AP World History: Modern exam

The AP World History Exam assesses student understanding of the historical thinking skills and learning objectives outlined in the course framework. The exam is 3 hours and 15 minutes long and students are required to answer 55 multiple-choice questions, 3 short-answer questions, 1 document-based question, and 1 long essay question. The details of the exam, including exam weighting and timing, can be found below:

Part A: Multiple-choice questions

• 55 Questions

• 40% Exam Weighting

• 55 minutes

Part B: Short-answer questions

• 3 Questions

• 20% Exam Weighting

• 40 minutes

• Question 1: Secondary source(s)

  • • The topic of the question will include historical developments or processes between the years 1200 and 2001

• Question 2: Primary source

  • • The topic of the question will include historical developments or processes between the years 1200 and 2001

• Students select one:

  • • Question 3: No stimulus

      • • The topic of the question will focus on historical developments or processes between the years 1200 and 1750

    • Question 4: No stimulus

      • • The topic of the question will focus on historical developments or processes between the years s 1750 and 2001

Part A: Document Based Essay Question (DBQ)

• 25% Exam Weighting

• 60 minutes (includes 15-minute reading period) suggested time

• The topic of the document-based question will include historical developments or processes between the years 1450 and 2001

Part B: Long Essay Question (LEQ)

• Students select one:

  • • Question 2: Long essay

      • • The topic of the question will include historical developments or processes between the years 1200 and 1750

    • Question 3: Long essay

      • • The topic of the question will include historical developments or processes between the years 1450 and 1900

    • Question 4: Long essay

      • • The topic of the question will include historical developments or processes between the years 1750 and 2001

• 15% Exam Weighting

• 40 minutes suggested time

The following task verbs are commonly used in the free-response questions:

Compare: Provide a description or explanation of similarities and/or differences.

Describe: Provide the relevant characteristics of a specified topic.

Evaluate: Judge or determine the significance or importance of information, or the quality or accuracy of a claim.

Explain: Provide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning.

• Explain “how” typically requires analyzing the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome

• Explain “why” typically requires analysis of motivations or reasons for the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome.

Identify: Indicate or provide information about a specified topic, without elaboration or explanation.

Support an argument: Provide specific examples and explain how they support a claim.