The Year in Review

Since I'm heading out for the AP Exam Reading on Sunday, this week marks my last days with the Class of 2014. Despite a TON of challenges (me returning partway into the school year after my internship, more snow days than anyone ever wanted, and the hassle of being "in-between" versions of the DSM), this group stuck with it. And they did it with patience and a sense of humor.

Below, a compilation of some of our best moments from the past year.


AP Psych 2013-14 from Virginia Welle on Vimeo.

Implicit Attitudes: Immaculate Perception?

TED Talk by Jerry Kang:



Curious to see how you would do on the Implicit Association Test? Try out one of the versions of the IAT here.

Class Picture Day

Today we took advantage of the beautiful weather (and an opportune moment in the lesson schedule) and headed out to take our last class pictures. We've got some great people in AP Psych this year, and it was nice to take a moment to document the AP Psych classes of 2013-14 before the fury of final projects hits.

1st Hour

2nd Hour

3rd Hour

6th Hour

7th Hour

Research Project - Resources

Your final project for this course involves using psychological science to understand (and generate a solution to) a modern problem. You should have received a copy of the project directions in class last week, but we will begin working on the written part during lab time over the next several days.

Stuck? Need topic ideas?

• The American Psychological Association has great, general topic ideas and may even point you toward the authors of scholarly articles that could be used in your paper.
• You can also peruse recent copies of the Monitor on Psychology (in classroom) for ideas. 

What is a scholarly journal article and how do I find them?

• Not sure what a scholarly article is? This tutorial ought to help.
• This website outlines the difference between scholarly, peer-reviewed work and popular articles.
• Badgerlink
• Google Scholar

Using APA Style in Formal Papers

• APA Style - In-text Citations & Reference
• APA Style References
• Example: Paper written in APA style (although your paper will not contain the same sections, this gives you an idea of what APA style papers look like when finished, and it explains why certain APA style elements exist). 
• Was that last one scary? Here's a less intimidating example paper. 

Preparing for Online Score Reports

You took the AP Psych Exam this afternoon. You spent a LOT of time preparing for that test this year, so you're going to want to find out how you did as soon as possible! Unfortunately for you, AP Scores aren't available until July, so you'll have to practice some patience.

Also, scores are ONLY available online (you won't get a printed score report mailed to you), so you'll need to have a College Board Account in order to access them. Here are the steps you'll need to take to access your scores:

Students need to:

• Fill in AP answer sheets carefully and consistently during AP testing. Especially important are name, date of birth, sex, mailing address, and email address.
• Sign up for a College Board account at apscore.org. Students must have an account to access their scores. Some students may already have an account. Have them confirm this by signing in.
• Remember their College Board username and password and their 2014 AP number (or student ID number if they provided it on their AP answer sheet).
• Look for an email at the email address they put on their AP answer sheet reminding them how and when to access their scores.

AP Psych Exam - Last Minute Reminders

This Monday, you'll be taking the AP Psych Exam. Here's what Chippewa Falls AP Psych students need to know:

• The exam begins at 12:00 at the National Guard Armory. (See Map below) Arrive a few minutes early, if possible, to locate your testing room, as there will likely be more than one testing room for this exam. (NOTE: Not all AP subject exams will be at this location. If you are taking a different subject AP exam later in the week, be sure you know where to go for that).
• You will be excused 4th - 7th hours (release @ 11:12 AM).
• Since there will be little time between the end of your 3rd hour class and the exam start, consider packing a LIGHT lunch to eat on the way/before the exam begins. However, you can't bring food into the exam rooms. You may pack a snack in your backpack, though. Like maybe your juicebox robot? 
• You need to provide your own transportation to the test site. Arrange carpools ahead of time, if necessary. Don't wait until the last minute!
• Be sure to practice a solid pre-test regimen: get plenty of sleep the night before, eat healthful meals, and of course, review your course materials!

BRING:

1. A couple of #2 pencils (for the MC part).
2. A couple of pens (blue or black) for the F-R part. Be sure to have a couple in case one runs out of ink!
3. A watch (that does not beep!), in case you are seated in a place where the clock is not easy to see.
4. A sweatshirt? It's ideal to dress in layers so you can adjust if you're too hot/cold.

DO NOT BRING:

1. Cellular phones, beepers, MP3 players, or personal data assistants (PDAs)
2. Books, correction fluid, dictionaries, highlighters, or notes
3. Scratch paper (notes can be made on portions of the exam booklets)
4. Calculators
5. Watches that beep or have an alarm
6. Portable listening or recording devices (even with headphones) or photographic equipment
7. Clothing with psych-related information on it (e.g. sorry, even Psych Club shirts are a no-no)
8. Food or drinks

Good luck, everyone! You can do it!

Map to testing site:

View Larger Map

Final AP Exam Review - Resources

If you prefer to use online tools for your test preparation, you've got plenty of options in preparing for the AP Psych exam. You might find yourself gravitating toward "old reliables," like Quizlet flashcards, or perhaps you're looking for something new. Look no further.

However, keep in mind that at this point (with just days or hours remaining until the AP exam), you are looking to develop MASTERY of course content, not simple familiarity. Strategies that you used to develop familiarity with content when first presented with it should be replaced with methods that put your understanding to the test. For example, some research has suggested that simply re-reading text actually results in WORSE performance on tests because when you read something that is familiar, you may mistake that familiarity with true understanding and fail to adequately prepare.

That means, be cautious about simply reading chapter or topic summaries (for example, in an Exam Prep manual) or passively viewing a video, thinking to yourself, "Oh yeah. I know this," and then moving on. Those resources may be helpful for clarifying misunderstandings or as a reference ("What is the 3rd stage in Piaget's model of cognitive development? Oh here it is...") BUT, to find out how much you really know, PUT YOURSELF TO THE TEST. Here are some ways to do that:

Practice Questions & Tests

Here are some FREE online AP Psych practice tests.

• Kaplan's AP Psychology Pod - Includes TWO free tests and topic-specific practice questions. Can get immediate or delayed feedback about correct answers. You also get diagnostic feedback about which topics you need to review the most.

• Barron's AP Psychology - Free, full-length practice exam. Can take timed or in "practice" mode where immediate feedback about correct answers is available.

• Old AP Psych Tests from the College Board (1999 and 1994 versions) - If you prefer the paper and pencil route, and don't mind printing these publicly released versions, they can be a good option. Keep in mind, these exams are OVER TEN YEARS old (that's why they are available to the public), so they may not be totally current in their content.

Online Practice Tests on Specific AP Psych Topics - some of these I have posted previously as we encountered them during the year. Good opportunities to return to difficult content and try again.

More Topic Specific Multiple Choice Questions - Use the left side navigation bar to select a topic and quiz format. Great, free practice on many course topics!

Previous FRQs - The College Board releases free-response questions from previous years, along with scoring rubrics and samples of student work. I'll have these available for viewing at our study session, but if you're working from home they're worth a look. 

Quizlet Links

You may have used these before for familiarity (just flipping through them?). This time, try using one of the study modes that forces you to commit to answer before revealing correctness: the "Learn," "Spacerace," and "Test" modes are good for that.

Remember, if you take a few minutes to sign up for a free account, you can combine different sets to create a more random review sequence!

• History and Approaches (Prologue)
• Research Methods (Ch. 1)
• Neuroscience (Ch. 2)
• Nature & Nurture of Behavior (Ch. 3)
• Developmental Psych (Ch. 4)
• Sensation & Perception (Ch. 5 & 6)
• Learning (Ch. 8)
• Memory (Ch. 9)
• States of Consciousness (Ch. 7)
• Thinking & Language (Ch. 10)
• Testing & Intelligence (Ch. 11)
• Motivation (Ch. 12)
• Emotion (Ch. 13 & selected portions of Ch. 14)
• Personality (Ch. 15)
• Psychological Disorders & Treatment (Ch. 16 & 17)
• Social Psychology (Ch. 18)
• And....most challenging of all, FAMOUS PSYCHOLOGISTS!

Videos

Need a quick review of a difficult topic? Try some of these sites.

Mr. Schallhorn's Review Videos - YouTube videos that give you a quick, but accurate overview of some of psychology's most challenging topics.

Psychology Crash Course - 10 minute videos on MANY different course topics.

Education Portal Academy - Brief lectures on almost every major topic in AP Psych, with quizzes to follow. Not as detailed as in class lectures, but PLENTY for those needing a difficult topic re-explained.

Games

AP Psych Jeopardy - Play with up to five teams! (Requires Flashplayer)

Psychology Vocab Game - Challenging, timed vocabulary quiz. You can select the length depending on time available. FYI: Requires Flashplayer.

Famous Psychologists - Only 20 psychologists, but some fun interactive games. Good for beginners?

Jeopardy Reviews by Topic - Access this psychology course's home page and scroll down to find "Jeopardy Reviews for the AP Exam." These are Powerpoint files. Kudos to their creator (not me)!