Hello fellow students! I'm currently taking APUSH and I'm a little nervous about the end-of-year exam. I've heard it's a brute, so I'd really appreciate if someone could break down the test format for me? Especially in terms of the essay and document-based questions, as well as any multiple-choice sections. Thanks in advance!
The AP US History (APUSH) exam can seem daunting, but the key to success lies in understanding its structure. Here's a breakdown:
The exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long and is divided into two sections: multiple choice/short answer and free response.
Section I — Part A: Multiple Choice
The test begins with 55 multiple-choice questions that you'll have 55 minutes to answer. This is 40% of your total test score. The questions will give you some sort of stimulus - usually a historical document, a quote, image, or map - and you'll need to apply your historical knowledge to answer them.
Section I — Part B: Short Answer
Next, three short-answer questions are given. You get 40 minutes to complete this part, which represents 20% of your total score. These questions could involve interpreting a historical document, providing examples of a certain concept, or comparing different periods in history.
Section II — Part A: Document-Based Question (DBQ)
After a break, you'll move onto a 60-minute document-based question. This question gives you seven different documents and asks you to generate an argument-based essay using those documents as evidence. This comprises 25% of your total score. Analyzing primary and secondary sources is a key skill needed for this section.
Section II — Part B: Long Essay
Finally, you'll have 40 minutes to write a long essay, which will account for the remaining 15% of your score. You'll get a choice of three different essay prompts and you only need to answer one. These questions often ask you to evaluate the extent of change or continuity across periods, or perhaps argue for the significance of a certain factor in a given historical event.
Don't forget that studying hard is only one part of succeeding on the APUSH exam. Practice is also essential, especially for understanding how to interpret document based questions. Good luck on your APUSH journey!
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