The redesigned AP Psychology exam has exactly two free-response questions, and students mix them up constantly. Together they are worth a third of your score (the multiple-choice section is the other two-thirds), and you get 70 minutes for both. Here is the difference in one screen.
AAQ vs EBQ at a Glance
| | AAQ (Article Analysis Question) | EBQ (Evidence-Based Question) |
|---|
| Sources you read | One summarized peer-reviewed study | Three summarized sources |
| Parts | Six (A–F) | Three (A–C) |
| Points | 7 | 7 |
| Suggested time | ~25 minutes | ~45 minutes |
| What it tests | Reading a single study like a scientist: method, variables, statistics, ethics, generalizability, argument | Building one defensible claim and supporting it with evidence from multiple sources plus reasoning |
| Closest analogy | A research-methods checklist on one article | A mini-DBQ — a short evidence-based argument |
How to Tell Them Apart
The fastest tell is the number of sources. One study to dissect part-by-part? That's the AAQ — answer each lettered part about that single study (is it an experiment, what's the operational definition, what does the statistic mean, which ethical guideline applied and how, who does it generalize to, does the evidence support the hypothesis). Three sources and a prompt asking you to take a position? That's the EBQ — make a claim, back it with specific evidence from at least two of the three sources, and explain the psychological reasoning that links them.
The Mistake That Trips Up Both
On the AAQ, students define terms instead of applying them to the study. On the EBQ, students quote sources instead of explaining how the evidence supports the claim. Same root error: naming a concept isn't the same as using it. Every point on both questions is earned by connecting your words to the specific material in front of you.
Practice Both With Rubric Feedback
AimFive scores AAQ and EBQ responses point-by-point on the exact criteria above and shows you which points you earned — with published accuracy data against official scoring materials. Start with the full walkthroughs: How to Write the AAQ and How to Write the EBQ, then drill five free practice prompts.
AP Psychology practice · AP Psych Study Guide · How to Get a 5
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