The AP Comparative Government exam lasts for a total of two hours and 30 minutes, as revealed by COMPARE.EDU.VN. This article provides a detailed overview of the exam’s structure, content, and scoring, offering valuable insights for students preparing for the test. You’ll also discover essential preparation tips and resources to help you excel, including free-response strategies, study guides, and practice tests. Boost your understanding of political systems and processes with our comparative analysis, quantitative assessment, and argument essay guides.
1. Exam Overview: What is the Structure of the AP Comparative Government Exam?
The AP Comparative Government and Politics exam assesses your understanding of fundamental political concepts and your ability to compare political systems and processes across different countries. You have two hours and 30 minutes to complete the exam, which includes 55 multiple-choice questions and four free-response questions. Understanding the exam structure is crucial for effective preparation and time management.
The exam is divided into two sections:
- Section I: Consists of 55 multiple-choice questions and lasts for one hour, accounting for 50% of your overall score.
- Section II: Consists of four free-response questions, requiring open-ended, written responses, lasting for one hour and 30 minutes, and also accounting for 50% of your overall score.
The table below outlines the core elements of the AP Comparative Government exam:
| Section | Question Type | Number of Questions | Time | Percentage of Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Multiple-choice | 55 | 1 hour (60 minutes) | 50% |
| 2 | Free-response | 4 | 1 hour, 30 minutes | 50% |
Source: The College Board
The AP Comparative Government and Politics exam covers a wide array of topics and skills. Familiarizing yourself with the course themes, skills, and units is essential for thorough preparation.
2. What’s On the AP Government — Comparative Exam? Course Themes, Skills, and Units
The AP Government — Comparative course is designed to equip you with the analytical skills used by political scientists. Throughout the course, you’ll engage with content organized around five key themes. Mastering these themes and associated skills is critical for success on the exam.
The five core themes for AP Comparative Government are:
- Big Idea 1: Power and Authority
- Big Idea 2: Legitimacy and Stability
- Big Idea 3: Democratization
- Big Idea 4: Internal/External Forces
- Big Idea 5: Methods of Political Analysis
The AP Comparative Government exam assesses your proficiency in these themes by requiring you to apply concepts, analyze data, compare countries, and construct political science arguments.
The content and skills covered in the AP Comparative Government course are organized into five units. Each unit carries a specific weight in your overall exam score. Familiarizing yourself with these units will help you focus your study efforts effectively.
Below is a summary of each course unit, the topics they cover, and their weight in the exam:
| Unit | Topics Covered | Percentage of exam score |
|---|---|---|
| Unit 1: Political Systems, Regimes, and Governments | – How political scientists collect and use data and information – Types of political systems: regimes, states, nations, and governments – Democracy and authoritarianism – The ways governments and regimes get, keep, and lose power – Factors that can either help or undermine the stability of a government | 18%–27% of multiple-choice score |
| Unit 2: Political Institutions | – Parliamentary, presidential, and semi-presidential government systems – Executive institutions (for example, presidents, prime ministers, cabinets) – Legislative systems (for example, congressional or parliamentary) – Judicial systems (judges and courts) | 22%–33% of multiple-choice score |
| Unit 3: Political Culture and Participation | – Where the political attitudes and beliefs of citizens come from – Political ideologies such as individualism, communism, and fascism – Political participation by citizens and its effects – Civil rights and civil liberties – Social divisions within a country and their effects | 11%–18% of multiple-choice score |
| Unit 4: Party and Electoral Systems and Citizen Organizations | – Types of electoral systems and election rules – Types of political party systems – How social movements and interest groups cause political change | 13%–18% of multiple-choice score |
| Unit 5: Political and Economic Changes and Development | – Political responses to global market forces – The effects of economic liberalization policies – How governments adapt social policies to address political, cultural, and economic changes – Rapid industrialization and its impacts – The causes and effects of demographic changes | 16%–24% of multiple-choice score |
Source: The College Board
Now that you have a solid understanding of the AP Comparative Government exam’s content, let’s delve into the two sections of the exam in more detail. We’ll look at Section I and Section II of the AP Comparative Government exam next.
3. AP Comparative Government Exam: Section I
The first section of the exam assesses your ability to describe, explain, compare, and analyze political concepts and processes, various forms of data, and text passages. You’ll demonstrate these skills by answering a mix of individual and sets of multiple-choice questions. This section is designed to evaluate your comprehension and application of key concepts.
Section I comprises 55 multiple-choice questions, lasts for one hour, and accounts for 50% of your exam score. Time management and accuracy are crucial in this section.
Here’s a breakdown of how each skill is evaluated on the multiple-choice section:
- Approximately 40–55% of multiple-choice questions assess your ability to apply political concepts and processes in hypothetical and real-world contexts.
- Approximately 25–32% of multiple-choice questions will assess your ability to compare the political concepts and processes of China, Iran, Mexico, Nigeria, Russia, and the United Kingdom.
- Approximately 10–16% of multiple-choice questions will assess your ability to analyze and interpret quantitative data represented in tables, charts, graphs, maps, and infographics.
- Approximately 9–11% of multiple-choice questions will assess your ability to read, analyze, and interpret text-based sources.
To provide a clearer understanding of the multiple-choice questions on this section of the AP Comparative Government exam, let’s examine a sample question and its scoring next. Understanding the question format and scoring criteria can improve your performance.
3.1. Sample Question: Multiple-Choice
Reviewing sample multiple-choice questions can help you understand the relationship between the content you learn in the AP Comparative Government course and what you’ll be tested on during the exam.
The multiple-choice question below is taken from the College Board’s official guide to AP Comparative Government and Politics. This sample question highlights the need to compare political systems across different countries.
Source: The College Board
This question asks you to compare countries based on their political systems and behaviors. It draws on your understanding of Big Idea #1: Power and Authority because it asks about the role of government executives in different countries. These concepts are covered in Unit 2, which explores political institutions.
The correct answer is D: “The Chinese president and the Nigerian president are both commanders in chief of the armed forces.” This requires knowledge of the specific roles of these leaders.
4. AP Comparative Government Exam: Section II
Similar to Section I, the second section of the exam tests your ability to describe, explain, compare, and analyze political concepts and processes, various forms of data, and text passages. However, in this section, you’ll demonstrate these skills by providing written responses. Effective writing skills are critical for success in this section.
Section II includes four free-response questions, lasts for one hour and 30 minutes, and accounts for 50% of your exam score. Time management and clear articulation are essential.
There are four distinct types of free-response questions on the exam, each assessing your reading and writing skills in different ways. Here’s a breakdown of what you’ll be asked to do on each free-response question:
- 1 conceptual analysis question: Define or describe a political concept and/or compare political systems, principles, institutions, processes, policies, or behaviors.
- 1 quantitative analysis question: Analyze data to identify patterns and trends and reach a conclusion.
- 1 comparative analysis question: Compare political concepts, systems, institutions, processes, or policies in two of the course countries.
- 1 argument essay: Write an evidence-based essay supporting a claim or thesis.
To help you better understand the free-response questions on the AP Comparative Government exam, let’s look at an example of each type of question and how it’s scored next. This will give you a clearer idea of what to expect and how to prepare.
4.1. Sample Question: Conceptual Analysis Free-Response
The free-response question below is taken from the College Board’s official guide to AP Comparative Government and Politics. This sample question is an example of a conceptual analysis question. Conceptual analysis questions require you to define and explain key political science concepts.
On the real exam, you’ll have 10 minutes to answer the conceptual analysis question. Here’s the question:
To understand how to answer this question correctly, we’ll need to look at how conceptual analysis questions are scored. The scoring rubric below shows how your response to this question would be evaluated:
| Question Component: | Acceptable Responses | Possible Points |
|---|---|---|
| Part A: Define economic liberalization. | Acceptable definitions include: Economic liberalization occurs when a state reduces its economic role and embraces free market mechanisms. | 1 |
| Part B: Describe a measure that a democratic or authoritarian government could use to liberalize their economy. | Acceptable descriptions include: – Democratic or authoritarian governments can eliminate subsidies or tariffs to liberalize their economies. – Democratic or authoritarian governments can privatize government-owned industries to liberalize their economies. – Democratic or authoritarian governments can open their markets to foreign direct investment to liberalize their economies. | 1 |
| Part C: Explain one reason why a country would choose to liberalize its economy. | Acceptable explanations include: – A country might choose to liberalize its economy to remedy undesirable domestic circumstances, such as one of the following: – rising unemployment – reduced productivity – trade deficits. – Liberalizing the economy could take pressure off of the government and satisfy its citizens. – A country might choose to liberalize its economy due to pressure from other countries andinternational organizations. – A country might choose to liberalize its economy because free trade and a liberalized economy helps to develop a middle class. | 1 |
| Part D: Explain why a decision to introduce economic liberalization policies might affect social cleavages. | Acceptable explanations include: – Economic liberalization policies might affect social cleavages because the economic policies often contribute to rising inequality between classes or regions. – Economic liberalization policies might affect social cleavages because the economic policies often contribute to inequalities because a middle class develops, but so do disparities among groups (rich/ poor, urban/rural) – Economic liberalization policies might affect social cleavages because less protectionism and freer movement of goods and services may cause tensions with immigration and people looking for work. | 1 |
Source: The College Board
4.2. Sample Question: Quantitative Analysis Free-Response
The Quantitative Analysis free-response question provides you with quantitative data in the form of a graph, table, map, or infographic. You’ll be asked to describe, draw a conclusion, or explain that data and its connections to key course concepts. This section assesses your ability to interpret data effectively.
The quantitative analysis question is the second question you’ll encounter on the exam. It’s worth five raw points of your score, and you should spend about 20 minutes answering this question. Time management is key in this section.
The quantitative analysis question below comes from the College Board’s official guide to AP Comparative Government and Politics:
Source: The College Board
To get a better idea of how to answer this question, let’s look at the scoring rubric that’s used to evaluate this quantitative analysis question on the exam:
| Question Component: | Acceptable Responses | Possible Points |
|---|---|---|
| Part A: Identify the country with the highest turnout in a single year. | Iran | 1 |
| Part B: Describe voter turnout between 2007 and 2015 in Nigeria. | Acceptable descriptions include: – Voter turnout in Nigeria declined between 2007 and 2015. – In 2007 voter turnout was just under 50 percent, and in 2015 turnout declined to 32 percent. | 1 |
| Part C: Describe political efficacy. | Acceptable descriptions include: – Citizens have faith and trust in government and believe that they can influence politics. – Citizens believe that one’s vote can influence political affairs. | 1 |
| Part D: Using your knowledge of political efficacy and the data in the graph, explain the pattern of Iran’s political turnout in 2009 and 2013. | Acceptable explanations include: – In 2009 voter turnout was high because voters wanted to elect reformist Musavi to office and remove hardliner Ahmadinejad from office. – In 2009, once the candidates were vetted, there was real political competition among candidates, with no guaranteed winner, and citizens believed their votes mattered. – Voter turnout in 2013 was lower than in 2009 but still fairly high. It was lower than in 2009 because citizens had less faith in free and competitive elections, and this was the first presidential election since the protests of 2009. | 1 |
| Part E: Explain what the turnout data illustrate about political participation in authoritarian regimes. | Acceptable explanations include: – Authoritarian regimes often allow citizens to participate to develop and maintain a sense of political legitimacy. – Political participation in authoritarian regimes is often mandatory, which often means that turnout in authoritarian regimes is higher than in democratic regimes. | 1 |
Source: The College Board
4.3. Sample Question: Comparative Analysis Free-Response
The Comparative Analysis free-response question assesses your ability to define, describe, compare, or explain political concepts, systems, institutions, or policies in different countries. This question requires you to draw parallels and contrasts between different political entities.
This question is the third free-response question that you’ll answer on the exam. It’s worth five raw points, and you should spend about 20 minutes answering this question.
The comparative analysis question below comes from the College Board’s official guide to AP Comparative Government and Politics:
We can take a look at the scoring rubric that’s used to evaluate this type of free-response question to get a better idea of what types of responses will earn you full points:
| Question Component: | Acceptable Responses | Possible Points |
|---|---|---|
| Part A: Define legislative independence. | Acceptable definition: – Legislative independence refers to the degree to which a legislature is free to exercise its powers without influence from other branches/institutions. | 1 |
| Part B: Explain how legislative independence is used by government institutions in two different AP Comparative Government and Politics course countries. | Acceptable explanations include the following (max 1 point per country): – In Iran the Majles has power over the budget, confirms and impeaches ministers, and may issue formal questions that the government must answer. The Majles uses this power to check the executive branch. – In the United Kingdom, the legislature is fused with the executive branch, but the legislature solely is responsible for making decisions on financial bills, such as new taxes. – During Question Time, members of the United Kingdom legislature can question the prime minister about various policies, and it uses this power to hold the prime minister accountable and open debate. – In Nigeria, the legislature passes bills into laws, although bills still require the president’s signature. – In Nigeria, the constitution gives the legislature the power to impeach the president as well asoversight, and it uses both powers to remain independent and to check the executive branch. – In Mexico, the constitution gives the legislature the power to impeach the president, and it uses this power to check the executive branch. | 2 |
| Part C: Explain why each of the two AP Comparative Government and Politics course countries described in (B) would choose to constrain legislative powers. | Acceptable explanations include the following (max 1 point per country): – The Iranian government chooses to constrain the Majles to give the Supreme Leader more power. – The Iranian government constrains the power of the Majles to make sure that all institutions abide bytheocratic rules. – Iran’s Expediency Council, which is selected by the Supreme Leader as an advisory committee to resolve disputes between the Majles and the Guardian Council, can constrain the Majles to reduce its power. – In the United Kingdom, the legislature is constrained by elections. Legislatures constrain the power to maintain a balance of power and to maintain a separation of powers. – In the United Kingdom, all members of the House of Commons are up for election every 5 years. This constrains lawmakers to work for their constituents. – In Nigeria the House of Representatives is constrained by the executive branch, because the president wants to have more concentrated power. – In Mexico the legislature is constrained by elections as a way to maintain stability and prevent corruption. | 2 |
Source: The College Board
4.4. Sample Question: Argument Essay Free-Response
The fourth and final free-response question you’ll encounter on the exam is the Argument Essay question. This free-response question assesses your ability to make a claim that responds to the question, defend and support your claim with reasonable evidence, and respond to an opposing view on the topic at hand. Constructing a strong argument is crucial for this section.
The Argument Essay question is worth five raw points, and it’s recommended that you spend about 40 minutes answering this question.
The argument essay question below comes from the College Board’s official guide to AP Comparative Government and Politics:
Source: The College Board
To understand what an effective response to this question looks like, we’ll need to think about how argument essay questions are scored on the exam. The ability to analyze and synthesize information is key to scoring well.
The scoring rubric for this free-response question is quite long; you’ll find four separate categories for evaluation in the rubric below, as well as examples of responses that will earn you full points in each category.
The scoring rubric below shows how your response to this question will be evaluated:
| Scoring Guidelines Part A Free-Response Question: Argument Essay |
|---|
| Evaluation Category |
| Part A: Claim/Thesis (0-1 points) |
| Scoring Guidelines Part B Free-Response Question: Argument Essay |
|---|
| Evaluation Category |
| Part B: Evidence (0-2 points) |
| Scoring Guidelines Part C Free-Response Question: Argument Essay |
|---|
| Evaluation Category |
| Part C: Reasoning (0-1 points) |
| Scoring Guidelines Part D Free-Response Question: Argument Essay |
|---|
| Evaluation Category |
| Part D: Responds to alternative perspectives (0-1 points) |
Source: The College Board
5. How Is the AP Comparative Government Exam Scored?
Before taking the AP Comparative Government exam, it’s crucial to understand how your responses will be scored. In this section, we’ll explain how each section of the exam is scored, scaled, and combined to produce your final score on the AP 1-5 scale. Understanding the scoring system can help you strategize and maximize your score.
As a quick reminder, here’s how the score percentages break down on the exam:
- Section I: Multiple-choice: 55 questions, 50% of overall score
- Section II: Free-response: four questions, 50% of overall score
- Question 1: Conceptual Analysis: 11%
- Question 2: Quantitative Analysis: 12.5%
- Question 3: Comparative Analysis: 12.5%
- Question 4: Argument Essay: 14%
On the multiple-choice section, you’ll earn one raw point for each question you answer correctly. The maximum number of raw points you can earn is 55. There’s no penalty for incorrect answers, so it’s best to answer every question.
The free-response questions are scored differently. The Conceptual Analysis question is worth four raw points, and the Quantitative Analysis, Comparative Analysis, and Argument Essay questions are each worth five raw points. In total, you can earn 19 raw points on the free-response section.
Remember: you’ll only lose points on free-response questions for significant errors, such as incorrect definitions or failing to justify your reasoning. While proper grammar and punctuation are encouraged, you won’t be penalized for minor errors as long as your responses are clear and easy to understand.
You can earn a total of 74 raw points on the AP Comparative Government exam. Here’s how those points are divided by section:
- 55 points for multiple-choice
- 19 points for free-response
After your raw scores have been tallied, the College Board will convert your raw score into a scaled score of 1-5. This scaled score is what you’ll see on your score report.
The rate of achieving a score of 5 on the AP Comparative Government exam is fairly average compared to other AP exams. The table below shows the percentage of test takers who earned each possible scaled score on the 2021 exam:
| AP Score | Percentage of Students Who Earned Score (2021) |
|---|---|
| 5 | 16.6 |
| 4 | 24.5 |
| 3 | 30.7 |
| 2 | 14.9 |
| 1 | 13.3 |
Source: The College Board
6. Top 4 Tips for Prepping for the AP Comparative Government and Politics Exam
If the AP Comparative Government exam is approaching, you’re likely considering how to best prepare. We’re here to help with that. Check out our four best tips for studying for the AP Comparative Government exam! These tips can help you structure your study plan and focus on the most important areas.
6.1. Tip 1: Start With a Practice Exam
One of the most effective ways to prepare for an AP exam is to take a practice exam. Taking a practice AP Comparative Government exam before you begin studying can help you design a study routine tailored to your needs. This initial assessment can reveal areas where you need to focus more attention.
Taking a practice exam early allows you to identify your strengths and weaknesses. Addressing your weaknesses early in your exam preparation will help you maximize your score on the exam.
We recommend taking a full practice exam under the same time constraints as the real exam. This will give you a realistic sense of the pacing required on exam day. After completing the practice exam, carefully evaluate your results. Note the questions you missed, the skills they assess, and the course content they cover. Use this information to create a study plan that targets these areas.
6.2. Tip 2: Create Your Own Cram Sheet
Quality study materials are essential for AP exam preparation. Creating your own study materials is a great way to reinforce your understanding of challenging concepts. Developing your own AP Comparative Government cram sheet is an excellent way to review course concepts and organize your knowledge of the material tested on the exam. A well-organized cram sheet can serve as a quick reference guide.
You can find AP Comparative Government cram sheets online and use them as a template, or you can create a personalized cram sheet tailored to your needs as a learner and test-taker. Customization can make the study process more effective.
Your cram sheet should include course concepts, issues, and questions that appear on homework, quizzes, and tests in your AP Comparative Government class. Additionally, you can supplement your cram sheet with information from practice exams, sample free-response questions, and official scoring rubrics. Use this material to memorize key concepts or to organize your study routine effectively.
6.3. Tip 3: Practice Free-Response Questions
Free-response questions on AP exams are notoriously challenging, and the AP Government Comparative free-response questions are no exception. Writing-based questions can be intimidating for test-takers, so practicing free-response questions is crucial before the exam. Practice helps build confidence and skill.
The College Board provides an archive of past official free-response questions on their website. You can use these questions to practice and study. Any free-response questions your teacher provides in class are also valuable resources. When practicing free-response questions, adhere to the time limits of the real exam and use official scoring rubrics to evaluate your responses. This will help you become comfortable with the format and expectations of the free-response section.
6.4. Tip 4: Take Another Practice Exam
As you near the end of your exam preparation, consider taking another practice exam. Compare your results on this exam to your initial practice exam to assess your progress. Seeing your improvement can boost your confidence.
Taking a final practice exam a few weeks before exam day can also help you refine your preparation. Use your results to focus your remaining study time on any areas where you still struggle. Your score on this final practice exam can also provide an estimate of your potential score on the real exam. This knowledge can help calm your nerves and build confidence on test day.
7. Conclusion
Preparing for the AP Comparative Government exam involves understanding the exam format, mastering key concepts, and practicing effective test-taking strategies. Remember to manage your time wisely, review all course material, and utilize the resources available to you.
For more detailed comparisons of study materials and resources, visit COMPARE.EDU.VN. Our website provides comprehensive comparisons to help you make informed decisions and enhance your preparation. With dedicated effort and the right resources, you can achieve success on the AP Comparative Government exam.
If you need further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us:
Address: 333 Comparison Plaza, Choice City, CA 90210, United States
Whatsapp: +1 (626) 555-9090
Website: compare.edu.vn
8. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
1. How many sections are there in the AP Comparative Government exam?
There are two sections in the AP Comparative Government exam: multiple-choice and free-response.
2. What percentage of the total score does the multiple-choice section account for?
The multiple-
