Discuss 2012 AP Comp Gov here</p>
How is the test going to be? What do i have to do to get a 4? i used ethel wood</p>
<p>I’m self-studying this and realize that all the books seem to be bad since no major publisher (Princeton Review, Barron’s) makes a review guide for this subject. I’m using the Economist, BBC and Wikipedia to get a handle on it in addition to some no-name review book from Amazon with a glossary of terms.</p>
<p>here are some links to some useful flashcards:</p>
<p>[url=<a href=“http://quizlet.com/subject/beitler/]Beitler”>http://quizlet.com/subject/beitler/]Beitler</a> flashcard sets and study tools | Quizlet<a href=“all%20of%20the%20ones%20pertaining%20to%20comp%20gov”>/url</a></p>
<p>also, here’s a practice test:</p>
<p><a href=“https://apcourseaudit.epiconline.org/documents/apaudit/vault/297c739f2586790e905a1091b5698c8b.PDF[/url]”>https://apcourseaudit.epiconline.org/documents/apaudit/vault/297c739f2586790e905a1091b5698c8b.PDF</a></p>
<p>I’ve heard the curve’s pretty generous</p>
<p>yeah just read ethel woods and the economist blogs (bagehot covers british politcs, banyan and analects would cover east asia and china, baobab would have nigeria, americas view would have mexico, and charlemagne’s notebook covers european politics, which if you can get past recent elections in france and greece might have putin). That should help you get a 5, and make you a more informed global citizen!</p>
<p>Hey guys, I don’t know if you are willing to spend the money, but I was just randomly looking on Amazon today, and found that there’s a new Comp Gov review book out.</p>
<p>I flipped through the sample pages, and I can tell you that it looked really, really good, and perfect for review (easy to flip through, no highlighting required).</p>
<p>I would have loved to have had it last year (still got a five, but that book would have saved me a ton of time).</p>
<p>Anyhow, it’s probably too late to order it, but if you’re willing to spend the money, you could get the e-book version as either a pdf or for a kindle/nook/whatever else.</p>
<p>I STRONGLY RECOMMEND!!!</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> Worldwide Scholar Guide to AP Comparative Government & Politics 2011 Edition (9780983337409): Worldwide Scholar, Hugh Quigley: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Scholar-Comparative-Government-Politics/dp/0983337403]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Scholar-Comparative-Government-Politics/dp/0983337403)</p>
<p>let’s start cramming! how much of the current events of the countries need to be known?</p>
<p>Does anyone have any released exams? I already took the practise tests linked above, so I need to find another one.</p>
<p>Hey guys!!! Just one thing you should remember.</p>
<p>The MCs are going to probably try to trip you up by giving questions and answer choices that say something like “The British electoral system is highly conducive to coalition governments,” which is blatantly false.</p>
<p>There will be a specific MC on your exam that will probably try to trip you up in this specific way. Just remember that even though there is currently a coalition government in Britain, first past the post electoral systems usually help the largest popular vote getting parties at the expense of the smaller popular vote getting parties, like the Lib Dems.</p>
<p>In other words, it’s easier to get a majority in first past the post than in proportional, multi-member, transferable vote electoral systems.</p>
<p>Also, know all the little specifics about each country, like the specific electoral system it uses, whether it uses code or common law, how its heads of government and/or state are appointed/elected/come to power, ect. Also know current events of relevance, such as the 2005 subway bombings in the UK or the chiapas protests in Mexico.</p>
<p>I really strongly recommend that you buy the ebook I listed above. I know its only two days before the exam, but I 100% promise that it will help you a TON. No, I 1,000% promise you it will help you a ton. I really strongly recommend that you buy it. I’m not some salesman; I’m being genuinely honest when I say all this.</p>
<p>[Amazon.com:</a> Worldwide Scholar Guide to AP Comparative Government & Politics 2011 Edition (9780983337409): Worldwide Scholar, Hugh Quigley: Books](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Scholar-Comparative-Government-Politics/dp/0983337403]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Scholar-Comparative-Government-Politics/dp/0983337403)</p>
<p>^How do I buy an ebook version?</p>
<p>[AP</a> Comparative Government Quick Review flashcards | Quizlet](<a href=“http://quizlet.com/12089547/ap-comparative-government-quick-review-flash-cards/]AP”>http://quizlet.com/12089547/ap-comparative-government-quick-review-flash-cards/)</p>
<p>just made flashcards for the Quick Review at the end of the Worldwide Scholar Guide, it features many of the elements of the countries that yankeefreak says are useful, so if you guys would like, go ahead and try them!</p>
<p>Sorry guys, my bad. I don’t think you can buy an ebook, but the main “quick review” chapter at the end is available in the amazon preview, and that pretty much runs through everything. bigpapi also made flashcards for this section.</p>
<p>You should have pretty much everything in that quick review section down cold for the exam. Then you’ll be in good shape.</p>
<p>Sorry for the double reply, but I also just found the 2012 edition of the same book, and the amazon preview for this edition has most of the glossary in it, so if you aren’t sure of a term, you could consult that.</p>
<p><a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Scholar-Comparative-Government-Politics/dp/0983337411/ref=dp_ob_title_bk[/url]”>http://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Scholar-Comparative-Government-Politics/dp/0983337411/ref=dp_ob_title_bk</a></p>
<p>Also, just another thing. There are usually FRQs on the exam that will ask you to define terms like regime, nation, parliamentary system, judicial review, and all those terms in the first “general overview” chapter of your book that you are using. We intuitively know what they all mean, but even though you can conceptualize what a regime is, could you actually define it correctly in political science terms?</p>
<p>Anyhow, what I’m saying is that you absolutely must know the definitions of all those terms down cold as well. Most if not all of those terms should come from that first overview chapter of whatever textbook, review book, or prep book you are using.</p>
<p>Right now, I’m working on finding some materials that will supply you guys with all those terms.</p>
<p>Let’s also get a Q & A session going about any material that people might have questions about.</p>
<p>Sorry again for another reply, but I found the review guide that people were asking about.</p>
<p>Sadly, it seems a bit all over the place, and the country cheat sheets aren’t on there like they used to be. I’m pretty sure I have them on my other computer, so I’m going to check there and upload them or paste them here for everyone if I have them.</p>
<p>Anyhow, here’s the review guide.</p>
<p><a href=“https://sites.google.com/a/ans.edu.ni/ap-comparative-government-politics/ap-exam-review-material[/url]”>https://sites.google.com/a/ans.edu.ni/ap-comparative-government-politics/ap-exam-review-material</a></p>
<p>EDIT: I’m looking through some of the material, and I would definitely focus your time on the Core Terms and Concepts section. Those two powerpoints are very good. The second “terms” powerpoint probably has all the terms you need to know for the entire exam. It’s about 100 slides long with each slide having a term on it. Some are pretty self-explanatory, like presidential system, while others may be less familiar, like camarilla.</p>
<p>That being said, while knowing specifics is a good thing, knowing the conceptual stuff about each country, such as how the southern, more christian part and oil rich of Nigeria is generally more well off than the poorer Islamic north, is also very important. However, I assume that if you have done you’re reading, you should probably be in a pretty good position for the conceptual side of the exam.</p>
<p>The key really is to understand the general trends, for lack of a better word, of each country while also knowing some of the specifics as well, such as the electoral system or current events of importance like ones I listed earlier. That seems like a dumb way of putting it, but that’s basically all there is to the exam.</p>
<p>Have any of you taken the actually ap comparative test before?
How is it? What are the major things you need to know to pass?</p>
<p>Another Thing:</p>
<p>I don’t know about you, but I was less familiar with the LDCs, and luckily the review guide has official collegeboard cheat sheets for Mexico, Nigeria, and Iran. If I were you, I would scroll through (not read, scroll through; there isn’t enough time at this point to read sixty new textbook pages) each, making sure that you are familiar with every boldfaced term. </p>
<p>Also, I just realized that there’s another thing we haven’t talked about. Below I have pasted a past FRQ, and I want to confirm that all of you know how to answer stat-based questions like this.</p>
<p>Use the following information to complete the tasks below.</p>
<p>SELECTED NATIONAL INDICATORS FOR TWO COUNTRIES
Country X & Country Y</p>
<p>Population: Country X has 75 million; Country Y has 150 million
HDI ranking: Country X is at 43; Country Y is at 88
GDP per capita: Country X $27,000; Country Y $2,500
Percent of workforce in agriculture: Country X 4%; Country Y 37% </p>
<p>(a) Identify which country is more economically developed, Country X or Country Y.
(b) Select one of the indicators listed in the table and explain how that indicator can be used to support your
answer in (a).
(c) Select another indicator listed in the table and explain how that indicator can be used to support your<br>
answer in (a).</p>
<p>EDIT: Yes, BlackBecky, I took it last year self-studying, and even though I was ill-prepared, I got a five. I follow politics very closely, so that’s how I was able to get myself over the line for a five. I’m helping you guys out because I don’t want you to be in the same situation that I was in.</p>
<p>What collegeboard cheat sheets are you referring to?</p>
<p>Also, I’m taking US Gov and French on Tuesday, so I don’t have to take Comp Gov until next Thursday!</p>
<p>Let me just summarize everything I’ve said tonight in one post.</p>
<h1>1: I took AP Comp Gov last year self-studying and got a five. I know what it’s like to go into an exam like this without ever having done a practice MC section or FRQ, and because of my ill-preparedness last year, I am especially able to see what areas are most important for this exam.</h1>
<h1>2: There are a number of areas that you should focus on for the Comp Gov exam. Among these are the following.</h1>
<p>Specifics about each country, such as electoral system, parliamentary or presidential, code law or common law, ect.</p>
<p>Specific terms in the first “intro to comparative government” chapter of whatever textbook, review book, or prep book you are using; have them all down cold.</p>
<p>Relevant current/historical events of each country that tend to pop up in FRQs, such as Tiananmen Square protests or imprisonment of Ken Saro-Wiwa.</p>
<p>Understanding conceptual side of comparative politics and each country, such as how first past the post affects electoral outcomes in the UK.</p>
<p>ADDED: Understanding the comparative aspect of the course. After all, it is called comparative government! There might be questions on the exam that ask, “Russia and Great Britain differ in all of the following ways, except:” This part should fall in to place as you study with your focus on everything else. Obvious comparisons are “country specifics”, such as electoral system, federal or unitary systems, ect. More nuanced comparisons are more conceptual and require a little more thought, but if you genuinely understand each country pretty well and more so than just a bunch of terms in a textbook (in other words, you could have a somewhat intellectual conversation about the country’s politics), then you should probably be fine.</p>
<p>Statistics and data similar to the FRQ I posted above.</p>
<h1>3: There are also a number of resources posted above. These include the following.</h1>
<p>Practice Exam
<a href=“https://apcourseaudit.epiconline.org/documents/apaudit/vault/297c739f2586790e905a1091b5698c8b.PDF[/url]”>https://apcourseaudit.epiconline.org/documents/apaudit/vault/297c739f2586790e905a1091b5698c8b.PDF</a>
(official College Board released practice exam)</p>
<p>Quick Review Guide
[Amazon.com:</a> Worldwide Scholar Guide to AP Comparative Government & Politics 2011 Edition (9780983337409): Worldwide Scholar, Hugh Quigley: Books<a href=“Go%20to%20the%20Amazon%20book%20preview,%20and%20it%20should%20be%20towards%20the%20end%20of%20the%20book;%20if%20all%20the%20pages%20aren’t%20viewable%20for%20the%20review%20guide,%20make%20an%20Amazon%20account,%20which%20is%20free%20and%20requires%20no%20email%20confirmation,%20and%20more%20might%20become%20available;%20strongly%20recommended”>/url</a></p>
<p>Glossary
[url=<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Scholar-Comparative-Government-Politics/dp/0983337411/ref=dp_ob_title_bk]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Scholar-Comparative-Government-Politics/dp/0983337411/ref=dp_ob_title_bk]Amazon.com:</a> Worldwide Scholar Guide to AP Comparative Government & Politics 2012 Edition (9780983337416): Worldwide Scholar: Books<a href=“Also%20from%20Amazon,%20this%20is%20the%202012%20edition%20of%20the%20Worldwide%20scholar%20book.%20Some%20of%20the%20first%20chapter%20is%20also%20available;%20follow%20same%20directions%20as%20for%20Quick%20Review%20guide”>/url</a></p>
<p>Quick Review Flashcards
[url=<a href=“http://quizlet.com/12089547/ap-comparative-government-quick-review-flash-cards/]AP”>http://quizlet.com/12089547/ap-comparative-government-quick-review-flash-cards/]AP</a> Comparative Government Quick Review flashcards | Quizlet<a href=“made%20by%20bigpapi,%20these%20are%20flashcards%20for%20the%20Quick%20Review%20Section%20above”>/url</a></p>
<p>Comp Gov Flashcards Set
[url=<a href=“http://quizlet.com/subject/beitler/]Beitler”>http://quizlet.com/subject/beitler/]Beitler</a> flashcard sets and study tools | Quizlet<a href=“more%20Comp%20Gov%20flashcards%20that%20should%20be%20helpful%20if%20you%20are%20a%20flashcards%20type%20person”>/url</a></p>
<p>Comp Gov Review Materials
<a href=“https://sites.google.com/a/ans.edu.ni/ap-comparative-government-politics/ap-exam-review-material[/url]”>AP Exam Review - AP Comparative Government & Politics](<a href=“http://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Scholar-Comparative-Government-Politics/dp/0983337403]Amazon.com:”>http://www.amazon.com/Worldwide-Scholar-Comparative-Government-Politics/dp/0983337403)</a>
(website full of lots of material; as there is so much, I would recommend spending most of your time on the Core Terms and Concepts Section<a href=“strongly%20recommended”>/u</a> and the College Board briefing papers for Iran, Mexico, and Nigeria under the College Board Articles section; also some good MC practice available; there is so much material, so don’t get lost at this point in something that’s way too specific and won’t help you much for the exam)</p>
<p>If I find anything else, I will post it here. I’m going to go to bed now, but I’ll be available to help you guys tomorrow. I’m taking American Gov, although I don’t need to really study that much (got a perfect 100% on the 2009 released exam that my teacher administered for our class), so I’ll be able to help you guys tomorrow when I’m not in class. I won’t be able to help you during the morning of the exam as I’ll be in the American Gov exam, but I’ll give you guys as much support as I can tomorrow.</p>
<p>As I said earlier, let’s also get a Q & A going to answer any questions that some people might have about any of the material.</p>
<p>Anyhow, I’m going to go to bed now, but I’ll see you guys in the morning.</p>
<p>let’s start posting review questions! i need to review!</p>
<p>Here is another thing that may help: [AP</a> Comparative Government Comparisons](<a href=“AP Comparative Government Comparisons | PDF | Supreme Courts | Russia”>AP Comparative Government Comparisons | PDF | Supreme Courts | Russia)</p>
<p>What is the difference between state corporatism and neocorporatism?</p>