Ap Chemistry 2005 An Apex Learning Guide

Chapter Two: Strategies for Success: It's Not Always How Much You Know The AP Chemistry exam is a comprehensive examination that covers one year of college-level work. No matter what all of the other review books say, there is no "quick fix" for achieving a high grade. (Sorry about that!) While an intensive end-of-year review is very helpful, last minute "cramming" is counterproductive because it will increase your level of anxiety before the examination. The best solution is continuous, yearlong study. Nevertheless, here are some pointers for improving your performance on the examination.Before the Examination Use this book in conjunction with your notes and textbook. Answer as many authentic AP Chemistry test questions as you possibly can. Your teacher and The College Board website (www.collegeboard.com/ap/students/chemistry/) are the best sources for obtaining these exams. The questions contained in all review books, including this one, have not undergone professional test development and, consequently, they can only approximate what you will see on the real exam. Get a good night's rest before the examination and be certain that you eat a decent meal. Arrive at school well before the examination begins so that you will not rush to complete all of the pre-examination paper work. Be certain that you remember to bring all of the necessary materials to the examination: pens, pencils (with erasers), a calculator with fresh batteries, and a watch. If necessary bring a photo ID, your secondary school code, and your social security number. If your school allows it, bring some light mid-examination snacks. Do NOT bring any cell phones or pagers into the examination room. Section I StrategiesPace YourselfTime management is crucial! On Section I (multiple-choice) you have 90 minutes to answer 75 questions. This translates to slightly more than one minute per question. If you are clueless about a particular question, skip it and move on -- you will be able to return to it later.Guess Intelligently and with CautionShould you guess on Section I questions? The College Board levies a one-quarter point penalty for each incorrect answer. If can eliminate one or two obviously incorrect choices, there is a statistical advantage to guessing. When you come across such questions, ask yourself: "Which choices are obviously incorrect?"Section II StrategiesKeep Track of TimeAs with Section I, the key to tackling Section II is to pace yourself. The time you spend on a question should be related to the time available for the entire part (Part A, 40 minutes; Part B, 50 minutes) and the point value of that question. For example, you should plan to spend approximately: 20 minutes each on Questions 1 and 2 or 3 12 minutes each on Questions 4-6, and 7 or 8 If you follow these guidelines you will not run out of time!Be Familiar with the Information Contained on the Reference TablesThis does not mean that you should try and memorize them, rather, you should know where you can locate a given equation or the value of a particular constant.Answer Each Question as Directly and as Succinctly as You Possibly CanThe AP Readers score thousands of examination papers and they can spot "padding" immediately. As your paper is read, it will be scanned by the Reader for obviously correct phrases, diagrams, or graphs. Readers are human, and if a Reader has to wade through a morass of extraneous junk, he or she might fail to notice that you have actually answered the question correctly.Read the Question Twice Before You Begin to Organize Your AnswerBe sure you're clear on what you're being asked to do. All free-response questions will contain one or more words that will tell you how the question is to be answered: arrange, calculKaplan Publishing Staff is the author of 'Ap Chemistry 2005 An Apex Learning Guide', published 2005 under ISBN 9780743260541 and ISBN 0743260546.