AP Psychology Review
Success on the AP Psychology Exam
 Understanding of the AP Psychology Test
 Types of questions possible
 How the questions are arraigned?
 How is the test scored?
Three Areas to Consider
General Tips for Test Taking
Multiple Choice Section
Free Response
Questions
General Tips for Test Taking
 Multiple Choice Section - 100 questions
 Column format
 Questions taken
from every unit.
 Five answer
Possibilities:
A., B., C., D., E
AP Psychology Exam Structure
History and Approaches
Research Methods
Biological Bases of Behavior
Sensation and Perception
States of Consciousness
Learning
Cognition
Motivation and Emotion
Developmental Psychology
Personality
Testing and Individual Differences
Abnormal Psychology
Treatment of Psychological Disorders
Social Psychology
2-4%
8-10%
8-10%
6-8%
2-4%
7-9%
8-10%
6-8%
7-9%
5-7%
5-7%
7-9%
5-7%
8-10%
Values of combined units
History, Approaches and Research Methods 10-14%
10-14%
Biological Bases of Behavior
Sensation and Perception
8-10%
6-8%
14-18%
States of Consciousness
2-4%
2-4%
Learning
Cognition
7-9%
8-10%
15-19%
Motivation and Emotion
6-8%
6-8%
Developmental Psychology
7-9%
7-9%
Personality
Testing and Individual Differences
5-7%
5-7%
10-14%
Abnormal Psychology
Treatment of Psychological Disorders
Social Psychology
7-9%
5-7%
8-10%
20-26%
Great, Good News!
You can miss a lot of questions
and still get a 5 on the AP
Exam.
Great, Good News!
You can miss a lot of questions
and still get a 5 on the AP
Exam.
Example of the Good News:
If you get a 70%, which is
the same as getting 105
points out of a150… you get
a 5 on the test!
Another good news example
If you a 60%, which is the same as
earning 90 points out of a
possible 150…
you’ll get a four on the AP exam
More Good News!
Every question is only worth
1point
Even the extremely hard ones are only
worth one point, just like the extremely
easy ones.
And the news just keeps
getting better…
There is no
penalty
for a wrong
guess !
This means you will fill in
every bubble on your
answer sheet.
The law of averages is on your side
here, and you are going to guess on
every question you don’t know.
Guessing Strategy
In order to avoid wasting valuable
time during the test, follow an exact
procedure for guessing.
Mathematicians have analyzed loads
of tests and determined that it
does not matter whether or not you
follow a pattern when guessing on a
multiple choice test.
So… in order to save time, you are
always going to guess option (A) when
making a guess.
Guessing Procedure
When you have decided to guess…
1. Circle the item number in your
booklet so you can come back to it
later if you have time.
2. Fill in the (A) bubble on your
answer sheet.
Bring a watch to the test!
You won’t be able to use your phone.
General Tips for Test Taking
 Do not waste your time
reading the directions. Instead
know them in advance. Here
they are for the multiple choice:
 “Each of the questions or
incomplete statements below is
followed by five suggested answers or
completions. Select the one that is best in
each case and then fill in the corresponding
oval on the answer sheet.”
There is an order of difficulty for
the multiple choice section
Questions 1 - 33
Go slow on the things you know
As the question number increases,
so does the difficulty
Questions 34 - 66
Start making educated guesses on
questions that are difficult for you.
The Difficult Questions are at the End.
Questions 66 – 100
Be quick to skip these questions or
make a guess.
Tips for Multiple Choice Questions
Anticipate the answer
As you read the stem of each multiple choice
question, anticipate the answer before looking
at the options. If the answer you anticipated is
among the options, it is likely to be the correct
one.
Tips for Multiple Choice Questions
Underline key terms and ideas:
When Shelly first had cable television service installed, PBS
was on channel 9. Her cable company then switched PBS
to channel 16. Shelly now has trouble remembering
that PBS is on channel 16 and
not on channel 9.
This memory problem represents ?
(AP Psychology Exam 2004 #86)
Tips for Multiple Choice Questions
Anticipate the answer, and underline key terms:
When Shelly first had cable television service installed, Public
Broadcasting (PBS) was on channel 9. Her cable company then
switched PBS to channel 16. Shelly now has trouble
remembering that PBS is on channel 16 and not on channel 9.
This memory problem represents
(A)
memory decay
(B)
retrograde amnesia
(C)
reconstruction errors
(D)
retroactive interference
(E)
proactive interference
(AP Psychology Exam 2004 #86)
Tips for Multiple Choice Questions
Stick to the subject matter
Watch for answers that have nothing to do with
the subject matter of the course or have nothing
to do with the subject matter of the particular
unit the question is testing.
Tips for Multiple Choice Questions
Keep your eye out
for help within
other questions on
the test.
Tips for Multiple Choice Questions
Watch for Qualifiers
Qualifiers: often, sometimes, perhaps, may,
generally, some, seldom, usually, ordinarily, etc.
Options that use qualifiers tend to be
correct.
(He’s watching for
Qualifiers )
Watch out for extreme, all or
nothing language:
100% words: never, none, no, every,
always, all, only, entirely, necessarily,
completely, totally, etc.
Options that represent broad, sweeping
are almost always wrong.
Be on the lookout for the following:
An incorrect option that is highly
implausible.
For example:
The part of the brain responsible for higher order
thinking is the:
A. cerebrum
B. pupil
C. repression
D. pituitary gland
E. mania
Be on the lookout for:
Sometimes the correct option is more detailed,
or more specific than the other options.
 Sometimes the correct option is longer than all
the other options.
Common Flaws in Multiple Choice Items
 There is a resemblance between the stem and
correct option but not the incorrect options.
Skinner and the other behaviorists would promote
which of the following therapies?
A. psychoanalysis
B. humanistic therapy
C. behavioral therapy
D. Gestalt therapy
E. cognitive therapy
Tips for Multiple Choice Questions
Eliminate implausible answers
Learn how to quickly eliminate
options that are highly
implausible. Many questions
have only two plausible
options, accompanied by
"throwaway" options for
filler. Eliminate them and
your choice is easier.
Eliminate Implausible Answers
Example:
Who of the following teaches AP
Psychology at Clayton High School?
(A) The smartest person in the world.
(B) Abraham Lincoln
(C) Moses
(D) Homer Simpson
(E) Buddha
Free Response Section
Test Structure
 2 Free Response (Essay) Questions
 Required to do both
Free Response Section
Time Structure
 50 minutes to complete both essays
 Can break up your time on the essays
any way you want
 Watch your time. Don’t get caught
short on essay #2
Free Response Section
Scoring
 Essays are 1/3 of the overall score
 Each essay 1/6 of the overall score
 Each essay will have a specific number
of points (6-12)
 Points are then mathematically changed
to equal 25 for a perfect essay
Free Response Section
Style of the Questions
 One essay tends to be unit based
 One essay tends to go across units
 Questions tend to be relatively specific

Application questions with listing of terms
Free Response Question 2009 #1
1. Dimitri and Linda are trying to learn a new routine to
compete successfully in a dance competition. Give an
example of how each of the following could affect their
performance. Definitions without application do not
score.
• Extrinsic motivation
• Punishment
• Proactive interference
• Endorphins
7
points
• Vestibular system
• Divergent thinking
• Introversion
Free Response Question 2009 #2
2. James is in a driver’s education course preparing to take his driving
test. The course includes both book work and driving on the road to
prepare students for a written test and a road test.
(a) Describe how each of the following might influence his ability to
drive a car during the road test. Definitions without application do
not score.
• Cognitive map
• Cerebellum
• Observational learning
7 points
• Human factors
(b) Describe how each of the following are related to the results of
the written test. Definitions without application do not score.
• Reticular formation
• Predictive validity
• Semantic memory
Free Response Section
Scoring
 Points are given for correct responses
 Points are not removed unless you
contradict yourself
 Points are not removed for Handwriting/
Spelling/Grammar issues
Free Response Section
 Helpful Hints – Before Writing
 Read both essays
 Think through your answer before you
start writing. Prewrite!!!
 Try to determine the point values for the
question
 Write an outline/notes on the essay
question sheet
 If you are not sure take a logical guess.
Free Response Section
 Writing the Essays
 Format of the Answer
 Write your answers in essay form.
 DO NOT outline, write bullets, etc.
 Follow the format of the the question.
 Use paragraphs to separate the different
sections
 Underline key points and concepts
 Define and give examples
Free Response Section
 Writing the Essays
 Do not worry if you cannot answer all of
the question.
 Try to avoid compound or complex
sentences. Style does not get you points.
 Avoid circular definitions.
 Be complete but to the point.
 DO NOT restate the question.
Free Response Section
 Writing the Essays
 Introductions and conclusions are NOT
needed.
 DO NOT concept bomb the answer.
 Answer the question, don’t try to be cute.
 Define any concepts in the question.