AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam Overview and Structure

Exam Overview

  • The AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam assesses understanding of skills and learning objectives.
  • The exam is 3 hours long.
    • Includes 55 multiple-choice questions and 4 free-response questions.

Exam Structure

  • Section I: Multiple-Choice Questions
    • Number of Questions: 55
    • Exam Weighting: 50%
    • Timing: 80 minutes
  • Section II: Free-Response Questions
    • Exam Weighting: 50%
    • Timing: 100 minutes
      • Recommended timing per question:
        • Question 1: Concept Application (3 points) - 20 minutes (12.5%)
        • Question 2: Quantitative Analysis (4 points) - 20 minutes (12.5%)
        • Question 3: SCOTUS Comparison (4 points) - 20 minutes (12.5%)
        • Question 4: Argument Essay (6 points) - 40 minutes (12.5%)

Exam Weighting by Unit (Multiple-Choice Section)

  • Unit 1: Foundations of American Democracy - 15-22%
  • Unit 2: Interactions Among Branches of Government - 25-36%
  • Unit 3: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights - 13-18%
  • Unit 4: American Political Ideologies and Beliefs - 10-15%
  • Unit 5: Political Participation - 20-27%

Free-Response Questions

  • Section II includes four free-response questions weighted equally.

Question 1: Concept Application

  • Presents an authentic scenario.
  • Assesses ability to:
    • Describe and explain the effects of a political institution, behavior, or process.
    • Apply understanding of course concepts in a new situation or scenario.

Question 2: Quantitative Analysis

  • Presents quantitative data (table, graph, map, or infographic).
  • Assesses ability to:
    • Describe the data presented.
    • Describe a pattern, trend, similarity, or difference in the data.
    • Draw a conclusion based on the data.
    • Explain how the data demonstrate a political principle, institution, process, policy, or behavior.

Question 3: SCOTUS Comparison

  • Presents information about a non-required Supreme Court Case.
  • Requires knowledge of facts, issues, holdings, and reasoning for required Supreme Court cases.
  • Students apply this information to a real-world scenario or in comparison to another case.
  • Any non-required Supreme Court case will be accompanied by a summary.
  • Assesses ability to:
    • Identify a similarity or difference between the non-required case and a required case.
    • Describe the facts, issue, holding, reasoning, decision, or majority opinion of the required case.
    • Explain a similarity or difference in the facts, issues, holdings, reasonings, or decisions of the two cases.
    • Explain how the holding, reasoning, or decision in either case demonstrates a political principle, institution, process, policy, or behavior.

Question 4: Argument Essay

  • Assesses ability to:
    • Articulate a defensible claim or thesis that responds to the question and establishes a line of reasoning.
    • Provide evidence from one of the foundational documents listed in the question to support the claim.
    • Provide evidence from a second foundational document or from knowledge of course concepts to support the claim.
    • Use reasoning to explain why the evidence supports the claim.
    • Respond to an opposing or alternate perspective using rebuttal or refutation.

Skill Categories Assessed

  • Skill Category 1: Concept Application
    • Multiple-Choice: Apply political concepts and processes in hypothetical and authentic contexts; describe, explain, and compare political principles, institutions, processes, policies, and behaviors.
    • Free-Response: Question 1 focuses exclusively on this skill.
  • Skill Category 2: SCOTUS Application
    • Multiple-Choice: Apply Supreme Court decisions in authentic contexts; describe and compare relevant information about required Supreme Court Cases; explain how required cases relate to non-required cases, foundational documents, and other sources.
    • Free-Response: Question 3 focuses primarily on this skill.
  • Skill Category 3: Data Analysis
    • Multiple-Choice: Analyze and interpret quantitative data represented in tables, charts, graphs, maps, and infographics; describe and explain data and explain the relationship between the data and political principles, institutions, processes, policies, and behavior.
    • Free-Response: Question 2 focuses exclusively on this skill.
  • Skill Category 4: Source Analysis
    • Multiple-Choice: Read, analyze, and interpret foundational documents and other text-based and visual sources; describe and explain claims, evidence, perspective, and reasoning in sources; explain how text-based and visual sources relate to political principles, institutions, processes, policies, and behaviors.
    • Free-Response: Not explicitly assessed in the free-response section.
  • Skill Category 5: Argumentation
    • Multiple-Choice: Not explicitly assessed.
    • Free-Response: Question 4 focuses exclusively on this skill.