Presents effective ways to combine classic political science readings with outside-the-classroom research assignments. Gives examples of projects that have worked well in preparing students for the United States government and politics advanced placement examination. (DB)

Provides historical information on the Document-Based Question (DBQ) that has been a part of the Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. history examination since 1973. Focuses on the effects that DBQ had on course content and teaching methods. Addresses the new changes made with the redesign of the DBQ in 1982. (CMK)

Argues that poor student performance on the Advanced Placement (AP) U.S. history examination is due to poor preparation for the exam and the misuse of the AP examination to measure teacher effectiveness and school quality. States that teaching methods must change to enable students to see the relationships among facts in history. (CMK)

This study compared performance of seniors at 21 Montgomery County (Maryland) high schools on the Advanced Placement (AP) Tests. The schools were ranked by the percentage of college-educated adults within the school boundaries, and the ranking was compared to Advanced Placement test results (the average number of students, per 100 seniors, who…