TACKLING THE AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM

1. TACKLING THE AP PSYCHOLOGY EXAM How to survive getting a 5

2. Overview of AP Exam • 100 MC 70 mins. ~42sec/? 2/3 of score 100 points • 2 FRQ 50 mins. ~25min/? 1/3 of score 50 points 150 points

3. Strategies to conquer the multiple choice questions….

4. 1. Be confident! • Understand how the test is scored • Prepare carefully • JSYK (Just Show You Know)

5. 2. Know the lay-out • Questions increase in difficulty, so pace yourself! First 1/3 easy Second 1/3 harder Final 1/3 difficult

6. 3. Know the scoring • 1 point for each correct response • -1 point for each blank response • -1.25 for each incorrect response So…….. …should you guess??? It depends.

7. 5 possible answers -- A. B. C. D. E. If you can eliminate 1 answer: E[V]=(.75)(-.25)+(.25)(1.0)= -.1875+.25=.0625 If you can eliminate 2 answers: E[V]=(.67)(-.25)+(.33)(1.0)= -.1675+.33=.1625 If you can eliminate 3 answers: E[V]=(.5)(-.25)+(.5)(1.0)= -.125+.5=.375 Should you guess? YES….if you can eliminate at least one answer.

8. 4. Attacking the MC questions ABA ~ Answer Before Answer • Cover choices – go for recall • Read question carefully: underline key words and define them • Identify unit associated with ? • Stimulate retrieval cues by thinking about vivid examples/ activities from class and text • Predict answer

9. POE ~ Process of Elimination • Cross out known incorrect choices • Go for recognition • Especially use in second 1/3 of ?s

10. SIO ~ Skip if recognition If clueless, skip ~ especially in last 1/3 • Leave lots of blanks on the last 1/3 if you have been doing poorly on the class MCTs. If you have been averaging As and Bs, take your best shot.

11. MQ ~ Mark Qualifiers • Always mark qualifiers • Key words that give direction to your answer

12. Practice Quiz ~ Memory • MQ ~ As you read each question, write down the qualifier/s. • Answer the question. • After you answer each question, write the strategy you used. ABA POE SIO

13. Which of the following types of memory stores information for only about 20 seconds? a. short-term (STM) b. long-term (LTM) c. intermediate (IM) d. sensory (SM)

14. 2. Which of the following is true about STM? a. Information stored in it is coded verbally. b. It can hold only about 5-9 bits of information. c. Information stored in it lasts only about 20 seconds unless it is rehearsed. d. all of the above.

15. 3. Joan just looked up a phone number, closed the phone book, and then repeated the number to herself as she was reaching for and dialing the phone. She was keeping this information in _____. a. SM b. STM c. LTM d. none of the above

16. 4. STM is to LTM as _____ is to _____. a. verbal, semantic b. 5 to 9, unlimited c. 20 seconds, relatively permanent d. all of the above

17. 5. Which of the following is the correct sequence of memory processing through which information passes as it is processed by the human memory system? a. SM to STM to LTM b. STM to SM to LTM c. SM to LTM to STM d. STM to LTM to SM

18. 6. Which of the following is the best explanation of why Tom has already forgotten the name of the person to whom he was introduced only 5 minutes ago? a. The name was never in Tom’s STM. b. The name was lost from Tom’s LTM. c. Tom did not successfully transfer the name from his STM to his LTM. d. Tom did not successfully transfer the name from his LTM to his STM.

19. 4 Types of MCQs • Factual (40 per test) • Straightforward • Details • Definitions • Basic concepts

20. Interpretive (40 per test) • Learn a set of characteristics • If….then… • Solve

21. Applied (10 per test) • Examples • Cases • Scenarios

22. Mix (10 per test) • Combination of Factual, Interpretive, and Applied

23. After the test…. # Right _____ # Wrong _____ # Skips _____ # Guesses _____ got right _____ got wrong _____

24. “Guaranteed Success” Strategies: • Pay attention all year • Study hard all year • Learn lots of psychology!! 

25. Strategies to conquer the FRQs! 

26. Write a paragraph, as you have been taught in English, on a sunset. • “The sun set.” • FRQs ~ Write for points, not poetry!

27. FRQ-y Facts… • Avoid introduction and summation paragraphs • Get straight to the point!! * address the question * write concisely – only complete sentences will be scored *include psychological terminologyand researchers T - D - A *present in an organized format • Not creative ~ an analysis and evaluation

28. FRQ-ish Scoring… • 2 FRQs worth 25 points each = 50 points • Most FRQs have 6 -12 tasks – you receive one point for every correct task So…if there are 10 tasks in a FRQ, and you got 5 correct, your score is computed as follows: 5 / 10 X 2.5 = 12.5/25 Your score/# tasks X # to bring total to 25 =

29. WRITE CONCISELY – To score all the points you can, write quick style! • This is NOT an essay, so no intro, no concluding paragraph are needed • Don’t overwrite, no blah…blah…no long-winded explanations of research • Give them what they want and get on to the next question within 20 minutes • Use NO bullets, no phrases…only whole sentences count! • Never cross out (you might be right!)…just write on and get onto the next question

30. ANSWER COMPLETELY – To score all the points you can, think! • Read both questions CAREFULLY, think about the problem each presents • Circle the demands or tasks you think the question asks you to do • Underline the terms you think you need to define and apply to the problem • Count the number of points called for (usually between 6-12 per FRQ) • Check off (√) the terms after you think you have defined and applied them

31. SEPARATE DEFINITION FROM APPLICATION – To score BOTH points! T = take the term or concept, underline it when you write it D = define the term first off without re-using the term (circular definition) * check off (√) on the greenie prompt that you defined it A = apply the term to the problem without repeating the definition again * check off (√) on the greenie prompt that you applied it

32. BE SPECIFIC – Describe behavior in observable terms. It scores!! For example: “trying harder” doesn’t score…too vague  but “studying two extra hours” does…it’s specific  “He rewarded the kid” doesn’t score…poor terminology  but “He positively reinforced his behavior by giving him candy for each time he answered correctly” does…nice TDA 

33. USE TEXTBOOK PSYCH TERMINOLOGY – show you know sci psych! • Bring out the psych terms of the glossary you memorized, yeah?! Remember those flashcards and vocabulary lists!  • BEWARE – that means beaware of terms that can be confused…use our mnemonics for commonly confused terms*

34. Read the FRQs carefully and mark/ number each task Design and describe an experiment to measure the relationship between rehearsal/repetition of a list of words and later recall of that same list of words. In your answer you should formulate a hypothesis and include a description of each of the following. • Population • Subject selection • Independent variable • Dependent variable • Experimental group • Control group • Potential confounding variable ~from 1993 AP Exam

35. Make a chart before you begin…