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Advanced Placement (AP)
The AP Comparative Government and Politics exam tests your knowledge of how the political systems in different countries are similar and different. The exam requires endurance, strong critical thinking, and top-notch writing skillsâŠwhich means youâll need to be extra prepared!
If youâre looking for an AP Comparative Government study guide to carry you through all of your AP prep, look no further than this article! Weâll walk you through:
- The structure and format of the AP Government â Comparative exam
- The core themes and skills the exam tests you on
- The types of questions that show up on the exam and how to answer them (with sample responses from real AP students!)
- How the AP Comparative Government exam is scored, including official scoring rubrics
- Four essential tips for preparing for the AP Comparative Government exam
Are you ready? Letâs dive in!
Understanding how major world governments work will be key to doing well on this exam!
Exam Overview: How Is the AP Government â Comparative Exam Structured?
First things first: you may see this exam referred to as both the AP Government â Comparative exam or t he AP Comparative Government exam. Don't worry, though...both of these names refer to the same test!
Now that we've cleared that up, let's look at the structure of the test itself. The AP Comparative Government and Politics exam tests your knowledge of basic political concepts and your ability to compare political systems and processes in different countries.
This AP exam is on the shorter side, lasting for a total of two hours and 30 minutes . Youâll be required to answer 55 multiple-choice questions and four free-response questions during the exam.
The AP Comparative Government exam is broken down into two sections . Section I of the exam consists of 55 multiple-choice questions and lasts for one hour. The first section of the exam accounts for 50% of your overall exam score.
Section II of the AP Comparative Government exam consists of four free-response questions . On this part of the exam, youâll be asked to provide open-ended, written responses to all four free-response questions. Section II lasts for one hour and 30 minutes and counts for 50% of your overall exam score .
To give you a clearer picture of how the AP Comparative Government exam is structured, weâve broken the core exam elements down in the table below:
Source: The College Board
The AP Comparative Government and Politics exam tests you on a wide range of topics and skills that you need to really drive home before exam day. To help you prepare, weâll go over the AP Comparative Government course themes, skills, and units next!
Whatâs on the AP Government â Comparative Exam? Course Themes, Skills, and Units
The AP Government â Comparative course teaches you the skills used by political scientists . To develop these skills during the course, youâll explore content that falls into five big ideas that guide the course.
The five big ideas for AP Comparative Government are:
- Big Idea 1: Power and Authority
- Big Idea 2: Legitimacy and Stability
- Big Idea 3: Democratization
- Big Idea 4: Internal/External Forces
- Big Idea 5: Methods of Political Analysis
On the AP Comparative Government exam, youâll show your mastery of the skills associated with these big ideas by answering questions that ask you to apply concepts, analyze data, compare countries, and write political science arguments.
The content and skills youâll study throughout the AP Comparative Government course are divided out into five units of study . Youâll be tested on content from all five course units during the AP Comparative Government exam. Getting familiar with what each unit covers and how those topics are weighted in your overall exam score will help you get prepared for exam day!
You can view each course unit, the topics they cover, and how theyâre weighted in your exam score below:
Now that you know whatâs on the AP Comparative Government exam, letâs break down the two sections of the exam even further. Weâll look at Section I and Section II of the AP Comparative Government exam next!
AP Comparative Government Exam: Section I
The first section of the exam tests your ability to describe, explain, compare, and analyze political concepts and processes, various forms of data, and text passages. Youâll be asked to demonstrate these skills by answering both individual and sets of multiple-choice questions.
Section I consists of 55 multiple-choice questions, lasts for one hour, and counts for 50% of your exam score.
Hereâs a breakdown of how each skill is assessed on the multiple-choice section of the exam:
- Approximately 40â55% of multiple-choice questions assess studentsâ ability to apply political concepts and processes in hypothetical and authentic contexts.
- Approximately 25â32% of multiple-choice questions will assess studentsâ ability to compare the political concepts and processes of China, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, and the United Kingdom.
- Approximately 10â16% of multiple-choice questions will assess studentsâ ability to analyze and interpret quantitative data represented in tables, charts, graphs, maps, and infographics
- Approximately 9â11% of multiple-choice questions will assess studentsâ ability to read, analyze, and interpret text-based sources.
To help you get a better idea of what the multiple-choice questions are like on this part of the AP Comparative Government exam, letâs look at a sample question and how itâs scored next .
Sample Question: Multiple-Choice
Looking at sample multiple-choice questions can help you grasp the connection between what you learn in the AP Comparative Government course and what youâll be tested on during the exam.
The individual multiple-choice question below comes from the College Boardâs official guide to AP Comparative Government and Politics .
The multiple-choice question above asks you to compare two or more countries based on their political systems and behaviors. It draws on your knowledge of Big Idea #1: Power and Authority because it asks about the role of government executives in different countries . Youâll focus on these concepts during Unit 2 of your AP Comparative Government course, which explores political institutions in different countries.
The correct answer to this multiple-choice question is D : âThe Chinese president and the Nigerian president are both commanders in chief of the armed forces.â
AP Comparative Government Exam: Section II
Like Section I, the second section of the exam tests your ability to describe, explain, compare, and analyze political concepts and processes, various forms of data, and text passages. In this section, youâll be asked to demonstrate these skills by providing written responses .
Section II consists of four free-response questions, lasts for one hour and 30 minutes, and counts for 50% of your exam score.
There are four different types of free-response questions on the exam, and each one tests your reading and writing skills in different ways. Hereâs a breakdown of what youâll be asked to do on each free-response question on the exam:
- 1 conceptual analysis question: Youâll define or describe a political concept and/or compare political systems, principles, institutions, processes, policies, or behaviors.
- 1 quantitative analysis question: Youâll analyze data to find patterns and trends and reach a conclusion.
- 1 comparative analysis question: Youâll compare political concepts, systems, institutions, processes, or policies in two of the course countries.
- 1 argument essay: Youâll write an evidence-based essay supporting a claim or thesis.
To help you get a better sense of what the free-response questions are like on this part of the AP Comparative Government exam, letâs look at an example of each type of question and how itâs scored next .
Sample Question: Conceptual Analysis Free-Response
The free-response question below is taken from the College Boardâs official guide to AP Comparative Government and Politics . This sample question is an example of a conceptual analysis question. This is the first type of question that youâll encounter on the exam.
On the real exam, youâll have 10 minutes to answer the conceptual analysis question . Check out the question below:
To understand how to answer this question correctly, weâll need to look at how conceptual analysis questions are scored on the exam. The scoring rubric below shows how your response to this question would be evaluated after the exam:
Sample Question: Quantitative Analysis Free-Response
The Quantitative Analysis free-response question gives you quantitative data in the form of a graph, table, map, or infographic. Youâll be asked to describe, draw a conclusion, or explain that data and its connections to key course concepts.
The quantitative analysis question is the second question youâll encounter on the exam. Itâs worth five raw points of your score on this section of the exam, and you should spend about 20 minutes answering this question.
The quantitative analysis question below comes from the College Boardâs official guide to AP Comparative Government and Politics :
To get a better idea of how to answer this question, letâs look at the scoring rubric thatâs used to evaluate this quantitative analysis question on the exam:
Sample Question: Comparative Analysis Free-Response
The Comparative Analysis free-response question assesses your ability to define, describe, compare, or explain political concepts, systems, institutions, or policies in different countries. This question is the third free-response question that youâll answer on the exam.
The Comparative Analysis question is worth five raw points of your score on this section of the exam, and you should spend about 20 minutes answering this question.
The comparative analysis question below comes from the College Boardâs official guide to AP Comparative Government and Politics :
We can take a look at the scoring rubric thatâs used to evaluate this type of free-response question to get a better idea of what types of responses will earn you full points:
Sample Question: Argument Essay Free-Response
The fourth and final free-response question youâll encounter on the exam is the Argument Essay question. This free-response question assesses your ability to make a claim that responds to the question, defend and support your claim with reasonable evidence, and respond to an opposing view on the topic at hand.
The Argument Essay question is worth five raw points, and itâs recommended that you spend about 40 minutes answering this question.
The argument essay question below comes from the College Boardâs official guide to AP Comparative Government and Politics :
To understand what an effective response to this question looks like, weâll need to think about how argument essay questions are scored on the exam.
The scoring rubric for this free-response question is quite long; youâll find four separate categories for evaluation in the rubric below , as well as examples of responses that will earn you full points in each category.
The scoring rubric below shows how your response to this question will be evaluated:
How Is the AP Comparative Government Exam Scored?
Before you take the AP Comparative Government exam, you need to know how your responses will be scored. Here, weâll explain how each section of the AP Comparative Government exam is scored, scaled, and combined to produce your final score on the AP 1-5 scale .
As a quick reminder, hereâs how the score percentages breakdown on the exam:
- Section I: Multiple-choice: 55 questions, 50% of overall score
- Section II: Free-response: four questions, 50% of overall score
- Question 1: Conceptual Analysis: 11%
- Question 2: Quantitative Analysis: 12.5%
- Question 3: Comparative Analysis: 12.5%
- Question 4: Argument Essay: 14%
On the multiple-choice section, youâll earn one raw point for each question you answer correctly. The maximum number of raw points you can earn on the multiple-choice section is 55 points. You wonât lose any points for incorrect answers!
The free-response questions are scored differently. The Conceptual Analysis question is worth four raw points, and the Quantitative Analysis, Comparative Analysis, and Argument Essay questions are each worth five raw points. Collectively, there are a total of 19 raw points you can earn on the free-response section .
Remember: youâll only lose points on free-response questions for big errors , like providing an incorrect definition or failing to justify your reasoning. While you should use proper grammar and punctuation, you wonât be docked points for minor errors as long as your responses are clear and easy to understand.
You can earn 74 raw points on the AP Comparative Government exam. Hereâs how those points are parsed out by section:
- 55 points for multiple-choice
- 19 points for free-response
After your raw scores have been tallied, the College Board will convert your raw score into a scaled score of 1-5 . When you receive your score report, that 1-5 scaled score is the one youâll see.
The 5 rate for the AP Comparative Government exam is fairly middle-of-the-road in comparison to other AP exams . Take a look at the table below to see what percentage of test takers earned each possible scaled score on the 2021 AP Comparative Government exam:
4 Top Tips for Prepping for the AP Comparative Government and Politics Exam
If the AP Comparative Government exam is right around the corner for you, youâre probably thinking about how to prepare! Weâre here to help you with that. C heck out our four best tips for studying for the AP Comparative Government exam !
Tip 1: Start With a Practice Exam
One of the best ways to set yourself up for successful AP exam prep is to take a practice exam. Taking a practice AP Comparative Government exam before you really start studying can help you design a study routine that best suits your needs.
When you take a practice exam before diving into your study regimen, you get the chance to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Identifying your weaknesses early on in your exam prep will help you tailor your study time to eliminating your weaknesses (which translates to earning more points on the exam!).
We recommend taking a full practice exam in the time frame youâll be allotted on the real exam. This will help you get a real sense of what the timing will feel like on exam day! After you take the practice exam, sit down and evaluate your results. Make note of the questions you missed, the skills those questions assess, and the course content they reference. You can then design a study routine that targets those tougher areasâand give yourself a better chance of earning full exam points in the process!
Tip 2: Create Your Own Cram Sheet
Everyone needs quality study materials in order to prepare well for AP exams. But did you know that creating your own study materials is a great way to help you remember tough material? Creating your own AP Comparative Government cram sheet is a great way to review course concepts and themes and organize your understanding of the material youâll be tested over later.
You can look up AP Comparative Government cram sheets online and design yours in a similar wayâŠor you can take some time to consider your needs as a learner and test-taker, then design a cram sheet thatâs tailor-made for you.
On your cram sheet, youâll likely want to include course concepts, issues, and questions that pop up on homework, quizzes, and tests that you take in your AP Comparative Government class. From there, you can supplement your cram sheet with info you learn from practice exams, sample free-response questions, and official scoring rubrics. You can work on memorizing that material, or simply use it to organize your study routine!
Tip 3: Practice Free-Response Questions
Free-response questions on AP exams are notoriously difficult, and the AP Government Comparative free-response questions are no different. Writing-based questions can be intimidating for any test-taker, so itâs important to practice free-response questions before the exam.
The College Board provides an archive of past official free-response questions on their website . You can use these to practice and study! Any free-response questions your teacher gives you in class are fair game as well. When you practice free-response questions, remember to stick to the timing youâll be given on the real exam, and use official scoring rubrics to evaluate your responses. Doing these things will help you get used to what free-response questions will feel like on the real exam!
Tip 4: Take Another Practice Exam
As you wrap up your exam prep and exam day nears, consider taking another practice exam. You can compare your results on your second practice exam to your results on the practice exam that you took before you started studying. Youâll get to see how much youâve improved over time!
Taking a final practice exam a few weeks before exam day can also help you revamp your exam prep. You can use your exam results to focus your final study time on any remaining struggle areas youâre encountering. Also, your score on your final practice exam can help you get an idea of what youâre likely to score on the real exam. Having this knowledge going into test day can calm your nerves and give you confidence, which are both essential to success on the AP Comparative Government exam!
What's Next?
If you're taking AP Comparative Government, you're probably thinking about taking more AP classes during high school. Here's a list of the hardest AP classes and tests for you.
Wondering how your AP Comparative Government score stacks up to the competition? Here's a list of the average AP scores for every exam to help you figure out.
If you want to get a 5 on your AP exams, you'll need a study plan. Our five-step AP study plan will help you study smarter and boost your scores.
Ashley Sufflé Robinson has a Ph.D. in 19th Century English Literature. As a content writer for PrepScholar, Ashley is passionate about giving college-bound students the in-depth information they need to get into the school of their dreams.
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Adjust the sliders to guesstimate which rubric points you think youâll get. The calculator will apply the accurate score weights + give you an estimated final score! (Pepâs final form will change depending on your score đ¶ïž)
Exam sections and scoring
- Every AP subject has standardized sections on the exam. They usually include multiple choice and free response questions.
- Each section is worth some number of points based on 1) the number of questions and 2) sometimes a scoring rubric. Each section also has a different weight on your final score.
Is it accurate?
Yes! The weights of the score + the points possible are very accurate, based on info from the Course & Exam Descriptions and Scoring Guidelines from the 2023 AP exams.
(If you notice any errors, please email us at [email protected] so we can fix it!)
The one area that canât be perfectly accurate is how we determined the final predicted scores (College Board doesnât publish the âcut pointsâ for each scores.)
We used old released exams and other calculators to estimate âif you earned this % of points, you would earn this scoreâ:
- 75% or more = 5
These are meant to be benchmarks to give a rough idea of where you might fall, but the actual numbers are adjusted each year to be based on the curve. Weâre probably pretty close though.
How are the đł AP Comparative Government exams scored?
- Multiple Choice questions are graded with a computer, those are super easy to grade quickly.
- Some teachers do this remotely and grade online, others are physically in person reading essays. They sit together at tables in huge conference centers for ~1 week to go through every single essay.
- These educators are truly rooting for you to get as many points as you can. When there is a high scoring essay, the table quietly celebrates đ„ł
- Total scores for multiple choice and free response are combined, then translated into a 5-point scale.
What is a good score on the đł AP Comparative Government exam?
Itâs all relative (really). We tend to think your score matters far less in the long run, so there really isnât such thing as a âbad scoreâ. Taking the test and going through the process is correlated with going to and doing better in college.
Technically, a â3â is considered passing because itâs the lowest score that can earn college credit. Some colleges require 4s or 5s. And some (elite) colleges donât give credit at all.
You can search all colleges for their AP Credit policy here:Â https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/getting-credit-placement/search-policies
What were last yearâs đł AP Comparative Government scores?
College Board publishes the distribution of scores for every subject so you can see what % earned each score on the 5-point scale:Â https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/about-ap-scores/score-distributions
We listed these on the calculator as well :)
How can I improve my đł AP Comparative Government scores?
This calculator is useful because itâs a baseline. Once you know your strengths and weaknesses, you can make a plan to improve!
In the weeks leading up to the exam, you should do a few things:
Take the time to review all the content. Donât reread the textbook or anything, but remind yourself of all the key topics.
Go through the study guides and find areas where you remember less content:Â https://library.fiveable.me/
Start practicing questions on topics that you know the least. You can do easy, medium, hard, or extremely hard questions to test yourself:Â https://library.fiveable.me/practice
And finally, attend a cram session in the days before the exam to get a last minute confidence boost:Â https://library.fiveable.me/cram-events
When do đł AP Comparative Government scores come out?
The scores are usually released the week after the 4th of July. You can get them by signing into your College Board account. Instructions are here:Â https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/view-scores
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How to Write the AP Lang Argument Essay + Examples
Whatâs covered:, what is the ap language argument essay, tips for writing the ap language argument essay, ap english language argument essay examples, how will ap scores impact my college chances.
In 2023, over 550,148 students across the U.S. took the AP English Language and Composition Exam, and 65.2% scored higher than a 3. The AP English Language Exam tests your ability to analyze a piece of writing, synthesize information, write a rhetorical essay, and create a cohesive argument. In this post, weâll be discussing the best way to approach the argumentative essay section of the test, and weâll give you tips and tricks so you can write a great essay.
The AP English Language Exam as of 2023 is structured as follows:
Section 1: 45 multiple choice questions to be completed in an hour. This portion counts for 45% of your score. This section requires students to analyze a piece of literature. The questions ask about its content and/or what could be edited within the passage.
Section 2: Three free response questions to be completed in the remaining two hours and 15 minutes. This section counts for 55% of your score. These essay questions include the synthesis essay, the rhetorical essay, and the argumentative essay.
- Synthesis essay: Read 6-7 sources and create an argument using at least three of the sources.
- Rhetorical analysis essay: Describe how a piece of writing evokes meaning and symbolism.
- Argumentative essay: Pick a side of a debate and create an argument based on evidence. In this essay, you should develop a logical argument in support of or against the given statement and provide ample evidence that supports your conclusion. Typically, a five paragraph format is great for this type of writing. This essay is scored holistically from 1 to 9 points.
Do you want more information on the structure of the full exam? Take a look at our in-depth overview of the AP Language and Composition Exam .
Although the AP Language Argument may seem daunting at first, once you understand how the essay should be structured, it will be a lot easier to create cohesive arguments.
Below are some tips to help you as you write the essay.
1. Organize your essay before writing
Instead of jumping right into your essay, plan out what you will say beforehand. Itâs easiest to make a list of your arguments and write out what facts or evidence you will use to support each argument. In your outline, you can determine the best order for your arguments, especially if they build on each other or are chronological. Having a well-organized essay is crucial for success.
2. Pick one side of the argument, but acknowledge the other side
When you write the essay, itâs best if you pick one side of the debate and stick with it for the entire essay. All your evidence should be in support of that one side. However, in your introductory paragraph, as you introduce the debate, be sure to mention any merit the arguments of the other side has. This can make the essay a bit more nuanced and show that you did consider both sides before determining which one was better. Often, acknowledging another viewpoint then refuting it can make your essay stronger.
3. Provide evidence to support your claims
The AP readers will be looking for examples and evidence to support your argument. This doesnât mean that you need to memorize a bunch of random facts before the exam. This just means that you should be able to provide concrete examples in support of your argument.
For example, if the essay topic is about whether the role of the media in society has been detrimental or not, and you argue that it has been, you may talk about the phenomenon of âfake newsâ during the 2016 presidential election.
AP readers are not looking for perfect examples, but they are looking to see if you can provide enough evidence to back your claim and make it easily understood.
4. Create a strong thesis statement
The thesis statement will set up your entire essay, so itâs important that it is focused and specific, and that it allows for the reader to understand your body paragraphs. Make sure your thesis statement is the very last sentence of your introductory paragraph. In this sentence, list out the key points you will be making in the essay in the same order that you will be writing them. Each new point you mention in your thesis should start a paragraph in your essay.
Below is a prompt and sample student essay from the May 2019 exam . Weâll look at what the student did well in their writing and where they could improve.
Prompt: âThe term âoverratedâ is often used to diminish concepts, places, roles, etc. that the speaker believes do not deserve the prestige they commonly enjoy; for example, many writers have argued that success is overrated, a character in a novel by Anthony Burgess famously describes Rome as a âvastly overrated city,â and Queen Rania of Jordan herself has asserted that â[b]eing queen is overrated.â
Select a concept, place, role, etc. to which you believe that the term âoverratedâ should be applied. Then, write a well-developed essay in which you explain your judgment. Use appropriate evidence from your reading, experience, or observations to support your argument.
Sample Student Essay #1:
[1] Competition is âoverrated.â The notion of motivation between peers has evolved into a source of unnecessary stress and even lack of morals. Whether it be in an academic environment or in the industry, this new idea of competition is harmful to those competing and those around them.
[2] Back in elementary school, competition was rather friendly. It could have been who could do the most pushups or who could get the most imaginary points in a classroom for a prize. If you couldnât do the most pushups or win that smelly sticker, you would go home and improve yourself â there would be no strong feelings towards anyone, you would just focus on making yourself a better version of yourself. Then as high school rolled around, suddenly applying for college doesnât seem so far away âGPA seems to be that one stat that defines you â extracurriculars seem to shape you â test scores seem to categorize you. Sleepless nights, studying for the next dayâs exam, seem to become more and more frequent. Floating duck syndrome seems to surround you (FDS is where a competitive student pretends to not work hard but is furiously studying beneath the surface just like how a duck furiously kicks to stay afloat). All of your competitors appear to hope you fail â but in the end what do you and your competitorâs gain? Getting one extra point on the test? Does that self-satisfaction compensate for the tremendous amounts of acquired stress? This new type of âcompetitionâ is overrated â it serves nothing except a never-ending source of anxiety and seeks to weaken friendships and solidarity as a whole in the school setting.
[3] A similar idea of âcompetitionâ can be applied to business. On the most fundamental level, competition serves to be a beneficial regulator of prices and business models for both the business themselves and consumers. However, as businesses grew increasingly greedy and desperate, companies resorted to immoral tactics that only hurt their reputations and consumers as a whole. Whether it be McDonaldâs coupons that force you to buy more food or tech companies like Apple intentionally slowing down your iPhone after 3 years to force you to upgrade to the newest device, consumers suffer and in turn speak down upon these companies. Similar to the evolved form of competition in school, this overrated form causes pain for all parties and has since diverged from the encouraging nature that the principle of competition was âfoundedâ on.
The AP score for this essay was a 4/6, meaning that it captured the main purpose of the essay but there were still substantial parts missing. In this essay, the writer did a good job organizing the sections and making sure that their writing was in order according to the thesis statement. The essay first discusses how competition is harmful in elementary school and then discusses this topic in the context of business. This follows the chronological order of somebodyâs life and flows nicely.
The arguments in this essay are problematic, as they do not provide enough examples of how exactly competition is overrated. The essay discusses the context in which competition is overrated but does not go far enough in explaining how this connects to the prompt.
In the first example, school stress is used to explain how competition manifests. This is a good starting point, but it does not talk about why competition is overrated; it simply mentions that competition can be unhealthy. The last sentence of that paragraph is the main point of the argument and should be expanded to discuss how the anxiety of school is overrated later on in life.Â
In the second example, the writer discusses how competition can lead to harmful business practices, but again, this doesnât reflect the reason this would be overrated. Is competition really overrated because Apple and McDonaldâs force you to buy new products? This example couldâve been taken one step farther. Instead of explaining why business structuresâsuch as monopoliesâharm competition, the author should discuss how those particular structures are overrated.
Additionally, the examples the writer used lack detail. A stronger essay wouldâve provided more in-depth examples. This essay seemed to mention examples only in passing without using them to defend the argument.
It should also be noted that the structure of the essay is incomplete. The introduction only has a thesis statement and no additional context. Also, there is no conclusion paragraph that sums up the essay. These missing components result in a 4/6.
Now letâs go through the prompt for a sample essay from the May 2022 exam . The prompt is as follows:
Colin Powell, a four-star general and former United States Secretary of State, wrote in his 1995 autobiography: â[W]e do not have the luxury of collecting information indefinitely. At some point, before we can have every possible fact in hand, we have to decide. The key is not to make quick decisions, but to make timely decisions.â
Write an essay that argues your position on the extent to which Powellâs claim about making decisions is valid.Â
In your response you should do the following:
- Respond to the prompt with a thesis that presents a defensible position.Â
- Provide evidence to support your line of reasoning.Â
- Explain how the evidence supports your line of reasoning.Â
- Use appropriate grammar and punctuation in communicating your argument.
Sample Student Essay #2:
Colin Powell, who was a four star general and a former United States Secretary of State. He wrote an autobiography and had made a claim about making decisions. In my personal opinion, Powellâs claim is true to full extent and shows an extremely valuable piece of advice that we do not consider when we make decisions.
Powell stated, âbefore we can have every possible fact in hand we have to decideâŠ. but to make it a timely decisionâ (1995). With this statement Powell is telling the audience of his autobiography that it does not necessarily matter how many facts you have, and how many things you know. Being able to have access to everything possible takes a great amount of time and we donât always have all of the time in the world. A decision has to be made with what you know, waiting for something else to come in while trying to make a decision whether that other fact is good or bad you already have a good amount of things that you know. Everyoneâs time is valuable, including yours. At the end of the day the decision will have to be made and that is why it should be made in a âtimelyâ manner.
This response was graded for a score of 2/6. Letâs break down the score to smaller points that signify where the student fell short.
The thesis in this essay is clearly outlined at the end of the first paragraph. The student states their agreement with Powellâs claim and frames the rest of their essay around this stance. The success in scoring here lies in the clear communication of the thesis and the direction the argument will take. Itâs important to make the thesis statement concise, specific, and arguable, which the student has successfully done.
While the student did attempt to provide evidence to support their thesis, itâs clear that their explanation lacks specific detail and substance. They referenced Powellâs statement, but did not delve into how this statement has proven true in specific instances, and did not provide examples that could bring the argument to life.
Commentary is an essential part of this sectionâs score. It means explaining the significance of the evidence and connecting it back to the thesis. Unfortunately, the studentâs commentary here is too vague and does not effectively elaborate on how the evidence supports their argument.
To improve, the student could use more concrete examples to demonstrate their point and discuss how each piece of evidence supports their thesis. For instance, they could discuss specific moments in Powellâs career where making a timely decision was more valuable than waiting for all possible facts. This would help illustrate the argument in a more engaging, understandable way.
A high score in the âsophisticationâ category of the grading rubric is given for demonstrating a complex understanding of the rhetorical situation (purpose, audience, context, etc.), making effective rhetorical choices, or establishing a line of reasoning. Here, the studentâs response lacks complexity and sophistication. Theyâve simply agreed with Powellâs claim and made a few general statements without providing a deeper analysis or effectively considering the rhetorical situation.
To increase sophistication, the student could explore possible counterarguments or complexities within Powellâs claim. They could discuss potential drawbacks of making decisions without all possible facts, or examine situations where timely decisions might not yield the best results. By acknowledging and refuting these potential counterarguments, they could add more depth to their analysis and showcase their understanding of the complexities involved in decision-making.
The student could also analyze why Powell, given his background and experiences, might have come to such a conclusion, thus providing more context and showing an understanding of the rhetorical situation.
Remember, sophistication in argumentation isnât about using fancy words or complicated sentences. Itâs about showing that you understand the complexity of the issue at hand and that youâre able to make thoughtful, nuanced arguments. Sophistication shows that you can think critically about the topic and make connections that arenât immediately obvious.
Now that youâve looked at an example essay and some tips for the argumentative essay, you know how to better prepare for the AP English Language and Composition Exam.
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AP United States Government and Politics Scoring Rubric for 2020 Question 1: Argument Essay 7 points Reporting Category. ... argument with at least one piece of specific and relevant evidence (earned at least 3 points in Row B). ... AP United States Government and Politics Free-Response Question 4 Scoring Rubric, Effective Fall 2019; Effective ...
Articulates a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and establishes a line of reasoning. To earn this point, the thesis must make a claim that responds to the prompt, rather than merely restating or rephrasing the prompt. The thesis may be located anywhere in the response and this point can be earned even if the claim is not ...
The Argument Essay differs substantially from the other free-response questions on the AP U.S. Government and Politics exam, but you can and should still follow the Kaplan Method (AP-AP). It is recommended that you take 40 minutes to plan and write your Argument Essay (as opposed to 20 minutes each for the other free-response questions), so ...
EVIDENCE & SUPPORT FOR ARGUMENT (Up to 3 Points) NOTE: These points are progressive, with each point building upon the previous point. If the essay lacks a thesis or claim, it is impossible for the student to earn the second or third evidence point. 1-2 Points: Provides ONE or TWO pieces of evidence relevant to the topic of the prompt (one ...
Argument Essay: Develop an argument in the form of an essay, using evidence from course countries related to the course concepts in the question prompt. đ Check out the 2023 AP Comparative Government Free-Response Section posted on the College Board site.
The newly redesigned AP US Government and Politics exam includes an Argument Essay that is graded based on a six point rubric. In order to gain full credit, the argumentative essay must include a thesis (or claim), two relevant and specific pieces of evidence, an explanation of how the evidence connects with the claim, and acknowledge a counter-argument by refutation, concession, or rebuttal.
Because of that, you should spend around 25 minutes, give or take a few, on the Argument Free-Response Question. (NOTE: FOR THE 2019-2020 TEST, YOU WILL HAVE 25 MINUTES TO WRITE AND 5 MINUTES TO UPLOAD YOUR RESPONSE.) This is the nightmare you're not gonna have before this AP exam. Image courtesy of Freepik.
1 comparative analysis question: You'll compare and contrast political concepts/institutions/policies in different course countries. 1 argument essay: a new question type where you'll write an argument-based essay (P.S. you can get a general idea of what this may look like by looking at the US Government past exam questions đ)
AP Comparative Government and Politics ; 2020 Scoring Guidelines; Applied to Student Responses from 2018 Pilot; Free-Response Question 4; teacher resources; exam resources; exam information; free-response question 2; sample responses; course and exam info\ rmation; 11-23;
More from Heimler's History:AP HEIMLER REVIEW GUIDE (formerly known as the Ultimate Review Packet): +AP Gov Heimler Review Guide: https://bit.ly/3rfXr2YCheck...
Study with Quizlet and memorize flashcards containing terms like 1) Thesis - 1 pt 2) Evidence - Up to 3 pts 3) Reasoning - 1 pt 4) Alternate Perspective - 1 pt, respond to the prompt with a defensible claim or thesis that establishes a line of reasoning; you mustn't just simply restate the prompt, name one piece of evidence that is relevant of the topic of the prompt and more.
Here, we'll explain how each section of the AP Comparative Government exam is scored, scaled, and combined to produce your final score on the AP 1-5 scale. As a quick reminder, here's how the score percentages breakdown on the exam: Section I: Multiple-choice: 55 questions, 50% of overall score.
AP GOVERNMENT ARGUMENT ESSAY RUBRIC Name: _____ Topic: _____ THESIS / CLAIM Articulates a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the prompt and establishes a line of reasoning. To earn this point, the thesis must make a claim that responds to the prompt, rather than merely restating or rephrasing the prompt.
AP English Language and Composition Question 3: Argument Scoring Commentaries on 2020 Rubrics (Applied to 2019 Student Responses) 2 September 2019 Sample AA 6/6 Points (A1 - B4 - C1) Row A: 1/1 The response earned a point for Row A because it presents a defensible position that responds to the prompt.
AP English Language and Composition Question 3: Argument 2020 Scoring Commentaries (Applied to 2018 Student Responses) 2 September 2019 Sample C 6/6 Points (A1 - B4 - C1) Row A: 1/1 The response earned a point for Row A because it takes a defensible position that exploring the unknown is valuable.
AP English Language and Composition Question 3: Argument (2019) Sample Student Responses 1 The student responses in this packet were selected from the 2019 Reading and have been rescored using the new rubrics for 2020. Commentaries for each sample are provided in a separate document.
Score big on đł AP Comparative Government! Our calculator breaks down 5-point secrets. ... Argument Essay score: 3. Provides thesis (1) 0 1. 1. Uses specific evidence (2) 0 2. 1. Explains evidence (1) 0 1. 1. ... teachers from around the world gather together in a few locations to grade all of the essays. The rubric is normed to the specific ...
2. Pick one side of the argument, but acknowledge the other side. When you write the essay, it's best if you pick one side of the debate and stick with it for the entire essay. All your evidence should be in support of that one side. However, in your introductory paragraph, as you introduce the debate, be sure to mention any merit the ...