AP Test Preparation – Some Hints!

The AP Exam! - 2 hours 15 minutes long – 2 Parts (Sections)- equally marked 75 minutes each. Part 1 – Multiple Choice – 75 questions – 1 hour – spend less than 1 minute on each. - Negatively marked, so don’t guess! Wrong – ¼ mark off, blank – 0 mark off - No true or false - 5 choices – Your tests had 4 - base some questions on a graphic (photo, map, graph, chart or diagram) - Which of the following statements is true regarding…- All of these are true but one….

Part 2 Free Response Questions (FRQ) – sometimes called Constructed Response Questions (CRQ) – 1 hour and 15 minutes long – 3 Questions. - Rare that they center in on one unit. Usually they want you to interrelate between two units. Sometimes analyze and evaluate geographical concepts - Sometimes a graphic will accompany the question - There is no choice, but a question may have choice inside it. - No mark break down is given - You will see all three questions right away - Some answers are common knowledge - Do the easy ones first. If you cannot answer the whole question answer the parts you know

The free-response section usually includes:

One question that tests a specific concept in geography and its application to real-world situations – EG. Define models or theories and relate them to each other or to the real world

One question that tests your ability to pull together and synthesize material from across the course – EG. A map and you relate the map to Urban patterns, Development patterns and Migration patterns

One question that tests your depth of knowledge of a topic and gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to apply and analyze geographic concepts across geographic contexts – EG. A question on Migration and how it relates to movement in the U.S. and its regions (in and out migration). Using theories and rules about migrations to answer the question.

• This is important – The AP readers do not want:

• a thesis

• an introduction

• a conclusion

• do not give an opinion – each question has a right or wrong answer

• Don’t waste your time with these!

• The structure is given to you – usually there is an A, B and maybe C part. Answer the parts in order and clearly mark the part.

• You are looking to score points by answering the key concepts, themes or terms – the markers use a rubric

Further examples of CRQ questions:

1. Definition and Illustration

Define the meaning of

a. A nation

b. A State

c. A nation-state

Illustrate your understanding of the above with actual examples.

2. Geographic Model

Explain Rostow’s model on Economic Development.

3.Topic in Depth

What was the Green Revolution and how did it help both the rich and the poor farmer?

4.Case Study

Describe China’s one Child Policy. Was it a success?

5.Synthesis (bringing two units together)

How did population growth effect food production in the Less Developed world?

Lee proposed a model of migration, based on push and pull factors, which describes conditions in regions involved in migration. Ravenstein postulated a series of “laws” which he believed described the immigrants themselves.

The photograph here shows a potential Mexican immigrant at the US border.1. How does the situation seen in the photograph illustrate Lee’s model of migration in terms of

a. the source regionb. the destination regionc. any intervening obstacles

2. To what degree does the Mexican man illustrate Ravenstein’s “laws” of migration?

Example 1 (CRQ)

A. Identify and explain ONE way that tourism has diminished regional landscape distinctiveness.

B. Identify and explain ONE way that tourism has enhanced regional landscape distinctiveness.

Example 2 (CRQ)

Which of the following is true of the architectural shape shown above?

a. It represents the dominant religion of all of Indonesia except for the island of Bali.

b. It signifies a major religion that originated in India but is now found in Thailand and other parts of Asia.

c. It symbolizes houses of worship for monotheistic religions that hold Jerusalem sacred.

d. It represents religions especially common in sub-Saharan Africa.

e. It symbolizes denominations of a Western religion that divided first in Europe.

Answer: B

Example 1:

Multiple Choice

Example 2

Multiple Choice

The Sector model of city structure assumes that typical spatial behaviour involves people moving primarily

a. Around the outer belt.

b. In and out of downtown.

c. Within downtown.

d. Within neighbourhoods.

e. Everywhere all the time.

Answer: B

AP Grade Qualification

5 Extremely well qualified

4 Well Qualified

3 Qualified

2 Possibly qualified

1 No recommendation

Our goal is to get you a 4 or a 5.

The AP exam is marked out of 5!

As you may or may not know I belong to an AP Geography List server and the following are a collection of comments relating to the preparation and writing of the final exam. Each comment will have a different coloured background.

Please read them carefully and I hope they help!

Okay.....#1 Don't Panic--when the student sees the question their first response will probably be "Ms. Lange did not teach us this...." That may be true but she did teach you some of the elements...read the question....break it down...what can you answer.....

#2 Always remember to "THINK GEOGRAPHICALLY". This is a geography test not a history test. Location, Scale, and Time are important.

#3 Practice--Go to the College Board Web Site and look at the previous questions. Notice how they can be approached from different subject areas (they usually cover more than one topic). Have them outline answers (or answer them if you have the time). Then look at the rubric and see if they hit the right points. Grade their own or peer grade their outlines.

#4 Assume the reader is tired....it is the end of the day...they have been grading since 8:00....Help the reader find the answer. Label the different sections or at least start a new paragraph for each part of the question. Underline appropriate terms. For example if the question asksfor the definition of a nation......then underline the word nation so the reader can see...oh yes here is the definition.

#5 One last hint---and this comes up at every reading---ANSWER THE QUESTION--don't ramble....yes it is better to try to answer the question instead of leaving it blank....but don't show off....if you have answered the question don't keep writing in order to tell the reader everything you have learned in APGH this year.

Which goes back to # 1 Break the FRQ down. Answer each part from the geographic perspective (#2) and help the reader know that this is your answer (#4).

General Guidelines for the students:

1. ANSWER THE QUESTION!!!!!

This is the major problem - I once had an instructor tell us, that students don't give wrong answers, they just answer different questions. And while that may tell where they are, it doesn't help evaluate what they know. So I tell them to simply answer the question. I also give them a list of "AP Verbs" which I sent as another email. I give the students sample essay questions and have them focus on the operative words in the question. What is their task? How many parts does the question have? If you are stuck for questions, many AP history questions can be used for this exercise. The subject is not as important an having the students to focus on and understand the question.

2. Clarity! Clarity! Clarity!

3. The Quiz - I have yet to have a student get 100% if they have not seen it before. It is both a test of reading as well as the nuances of English. I did provide the answers. It is the beginning of a very thought provoking discussion about how well we read -- and understand.

1. Do they have a 4th of July in England? 2. How many birthdays does the average man have? 3. Some months have 31 days; how many have 28? all of them 4. A woman gives a beggar 50 cents; the woman is the beggar's sister, but the beggar is not the woman's brother. Why? 5. Why can't a man living in the USA be buried in Canada? 6. How many outs are there in an inning? 7. Is it legal for a man in California to marry his widow's sister? 8. Two men play five games of checkers. Each man wins the same number of games. There are no ties. Explain this. 9. Divide 30 by half and add 10. What is the answer? 10. A man builds a house rectangular in shape. All sides have southern exposure. A big bear walks by. What color is the bear?

11. If there are 3 apples and you take away 2, how many do you have? 12 I have two US coins totaling 55 cents. One is not a nickel. What are the coins? 13. If you have only one match and you walked into a room where there was an oil burner, a kerosene lamp, and a wood burning stove, which one would you light first? 14. How far can a dog run into the woods? 15. A doctor gives you three pills telling you to take one every half hour. How long would the pills last? 16. A farmer has 17 sheep and all but 9 die. How many are left? 17.How many animals of each sex did Moses take on the ark? 18. A clerk in the butcher shop is 5' 10" tall. What does she weigh? 19.How many two cent stamps are there in a dozen? 20. What was the President's name in 1950?

The Answers!

1. Do they have a 4th of July in England? yes 2. How many birthdays does the average man have? one 3. Some months have 31 days; how many have 28? all of them 4. A woman gives a beggar 50 cents; the woman is the beggar's sister, but the beggar is not the woman's brother. Why? It's her sister 5. Why can't a man living in the USA be buried in Canada? He's alive 6. How many outs are there in an inning? 6 7. Is it legal for a man in California to marry his widow's sister? No Why? He's dead 8. Two men play five games of checkers. Each man wins the same number of games. There are no ties. Explain this. They are not playing each other. 9. Divide 30 by half and add 10. What is the answer? 2510. A man builds a house rectangular in shape. All sides have southern exposure. A big bear walks by. What color is the bear? white Why? Has to be at the north pole for all sides to face south.

11. If there are 3 apples and you take away 2, how many do you have? 212 I have two US coins totaling 55 cents. One is not a nickel. What are the coins? a fifty cent piece and a nickel13. If you have only one match and you walked into a room where there was an oil burner, a kerosene lamp, and a wood burning stove, which one would you light first? the match14. How far can a dog run into the woods? until he runs out15. A doctor gives you three pills telling you to take one every half hour. How long would the pills last? one hour16. A farmer has 17 sheep and all but 9 die. How many are left? 917. How many animals of each sex did Moses take on the ark? Moses didn't take any animals on the Ark18. A clerk in the butcher shop is 5' 10" tall. What does she weigh? meat19. How many two cent stamps are there in a dozen? 1220. What was the President's name in 1950? George W. Bush

Effective answers to essay questions depend in part upon a clear understanding (and execution) of the meanings of important directive words. These are the words that indicate the way in which the material is to be presented.

For example, if students only describe when they are asked to compare, or if they merely list causes when they have been asked to evaluate them, their responses will be less than satisfactory. An essay can only begin to be correct if it answers directly the question that is asked. Individual teachers can provide what AP Examinations cannot — help with the meanings and applications of some key terms like these:

1. Analyze: determine their component parts; examine their nature and relationship

2. Assess/Evaluate: judge the value or character of something; appraise; evaluate the positive points and the negative ones; give an opinion regarding the value of; discuss the advantages and disadvantages of

3. Compare: examine for the purpose of noting similarities and points of similarity (if used alone can include differences).

4. Contrast: examine in order to show dissimilarities or points of difference

5. Describe: give an account of; tell about; give a word picture of

6. Discuss: talk over; write about; consider or examine by argument or from various points of view; debate; present the different sides of

7. Explain: make clear or plain; make clear the causes or reasons for; make known in detail; tell the meaning of

The test has been 75 multiple choice questions and three essay questions. 1 hr. for the first section and this year 1 Hr and 15 minutes for the second. The extra fifteen is to encourage five minutes of prep before writing each essay

Are students required to write in complete sentences when answering the short answer section of the AP Human Geog exam?  I have noticed that some of the questions don’ seem to require a great deal of elaboration…Is this correct?

Questions that ask students to "name" or "list" do not require complete sentences.  For all other answers, I recommend that students use complete sentences (unless they are just running out of time) simply because they are likely to provide more complete answers in that format.  All too often, incomplete sentences result in incomplete thoughts.  However, as has been emphasized in other messages, a formal essay, with introduction, transitions, conclusion, is not necessary.  Likewise, students are neither rewarded not penalized for sentence or paragraph structure as long as the ideas are solid.

The following slides come straight out of the AP Central site about this year’s exam (2005)

The ExamThe AP Human Geography Exam tests your knowledge of the patterns and processes that have shaped human understanding, use, and alteration of Earth's surface. You have a chance to earn college credit in geography before you ever begin your formal college studies!

About the ExamThe two-and-one-quarter-hour exam includes a 60-minute, 75-question multiple-choice section and a 75-minute three-question free-response section. The multiple-choice section accounts for half of the examination grade and the free-response section for the other half.

Section I: Multiple-ChoiceThe multiple-choice section is designed to measure your knowledge of human geography through a broad range of topics and types of questions. You should expect questions that test your ability to use and think about maps and spatial data, your understanding of how the world looks from a spatial perspective, your ability to interpret patterns and processes at different scales, your understanding of regions, and finally, your ability to characterize and analyze changing interconnections among places. The topic outline for AP Human Geography details the percentage of the course -- and the exam -- devoted to each content area.Since no two AP Human Geography classes are exactly alike, you are not expected to know the answer to every question. Although haphazard or random guessing is unlikely to improve your score, if you have knowledge of the topic in a question and can eliminate one or more answer choices, you might find it advantageous to select an answer from the remaining choices.

Section II: Free-ResponseIn the free-response section, you will be asked to write cogent answers to three constructed response questions. The questions may require you to interrelate different topical areas and to analyze and evaluate geographical concepts. Questions may be based on stimulus material such as verbal description, maps, graphs, photographs, and diagrams. You are expected to use your analytical and organizational skills to formulate answers in writing your essays.The free-response section usually includes one question that tests a specific concept in geography and its application to real-world situations, one question that tests your ability to pull together and synthesize material from across the course, and one question that tests your depth of knowledge of a topic and gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your ability to apply and analyze geographic concepts across geographic contexts.Remember to answer each question in the way it is structured. Points are allocated for sub-parts of the question and not for the overall answer. Your answer should be in essay form. Outlines and unlabeled diagrams and maps are not acceptable final answers. Learn to think outside of the box, and you will have the opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of key concepts in geography.

Scoring the ExamThe multiple-choice and free-response sections each account for one-half of your final exam grade. The three questions in the free-response section are weighted equally.