The AP Psychology free-response section has 2 questions worth 33.3% of your score, and you get 70 minutes for both. Heads up if you're using older materials: the format changed for the 2025 exam. The old Concept Application and Research Methods FRQs are gone — they were replaced by the Article Analysis Question (AAQ) and the Evidence-Based Question (EBQ). If a study guide still describes "7 subparts" or "Question 2: Research Methods," it's out of date.
The Current AP Psych FRQ Format
- FRQ 1 — Article Analysis Question (AAQ), 7 points, ~25 min: You read one summarized peer-reviewed study and answer six lettered parts (A–F) about its method, variables, statistics, ethics, generalizability, and conclusion. Full AAQ walkthrough + worked example →
- FRQ 2 — Evidence-Based Question (EBQ), 7 points, ~45 min: You get three source summaries and a prompt, then make a defensible claim and support it with evidence from at least two sources plus psychological reasoning. Full EBQ walkthrough + worked example →
Confused which is which? See AAQ vs EBQ side by side.
The Scoring Rule That Carries Over
The single rule that earns points on both questions: apply, don't just define. Naming a concept earns nothing — the point is awarded when you connect it to the specific study or source in front of you (its method, its sample, its actual numbers). Adding extra correct-but-irrelevant information wastes time and earns nothing.
What to Practice
Research-methods literacy (independent/dependent variables, correlation vs. causation, ethics) now runs through the whole AAQ, and concept application across different perspectives drives the EBQ. AimFive grades both the AAQ and EBQ point-by-point on the official criteria and shows you exactly which points you earned — with published calibration data against official scoring materials. Ready to practice? Try five free AAQ & EBQ practice prompts.
AP Psychology Practice · AAQ & EBQ Practice · AP Psych Study Guide · How to Get a 5 on AP Psych
AP Psychology's two free-response questions
The redesigned AP Psych exam has two FRQs — the Article Analysis Question (AAQ) and the Evidence-Based Question (EBQ) — together worth a third of your score. The AAQ tests whether you can read a research study like a psychologist (method, variables, statistics, ethics, generalizability); the EBQ tests whether you can build a defensible claim from three sources with reasoning. Both reward applying concepts to the specific study, never just defining terms.
Full walkthroughs: How to write the AAQ · How to write the EBQ.
AimFive grades your free-response answers point-by-point on the official rubric with published accuracy data — write one and see exactly which points you earned. Start practicing free.
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