The very first step for the exam is for students to write down all the equations they have worked out. Most universities have different ways of doing this. When you write down your equations, you should list your formula in writing, including all of the coefficients that the equation has.
Then, ask the student who is administering the AP A-B writing test, or whoever is running the exam, to go over all of the equations and make sure that the same coefficients are used in all of them. This may seem obvious, but it’s actually really important. It’s called finding consistency.
Next, the teacher will count the number of formulas written out by the student and then give the students the number of marks assigned to each equation. Each formula should have at least one mark. There’s no maximum number of marks per formula, however.
After the teacher gives each student their marks, students should turn in their formulas. Write in the numbers in the appropriate spaces on the paper. Write the formulas exactly as the AP teachers wrote them down, including all of the coefficients.
The student will give the teacher a copy of his formula, which he will then need to determine which of the formulas is best. The teacher will use the letter grade to determine which formulas score better than others. However, if the students’ formulas don’t seem to be following the AP guidelines, the teacher may let them go without their formula.
The final mark given to a formula is a letter grade. Each letter grade is determined by a simple equation: The formula that gets the highest grade wins the trophy. The teacher will read the student’s formula aloud, and whichever one gets the highest number of marks will win the trophy.
The trophies don’t have any monetary value, but they are an indication of how good a student’s formula was, as well as how good their understanding of it was. The people that win these trophies don’t receive anything for their efforts either. They simply are very proud winners of something that does not involve money.
The winner of the trophy gets a nice reward, but the lesson they learned is one that is extremely valuable. They learned that it is important to write their formulas out correctly, and that it is also important to understand what those formulas say.
That is why AP Chemistry Writing tests are often called the AP Formula Test. Students are tested on how well they understand and apply the formulas they learn. This is especially important for students that plan to pursue careers in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.
For one thing, students can’t replicate the experience of learning in a real laboratory. Instead, they have to recreate it at home, except with real chemicals, and real formulas. Unfortunately, many students do not appreciate the value of doing this.
I hope that this article has helped you understand how AP Chemistry Writing can benefit students who attend competitive academic institutions. I hope it has also made you think about how your students would fare in these exams, especially if you teach online or at a distance. There is plenty of reason to take practice tests, so don’t skip them.