Teaching Comparative Government and Politics

Tuesday, May 14, 2019

AP Exam advice II

Voted the second best piece of advice I gave my students

Don't Panic!

(Thanks to Douglas Adams.)

Labels: exams

Monday, May 13, 2019

AP Exam advice

Voted the best advice I gave my students:

Read the Verbs

(and then do what you're asked to do)

Labels: exams

Saturday, March 21, 2015

Unlikely possible on the AP exams

Reminder: The College Board does not allow this or any other kind of delivery of any kind of cheat sheets during AP exams. In India 300 people have been arrested, 750 students expelled, and 4 exam centers have been closed.


Parents deliver exam cheat sheets in Bihar, India.

One wall climber was a photographer

This reminds me of stories about the Imperial exams in ancient China.

"While many artistic figures were perhaps hampered by their own creativity in tackling the relentless rote learning required by the exam system, others succumbed to the temptation to cheat, and suffered the consequences of being caught. The renowned Ming period painter, Tang Ying, resurrected his career through his painting after his hopes of an official position were shattered when he was caught cheating in the exam hall. Before winning influential friends and patrons through his talent, Tang was reduced to poverty as a consequence of his dishonesty.

"The sheer volume of knowledge required to succeed in the Imperial examinations elevated cheating to something of an art form in China. Miniature books were devised to be concealed in the palm of a hand; shirts had important passages from the Confucian Classics sewn, in miniscule lettering, to their insides; fans were constructed with pass-notes on their obverse. Other duplicities included hiring veteran scholars to sit the exams in one's stead, and the simple expedient of copying a neighbour in the exam hall. At certain times, bribery of examiners was commonplace.

"As every Chinese teacher can attest these cheating methods, refined over centuries - are alive and well today.

"One lasting legacy of an inflexible and daunting examination system is that Chinese students have become experts at subverting such systems. But the most important legacy of the imperial examination system is surely the massive academic effort channelled into the National University Entrance Examinations in China each year."

The Sixth Edition of What You Need to Know is available from the publisher.

Labels: exams

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Hints for the big exam

Four years ago, Mr. Frank Franz, who teaches in Virginia offered a list of great suggestions that will help you write better responses to FRQs.

I posted them then, three years ago, two years ago, last year, and here they are once again.

I think these ideas are excellent. The only thing I’d add to the list would be to paraphrase the question as an introduction. In the last few years some rubrics have insisted that responses have introductions that label what is being discussed.

Here's what Mr. Franz wrote:

Here's the strategy I place on every FRQ I give my students. I believe it helps them focus on the questions and will help them earn as high of a score as possible. Some of these ideas are my own and some are from colleagues who have served as readers and table leaders.

Free Response Strategy

Mark-up the question.

Count up how many points you are trying to earn. (Look for number references, count the verbs)

Write as many sentences as there are points.

Write simple, declarative sentences.

Answer the question asked. Nothing else.

Answer every part of the question.

Look for time references, patterns, and passage of time.

Do not argue with the premise of the prompt.

Skip a line between parts, but do not label.

Go ahead and thank Mr. Franz.

Teaching Comparative blog entries are indexed.

Just The Facts! is a concise guide to concepts, terminology, and examples that will appear on May's exam.

What You Need to Know: Teaching Tools, the original version and v2.0 are available to help curriculum planning.

Labels: exams

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Hint for success

Want a hint for doing well on the FRQs on the exam on Friday?

I have said it since early in this century. I've been told by students that it was the best advice I offered.

READ THE VERBS!

Teaching Comparative blog entries are indexed.

Just The Facts! is a concise guide to concepts, terminology, and examples that will appear on May's exam.

What You Need to Know: Teaching Tools, the original version and v2.0 are available to help curriculum planning.

Labels: exams

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Time to think about registering for exams

If you're in an AP course, you'll probably be bombarded with notices and reminders that it's time to register for the exams you're going to take.

Respond appropriately.

If you're not in a formal AP course, here's where to find out about registration.

Registering for Exams

What if I’m Homeschooled or at a School That Doesn’t Offer AP?

You may be able to take the AP Exam you want by arranging to test at a participating school. Here’s how:

Contact AP Services no later than March 3 to get the names and telephone numbers of local, participating AP Coordinators willing to test outside students. Prepare a list of the AP Exams you are interested in taking before you call.

Call the AP Coordinators identified by AP Services no later than March 17.

When calling Coordinators to arrange testing, make sure to tell them:

You are trying to locate a school willing to administer exams to homeschooled students or students from schools that do not offer AP Exams.

The exams you plan to take.

If you have a documented disability that will require testing accommodations at the exam, and if you have been approved by the College Board to test with accommodations.

Once you locate an agreeable school, that school's AP Coordinator is responsible for ordering your exam materials, telling you when and where to report for the exams, and collecting your fees, which may be higher to cover the school’s additional proctoring or administration costs. That school must administer the exams for you; the school cannot forward them to you or your school for handling.

On exam day:

You must bring a valid government- or school-issued photo ID with you to the exam.

If you have approval from the College Board to test with accommodations, you must also bring your Student Accommodation Letter.

If you attend a school that doesn’t offer AP, you should not use the school code for the school where you are testing. Instead, make sure to use your own school’s code so your exam score(s) will be reported to your school. This means you need to get your school’s six-digit code from your principal or school counselor before exam day.

If you are home-schooled, use the state or international home-school/self-study code that will be given to you on the day of the exam.

International Students
If you are registering for AP Exams outside the United States, check the College Board international students page which gives information on AP Exam registration and test administration for additional registration and test administration details and deadlines that might apply to your exams.

Fees and Fee Reductions

The fee for each AP Exam is $89.

The fee for exams administered at schools outside of the United States, U.S. territories and commonwealths, and Canada, with the exception of U.S. Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS), is $119 per exam.

Fees for exams taken at authorized test centers outside the United States vary.

Please note:

Your school may require you to pay a higher fee to cover proctoring and administration costs.

If you are approved to take an alternate exam during the late-testing period, you may be required to pay an additional $45 per exam late-testing fee.

If you paid for an AP Exam but then decided not to take it, you may ask your AP Coordinator for a refund. Local school policy determines the amount of the refund. You will probably be required to pay the $15 fee the school is charged for each unused exam. However, once you begin an exam — that is, write on an exam booklet or answer sheet or play an exam CD — you cannot receive a refund.