AP U.S. Government & Politics All Access Book + Online + Mobile

by Michael Zanfardino M.S., James M. Lutz Ph.D., Thomas D. Berve M.S., G. Pearson Cross Ph.D., Katherine Wares Newman M.A.

Overview

All Access for the AP® U.S. Government & Politics Exam
Book + Web + Mobile

Everything you need to prepare for the Advanced Placement® exam, in a study system built around you!

There are many different ways to prepare for an Advanced Placement® exam. What’s best for you depends on how much time you have to study and how comfortable you are with the subject matter. To score your highest, you need a system that can be customized to fit you: your schedule, your learning style, and your current level of knowledge.

This book, and the online tools that come with it, will help you personalize your AP® U.S. Government & Politics prep by testing your understanding, pinpointing your weaknesses, and delivering flashcard study materials unique to you.

REA's All Access system allows you to create a personalized study plan through three simple steps: targeted review of exam content, assessment of your knowledge, and focused study in the topics where you need the most help.

Here’s how it works:

Review the Book:
Study the topics tested on the AP® U.S. Government & Politics exam and learn proven strategies that will help you tackle any question you may see on test day.

Test Yourself and Get Feedback:
As you review the book, test yourself with 6 end-of-chapter quizzes, plus 2 mini-tests. Score reports from your free online tests and quizzes give you a fast way to pinpoint what you really know and what you should spend more time studying.

Improve Your Score:
Armed with your score reports, you can personalize your study plan. Review the parts of the book where you are weakest, and use the REA Study Center to create your own unique e-flashcards, adding to the 100 free cards included with this book.

Visit The REA Study Center for a suite of online tools:
The best way to personalize your study plan is to get frequent feedback on what you know and what you don't. At the online REA Study Center, you can access three types of assessment: topic-level quizzes, mini-tests, and a full-length practice test. Each of these tools provides true-to-format questions and delivers a detailed score report that follows the topics set by the College Board®.

Topic Level Quizzes:
Short, 15-minute quizzes are available throughout the review and test your immediate understanding of the topics just covered.

Mini-Tests:
Two online mini-tests cover what you've studied in each half of the book. These tests are like the actual AP® U.S. Government & Politics exam, only shorter, and will help you evaluate your overall understanding of the subject.

Full-Length Practice Test:
After you've finished reviewing the book, take our full-length practice exam to practice under test-day conditions. Available both in this book and online, this test gives you the most complete picture of your strengths and weaknesses. We strongly recommend that you take the online version of the exam for the added benefits of timed testing, automatic scoring, and a detailed score report

Improving Your Score with e-Flashcards:
With your score reports from the quizzes and tests, you'll be able to see exactly which AP® U.S. Government & Politics topics you need to review. Use this information to create your own flashcards for the areas where you are weak. And, because you will create these flashcards through the REA Study Center, you'll be able to access them from any computer or smartphone.

REA's All Access test prep is a must-have for students taking the AP® U.S. Government & Politics exam!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780738610245
Publisher:	Research & Education Association
Publication date:	02/10/2012
Series:	Advanced Placement (AP) All Access
Edition description:	First
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	1,116,449
Product dimensions:	8.40(w) x 10.90(h) x 1.00(d)
Age Range:	16 - 18 Years

About the Author

Michael Zanfardino, M.S., is a teacher at Bayside High School in Bayside, New York, where he has taught for the past nine years. He studied at Hofstra University for both his undergraduate degree in history and his master’s degree in social studies education. At Bayside High School he teaches AP® U.S. History and in the past has taught Global History, American History, Economics, and Participation in Government. He has also authored Cliffs Test Prep Regents U.S. History and Government Workbook.


James M. Lutz, Ph.D., is a professor of political science at Indiana University-Purdue University at Fort Wayne, Indiana. Dr. Lutz has taught a variety of courses in American Government, International Relations, and Comparative Politics. He received his Ph.D. from the University of Texas at Austin.


Thomas D. Berve, M.S., currently teaches AP® U.S. Government & Politics and Comparative Government, AP® European History and non-honors American Government. Mr. Berve has been teaching for 34 years at the high school level. Mr. Berve has been an AP® Reader for both the U.S. Government and Comparative Government exams for six years.


G. Pearson Cross, Ph.D., is head of the Political Science Department at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Dr. Cross’s principal areas of teaching are state and local politics, Southern politics, and Louisiana politics.


Katherine Wares Newman, M.A., teaches U.S. History, AP® U.S. Government & Politics, Contemporary World Issues at Arlington High School in Arlington, Washington. Ms. Newman is in her sixth year teaching at Arlington High School.



Katherine Anne Ellerbrock, M.A., is a teacher at Lakeview High School, St. Clair Shores, Michigan. She began her teaching career at Utica High School in Utica, Michigan, where she taught 10th grade American History and 11th grade American Government. In Troy, Michigan, she taught advanced World History and advanced U.S. History. She specializes in American Government and American History.

Read an Excerpt

Welcome to REA’s All Access for AP U.S. Government and PoliticsA new, more effective way to prepare for your AP exam.
There are many different ways to prepare for an AP exam. What’s best for you depends on how much time you have to study and how comfortable you are with the subject matter. To score your highest, you need a system that can be customized to fit you: your schedule, your learning style, and your current level of knowledge.This book, and the free online tools that come with it, will help you personalize your AP prep by testing your understanding, pinpointing your weaknesses, and delivering flashcard study materials unique to you.Let’s get started and see how this system works.How to Use REA’s AP All Access
The REA AP All Access system allows you to create a personalized study plan through three simple steps: targeted review of exam content, assessment of your knowledge, and focused study in the topics where you need the most help.Here’s how it works:Review the Book: Study the topics tested on the AP exam and learn proven strategies that will help you tackle any question you may see on test day.Test Yourself & Get Feedback: As you review the book, test yourself. Score reports from your free online tests and quizzes give you a fast way to pinpoint what you really know and what you should spend more time studying.Improve Your Score: Armed with your score reports, you can personalize your study plan. Review the parts of the book where you are weakest, and use the REA Study Center to create your own unique e-flashcards, adding to the 100 free cards included with this book.Finding Your Weaknesses: The REA Study Center
The best way to personalize your study plan and truly focus on your weaknesses is to get frequent feedback on what you know and what you don’t. At the online REA Study Center, you can access three types of assessment: topic-level quizzes, mini-tests, and a full-length practice test. Each of these tools provides true-to-format questions and delivers a detailed score report that follows the topics set by the College Board.Topic-Level Quizzes
Short, 15-minute online quizzes are available throughout the review and are designed to test your immediate grasp of the topics just covered.Mini-Tests
Two online mini-tests cover what you’ve studied in each half of the book. These tests are like the actual AP exam, only shorter, and will help you evaluate your overall understanding of the subject.Full-Length Practice Test
After you’ve finished reviewing the book, take our full-length exam to practice under test-day conditions. Available both in this book and online, this test gives you the most complete picture of your strengths and weaknesses. We strongly recommend that you take the online version of the exam for the added benefits of timed testing, automatic scoring, and a detailed score report.Improving Your Score: e-Flashcards
Once you get your score report, you’ll be able to see exactly which topics you need to review. Use this information to create your own flashcards for the areas where you are weak. And, because you will create these flashcards through the REA Study Center, you’ll be able to access them from any computer or smartphone.Not quite sure what to put on your flashcards? Start with the 100 free cards included when you buy this book.After the Full-Length Practice Test: Crash Course
After finishing this book and taking our full-length practice exam, pick up REA’s Crash Course for AP U.S. Government and Politics. Use your most recent score reports to identify any areas where you are still weak, and turn to the Crash Course for a rapid review presented in a concise outline style.
Strategies for the Exam

What Will I See on the AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam?
One May morning, you stroll confidently into the school library where you’re scheduled to take the AP U.S. Government and Politics exam. You know your stuff: you paid attention in class, followed your textbook, took plenty of notes, and reviewed your coursework by reading a special test prep guide. You can identify the main beliefs of political parties, explain the lawmaking process, and describe the effects of various landmark Supreme Court decisions on the nation’s government. So, how will you show your knowledge on the test?The Multiple-Choice Section
First off, you’ll complete a lengthy multiple-choice section that tests your ability to not just remember facts about the various fields of government and politics, but also to apply that knowledge to interpret and analyze political information. This section will require you to answer 60 multiple-choice questions in just 45 minutes. Here are the major fields of inquiry covered on the AP U.S. Government and Politics exam:• Constitution and federalism• Political beliefs and behaviors• Political parties, interest groups, and mass media• National government institutions• Public policy• Civil rights and civil libertiesStrategies for the Exam
So, being able to name which state first ratified the Constitution (Delaware, but you know that, right?) will not do you much good unless you can also explain how the process of constitutional ratification shaped the country’s enduring political institutions and overall governmental system. It sounds like a lot, but by working quickly and methodically you’ll have plenty of time to address this section effectively. We’ll look at this in greater depth later in this chapter.The Free-Response Section
After time is called on the multiple-choice section, you’ll get a short break before diving into the free-response, or essay, section. This section requires you to produce four written responses in 100 minutes. Like the multiple-choice section, the free-response portion of the exam expects you be able to apply your own knowledge to discuss and analyze political information in addition to being able to provide essential facts and definitions.What’s the Score?
Although the scoring process for the AP exam may seem quite complex, it boils down to two simple components: your multiple-choice score plus your free-response scores. The multiple-choice section accounts for one-half of your overall score, and is generated by awarding one point toward your “raw score” for each question you answer correctly. The free-response section accounts for the remaining one-half of your total score. Within the free-response section, each question counts equally toward your final score. Trained graders read students’ written responses and assign points according to grading rubrics. The number of points you accrue out of the total possible will form your score on the free-response section.The College Board reports AP scores on a scale of 1 to 5. Although individual colleges and universities determine what credit or advanced placement, if any, is awarded to students at each score level, these are the assessments typically associated with each numeric score:5 Extremely well qualified4 Well qualified3 Qualified2 Possibly qualified1 No recommendation

Table of Contents

ContentsAbout Our Authors
About Research & Education Association
Acknowledgments
Chapter 1: Welcome to REA’s All Access for AP U.S. Government and Politics Chapter 2: Strategies for the Exam
What Will I See on the AP U.S. Government and Politics Exam?
Section I: Strategies for the Multiple-Choice Section of the Exam
Section II: Strategies for the Free-Response Section of the Exam

Chapter 3: Constitutional Underpinnings of United States Government
Considerations that Influenced the Formulation and Adoption of the Constitution
The Constitutional Convention
The New System
Quiz 1

Chapter 4: Political Beliefs and Behaviors
Founding the Republic
Beliefs That Citizens Hold About Their Government and Its Leaders
Public Opinion
Levels of American Political Involvement
Quiz 2

Chapter 5: Political Parties, Interest Groups, and Mass Media
Political Parties and Elections
Interest Groups
Mass Media
Quiz 3
Mini-Test 1

Chapter 6: Institutions of National Government: the Congress, the Presidency, the Bureaucracy, and the Federal Courts
The Three Branches of the Government: Legislative, Executive, and Judicial
Congress
The President
The Federal Judiciary
Quiz 4

Chapter 7: Public Policy
Policymaking in a Federal System
The Formation of Economic Policy Agendas
Social Welfare Policy
Environment
Foreign and Defense Policymaking
Quiz 5

Chapter 8: Civil Rights and Civil Liberties
Liberties and Rights
Civil Liberties
Civil Rights
Quiz 6
Mini-Test 2

Practice Exam (also available online at www.rea.com/studycenter ) Answer Key
Detailed Explanations of Answers
Answer Sheet

Glossary

Index