Strategies for the Multiple-Choice Section

As mentioned, the multiple-choice section of the test makes up 40% of your total score. Thus, it is important that you spend time learning how to master this section—especially its timing. Here are some rules of thumb to help you work your way through the multiple-choice questions:

• Read the question carefully. Pressured for time, many students make the mistake of reading the questions too quickly or merely skimming them. By reading a question carefully, you may already have some idea about the correct answer. You can then look for it in the responses. Careful reading is especially important in EXCEPT or NOT questions because, unlike the typical multiple-choice question, all the answers are right except for one.

• Eliminate any answer you know is wrong. You can write on the multiple-choice questions in the test book. As you read through the responses, draw a line through any answer you know is wrong.

• Read all of the possible answers, then choose the most accurate response. AP exams are written to test your precise knowledge of a subject. Sometimes there are a few probable answers but one of them is more accurate.

• Mark and skip tough questions. If you are hung up on a question, mark it in the margin of the question book. You can come back to it later if you have time. Make sure you skip that question on your answer sheet too.

• Apply the historical thinking skills and the course themes to help you answer stimulus-based questions. All of the multiple-choice questions will ask you to use a primary source, a secondary source, or a historical issue, including a document, an image, a map, a graph, or a chart to help answer the question. Examine the wording of the question for clues as to what thinking skill and theme you should be using.

• Watch your time carefully! You can spend too much time pondering potential answers—especially when you have multiple sources to synthesize. Watch the time and don’t get bogged down. Instead, mark the best answer and then flag the question for review should you have time remaining at the end.