THE A.P. U.S. History national exam

1. THE A.P. U.S. History national exam (Coffee-stained hints, secrets, and reminders for world domination and/or passing the super bowl of standardized tests.)

2. What's at stake? • In some ways, nothing. You've taken an advanced/honors class -- and colleges will know. You've received a weighted grade -- and colleges will know. You will be better prepared for future Honors and AP classes and tests because of this class. Your national exam score does not affect your grade in this class or whether or not a college will accept you.

3. What's at stake? All you can do is give your best effort -- your score is almost like a bonus, extra credit, or the cherry on your ice cream sundae. 1 It wasn't your day--you'll do better next time. 2 The most frequent/likely score (no shame). 3 You passed a college-level test…as a soph! You have earned college credit! Wow! 4 You are a genius -- see above! 5 You are a genius to the second power -- see above, and remember when the alien invasion begins that only Mr. E was nice to your kind!

4. Multiple Choice 50% of your score! On average, you have about 40 seconds per question, but you will have more time on harder questions if you DO THE ONES YOU KNOW FIRST! Having said that, make sure every question has an answer! Strategy? Get about 40 right…..if you do that and are (merely) solid on the essays, you should know you have an excellent chance to pass!

5. Multiple Choice Be aware of chronological patterns, and that the questions are supposed to increase in difficulty as you progress. Read all of the answers – don’t jump on the first one that sounds correct. Look for “extreme” words to help eliminate wrong answers. If you take a watch, it will be much easier to manage the test (thus reducing your level of stress)!

6. DBQ The DBQ is roughly 25% of your total score.  Identify key parts of the question: What exactly are you being asked to prove? How many tasks are you being asked to perform Does the question provide a structure for your response? Are there terms that need any kind of explanation or definition?

7. DBQ Brainstorm! What do you know about this question before you look at the documents? Be mindful of the time period – they specify one for a reason, and you want to be careful about going chronologically out-of- bounds. As you scan the documents… Look for similar/related documents – do these help you develop a thesis? Look for contrasting documents – which side of the issue is easier to defend? You don’t have to quote the documents, but you do have to use all or all but one to achieve the highest scores. Conversely, only use documents that you feel comfortable with: it’s not a test-killer if you use 6 of 8 documents; you could still be on schedule to pass the exam. If you do quote a document, keep the quote to a sentence or less – only use what you really need.

8. DBQ Organization and outlining are HUGE! Spend 3-5 extra minutes planning your response (including – possibly – writing a rough draft of a thesis or intro paragraph)! They are going to give you a question that can be argued either way (“How effective were the Progressives?”), so it doesn’t matter which side you take – the key is to take a side! Use a logical order for your paragraphs (most persuasive to least persuasive for example) and avoid adding new information in your conclusion or after you’ve finished writing. Providing ANY level of analysis is the key to scoring what you need to pass. DON’T summarize documents or basic terms: HOW do they help support your argument? That reminds us: avoid laundry lists! Don’t even use the word “document!” A good quote from a document could provide you with a nice conclusion if you think it restates your thesis well. Take a short mental break – shake out your throbbing arm, close your eyes for minute, and/or take a deep breath – and then get back to work!

9. DBQ rubric (low tech version)GETPA! Groups (two or three) Evidence (from all docs or all but one) Thesis (an argument you can defend) Point of view (in at least two docs) -Who is the speaker and what motivates them or their statement? Example: ANY politician! Additional document or source (one type) -This is outside information you provide. In the “Progressive” DBQ, this could be suggesting an excerpt from Upton Sinclair’s The Jungle to help prove the Progressives were effective.

10. The Standard Essays Combined, about 25% of your total score. Remember, you have two essays to write, but you do have some choice: please make sure to read all four essays before deciding which two to write about! Again, please spend extra time planning your response and/or brainstorming – a well-planned essay will take less time to write!

11. The Standard Essays Depending on the question, these essays are usually best written in a four or five paragraph format. They totally depend on your historical knowledge – there are no documents to use! At this point, many people are mentally exhausted and their efforts begin to wane – use this knowledge to your advantage! Spend as much time organizing and writing these essays as possible! Finishing this exam with 20 or 30 minutes to spare is a recipe for a disappointing score!

12. Overall… • If you’ve prepared over the last few days and weeks, and give the entire test your best effort, then we’re proud of you regardless of your score. • If the latter is true, enjoy your weekend – you’ve earned it! • Fasten your seatbelts: The Catcher in the Rye starts Monday!