---
title: "Exam Skills: Format, Review, and Practice"
description: "Review Exam Skills format, skills, study resources, and practice options so you know what to expect on exam day."
canonical: "https://fiveable.me/apush/exam-skills"
type: "unit"
subject: "AP US History"
unit: "Exam Skills"
---

# Exam Skills: Format, Review, and Practice

## Overview

APUSH exam skills cover how to read stimulus sources for MCQs, write concise ACE-style SAQ responses, build a sourced argument across seven documents for the DBQ, and construct a thesis-driven LEQ with contextualization and evidence. Each format has its own rubric, time recommendation, and scoring weight.

## AP CED Alignment

This unit hub is organized around AP Course and Exam Description topics, skills, and exam task types when they are available in the source data.
- MCQ: Stimulus-Based Multiple Choice
- SAQ: Short Answer Question
- DBQ: Document-Based Question
- LEQ: Long Essay Question
- Sourcing: HAPP Document Analysis
- Rubric Moves: Contextualization and Complexity
- MCQ Strategy: How to Work Through a Stimulus-Based MCQ
- SAQ Structure: Writing a Strong Short Answer Response
- DBQ Rubric: Earning All 7 Points on the DBQ
- LEQ Rubric: Earning All 6 Points on the LEQ
- Pre-Writing: How to Pre-Write Your DBQ and LEQ

## Topics

- [MCQ: Stimulus-Based Multiple Choice](/apush/exam-skills/ap-us-history-multiple-choice-questions/study-guide/7Q7Gxy9xxZORfZR8wMHW): 40% of your exam score. 55 questions in 55 minutes. Each question is attached to a primary source, secondary source, image, graph, or map. Use the stimulus for context, but answer with outside knowledge. Wrong answers often describe real events from the wrong period.
- [SAQ: Short Answer Question](/apush/exam-skills/us-history-saq-tips/study-guide/SqgOuY8MrS9DEDrY): 3 questions, 40 minutes total, 3 points each. No thesis. Use ACE format: Answer directly, Cite specific evidence, Explain the connection. Part (c) often asks for comparison or evaluation across periods or groups.
- [DBQ: Document-Based Question](/apush/exam-skills/us-history-dbq-tips/study-guide/Dbkg2XHzKeoIw9hS): 7 documents, 60 minutes, 7-point rubric. Earn points for thesis, contextualization, document evidence (use 6+ and explain each), outside evidence, sourcing (HAPP for 3+ docs), and complexity. Pre-write before drafting.
- [LEQ: Long Essay Question](/apush/exam-skills/us-history-leq-tips/study-guide/WQQghrwOXAHgk18q): One required broad prompt, about 40 minutes, 6-point rubric. Earn points for thesis, contextualization, specific evidence tied to argument, historical reasoning skill (causation, comparison, or CCOT), and complexity. All evidence comes from memory.
- Sourcing: HAPP Document Analysis: For DBQ sourcing points, analyze at least 3 documents using Historical context, Audience, Purpose, or Point of view. Do not just label the category. Explain why that sourcing element is relevant to your argument. 'The author is a politician, so he would want to appear patriotic' is not enough. Connect it to your thesis.
- Rubric Moves: Contextualization and Complexity: Contextualization requires 3 to 5 sentences explaining a broader historical development that connects to your argument. Complexity requires one specific analytical move: explaining nuance, connecting to a different period, explaining both cause and effect, or showing corroboration or tension between documents.

## Review Notes

### MCQ Strategy: How to Work Through a Stimulus-Based MCQ

APUSH MCQs come in sets of 2 to 5 questions attached to a single stimulus. The stimulus can be a primary source excerpt, a secondary source interpretation, a political cartoon, a map, or a data table. Your job is to use the stimulus as a historical anchor, then apply period knowledge to answer the question.

- **Step 1: Identify the stimulus type**: Is it a primary source (written by someone in the period) or a secondary source (a historian's interpretation)? This affects how you read it.
- **Step 2: Note the date and author**: The date places the source in a historical period. The author's identity (politician, reformer, enslaved person, industrialist) signals perspective and purpose.
- **Step 3: Read the question stem carefully**: Look for words like 'best reflects,' 'most directly,' or 'most likely.' These signal that one answer is clearly better supported than the others.
- **Step 4: Eliminate using period knowledge**: Wrong answers often describe real events from the wrong time period or misattribute causation. Use what you know to eliminate before guessing.
- **Step 5: Do not over-rely on the stimulus**: The answer is rarely just a restatement of the source. You need to connect the source to a broader historical argument, trend, or development.

**Checkpoint:** Can you identify whether a stimulus is a primary or secondary source, place it in the correct APUSH period, and use outside knowledge to select the best answer without just paraphrasing the excerpt?

Feature | Primary Source MCQ | Secondary Source MCQ
--- | --- | ---
Who wrote it? | Person living in the historical period | Historian or later analyst
What to look for | Author's purpose, audience, point of view | Historian's argument or interpretation
Outside knowledge needed | Context for the event or era described | Evidence that supports or challenges the interpretation

### SAQ Structure: Writing a Strong Short Answer Response

SAQs ask you to respond to three parts (a, b, c), each worth 1 point. You do not write a thesis. You do not need an introduction or conclusion. Each part should be answered in 3 to 5 focused sentences that directly address the prompt. SAQs test your ability to describe, explain, and contextualize historical developments.

- **ACE format**: Answer the question directly, Cite specific evidence (a named event, person, law, or development), and Explain how the evidence supports your answer. One point per part means one clear, supported claim per part.
- **Part (a) vs. Part (c)**: Parts (a) and (b) usually ask you to describe or explain a specific development. Part (c) often asks you to evaluate, compare, or connect to a different period or group. Read each part separately.
- **No thesis required**: Writing a thesis wastes time on SAQs. Jump directly into your answer. The rubric does not award points for introductory framing.
- **Specificity earns the point**: Vague answers like 'the economy changed' do not earn credit. Name the Homestead Act, the Freedmen's Bureau, or the Second Great Awakening. Specific evidence is what scorers look for.

**Checkpoint:** Can you write a 3-sentence SAQ response that directly answers the prompt, names a specific piece of evidence, and explains the connection, all without writing a thesis or introduction?

SAQ Part Type | What It Asks | What Earns the Point
--- | --- | ---
Describe | Identify a feature or characteristic of a development | A specific, accurate statement about the development
Explain | Give a reason, cause, or effect | A clear causal or consequential claim with named evidence
Evaluate / Compare | Assess significance or compare across groups or periods | A supported judgment or contrast with specific historical detail

### DBQ Rubric: Earning All 7 Points on the DBQ

The DBQ gives you seven documents and asks you to develop an argument using them. You have 60 minutes total, with 15 minutes suggested for reading. The rubric has five categories: thesis/claim (1 pt), contextualization (1 pt), evidence (3 pts), analysis and reasoning (2 pts). Each category has specific criteria.

- **Thesis/Claim (1 pt)**: Write a historically defensible thesis that responds to the prompt and establishes a line of reasoning. It must go beyond restating the prompt. It should appear in the introduction or conclusion.
- **Contextualization (1 pt)**: Describe a broader historical context that is relevant to the prompt and explains how it connects to your argument. This must be more than a phrase. Write at least 3 to 5 sentences situating the argument in a larger development before the period in question.
- **Document Evidence (2 pts)**: Use the content of at least 3 documents to address the topic (1 pt). Use at least 6 documents AND explain how each supports your argument (2 pts). Summarizing a document without connecting it to your thesis earns nothing.
- **Outside Evidence (1 pt)**: Use at least one piece of specific evidence not found in the documents that supports your argument. Name it explicitly and explain its relevance.
- **Sourcing (1 pt)**: For at least 3 documents, explain how the document's historical situation, audience, purpose, or point of view (HAPP) is relevant to your argument. Do not just label the category. Explain why it matters.
- **Complexity (1 pt)**: Demonstrate a complex understanding by explaining nuance, corroboration, tension between documents, connection to a different period, or both cause and effect. This point is earned by a specific analytical move, not by length.

**Checkpoint:** Can you identify which documents you will use for sourcing, name your outside evidence before you start writing, and write a thesis that establishes a line of reasoning rather than just listing categories?

DBQ Point | Minimum Requirement | Common Way to Lose It
--- | --- | ---
Thesis | Defensible claim with a line of reasoning | Restating the prompt or listing factors without a claim
Contextualization | 3-5 sentences of broader historical context | One-sentence mention with no explanation of connection
Document Evidence (2 pts) | Use 6+ docs and explain each one's relevance | Summarizing docs without tying them to the argument
Sourcing | HAPP analysis for 3+ docs tied to argument | Labeling point of view without explaining why it matters
Outside Evidence | One specific named piece of evidence not in docs | Referencing a vague trend instead of a named event or person

### LEQ Rubric: Earning All 6 Points on the LEQ

The LEQ asks you to write a full essay in about 40 minutes responding to one required broad prompt. The rubric mirrors the DBQ but without document use: thesis/claim (1 pt), contextualization (1 pt), evidence (2 pts), analysis and reasoning (2 pts). Pre-writing is essential.

- **Thesis/Claim (1 pt)**: Same standard as the DBQ. Write a defensible thesis that goes beyond the prompt and establishes a line of reasoning. Avoid thesis statements that just say 'there were many causes.'
- **Contextualization (1 pt)**: Same standard as the DBQ. Situate your argument in a broader historical development. Write it in your introduction before your thesis, not as a one-liner.
- **Specific Evidence (2 pts)**: Use specific historical evidence relevant to the topic (1 pt). Use that evidence to support your argument (2 pts). Listing facts without connecting them to your thesis earns only 1 point.
- **Historical Reasoning (1 pt)**: Use a historical reasoning skill (causation, comparison, or continuity and change over time) to frame your argument. The prompt will signal which skill to use.
- **Complexity (1 pt)**: Same standard as the DBQ. Make a specific analytical move. Connecting the argument to a different time period, explaining both cause and effect, or acknowledging a counterargument all qualify.
- **Choosing your prompt**: Beginning with the May 2027 exam, you answer one required broad LEQ prompt. Choose the specific evidence inside that prompt carefully; vague familiarity without specific evidence will cost you the evidence points.

**Checkpoint:** Can you write a 6-point LEQ outline in 5 minutes that includes your thesis, your contextualization paragraph topic, three body paragraph claims with named evidence, and your complexity move?

LEQ Point | What It Requires | How It Differs from DBQ
--- | --- | ---
Thesis | Defensible claim with line of reasoning | Identical standard, no documents to reference
Contextualization | Broader historical context explained in 3-5 sentences | Identical standard
Evidence (2 pts) | Specific named evidence tied to argument | No documents provided, all evidence must come from memory
Historical Reasoning (1 pt) | Causation, comparison, or CCOT framing | Prompt signals the skill; DBQ also awards this point
Complexity (1 pt) | Specific analytical move | Identical standard

### Pre-Writing: How to Pre-Write Your DBQ and LEQ

Pre-writing means creating a brief outline before you start drafting. For the DBQ, spend 5 to 7 minutes after your reading time organizing documents into argument categories, identifying your outside evidence, and marking which documents you will source. For the LEQ, spend 3 to 5 minutes writing your thesis, listing your body paragraph claims, and noting your complexity move. Students who pre-write write more focused essays and are less likely to forget required rubric elements.

- **DBQ pre-write step 1**: Read all seven documents and annotate each with a brief label: what it says, who wrote it, and what argument category it supports.
- **DBQ pre-write step 2**: Group documents into 2 to 3 argument categories that support your thesis. Aim to use all seven documents across your body paragraphs.
- **DBQ pre-write step 3**: Mark 3 documents for sourcing (HAPP). Write a one-phrase note about why the sourcing matters for your argument, not just what the category is.
- **DBQ pre-write step 4**: Write your outside evidence in your outline before you draft. If you cannot name it in the outline, you will likely forget it under time pressure.
- **LEQ pre-write**: Write your thesis in one sentence, list 3 body paragraph topics with one named piece of evidence each, and note your complexity move. This takes 3 to 5 minutes and prevents off-prompt writing.

**Checkpoint:** Can you complete a full DBQ pre-write in 7 minutes that includes document groupings, 3 sourcing notes, and your outside evidence, leaving you 53 minutes to draft?

Pre-Write Element | DBQ | LEQ
--- | --- | ---
Thesis draft | Yes, write before drafting | Yes, write before drafting
Evidence organization | Group 7 documents into argument categories | List 3 named pieces of outside evidence
Sourcing notes | Mark 3 docs with HAPP relevance note | Not applicable
Complexity move | Note which move you will make | Note which move you will make
Time to spend | 5-7 minutes after reading time | 3-5 minutes

## Study Guides

- [AP US History Multiple Choice Questions](/apush/exam-skills/ap-us-history-multiple-choice-questions/study-guide/7Q7Gxy9xxZORfZR8wMHW)
- [Score Higher on AP US History: MCQ Tips from Students](/apush/exam-skills/us-history-mcq-tips-students/study-guide/t9k4imqZIXjYAo8I)
- [Score Higher on AP US History: Tips for Short Answer Questions](/apush/exam-skills/us-history-saq-tips/study-guide/SqgOuY8MrS9DEDrY)
- [Score Higher on AP US History: Tips for DBQs](/apush/exam-skills/us-history-dbq-tips/study-guide/Dbkg2XHzKeoIw9hS)
- [Score Higher on AP US History: Tips for LEQs](/apush/exam-skills/us-history-leq-tips/study-guide/WQQghrwOXAHgk18q)
- [Unit 8 LEQ (The Civil Rights Movement) Answers](/apush/exam-skills/unit-8-leq-civil-rights-movement-answers/study-guide/7ulMz39stQaVduVc7vZh)
- [Unit 2 SAQ (The Colonies) Answers](/apush/exam-skills/unit-2-saq-the-colonies-answers/study-guide/8KX6Fg2z2FTNTwXiYKle)
- [Unit 2 SAQ (The Colonies)](/apush/exam-skills/unit-2-saq-the-colonies/study-guide/8ZtsNFLZypES8ETAT30D)
- [APUSH Unit 1 SAQ (Land Ownership) with Feedback](/apush/exam-skills/unit-1-saq-land-ownership-feedback/blog/9TOb9ivG3OB2oCZp66L7)
- [Unit 5 SAQ (Slavery Between 1844-1865)](/apush/exam-skills/unit-5-saq-slavery-1844-1865/study-guide/JMa6yMOrJgRUSWJB2oLC)
- [How to Pre-Write Your Essay for AP US History](/apush/exam-skills/pre-write-essay-ap-history/blog/LaN077aACFuvjeJ1EOxq)
- [Unit 1 SAQ (The New World) Answers](/apush/exam-skills/unit-1-saq-the-world-answers/study-guide/LnIa71RUG2SwOVeYPDv4)
- [APUSH Unit 5 LEQ (African Americans in 1840-1880) with Feedback](/apush/exam-skills/unit-5-leq-african-americans-1840-1880-feedback/study-guide/P2Rx2sIaBoGxvGjlgKvh)
- [Unit 3 DBQ (Economic Issues) Answers](/apush/exam-skills/unit-3-dbq-economic-issues-answers/study-guide/PhUryZBLk7PMBWTNYJBm)
- [APUSH Unit 6 Practice DBQ Prompt Answers & Feedback](/apush/exam-skills/apush-unit-6-practice-dbq-feedback/study-guide/UCVfDEBjIcl5OYiKd2B2)
- [Unit 7 DBQ (International Expansion)](/apush/exam-skills/unit-7-dbq-international-expansion/study-guide/bqBHAF8QRXySPeCrTWyU)
- [Unit 4 LEQ (The Market Revolution) Answers](/apush/exam-skills/unit-4-leq-market-revolution-answers/study-guide/bu9XXrtXygRn08DMi2Uf)
- [Unit 6 SAQ (Interpretation of Immigrants) Answers](/apush/exam-skills/unit-6-saq-interpretation-immigrants-answers/study-guide/en388gv8p1c0I7vRBPtS)
- [Unit 8 LEQ (The Civil Rights Movement)](/apush/exam-skills/unit-8-leq-the-civil-rights-movement/study-guide/hAwNM14TzHq1YZwYRhij)
- [Unit 3 SAQ (Land Ownership) with Feedback](/apush/exam-skills/unit-3-saq-land-ownership-feedback/blog/mjFeBYxPKuVa3YkuTGNA)
- [Unit 1 SAQ (The New World)](/apush/exam-skills/unit-1-saq-the-world/study-guide/rZyDHUZPgQGqkwa5dF3l)
- [Unit 3 DBQ (Economic Issues)](/apush/exam-skills/unit-3-dbq-economic-issues/study-guide/tRWBu5T68ZP921utMML7)
- [Unit 4 LEQ (The Market Revolution)](/apush/exam-skills/unit-4-leq-market-revolution/study-guide/txjPpT7UH4L6i4gDOtNC)
- [Unit 6 SAQ (Interpretation of Immigrants)](/apush/exam-skills/unit-6-saq-interpretation-immigrants/study-guide/wOjdP95HS8rUaovdsBIy)
- [Unit 5 SAQ (Slavery Between 1844-1865) Answers](/apush/exam-skills/unit-5-saq-slavery-1844-1865-answers/study-guide/x2VgFhzay77Bg0ztw6c0)
- [Unit 7 DBQ (International Expansion) Answers](/apush/exam-skills/unit-7-dbq-international-expansion-answers/study-guide/OJMEi65OvSC6C8oMebUh)

## Common Mistakes

- **Writing a thesis that just lists categories**: A thesis like 'The Civil War was caused by economic, political, and social factors' does not establish a line of reasoning. It tells the reader what you will cover, not what you argue. A scorable thesis makes a specific claim: 'The Civil War resulted primarily from the political failure to contain the expansion of slavery into western territories, which made sectional compromise impossible by 1860.'
- **Treating contextualization as a one-sentence mention**: Writing 'This occurred during a time of westward expansion' does not earn the contextualization point. You need 3 to 5 sentences that describe a broader development, explain its historical significance, and connect it to your argument. Scorers look for a substantive paragraph, not a transition phrase.
- **Labeling HAPP without explaining relevance to the argument**: Writing 'This document was written by a politician, so it reflects his point of view' does not earn a sourcing point. You must explain why that point of view, audience, purpose, or historical context is relevant to your argument. Connect the sourcing analysis to your thesis claim.
- **Summarizing documents instead of using them as evidence**: Restating what a document says without connecting it to your argument earns no evidence points. Every document you use should be tied to a specific claim in your thesis. Ask yourself: what does this document prove about my argument?
- **Skipping pre-writing to save time**: Students who skip pre-writing often write off-prompt, forget outside evidence, or run out of time before addressing all rubric categories. A 5-minute pre-write saves more time than it costs by keeping your essay focused and ensuring you hit every scoring point.

## Exam Connections

- **MCQ: 40% of your score, all stimulus-based**: Every MCQ on the APUSH exam is attached to a stimulus. You will see primary sources, secondary source interpretations, political cartoons, maps, and data tables. The exam tests historical thinking skills like causation, continuity and change over time, and comparison, not just recall. Practicing with stimulus sets before the exam is the most direct way to improve your MCQ score.
- **DBQ and LEQ: Rubric points are explicit and learnable**: The DBQ is worth 25% of your exam score and the LEQ is worth 15%. Both use rubrics with named point categories that have clear criteria. You can earn or lose specific points based on specific moves. Students who study the rubric language and practice pre-writing consistently outperform students who rely only on content knowledge.
- **SAQ: Fast points if you stay focused**: The SAQ section is worth 20% of your exam score. Three questions, 40 minutes, 3 points each. Because there is no thesis and no introduction required, SAQs reward students who can write concisely and specifically. The most common reason students lose SAQ points is vague evidence. Name the specific event, law, or person, and explain why it answers the question.

## Final Review Checklist

- **I can write a defensible thesis with a line of reasoning**: My thesis does not just restate the prompt or list categories. It makes a specific historical claim and signals how I will argue it. I can write it in one to two sentences.
- **I know the difference between contextualization and a topic sentence**: Contextualization is a 3 to 5 sentence explanation of a broader historical development that predates or surrounds the prompt period. It is not a one-line mention. It connects explicitly to my argument.
- **I can source a document using HAPP and explain why it matters**: For each sourcing attempt, I explain how the historical context, audience, purpose, or point of view of the document is relevant to my argument, not just what the category is.
- **I have a named piece of outside evidence ready for the DBQ**: I can name a specific event, law, person, or development not found in the documents that supports my argument. I write it in my pre-write outline before I start drafting.
- **I know my complexity move before I start writing**: I have decided whether I will explain nuance, connect to a different period, explain both cause and effect, or show tension between documents. I do not try to earn complexity by writing more.
- **I can write an SAQ response without a thesis or introduction**: Each SAQ part gets 3 to 5 focused sentences: a direct answer, a named piece of specific evidence, and an explanation of the connection. I do not waste time on framing language.
- **I use the stimulus in MCQs as context, not as the answer**: I read the stimulus to anchor the question in a period and perspective, then I apply outside knowledge to select the best answer. I eliminate choices that describe real events from the wrong time period.

## Study Plan

- **Week 1: Learn the rubrics cold**: Read the DBQ and LEQ rubrics line by line. For each point category, write your own definition of what earns the point and what does not. Use the tips guides for DBQs and LEQs available here to check your understanding against student examples and feedback.
- **Week 2: Practice SAQs by unit**: Work through the Unit 1 and Unit 2 SAQ practice sets available here. Use the ACE format for every response. After each attempt, compare your answer to the rubric and identify which part you missed and why. Focus on specificity: did you name a concrete piece of evidence?
- **Week 3: Practice DBQ pre-writing and sourcing**: Use the Unit 6 DBQ practice and feedback guide available here. Before writing a full essay, practice just the pre-write: group documents, mark sourcing targets, and name your outside evidence. Then write one body paragraph and check it against the evidence and sourcing rubric criteria.
- **Week 4: Write a timed LEQ and self-score**: Choose one LEQ prompt from the tips guide available here and write a full response in 40 minutes. Use your pre-write. After finishing, score yourself on each of the 6 rubric points and identify which point you are least confident earning. Revise that section.
- **Week 5: MCQ stimulus practice and timing**: Work through the MCQ guide and student tips available here. Practice reading a stimulus, identifying the period and author, and eliminating wrong answers using outside knowledge. Time yourself at 1 minute per question. Review any question you got wrong by identifying which period knowledge you were missing.

## More Ways To Review

- [Topic study guides](/apush/exam-skills#topics)
- [FRQ practice](/apush/frq-practice)
- [Cram archive videos](/cram-archives?subject=ap-us-history&unit=exam-skills)
- [Cheatsheets](/apush/cheatsheets/exam-skills)

## FAQs

### What are the four question types on the AP US History exam?

The AP US History exam has four question types: 55 stimulus-based multiple choice questions (40% of score), 3 short answer questions (20%), one document-based question (25%), and one long essay question (15%). Each section tests different historical thinking skills and requires its own preparation strategy.

### How much time do you get for each section of the AP US History exam?

Section I gives you 55 minutes for 55 multiple choice questions, then 40 minutes for 3 short answer questions. Section II gives you 60 minutes for the DBQ (including a 15-minute reading period) and 40 minutes for the LEQ. Pacing yourself across all four sections is one of the most important skills to practice before exam day.

### What is a stimulus-based multiple choice question in APUSH?

A stimulus-based multiple choice question (sometimes called SBMCQ) gives you a short excerpt from a primary or secondary source before asking a question. The stimulus helps you contextualize the question, but the answer usually requires your own historical knowledge, not just reading comprehension. There are 55 of these questions worth 40% of the exam score.

### How is the APUSH DBQ scored?

The DBQ is scored on a 7-point rubric: 1 point for thesis, 1 point for contextualization, up to 3 points for evidence (including sourcing at least 2 documents and using at least 4 documents to support your argument), 1 point for demonstrating a historical reasoning skill, and 1 point for complexity. This rubric has been in place since May 2024.

### What is the difference between the DBQ and the LEQ on the APUSH exam?

The DBQ provides seven documents and asks you to build an argument using those sources plus your own knowledge. It is worth 25% of your score and scored on a 7-point rubric. The LEQ gives you no documents and asks you to construct a full analytical essay from your own knowledge alone. It is worth 15% and scored on a 6-point rubric covering thesis, contextualization, evidence, and complexity.

### What are the best ways to prepare for the AP US History exam?

Strong preparation combines content review across all nine units with consistent practice on each question type. Timed practice with real MCQs, SAQs, DBQs, and LEQs builds both skill and pacing. Resources like student-written tip guides for each question type, practice SAQs with answer keys, and thematic guides can help you connect content across time periods.

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