AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
CRQ TIPS
1. You will have 75 minutes for 3 CRQs. This allows 25 minutes for each CRQ. The CRQs are not sub-timed so you can
do them in any order and move back and forth between them. Do the easiest ones first.
2. The AP Human Geography Exam has CRQs, not essays or DBQs! You do NOT need an introduction, thesis
statement, or conclusion. Launch right into your answer.
3. All CRQs have specific correct and incorrect answers. You can’t BS your way through. One of the possible answers
from the scoring rubric MUST appear in your answer for you to receive the point for any given sub question. If
you have one of the approved correct answers, you get the point. Any BS-ing or anything else you wrote before
you got to the correct answer will be irrelevant to your score.
NOTE: As of 2012, the College Board changed its policy for Social Science AP Exams and give full credit for correct answers
written in list or non-sentence form. Again, they are looking for the correct answer, nothing else. Grammar is not part of the
grading (unless it renders your response unintelligible!) So, yes, you may bullet point your answers BUT make sure they are
information rich with supporting evidence.
4. If the question asks you to list three things and you list five, the last two are ignored and not scored.
5. You can blow one of the three CRQs and still receive a 5 on the exam, but everything else on the exam (the two
other CRQs and the MCQs) must be great.
6. PLAN LONG, WRITE SHORT! Spend five to ten minutes planning out (outlining) each of your three CRQ responses.
Brainstorm key terms/vocabulary/examples that will be part of your response. If the question asks for three
ideas, write more than three and choose your best three.
7. Be SPECIFIC. Avoid vague statements.
8. Use geography specific vocabulary whenever possible (e.g. “spatial distribution” instead of “where x is found”,
“situation characteristics” rather than “how place x is related to its surroundings”, “cultural landscape” rather
than “the human impact of x in a region”.
8. Don’t state your opinion. State the obvious. Do not assume the reader is an expert on the topic.
9. Answer the questions in the order they are asked. Cross off each subsection as you complete it.
10. AP Human Geography CRQs consist of a STEM (a statement of a geographic truth) and a REQUEST (your task).
There are four generic types of CRQ REQUESTS:
a. Definition CRQs (most common)
b. Models CRQs (name of model will be given, you will explain, analyze, critique, and apply it)
c. Topic Analysis CRQs (Example: Green Revolution CRQ from 2001 exam)
d. Synthesis CRQS (you will be asked to broadly apply and combine concepts from the entire course)
11. CRQ REQUESTS will each contain one of the following Command Terms. Each has a very specific meaning. You
should underline these words when you see them and know what is expected for each.
Identify
Provide a single, concise, and specific answer. (This is as if someone
asked you to guess an answer. They are looking for THE answer.)
One sentence (sometimes even
just a word or phrase) is enough.
Define
Give the precise meaning or basic qualities of something. (Don’t need
examples here but include all the parts of the definition.)
Two sentences.
Describe
Provide the basic attributes or characteristics of something. (This is like
a concept map in words: when I think of x, I also think of these related
ideas…)
Two sentences.
Explain
A bit more then describing. Give the reader a clear idea of something
by giving reasons for it or by adding details.
Three sentences.
Discuss
Describe various aspects of a topic, which may include explanations,
real world examples, arguments, and evidence.
Four or more sentences (short
paragraph)