The Advanced Placement (AP) European History exam is structured to comprehensively assess your understanding of European history from 1450 to the present. Understanding the exam format is crucial for effective preparation and achieving a high score. This guide breaks down each section of the AP Euro exam, providing a clear picture of what to expect on exam day and how to best prepare, particularly for the Document-Based Question (DBQ) and its scoring rubric.
Section I, Part A: Multiple Choice Questions
This section consists of 55 multiple-choice questions to be completed in 55 minutes, accounting for 40% of your total exam score. These questions are typically organized in sets of 3-4 and are designed to evaluate your ability to analyze historical texts, interpretations, and evidence. You will encounter a variety of sources, including primary and secondary texts, images, graphs, and maps. Success in this section hinges on strong content knowledge and the ability to interpret diverse historical materials quickly and accurately.
Section I, Part B: Short Answer Questions
Section I continues with 3 short-answer questions to be completed in 40 minutes, contributing to 20% of your exam score. These questions require you to analyze historians’ interpretations, historical sources, and historical propositions. They are designed to allow you to demonstrate your historical knowledge in a focused and direct manner. Some questions may include stimuli such as texts, images, graphs, or maps.
Notably, for the final short-answer question, you have a choice between two options, each focusing on different time periods. Question 1 is mandatory and includes 1-2 secondary sources, focusing on developments between 1600 and 2001. Question 2 is also required, uses a primary source, and covers the same period (1600-2001). You then choose between Question 3 (1450-1815) and Question 4 (1815-2001), neither of which includes sources. This section tests your concise writing skills and targeted historical recall.
Section II: Document-Based Question (DBQ)
Section II, which along with the Long Essay makes up 40% of your exam score, begins with the Document-Based Question (DBQ). You are recommended to spend 1 hour on this, including a 15-minute reading period, and it accounts for a significant 25% of your exam score. The DBQ presents you with 7 documents offering varied perspectives on a historical development or process, all focused on the period from 1600 to 2001.
Your task is to construct a well-reasoned argument supported by your analysis of these documents as historical evidence. This section critically assesses your ability to evaluate sources, synthesize information, and develop a historical argument. Understanding the Ap Euro Dbq Rubric is paramount here. The rubric emphasizes skills like thesis construction, document analysis, use of outside evidence, and argumentation. Mastering the DBQ rubric is key to maximizing your points in this crucial section.
Section II: Long Essay Question
The final section is the Long Essay, with a recommended time of 40 minutes and contributing 15% to your exam score. In this section, you must explain and analyze significant issues in European history, developing an argument supported by historical evidence. You will be given a choice of three options, each focusing on a different historical period: 1450–1700, 1648–1914, or 1815–2001. While the time periods differ, all options assess the same historical thinking skills and reasoning processes, such as comparison, causation, or continuity and change. Like the DBQ, the Long Essay requires strong analytical and argumentative writing skills, though without the document analysis component.
By understanding the structure and format of each section, and particularly by focusing on the skills assessed by the AP Euro DBQ rubric, you can strategically prepare for the AP European History exam and increase your chances of success.
