The work shown is not part of the required image set.
Correctly attribute the work shown to the specific culture, style, or artistic tradition in which it was created.
Using two examples of specific visual evidence, justify the attribution by describing relevant similarities between the work shown and another work of the same type created by the same culture, style, or tradition.
Using two examples of specific visual and/or contextual evidence, explain how the work shown may have reinforced values or beliefs of the culture, style, or tradition in which it was created.
What the Attribution Essay asks
The attribution essay is FRQ 5 on the AP Art History exam. You see a work from outside the 250-work image set, attribute it to a culture, style, or tradition, and justify that attribution with visual evidence.
The culture, style, or tradition the work comes from
1 pt
B
Part B: Justification
Two visual similarities to another work from that tradition
2 pts
C
Part C: Values and beliefs
Two ways the work may have reinforced its culture’s values or beliefs
2 pts
How Attribution Essay practice works
Each question follows the exam’s format, from the full prompt to a score on every part.
1
Study the image and question
The image of the work and each part of the question, laid out the way the exam shows them.
2
Write on a 15-minute timer
The time to plan for on exam day. Pause it or turn it off, and your response saves as you go.
3
Submit for a score out of 5
Your response is scored against the scoring guidelines written for that question. Your first score is included.
Feedback on every part
A summary at the top tells you what to work on next. Below it, each part shows whether you earned the point and what the scoring guidelines were looking for.
Did not earn the point. The work shown is from the Neolithic Aegean/Anatolian region (or early Cycladic tradition), not the Tlatilco culture of Mesoamerica.
Part B: 1/1 point
Earned the point. You accurately described the figure's "curvy body" and "big legs" as visual evidence. Even though your attribution was incorrect, you correctly identified real visual features of the work shown and used them to justify your comparison, which earns credit.
Part C: 1/1 point
Earned the point. You successfully explained how the emphasis on curvature and proportions reinforced the culture's values regarding female fertility.
Detailed feedback on a practice Attribution Essay
Questions about the Attribution Essay
How many responses can I get scored?
You can read every question without a plan. Your first scored response is included. A plan unlocks unlimited scoring.
How specific should my attribution be?
As specific as your evidence supports. Build it from several clues, such as technique, proportions, and ornament, and name the tradition rather than a broad period.
How is attribution different from visual analysis?
Both show an unfamiliar work. Attribution asks you to name where the work comes from and justify it. Visual analysis asks how the artist’s choices create effects.
Can I answer in bullet points?
On the exam, responses must be in essay form, and outlines or bulleted lists don’t earn full credit. Practice in short, complete sentences that answer each part.
Can I write my answer by hand?
Yes. Switch the editor to handwrite, write on paper, and add a photo of your page.
More AP Art History practice
Comparison Essay practice
Comparison essay prompts with the required work’s image and the list to select from.
