Your Guide to the Advanced Placement (AP) World History Exam

Earning a high score on the AP World History exam can grant you valuable college credit and placement, demonstrating your mastery of global historical narratives and analytical skills. This comprehensive guide provides an in-depth look at the exam's structure, content, and proven strategies to help you approach test day with confidence.

Exam Overview

The AP World History: Modern exam assesses your understanding of world history from approximately 1200 CE to the present. Administered by the College Board, the exam evaluates your ability to analyze historical sources, make connections across different time periods and regions, and develop coherent historical arguments. A successful performance requires both broad content knowledge and the application of specific historical thinking skills.

Exam Format and Scoring

The exam is approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes long and is divided into two main sections: Multiple-Choice/Short-Answer and Free-Response.

Section I: Multiple-Choice and Short-Answer Questions (SAQs)

This section is 1 hour and 35 minutes.

• Part A: Multiple-Choice (55 questions, 55 minutes, 40% of exam score): Questions are grouped in sets of 2-5 and are based on primary and secondary sources, including texts, maps, charts, and images. They test your ability to analyze historical evidence and context.
• Part B: Short-Answer Questions (3 questions, 40 minutes, 20% of exam score): You will answer three SAQs. The first two are required and focus on historical developments between 1200-2001. The third question is a choice between two options, focusing on periods 1200-1750 or 1750-2001. These questions require brief, focused responses that demonstrate your knowledge.

Section II: Free-Response Questions (FRQs)

This section is 1 hour and 40 minutes.

• Document-Based Question (DBQ, 1 question, 60 minutes, 25% of exam score): You will analyze seven historical documents to develop an argument about a specific historical prompt. A key component is sourcing the documents (analyzing point of view, purpose, historical situation, or audience).
• Long Essay Question (LEQ, 1 question, 40 minutes, 15% of exam score): You will choose one of three prompts to answer. You must develop a thesis and support it with specific historical evidence in a well-organized essay. The prompts test different historical reasoning skills, such as causation, comparison, or continuity and change over time.

Scores are reported on a scale of 1 to 5. Colleges typically grant credit or advanced placement for scores of 3, 4, or 5, though policies vary by institution.

Common Content Areas and Themes

The course content is organized into nine units that span eight historical periods, all connected by six overarching themes. A strong study plan should integrate knowledge of the periods with these themes.

Key Time Periods (c. 1200 CE to Present):

1. The Global Tapestry (c. 1200–c. 1450)
2. Networks of Exchange (c. 1200–c. 1450)
3. Land-Based Empires (c. 1450–c. 1750)
4. Transoceanic Interconnections (c. 1450–c. 1750)
5. Revolutions (c. 1750–c. 1900)
6. Consequences of Industrialization (c. 1750–c. 1900)
7. Global Conflict (c. 1900–Present)
8. Cold War and Decolonization (c. 1900–Present)
9. Globalization (c. 1900–Present)

The Six Course Themes:

1. Humans and the Environment (ENV)
2. Cultural Developments and Interactions (CDI)
3. Governance (GOV)
4. Economic Systems (ECN)
5. Social Interactions and Organization (SIO)
6. Technology and Innovation (TEC)

Questions on the exam will often ask you to make connections within and across these periods and themes.

Typical Requirements and Skills

Success on this exam goes beyond memorizing dates and names. The College Board emphasizes specific historical thinking skills:

• Developments and Processes: Identify and explain historical developments and processes.
• Sourcing and Situation: Analyze the sourcing and situation of primary and secondary sources.
• Claims and Evidence in Sources: Analyze arguments in primary and secondary sources.
• Contextualization: Situate historical events, developments, or processes within broader regional, national, or global contexts.
• Making Connections: Make historical connections using the reasoning skills of comparison, causation, and continuity and change over time.
• Argumentation: Develop a complex, defensible historical argument.

Your ability to demonstrate these skills in your written responses is crucial for earning high scores on the SAQ, DBQ, and LEQ sections.

Tips for Success

1. Create a Thematic Study Guide: Don't just study chronologically. Organize your notes by the six course themes to see patterns of change and continuity across different regions and eras.
2. Master the Document-Based Question (DBQ): This is often the most challenging section. Practice analyzing documents quickly, grouping them to support argumentative points, and writing a clear, defensible thesis. Remember to source at least four documents for full credit.
3. Practice Writing Under Time Pressure: The time constraints are significant. Regularly practice writing SAQs, DBQs, and LEQs within the official time limits to build stamina and efficiency.
4. Focus on Argumentation, Not Summary: In your essays, every paragraph should serve to prove your thesis. Avoid simply narrating events. Instead, use specific evidence to support your analytical claims.
5. Review High-Scoring Sample Responses: The College Board website provides examples of student responses with scoring commentaries. Analyzing these can give you a concrete understanding of what graders are looking for.
6. Utilize Diverse Resources: Supplement your textbook with reputable online lectures, timelines, and study aids. Engaging with material from different formats can reinforce your understanding. For structured practice that mimics the actual exam, platforms like Passetra offer valuable question banks and timed tests.
7. Understand the Rubrics: Familiarize yourself with the official scoring guidelines for the SAQ, DBQ, and LEQ. Knowing exactly how points are awarded allows you to tailor your responses to meet the criteria.

By building a strong foundation in both content and skills, and by practicing strategically, you can approach the AP World History exam prepared to demonstrate your historical understanding and earn a score that reflects your hard work.