How to use this section
This is a full-length Section II of the AP U.S. Government and Politics exam: four free-response questions in 100 minutes. Take the break you would use on exam day before you start, and complete all four questions before you read any scoring notes. The suggested pacing is 20 minutes each for Questions 1 through 3 and about 40 minutes for Question 4.
Directions
Answer each labeled part directly. For identify or describe tasks, state the requested fact, pattern, or concept accurately; do not add reasoning to an identify part just to make it longer. For explain or draw a conclusion tasks, make the causal or conceptual connection explicit. Write your answers in your own words in the response box, then submit to see the scoring guidance and the book's model response.
| Question | Points | What earns the points |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Concept Application | 3 | One point per labeled part when the requested concept or action and explanation are accurate. |
| 2. Quantitative Analysis | 4 | Accurate reading of the source plus a supported conclusion and an explanation tied to a course concept or process. |
| 3. SCOTUS Comparison | 4 | Part A = 1; Part B = up to 2 (1 for relevant required-case information, 2 for a complete comparison); Part C = 1. |
| 4. Argument Essay | 6 | Thesis 1; evidence 0–3; reasoning 1; alternative perspective 1. The top evidence score requires two specific pieces that support the thesis, with at least one drawn from a foundational document listed in the prompt. |
Diagnose each missed point
After scoring, give every missed point one primary cause. C, content gap: return to the chapter and retrieve the rule, case, or document without notes. V, task-verb mismatch: rewrite using the verb the prompt actually asked (identify, describe, explain, compare, argue). E, evidence-link gap: add the sentence that explains how the evidence supports the claim. S, SCOTUS comparison gap: write the required case's facts and holding first, then the explicit similarity or difference. D, data-reading gap: recheck the axis, denominator, unit, direction, and magnitude before interpreting. T, timing or execution: repeat a timed mini-set.