A.P. United States Government and Politics
A.P. / Final Exam Review
Final Exam Date: Friday, May 9, 2014
A.P. U.S. Government and Politics Exam Date: Tuesday, May 13, 2014, 8 A.M.
Review Materials
1.
2.
Textbook. The College Board has adopted the O’Connor and Sabato
textbook as one of several texts from which the multiple choice and essay
questions are developed. Everything that will be on the final and Advanced
Placement exams will be covered in the O’Connor and Sabato text. The text
contains issues and information that was not highlighted in class lectures and
discussions. Review of the text material is important for that reason.
Review Term List. The list of review terms cover what has been presented in
class lectures and discussions. The terms are comprehensive but certainly not
exhaustive. This list is my best guess of “must know” items in preparation for
the Advanced Placement and final exams.
Study Groups
Each study group will divide the chapters and appendices of the O’Connor and Sabato
textbook equally among its members. Each study group will also divide the list of review
terms equally among its members. Consult the syllabus to correlate the textbook chapters
with the unit terms for ease in the division of labor. Between Monday, April 14th and
Tuesday, April 22nd, class time will be given for study groups to meet. The dates that the
chapters are listed on the syllabus are the dates that the assignments are due to the other
members of the study group.
Purpose
The purpose of this assignment is to give students formal training in reviewing for high
stakes exams. Formal outlining of textbook chapters, defining “must know” key terms
and understanding how the information “fits together” in a coherent manner is all part of
the training for skills that are needed to be successful in college. Since the Final Exam
and Advanced Placement United States Government and Politics Exam are
comprehensive, this review assignment will prepare students to perform at high levels on
both exams.
Assignment (100 Points)
Part One – Textbook Chapter Outlines
Each study group will divide among its members the textbook chapters and appendices.
Each member will be responsible for producing formal outlines of his/her assigned
chapters/appendices for the other members of the study group. On the date listed on the
syllabus, a hard copy of the chapter outlines are due to each member of your study group.
You will then, along with the unit term definitions due that same day, use the class period
to teach the information on the outlines to the members of your group.
Part Two – Review Term Definitions
Each study group will also divide among its member the list of unit review terms. Each
member will be responsible for producing formal definitions of his/her assigned unit
terms for the other members of the study group. On the date listed on the syllabus, a hard
copy of the unit terms definitions are due to each member of your study group. You will
then, along with the chapter outlines due that same day, use the class period to teach the
term definitions to the members of your group.
Grading
On the date(s) listed on the syllabus for your assigned chapter(s) and unit(s) to be due,
you will photocopy for and present your chapter outlines and defined terms to the other
members of your study group. You will review the outlines and terms during class. The
teacher(s) will visit with each study group during class to make sure all work is
completed on time. Points will be deducted for inferior, incomplete, and late work. Even
if you are absent, you are expected to have your terms and outlines prepared for your
group to study in class. Since the study group discussions are vital to the review process,
this assignment will also affect the course participation grade as well. Between April 14th
and May 6th, both short answer and multiple choice quizzes will be given covering the
chapters and terms. Each individual will hand in the bundle of outlines and terms at a
designated time prior to the final exam on Friday, May 9th.
Unit Terms / Text Chapter Outlines
Unit #1 Terms / Text Chapter 1, 2, Appendices except Court Cases
Unit #2 Terms / Text Chapters 7, 16, 17, 18
Unit #3 Terms / Text Chapters 3, 4, 10
Unit #4 Terms / Text Chapters 5, 6, Supreme Court Cases in Appendix
Unit #5 – Mock Election – No Terms or Chapters
Unit #6 Terms / Text Chapters 11, 12, 13, 14
Unit #7 Terms / Text Chapters 8, 9, 15, 19
Due Dates
M/T 4-14/15: Unit #1 Terms / Text Chapters 1, 2, Appendices, except Court Cases,
Outlines and Unit #2 Terms / Chapters 7, 16, 17, and 18 Outlines
W 4-16:
Unit #3 Terms / Chapters 3, 4, and 10 Outlines and Unit #4 Terms /
Chapters 5, 6, and Court Cases in Appendix
M/T 4-21/22: Unit #6 Terms / Chapters11, 12, 13, and 14 Outlines and Unit #7 Terms /
Chapters 8, 9, 15, 19 Outlines
Types of Multiple Choice Questions.
1.
Informational. These questions are the lowest-level intellectually. These
questions simply test your memory of important information.
EXAMPLE.
Brown v. Board of Education overturned which of the
following decisions?
a. Plessy v. Ferguson
b. Hammer v. Dagenhart
c. Swann v. Charlotte-Mecklenburg
d. Katzenbach v. McClung
e. Dred Scott v. Sandford
2.
Interpretive. These questions ask for understanding of an issue addressed by
the question that require more than simple memorization.
EXAMPLE.
In the Brown v. Board of Education decision, the Warren
Court displayed all of the following EXCEPT:
a. a willingness to overturn past precedent
b. judicial activism in the name of civil rights for
racial minorities
c. judicial activism in the name of the 14th
Amendment “Equal Protection” clause
d. a strict construction of the 14th Amendment that
reflected The Plessy decision in 1896
e. a belief the “separate but equal is inherently
unequal” regarding racial segregation
3.
Application. These questions ask you apply your knowledge and
understanding of an issue to a specific situation.
EXAMPLE.
A local school district institutes a policy that segregates
students by race. The parents of an African-American child
sue the district when the school district informs them that
she cannot attend the “white” school near her home but
must be bused to the “black” school 10 miles from her
home. What would be the result of this case?
a. Dismiss due to lack of standing.
b. Uphold the school district policy because it applies
equally to both blacks and whites.
c. Strike down the policy as a violation of the 14th
Amendment “Equal Protection” clause.
d. Do not grant cert because this is a political question.
e. Strike down the policy as an interference with the
federal government’s power to regulate interstate
commerce.
Tips for Success on Multiple Choice Questions.
1. Read the question carefully. Beware of “EXCEPT” questions that ask you to find
the only wrong response of the choices.
2. On your first read through the questions, do not spend too much time on any one
question. Skip questions for which you are not sure about the answer so you will
have the chance to answer all of the multiple choice questions on the exam. With
time remaining, go back to the questions you skipped and make an educated
guess. There is no penalty for guessing on the AP exams.
3. If you have time remaining, review all of your answers to make sure you did not
make a silly error. However, never change one answer that you are not sure about
to another answer that you are not sure about. If you are not sure about an
answer, go with your first instinct. You will be right 75% of the time.
Tips for Success on the Free Response Questions
1. Read the question carefully. Find key terms in the question so you know exactly
what the question is asking you to do. You must answer the directed question to
earn points.
2. Determine the number of points on the rubric. This is done by finding the
“command” words in the prompt and multiplying them by the number of times
the examiners ask you to perform that task. (Example: Identify and explain two
formal powers of the President = 4 points on the rubric).
3. Answer the question according to the rubric. Brilliant responses that don’t fit the
rubric will receive a low score.
4. Know the meaning of the “command” words.
a. Define
b. Identify
c. Describe = what / how
d. Compare
e. Explain = how + why
5. Time permitting, do more than what the question asks. (Example: Identify and
explain two formal powers of the President). If you can think of more than two
formal powers, identify and explain them as well. You will not receive extra
credit for doing more. However, if you make a mistake on the first two power
you identify and explain, you can receive points for the third or fourth powers you
identify and explain if you did so correctly.
6. Don’t label the sections of your essay. Write the answer in sections as provided
by the question. However, if you label the sections of you essay, you will not be
able to earn points for section “A” if you have that information in section “C.”
7. If unsure about an answer, write as much as you know about the topics addressed
in the question. Don’t be afraid to make a mistake. You may accidently hit on
some of the rubric points and earn a higher score on the essay.