Everything you need to score higher on the AP Psychology exam -- Guaranteed.Kaplan's comprehensive guide includes: 2 full-length practice tests Diagnostic test to target areas for score improvement Detailed answer explanations Powerful strategies to help you score higher Targeted content review, from biopsychology to cognition Glossary of key psychological termsAbout the Kaplan Panel of AP ExpertsTo give our readers the best possible preparation, Kaplan has partnered with teachers who are experts on the AP Psychology exam to review the book for up-to-the-minute accuracy, test-like practice, and appropriate content. Dr. Ruth Ault (Davidson College, Davidson, NC) and Nancy Homb (Cypress Falls High School, Houston, TX) have more than 14 combined years of experience with the AP Psychology exam.

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Reviews key points in psychology, offers test-taking strategies and study tips, and includes two full-length practice exams.

Kaplan AP Psychology 2006

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By Kaplan

Kaplan

Copyright © 2005 Kaplan
All right reserved.
ISBN: 0743265564

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Chapter One: Inside the AP Psychology Exam

The AP Psychology Exam is divided into two sections. Section I is 100 multiple choice questions covering a variety of topics from introductory psychology. The topics are covered as follows:

History and Approaches (2-4%)

Methods (6-8%)

Biological Bases of Behavior (8-10%)

Sensation and Perception (7-9%)

States of Consciousness (2-4%)

Learning (7-9%)

Cognition (8-10%)

Motivation and Emotion (7-9%)

Developmental Psychology (7-9%)

Personality (6-8%)

Testing and Individual Differences (5-7%)

Abnormal Psychology (7-9%)

Treatment of Psychological Disorders (5-7%)

Social Psychology (7-9%)

Overview of the Test Structure

Section I allows for 70 minutes to complete the 100 multiple choice questions. This does not give you a great deal of time per question. However, some of the questions are much easier to answer than others. And then, of course, there will be some questions that you will be unable to answer. Answer the questions that you can, and try to deduce the answers for those questions that you are unsure of. Know, however, that for some, you will simply have to guess. That is fine.

Section II is the free-response section. In this part, you will be given two questions. You will have 50 minutes to respond to these questions, so try to develop a strategy for answering both questions well. The questions are focused on methodology across areas and on being able to relate one point to several different approaches in psychology. Thus, in order to do well on the free-response section, you need to be prepared to not only understand the content, but also to generalize the content across various areas of psychology.

How the Exam is Scored

To prepare for the free-response section, one of the first steps would be to review released test materials on the College Board website. The released free-response items will have sample answers that will help you learn how to focus your answers on the information that is essential. The free-response section is important (it will count for }13} of your final score), and thus, you want to have a complete understanding of the way that the questions are structured, and the way that the questions are scored.

The key to answering free-response questions well is to understand that they are written to allow you to demonstrate breadth of knowledge across a variety of areas of psychology. Thus, when answering the question, make sure you provide the reader with enough context to demonstrate complete understanding. A second, important point to consider is that each response is worth a certain number of points, and each point is associated with different aspects of the question. As the questions are written with a main question and several sub-questions, a good strategy is to answer the question in the same format as the question itself. Organize it in the same way it is written. Don't answer the question in the order that you know things.

The free responses are scored by hand. Thus, handwriting is important. Take your time answering the question, but not too much time. Just realize that if someone can't read your answer, it won't score -- even if it's great. Answers to the free-response section are scored according to a rubric. A rubric is an agreed-upon scoring guideline that all readers use. Typically, a rubric is generated by the people who construct the question. Then, every June, a group of high school and college psychology teachers are brought together at a site in the United States for the AP reading. There, the rubric is refined and samples are created by the group to provide the readers with training essays. There is a great deal of concern over providing each essay with a fair read; thus, readers are constantly checked to ensure reliability.

The scores from the performance assessment (}13} of the score) and the multiple-choice (}23} of the score) are then combined, and the Chief Reader sets the criteria for the final score. Scores range from:

5 = Extremely well qualified

4 = Well qualified

3 = Qualified

2 = Possibly qualified

1 = No recommendation

Most colleges will accept an AP score of 3 or higher to award college credit.

Registration and Fees

To register for the exam, contact your school guidance counselor or AP Coordinator. If your school does not administer the AP exam, contact AP for a listing of schools that do.

As of the printing of this book, the fee for the exam is $82. For those qualified with acute financial need, the College Board offers a $22 credit. In addition, many states offer subsidies to cover all or part of the cost of the exam.

Additional Resources

For more information on the AP Program and the Psychology Exam, contact:

AP Services

P.O. Box 6671

Princeton, NJ 08541-6671

Phone: (609) 771-7300 or (877) 274-6474

Email: apexgrams@info.collegeboard.org

Website: www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/ap/about.html

Copyright © 2006 by Kaplan, Inc.

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Excerpted from Kaplan AP Psychology 2006 by Kaplan Copyright © 2005 by Kaplan. Excerpted by permission.
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