucidate or evaluate general principles of U.S. government and politics, and/or analyze U.S. political relationships or events. • Each essay should demonstrate your ability to organize a coherent answer about the specific question; interpret and analyze tables, charts, and/or graphs, and draw logical conclusions from the data in relation to general political concepts or relationships; and stay on task. • Scoring the Exam • The multiple-choice and free-response sections receive equal weight toward your final exam grade.

10. Exam Day • Exam Day • What to Bring • Several sharpened No. 2 pencils (with erasers) for all multiple-choice answer sheets. • Black or dark-blue ballpoint pens for free-response questions in most exams. • Your school code. (If you are a homeschooled student, you will be given a code at the time of the exam.) • A watch (in case your exam room does not have a clock that you can see easily). • Your social security number for identification purposes. (If you provide it, the number will appear on your AP Grade Reports.) • An AP-authorized calculator if you're taking an AP Calculus AB, Calculus BC, Chemistry, Physics, or Statistics Exam. • A ruler or straightedge if you're taking an AP Physics Exam. • A photo I.D. if you do not attend the school where you are taking the exam. • What Not to Bring • Books, compasses, correction fluid, dictionaries, highlighters, or notes. • Rulers and straightedges (except as noted above). • Scratch paper (notes can be made on portions of the exam booklets). • Typewriting equipment, computers (except as noted for students with disabilities), or calculators (except as noted above). • Watches that beep or have an alarm. • Portable listening or recording devices -- even with headphones -- or photographic equipment. • Beepers, cellular phones, MP3 players, or personal digital assistants (PDAs). • Clothing (t-shirts, for example) with subject-related information. • Guessing on the Exams • Scores on the multiple-choice sections of the AP Exams are based on the number of questions answered correctly minus a fraction of the number of questions answered incorrectly. No points are awarded or deducted for unanswered questions. For questions with five answer choices, one-fourth of a point is subtracted for every wrong answer. For questions with four answer choices, one-third of a point is deducted for every wrong answer. Thus, random guessing is unlikely to raise or lower your grade. However, if you have SOME knowledge of the question, and can eliminate one or more answer choices, informed guessing from among the remaining choices is usually to your advantage.