AP World History: Modern · Exam guide

AP World History Multiple-Choice Guide: 55 Questions in 55 Minutes

The multiple-choice section is 40 percent of the AP World History score. Its sources span the whole globe from about 1200, so the skill that matters most is placing a source in its region and period quickly. This guide shows the format, the question types, a routine that fits one minute per question, and a worked example.

What the section is

55 multiple-choice questions in 55 minutes, which is about one minute per question.
The section is 40 percent of the exam score. Every question counts the same, and there is no penalty for a wrong answer, so never leave one blank.
Questions come in short sets. Each set is built on a stimulus: a passage, a document excerpt, an image, a map, a chart or a graph.
The questions test historical thinking as much as facts: reading a source, placing it in context, and reasoning about causes, comparisons, and change over time.

A routine for every set

A worked example

Document A. Charter Oath, Japan, 1868

Deliberative assemblies shall be widely established and all matters decided by public discussion.

A statement of principles issued in the name of the young Emperor Meiji (translations vary slightly).

Question: Which best explains the historical context of the statement above?

Option	Verdict and reason
A. Japanese leaders were responding to pressure from Western powers by adopting selected foreign institutions to strengthen the state	Correct. After the Meiji Restoration of 1868, leaders studied Western governments, laws, and industry in order to resist the fate of China and other states under foreign pressure.
B. The Tokugawa shogunate was enforcing a policy of isolation	Wrong. The Tokugawa shogunate had just ended, and the new government was moving away from isolation.
C. Japanese leaders were rejecting all foreign ideas to protect traditional society	Wrong. They adopted many foreign practices, though selectively.
D. Japan was building an overseas empire in Southeast Asia	Wrong. Japanese expansion came later, and the source is about government at home.

The route to the answer: the date is 1868 and the topic is assemblies, an idea the Japanese took from Western models. Option B is the earlier period, C contradicts the source, and D is the wrong place and time.

Read the source line first: who wrote it, when, and for whom. That already answers many questions about point of view, purpose, and context.
Read the stimulus once, then read the first question. Cross out two options you can prove wrong before you choose between the last two.
Answer from the source and your knowledge together. A correct option fits both the text and the time period.
Watch absolute words such as always, never, only, and all. They are usually wrong in history.
If you are stuck after about 90 seconds, mark your best guess and move on. Return only if time remains.

The question types

Type	What it asks	How to answer
Context	Which development best explains the source?	Match the date to a period and pick the cause or setting that was true then.
Point of view and purpose	Why did the author write this, or what does the author assume?	Use the author, the audience, and the occasion, not just the topic.
Comparison	What did two sources or two places share or differ on?	Name the similarity or difference in your own words first, then find it among the options.
Cause and effect	Which was a result of this development?	Choose an effect that fits the period. Beware effects that came much later.
Continuity and change	What remained the same, or what changed, over the period?	Place one anchor date before and one after, then decide which statement the dates support.

Common mistakes

Picking an option because it is true in general but does not fit the source or the date.
Choosing the answer that sounds important, instead of the one the stimulus supports.
Using outside knowledge to argue with the source. The source is real evidence even when you disagree with it.
Spending three minutes on one hard question and rushing the last ten.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a penalty for guessing?

No. A wrong answer costs nothing, so answer every question.

How much of the score is the multiple-choice section?

The multiple-choice section is 40 percent of the exam score. The written questions make up the other 60 percent.

Should I read the stimulus or the questions first?

Read the source line and the stimulus quickly, then the questions, then return to the stimulus for the details a question names.

How do I study for the World History multiple-choice section?

Practice reading short sources and explaining, in a sentence, why each wrong option is wrong. That habit trains the reasoning the section rewards.

Where can I find the official format?

Exam formats change a little from year to year, so check the current course and exam description on the College Board site before test day.

Keep practicing

The AP World History course has practice prompts for the DBQ, LEQ and short-answer questions, with a writing space that scores your response against the 7-point and 6-point rubrics. These free lessons also build the skills the free-response section tests:

See the AP World History: Modern course Free lessons and lesson list

More AP World History: Modern guides (7)

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Free-response and writing

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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.