Ap US Government & Politics 2005 an Apex Learning Guide

Chapter One: An Overview of the Test Structure How the Exam is Scored Registration and Fees Additional Resources So, you've decided to take the Advanced Placement U.S. Government & Politics exam. What exactly is the exam, and why should you be interested in taking it? If you have taken Advanced Placement U.S. Government & Politics in high school or have a good foundation in political science, taking the AP exam could help you earn college credit and/or placement into advanced coursework.This book is designed to help you prepare for the AP exam. We've included information about the format of the exam, test-taking strategies, and an extensive review of essential topics. Each chapter includes review questions to help you identify your strengths and weaknesses. Also included are two practice tests with answers and explanations. With Kaplan's proven test-taking strategies and the targeted political science review in this book, you'll have everything you need to ace the test.An Overview of the Test StructureWhat is the Exam?This exam is designed to test knowledge of one year of introductory, college-level U.S. government and politics. There are two parts to the exam:Section I: 60 multiple-choice questions 45 minutesSection II: 4 essay questions 100 minutesTotal Length: 2 hours and 25 minutesWhat's Covered on the Exam?The exam covers six major areas: The numbers in parentheses indicate the approximate proportion of multiple-choice questions in each area. For example, 10-20% for Political Beliefs and Behaviors indicates that there will be 6-12 questions on this subject.1. Constitutional Underpinnings of United States Government (5-15%)(A) Considerations that influenced the formulation and adoption of the Constitution(B) Separation of powers(C) Federalism(D) Theories of democratic government2. Political Beliefs and Behaviors (10-20%)(A) Beliefs that citizens hold about their government and its leaders(B) Processes by which citizens learn about politics(C) The nature, sources, and consequences of public opinion(D) The ways in which citizens vote and otherwise participate in political life(E) Factors that influence citizens to differ from one another in terms of political beliefs and behaviors3. Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media (10-20%)(A) Political parties and elections(B) Interest groups, including political action committees (PACs)(C) The mass media4. The Institutions of National Government: The Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal Courts (35-45%)(A) Formal and informal institutional arrangements of power(B) Relationships among these four institutions, and varying balances of power(C) The ties between these institutions and the following: political parties, interest groups, the media, subnational governments, and public opinion5. Public Policy (5-15%)(A) Policy making in a federal system(B) The formation of policy agendas(C) The role of institutions in the enactment of policy(D) The role of the bureaucracy and the courts in policy implementation and interpretation(E) Linkages between policy processes and the following:1. Political institutions and federalism2. Political parties3. Interest groups4. Public opinion5. Elections6. Policy networks6. Civil Liberties and Civil Rights (5-15%)(A) The development of civil liberties and civil rights by judicial interpretation(B) Knowledge of substantive rights and liberties(C) The impact of the 14th Amendment on the constitutional development of rights and libertiesAnatomy of the ExamSection I consists of 60 multiple-choice questions. There are no set categories or question types; most ask about relationships within the context of U.S. government, and a very few test your knowledge of straight facts.SKaplan Publishing Staff is the author of 'Ap US Government & Politics 2005 an Apex Learning Guide', published 2005 under ISBN 9780743260602 and ISBN 0743260600.