How to Score the AP English Language Test
AP, or "Advanced Placement" courses are offered as an option to high school students who wish to challenge themselves while getting a head start on college coursework. These classes are offered in a variety of subjects, and at the end of the year an AP test is administered for each subject. Official scoring of the test is done every year by the College Board, which adheres to a strict set of scoring guidelines as outlined below.
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Instructions
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1
Hire college professors to aid in the scoring process as readers.
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2
Develop a standard of scoring for the free-response portion of the test. This is done by gathering with official readers, discussing guidelines and scoring a few random tests collectively.
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3
Scan the multiple choice section of the test through the computer according to the College Board guidelines.
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Assign the free-response written section to one of the college professors appointed by the College Board to be a reader. These readings take place over 2 weeks at the beginning of June.
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5
Convert the final score of the test to the 5-point AP scale by equating the results of this year's test with the results of a past test. This is done by comparing the scores for all tests taken this year in one question set to the scores from an identical question set in a previous year's tests.
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Tips & Warnings
The 1 to 5 AP scoring scale does not compare to a standard letter grading scale. For example, sample scores from the early 21st century show that the minimum point percentage to score a 5 on an AP test ranges from about 60 to 65 percent, as opposed to the standard 90 percent to earn an A.
References
- Photo Credit taking test image by Petro Feketa from Fotolia.com
