About the AP World History Exam
Exam Overview
AP WORLD HISTORY EXAM: 3 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES
The AP World History Exam features short-answer, document-based, and essay questions that ask students to demonstrate historical content knowledge and thinking skills through written responses. Multiple-choice questions will ask students to use content knowledge to analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources.
Format of Exam
Section I Part A: Multiple Choice | 55 Questions | 55 Minutes | 40% of Exam Score
Section I Part B: Short Answer | 3 Questions | 40 Minutes | 20% of Exam Score
Section II Part A: Document Based | 1 Question | 60 Minutes (includes a 15-minute reading period) | 25% of Exam Score
Section II Part B: Long Essay | 1 Question | 40 Minutes | 15% of Exam Score
Visit the AP World History student page for more exam information and exam practice.
AP WORLD HISTORY EXAM: 3 HOURS AND 15 MINUTES
The AP World History Exam features short-answer, document-based, and essay questions that ask students to demonstrate historical content knowledge and thinking skills through written responses. Multiple-choice questions will ask students to use content knowledge to analyze and interpret primary and secondary sources.
Format of Exam
Section I Part A: Multiple Choice | 55 Questions | 55 Minutes | 40% of Exam Score
- Questions appear in sets of 2 to 5.
- Analyze historical texts, interpretations, and evidence.
- Primary and secondary sources, images, graphs, and maps are included.
Section I Part B: Short Answer | 3 Questions | 40 Minutes | 20% of Exam Score
- Analyze historians' interpretations, historical sources, and propositions about history.
- Questions provide opportunities for students to explain the historical examples that they know best.
- Some questions include texts, images, graphs, or maps.
- Students will choose between two options for the final required short-answer question, each one focusing on a different time period.
- Question 1 (required): periods 3-6
- Question 2 (required): periods 3-6
- Students choose between Question 3, periods 1-3, and Question 4, periods 4-6
- Question 1 (required): periods 3-6
Section II Part A: Document Based | 1 Question | 60 Minutes (includes a 15-minute reading period) | 25% of Exam Score
- Analyze and synthesize historical data.
- Assess written, quantitative, or visual materials as historical evidence.
- Focus on topics from periods 3-6
Section II Part B: Long Essay | 1 Question | 40 Minutes | 15% of Exam Score
- Explain and analyze significant issues in world history.
- Develop an argument supported by an analysis of historical evidence.
- The question choices will continue to focus on the same theme and skill but will now allow students to select among three options, each focusing on a different range of time periods:
- Option 1: periods 1-2
- Option 2: periods 3-4
- Option 3: periods 5-6
Visit the AP World History student page for more exam information and exam practice.