AP World History Exam: Your Complete Guide

Do you like history? Some might think it’s a pretty boring subject, while others may find it difficult. Anyway, if you decide to take the AP World History Modern exam, you need to know a lot about it. In this guide, you will learn what topics are covered in this test, how the score is calculated, and what sections it contains. What is more, we will review some examples. Thus, let’s dive into the details with our AP World History review.    

The Exam Structure

You might have heard much about ACT and SAT complex exams. Now, let’s learn more about the AP text, particularly the World History section. The World History AP exam assesses students’ knowledge of history and critical thinking skills. It lasts 3 hours and 15 minutes and consists of 55 multiple-choice questions, 3 short-answer questions, 1 document-based question, and 1 long essay question. 

Multiple-Choice Section

There are 55 multiple choice questions in Section 1A in the AP Exam for World History. Each question is based on one or more sources. These can be primary and secondary texts, images, charts, and maps. At this stage, you must analyze historical events and processes. You will have up to one minute for each multiple-choice question. These will reflect 40% of your total score.

Short-Answer Section

In this section, you will face three short answer questions that focus on different time periods. Some questions include text and visual materials like pictures, graphs, or maps. Remember that you have three required short-answer questions – questions 1 and 2 are compulsory. But you can select questions 3 or 4.  

• Question 1. It includes 1-2 secondary sources and focuses on historical events or processes between 1200 and 2001.
• Question 2. It includes one primary source and focuses on historical events or processes between 1200 and 2001.
• Question 3-4. Here, you may choose between the two. Question 3 focuses on the period from 1200 to 1750, while Question 4 covers the period from 1750 to 2001. 

At this stage, you must analyze the sources provided and make connections between historical events and processes. You will have 40 minutes to complete the tasks, and correct answers will earn you 20% of your total score.

Free Response Section

This section consists of two parts: a document-based question and a long essay question. Both will require you to write an essay. The first essay is a document-based question where you get seven documents with different perspectives on historical developments or processes that happened between 1450 and 2001. You must develop and support an argument based on these documents. This part will take 60 minutes to complete, including 15 minutes for reading the historical texts. 

The second essay is a long essay question. You will have 40 minutes to complete it. Still, you will have a choice among three topics and can select any to answer. Each of them tests the same skills, but they focus on different historical periods: 

1. The first option focuses on the period between 1200 and 1750.
2. The second option focuses on historical developments between 1450 and 1900. 
3. The third one – between 1750 and 2001.

You need to develop and support an argument based on historical evidence and your own knowledge.

The AP World History Test Scoring System

Now, that you know everything about the sections and the whole exam structure, let’s proceed with the scoring guidelines.

AP Scoring System and Grade Distribution

According to the College Board, all AP exams have a 5-grade system. It starts with 1 point and “No recommendations” and ends with 5 points, which means “Extremely well qualified.” The table below presents more details about the scores:

Now, let’s examine the grade distribution. According to the College Board data on 2023 exam results, 64.7% of students got 3 or higher.

What Is a Good Score? 

The College Board defines 5 as “Extremely well qualified.” Thus, you should aim to reach this target. Still, a 4 grade, which is “Very well qualified,” is also a pretty good exam result. So, 5 or 4 is enough for college credit. 

What Content Does the AP Exam World History Cover?

The AP World History Modern exam covers four historical periods that are organized into 9 units. Here are the main topics and chronological periods they cover.

Also, the exam assesses knowledge of the following themes:

• Humans and the Environment;
• Cultural Development and Interactions;
• Governance;
• Economic Systems;
• Social Structures and Organization;
• Technology and Innovation.

Overall, the exam covers political, social, economic, and great cultural changes between c.1200 and the present day. So, you should keep in mind all the biggest events, significant issues, and processes related to this time period. 

What Questions Should You Expect on the AP World History Exam?

Finally, let’s examine some real examples of questions, one from each section.

Example #1. Multiple Choice Question 

In this section, you will analyze source material and answer several questions with multiple-choice answers. 

Source: College Board

This section will examine the following skills and knowledge:

• Developments and processes;
• Sourcing and situation;
• Claims and evidence in sources;
• Contextualization;
• Making connections. 

You will have to choose only one correct answer. Apart from historical facts or documents, you will also see visual data like maps or pictures. 

Example #2. Short Answer Question

This section of the AP World History Exam will have a short passage to read and analyze. Based on that, you will have to write your response in the Short-Answer Response Booklet. Make sure your answer fits within the provided space. 

Questions 1 and 2 are required and both of them will have a secondary source stimulus (like in the example below):

Source: College Board

As for questions 3 and 4, you have to pick one of them to answer. But neither of them will include a secondary source stimulus. Below, you can see a typical example of such questions:

Source: College Board

Example #3. Document Based Question

In this part, you will need to analyze seven historical documents that are related. Then, you must write an essay based on a single prompt. 

Each historical document will look similar to this one:

Source: College Board

Prompt example: “Evaluate the extent to which Muslim women in the Middle East challenged social norms in the period circa 1850 to 1950.”

Your response should contain the following:

• Respond to the prompt by articulating a historically-informed thesis.
• Describe the broader historical context relevant to the prompt.
• Support an argument in response to the proposal using at least six documents.
• Use at least one extra piece of historical evidence relevant to the argument from outside the given source material.
• For at least three documents, explain how or why the document’s content relates to the prompt.
• Prove a complex understanding of the historical development related to the prompt.

Example #4. Long Essay 

In this part of the AP World History Modern exam, you may choose between several topics. Here is one of them:

Topic example: “In the nineteenth century, various political and social groups in industrial societies called for reforms.”

Okay, but what will you need to do with it?

• Craft a thesis that is historically accurate and logical.
• Provide background information to place the topic in a broader historical context.
• Back up your argument with at least two pertinent pieces of evidence.
• Use methods like comparison to structure your argument.
• Display an intricate comprehension of the historical topic.

Conclusion

The World History Modern exam is not as hard as it might seem at first glance. Students can cope with it perfectly if they start to prepare in advance. But it’s worth it. World History is a pretty interesting subject that expands your knowledge and ability to argue your opinions. It also requires skills in primary and secondary sources analysis. Hopefully, extensive exam preparation and our guide will help you to succeed.