GET PSYCHED UP FOR AP EXAM Get Psyched

GET PSYCHED UP FOR AP EXAM

Get Psyched Up for AP Exam 2016! • Wow, it is already here! And we will be ready for the AP PSYCHOLOGY Exam! • Let’s do a quick review of what’s going to happen and what we should do !

Test Break-Down • Section I: 100 multiple choice questions (70 minutes) • This section is 66 2/3% of the score. • Section II: 2 essay questions (50 minutes) • This section is 33 1/3% of the score

Scoring • Multiple Choice = # correct (do not leave any answers blank) • Free Response = These are graded each June by readers from universities and high schools. • They use a set scale to grade the writings, and they basically check off each element as it occurs. • Most are worth 10 points, but this is not written in stone

Strategies- Multiple Choice • Keep a cool head. • Remember the AP Exam is not like a regular quiz or test, when you have to do almost perfectly to get an A. • If you get roughly 80% of the multiple choice questions and do well on the essays, then you can get a 5. • So, if you are finding every fourth question to be hard, then you still could be doing well.

Strategies- Multiple Choice • Answer all questions! • A great deal of the terms used in Psychology are common-sense. • Even though you don’t recognize ‘cognitive dissonance’, for example, you can generally infer from the name what is meant. • 10 to 12 questions on the test, you will not have seen anywhere in the text, or the course possibly. RATIONALE? • Someone who does exceptionally well on the test should be able to assimilate information together. • They have the background knowledge for, and they also have researched beyond the demands of the class. (i. e. an aspiring Psych major) • DO NOT FREAK OUT! If all else fails…make an educated guess

Strategies- Multiple Choice • Remember, the questions increase in difficulty. • PACE YOURSELF!! • Know your TERMS AND VOCABULARY!!! Some of the terminology may be more clinical or simply different than the wording you’ve been using in class or in your textbook. Try to reason it out and be aware of multiple names for certain concepts.

Strategies- Multiple Choice Know your psychological perspectives REALLY WELL!!! • In many cases, even if you aren’t sure of an exact answer, you can use info you DO know to figure it out. • Many questions can be answered (or at least answer choices can be eliminated) by understanding the major psychological perspectives VERY well. (Ex: If the questions is about Behaviorism, the answer is NOT Freud!!)

Strategies- Multiple Choice • Do not leave any questions blank. Remember, they have gotten rid of the guessing penalty, any questions you get right by accident helps your score. • Make sure you are bubbling in the correct bubbles for the question you are answering!! Make sure the questions and answer #s match up!!! • ERASE COMPLETELY. Unlike in class, no one can “fix” or “correct” your erasing issues. This is extremely common in class! Do not let this happen during the real exam!

Strategies- Multiple Choice • Breakdown the questions and know exactly what they are asking. Do not simply blow through the question; make sure you don’t make any mindless mistakes due to lake of attention in the question…. Some of the easiest questions may be trickier than they seem. • Use Process of Elimination! Get rid of answers you KNOW are wrong and then figure the answer out from the remaining choices. • CANNOT skip anymore!! (There is no longer no penalty for skipping questions. )

Strategies- FRQ • Written: Grammar and essay structure are of little benefit to you here. • Remember this is a free response, not an essay. • Things like introductory paragraphs, conclusion statements, etc. don’t get you any points. Psychological knowledge does.

Strategies -FRQ • Even if the question is written in list form, do not list in your answer. • Write in ink, scratching out is acceptable. • If you end up contradicting yourself later on in your writing, you will still get credit for the correct answer.

Strategies- FRQ • Write legibly, remember human beings are scoring the written portion of the exam. If your answers are read at the end/beginning of the day, then you not get a correct reading. • Read the question at least twice before attempting to answer it. Don’t try to re-state it either, just simply start writing. Creative writing ability does not add points. • Each response question is weighted equally no matter the difference in size between them.

Strategies -FRQ • Explain all aspects of your answer. • Assume that the reader knows little or nothing about psychology (even though they will). • Do not use statements such as, ‘in Milgram’s study, ’ having not explained it somewhere in your writing. • You can go back and mention something in another portion, just be sure to make some sort of notation to this. • Embellishing will not get you any more points!!! • Because you can tell what color underwear Watson was wearing the day he did the ‘Little Albert’ experiment will not compensate for points in another area of the question. • Make sure that you do address the question at hand, but, any extraneous information will not count for you.

Strategies • If all Else Fails… • The readers/evaluators strive for a standard distribution of scores. • Therefore, aspects of the test may be changed ‘after the fact’ if a test items looks too bad, or too good. • If everyone is scoring badly, then there will be a curve, (for lack of better terminology). • On the other hand, not everyone will get a 5 on the test either. If a particular group does exceptionally well one year, then the criteria for a superior score will increase.

AP PSYCHOLOGY ESSAY WRITING • Okay, so how do we PSYCHOLOGY folks write an essay? Well, fast and to the point is usually how it goes • The readers of the Advanced Placement Psychology Exam read between 800 -1200 papers in a week! • Some read even more!!! If you are the 750 th paper read, you need to make sure that you give the reader a chance to “see” the points. After all, we are human!

ESSAY WRITING TIPS TO LIVE BY!!! • USE PSYCHOLOGY TERMINOLOGY. (ex: use “replicate” instead of “repeat”) • Readers can also be annoyed by responses that rely mostly on “pop psychology” or “man-in-the-street” knowledge and intuition. You want to show them you took a rigorous, college-level psychology course, and that you have a firm grasp of actual psych terminology and concepts. • All points must be written in order in the order that they are asked!! • Skip lines between parts of the question (points) or indent. Start a new “paragraph” for each point.

ESSAY WRITING TIPS TO LIVE BY!!! • Do not rewrite the question, but be very clear in your answers. Rephrase the question in your answers. You only score a point if your response is clearly in CONTEXT. • Spelling and grammar do not really matter; HOWEVER, the word must be easy to understand (spelling!!) • Answer only what is asked!!! Writing other “supporting” info is a waste of time, as you do not score points for it.

ESSAY WRITING TIPS TO LIVE BY!!! • Write as if the readers are brand new to psychology and do not know anything, but are still intelligent. AGAIN, USE PSYCHOLOGY TERMINOLOGY & DEFINITIONS. • Underline or highlight the key terms and/or concepts. • Do not write an introduction or conclusion; it is a waste of time. • Leave out personal opinions and fluff!

ESSAY WRITING TIPS TO LIVE BY!!! • You have 50 minutes to complete the essay portion. Pace yourself and relax! • Your exam proctor should give you a warning at the 25 minute mark, letting you know that you are halfway home. If you haven’t begun the second of your essays by then, get to it! • Do the question you know best first. • Remember that the 2 essays each carry the same scoring weight. Even if one looks bigger or appears to have more points to earn in it. Don’t be deceived!

Final Prep Plan • Here is the final preparation plan for MONDAY, MAY 2 nd!! • TO DO: • Saturday April 30 th : • Study your note cards/sheets and review the concepts, famous people, experiments and terms! • You have worked hard all year, be confident and calm! The effort and time you have spent studying will all be worth it! • Eat well, sleep well and exercise today.

Get Psyched Up for AP Exam 2016! • TO DO: • Sunday, May 1 st: • Eat well today (remember your brain foods) and go to sleep early—no late night television or hours texting with your friends. • Exercise today will stimulate memory and increase your performance! Look over your “Items to Know List” with an AP Psych study partner. • You need a fresh brain for the test! • Study your note cards/sheets and review the concepts, famous people, experiments and terms! -think positive!!!

MONDAY, MAY 2 nd: Today is YOUR day! • Shower and apply something good smell’n! (perfume, lotion, aftershave, etc. ) It will increase your memory and stimulate you for the test! • Put on comfy clothes. Bring a sweatshirt if you are cold natured. • Eat a light breakfast and lunch today, but nothing too heavy, small meals with low sugar are best for brain power! • BRING YOUR AP STUDENT PACKS_ YOU NEED YOUR NUMBER & LABELS • Report to your test location (see list on my bulletin board) at least 15 minutes early (11: 45 am)

What to bring on May 2 nd • ID (NO EXCUSES!) This must be with you at all times! • Two #2 pencils (sharpened) • Sharpener • Two WORKING blue/black ink pens • Good Quality Eraser • Watch (NO SMART WATCHES) • Snack/water

When you enter the room • Students will be seated and expected to be quiet. SELF CONTROL & SELF REGULATION IS THE KEY! • There will be about 15 minutes of instruction and forms to fill in. READ CAREFULLY!!! • NO BATHROOM BREAKS until the 10 minute break • NO FUNNY BUSINESS- they will think you are cheating • EVERYTHING must go into your bag!

When you enter the room • Switch OFF ( not put on vibrate or silent) all cell phones and smart watches and place in you bag. • NO ELECTRONICS- all switch off and in your bag. • Food items MUST be taken out and placed under you seat/desk • NOT allowed to touch/go into your bag until all test sections are completed and you are leaving to go HOME! • Do everything you have practiced in my classroom- pretend as though I am there and respect the proctors as you would respect me.

What to expect • You will have a ten minute break! • You can not leave the building but you MUST get something to drink!!! • Bring Water! DO NOT DRINK TOO MUCH !! • USE THE RESTROOM AT THIS TIME! • Your brain needs fluid every 30 minutes to stay hydrated—bring a drink or go to the water fountain. • Move around during the break and get your blood flowing—your brain needs it! Tell a joke and be happy—this will increase your memory and test score!

CELEBRATE! • YOU CAN DO IT!!! You are AWESOME students! • The END! Celebrate! Success!! Go to lunch, relax, do something for yourself! You will feel a little drained, so don’t plan anything too mind boggling! • GET THE “ 5” VIBE!