American Government CLEP Exam Review

Practice flashcards covering CLEP program procedures and key concepts from the American Government examination guide, including constitutional principles, institutions, and landmark court cases.

What is the scaled score range reported for CLEP examinations?

The scaled score ranges from $20$ to $80$.

According to the American Council on Education (ACE), what is the uniform credit-granting score recommendation for most subjects?

A score of $50$, which represents the performance of students who earn a grade of $C$ in a corresponding course.

How long is the standard CLEP examination, and what is the exception for College Composition?

Most exams are approximately $90$ minutes long, while College Composition is approximately $125$ minutes long.

What are the two major components used to calculate a total CLEP score?

The "raw score" (number of questions answered correctly) and the "scaled score" ($20$ to $80$).

For the Spanish with Writing exam, what are the weightings for the multiple-choice and writing sections?

The multiple-choice section accounts for $75\%$ and the writing section accounts for $25\%$ of the final score.

In American politics, what does the "pluralist theory" suggest?

That public policies emerge from compromises reached among competing groups.

What is the most significant influence on an individual’s identification with a particular political party?

Family.

Which Supreme Court case declared segregation by race in public schools unconstitutional?

Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka.

What is "senatorial courtesy"?

The practice whereby individual senators can veto federal judicial nominations in their respective states.

Where are differences between House and Senate versions of a bill resolved?

In a conference committee.

What does the principle of "stare decisis" refer to?

The judicial principle of following precedents that were established in previous court decisions.

How many questions are typically on the CLEP American Government exam, and how much time is allotted?

Approximately $100$ questions to be answered in $90$ minutes.

According to the American Government exam breakdown, what percentage of the test covers "Institutions and Policy Processes"?

$30\%-35\%$.

Which 1803 Supreme Court case established the power of judicial review?

Marbury v. Madison.

What is the term for redrawing congressional districts to give special advantage to one political party?

Gerrymandering.

What is the function of the White House Office?

Advising the president on political decisions.

Which agency is responsible for determining the domestic monetary policy of the United States?

The Federal Reserve Board.

Under the "full faith and credit clause" of the Constitution, what must states do?

They must honor public records, acts, and judicial proceedings of every other state.

In "The Federalist" paper number $10$, what did James Madison argue regarding factions?

That the growth of factions was inevitable in a democracy.

According to the Constitution, who has the right to create courts inferior to the Supreme Court?

The Congress.

What does the term "divided government" refer to?

One political party controlling the presidency while another political party controls one or both houses of Congress.

Which amendment's "equal protection clause" has the Supreme Court used to overturn race-based segregation in schools?

The Fourteenth Amendment.

What are the three categories of political participation mentioned as being positively associated with high involvement?

A high level of interest in politics, a sense of political efficacy, and a strong sense of civic duty.

Which theory of governance is illustrated by the use of initiative and referendum?

Direct democracy.

Who decides the outcome of a presidential election if no candidate receives a majority of electoral votes?

The House of Representatives.