The Evidence-Based Question (EBQ) is the second free-response question on the 2025-redesign AP Psychology exam. You get a question and three short sources (study descriptions) and must build an argument: state a claim, back it with evidence from at least two sources, and explain your reasoning with psychology. It rewards using the sources — not just quoting them. Write any prompt below and grade it free on AimFive to see your points.
The three things scored
- Claim: a specific, defensible answer to the question (not "it depends").
- Evidence: specific findings drawn from at least two of the three sources.
- Reasoning: explain why that evidence supports the claim, using a psychological concept — and account for the source that complicates an easy answer.
The #1 mistake
Students quote a source instead of explaining how it supports the claim. Naming the source isn't the point; connecting its finding to your argument with reasoning is. Address the source that pushes back, too — a one-sided answer caps your reasoning.
EBQ Practice #1 — Does Multitasking Reduce Learning?
Sources: A (experiment): students who texted during a lecture scored lower on a quiz than those who didn't. B (correlational): self-reported media multitasking correlated negatively with GPA (r = −0.28). C (review): brief task-switching has small costs for simple tasks but large costs for complex learning.
Prompt: Make and defend a claim about whether multitasking reduces learning. (A) claim; (B) evidence from ≥2 sources; (C) reasoning with a concept, addressing the nuance in Source C.
EBQ Practice #2 — Does Gratitude Journaling Improve Well-Being?
Sources: A (experiment): adults assigned to write three things they were grateful for nightly reported higher life-satisfaction after two weeks than a control group. B (correlational): dispositional gratitude correlated with lower depression scores (r = −0.32). C (review): benefits are larger for people who weren't already practicing gratitude.
Prompt: Make and defend a claim about gratitude journaling and well-being. (A) claim; (B) evidence from ≥2 sources; (C) reasoning, accounting for Source C's moderator.
EBQ Practice #3 — Does Violent Media Increase Aggression?
Sources: A (experiment): participants who played a violent game gave longer "noise blasts" to an opponent than those who played a neutral game. B (correlational): hours of violent-media use correlated weakly with teacher-rated aggression (r = 0.20). C (review): effects depend on trait hostility and shrink when family and peer factors are controlled.
Prompt: Make and defend a claim about violent media and aggression. (A) claim; (B) evidence from ≥2 sources; (C) reasoning with a concept, addressing the limits Source C raises.
Grade your EBQ instantly
Write a full claim–evidence–reasoning response, then run it through AimFive's grader — it scores the argument on the official-style criteria and shows which points you earned and what to fix, with published accuracy data. Write → grade → revise is the fastest path to a higher score.
Practice & grade on AimFive · EBQ walkthrough · AAQ Practice · AAQ vs EBQ · AP Psych Study Guide
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