| The AP Chemistry Exam has two main parts, that | | | | grades. Furthermore, it is important that the AP |
| contribute equally (50 percent each) toward the final | | | | Chemistry laboratory program be adapted to local |
| grade. The first section consists of multiple choice | | | | conditions, even while it aims to offer thestudents a |
| questions that cover a broad range of topics. The | | | | well-rounded experience with experimental chemistry. |
| second section consists of free response questions, | | | | The school faculty and administration must make an |
| multipart quantitative questions, question on writing | | | | appropriate commitment for successful |
| balanced chemical equations and answering a short | | | | implementation of an AP Chemistry course that is |
| question for three different sets of reactants, and | | | | designed to be the equivalent of the first-year |
| two multipart questions that are essentially non | | | | college course in laboratory chemistry. Students in AP |
| quantitative. A period of about 90 minutes is allotted | | | | Chemistry should have access to computers with |
| for Section I of the exam whereas section II is | | | | software appropriate for processing laboratory data |
| divided into two parts of 55 minutes and 40 minutes | | | | and writing reports. A laboratory assistant can also be |
| such that no calculators are permitted in the exam. | | | | provided in the form of a paid or unpaid aide. Flexible |
| The purpose of the multiple-choice section is to | | | | and modular scheduling must be implemented in |
| assess the breadth of students' knowledge and | | | | order to meet the time requirements identified in the |
| understanding of the basic concepts of chemistry. | | | | course outline. Certain schools may also be able to |
| Such questions emphasize conceptual understanding | | | | assign daily double periods so that laboratory and |
| as well as qualitative and simple quantitative | | | | quantitative problem-solving skills may be fully |
| applications of principles. As we know that many | | | | developed. |
| chemical and physical principles and relationships are | | | | Because of the nature of the AP Chemistry course, |
| quantitative by nature that can be expressedas | | | | the teacher also needs extra time to prepare for |
| equations so the knowledge of the underlying basic | | | | laboratory work, so an adequate time must be |
| definitions and principles, that can be expressed as | | | | allotted during the academic year for teacher planning |
| equations, is a part of the content of chemistry that | | | | and testing of laboratory experiments. AP Chemistry |
| should be learned by chemistry students. However, | | | | teachers need to stay abreast of current |
| any numeric calculations that require use of these | | | | developments in teaching college chemistry which is |
| equations in the multiple-choice sectionwill be limited | | | | done through contacts with college faculty and with |
| to simple arithmetic so that they can be done quickly, | | | | high school teacher colleagues. Additional opportunities |
| either mentally or with paper and pencil. in some | | | | in the form of one-day workshops, weekend |
| questions the answer choices differ by several | | | | retreats, or summer courses are often provided by |
| orders of magnitude so that the questions can be | | | | local colleges or universities. As we know that |
| answered by estimation. | | | | chemistry is an experimental science that is most |
| It is very critical that laboratory work be an | | | | effectively learned through direct experience, so |
| important part of an AP Chemistry course so that | | | | computer simulations may be useful to extend or |
| the course is comparable to a college general | | | | reinforce chemical concepts. An ideal program should |
| chemistry course. Analysis of data from AP | | | | not only allow students to gain experience with |
| Chemistry examinees regarding the length of time | | | | traditional laboratory exercises, but also provide |
| they spent per week in the laboratory shows that | | | | opportunities for students to carry out novel |
| increased laboratory time is correlated with higher AP | | | | investigations. |