AP US Government and Politics · Exam guide

AP Gov Argument Essay Rubric Explained: How the 6 Points Are Scored

The argument essay is the fourth free-response question and the only long one. You get a prompt and a short list of required foundational documents, and you write a claim with evidence and reasoning in about 40 minutes. It is worth 6 points, 12.5 percent of your exam score. There are no documents on the page: the evidence comes from what you know.

How the six points are scored

Row	Points	What earns it
Claim or thesis	1	A defensible claim that answers the prompt and establishes a line of reasoning. A restatement of the prompt or a claim with no reasoning earns nothing.
Evidence	3	1 point for one piece of accurate, relevant evidence. 2 points for evidence from at least one required foundational document plus one more piece. 3 points for using that evidence to support the claim instead of just listing it.
Reasoning	1	Explain how or why the evidence supports the claim, making the logical link explicit.
Alternate perspective	1	Respond to an opposing view by refuting it, conceding part of it, or rebutting it. Naming the other side without answering it earns nothing.
Total	6

Our sample prompt: Develop an argument about whether a large republic better protects individual liberty than a small one. In your response, use at least one of the following: Federalist No. 10, Brutus No. 1, the Constitution.

Point 1: the claim

Does not earn the pointLarge republics have advantages and disadvantages for liberty.

It restates the topic and takes no position.

Earns the pointA large republic better protects liberty, because a larger and more varied population makes it harder for any one faction to dominate, as Madison argues in Federalist No. 10, although Brutus's warning that distant government loses touch with citizens shows that protection depends on institutions that keep representatives accountable.

It takes a position, gives the reason, and previews the opposing view.

Points 2 to 4: evidence

Aim for one piece from a required foundational document and at least one more piece from another document, a case, or a feature of the Constitution. Then use each piece to support your claim.

Lists, does not supportFederalist No. 10 talks about factions.

It names the document but does not describe the evidence or use it for the claim.

Earns the evidence pointsIn Federalist No. 10, Madison argues that the causes of faction cannot be removed without destroying liberty, so government must control its effects, and that a large republic with many interests makes it harder for a majority faction to form and act together. This supports the claim because it shows how size itself protects minorities. A second piece of evidence is the Constitution's separation of powers, which divides authority among three branches so that no single group can easily control all of them.

It describes the evidence from a required document, adds a second piece, and ties both to the claim.

Point 5: reasoning

Reasoning is the sentence that says why the evidence proves the claim. In the example above, "This supports the claim because it shows how size itself protects minorities" is the reasoning. If you can delete a sentence and the paragraph still makes sense, it was probably not doing reasoning work. Add the "because" link after each piece of evidence.

Point 6: the alternate perspective

Earns the pointBrutus No. 1 warned that in a large republic, representatives would be too distant and too few to know their constituents, so government would drift away from the people. That concern is real, which is why the Constitution relies on House elections every two years to keep representatives answerable, but the risk is smaller than the risk of an unchecked majority, which a small republic leaves more exposed.

It describes the opposing view accurately, concedes part of it, and then answers it. Naming Brutus alone would earn nothing.

A 40-minute time plan

Minutes	What to do
0 to 5	Read the prompt, choose a side, and list the required document evidence and one more piece you will use. Note the opposing view.
5 to 10	Write a short introduction with your claim.
10 to 22	Write a body paragraph with evidence from a required document, followed by the reasoning that links it to your claim.
22 to 32	Write a second paragraph with the additional piece of evidence and its reasoning.
32 to 38	Write the paragraph that responds to the alternate perspective.
38 to 40	Check that the claim, evidence, reasoning, and opposing view are all on the page.

Common mistakes

Listing evidence without saying how it supports the claim. The third evidence point needs the link.
Using only one kind of evidence. You need at least one piece from a required foundational document and one more piece.
Mentioning the other side in a phrase and moving on. The alternate perspective needs an answer, not a mention.
Using a vague claim such as "it depends." Take a position and explain it.

Frequently asked questions

How many points is the argument essay worth?

Six points: one for the claim, three for evidence, one for reasoning, and one for the alternate perspective. It is worth 12.5 percent of your exam score.

Do I have to use a required foundational document?

Yes, for the second evidence point. You need to describe evidence from at least one required document, plus one more piece of accurate evidence.

Can my thesis be in the conclusion?

The rubric does not require the claim to be in the introduction, but putting it first makes the essay easier to write and to score.

How long should the essay be?

There is no length requirement. Four or five focused paragraphs that cover the claim, evidence, reasoning, and opposing view are enough.

What counts as a required foundational document?

The AP course names a set of required documents, such as Federalist No. 10, Federalist No. 51, Federalist No. 70, Federalist No. 78, Brutus No. 1, and the Constitution. Our course covers all 13 of them.

Keep practicing

The AP US Government course has five practice prompts of each of the four free-response types, with writing spaces that score your response against the official rubric for that type, and every unit review ends with two free-response questions and a model answer. These free lessons also build the skills the free-response section tests:

See the AP US Government and Politics course Free lessons and lesson list

Other free-response guides:

AP is a registered trademark of the College Board, which is not affiliated with and does not endorse this site. This guide is our own explanation of the question types and scoring. For the official scoring guidelines, see the College Board.