5 Steps to a 5 AP Psychology, 2010-2011 Edition - Laura Lincoln Maitland [7]
You’re a Full-School-Year Prep Student If:
1. You are the kind of person who likes to plan for everything very far in advance.
2. You arrive at the airport hours before your scheduled flight because you never know when something can happen.
3. You like detailed planning and to have everything in its place.
4. In order to be comfortable, you must feel thoroughly prepared.
5. You arrive early for appointments.
6. You hate surprises.
If you fit this profile, consider Plan A.
You’re a One-Semester Prep Student If:
1. You plan a graduation party or vacation a few months in advance so that people you invite will be likely to be available, and you can get everything you need.
2. You generally get to the airport in enough time to pass through security without feeling hassled, and get to the gate before boarding has begun.
3. You are willing to plan ahead to feel comfortable in stressful situations, but are okay with skipping some details.
4. You feel more comfortable when you know what to expect, but a surprise or two is cool.
5. You arrive on time for appointments.
If you fit this profile, consider Plan B.
You’re a 6-Week Prep Student If:
1. You buy your best friend a gift for his or her birthday, but you need to include a belated card because you missed it by a couple of days.
2. You work best under pressure and tight deadlines.
3. You feel very confident with the skills and background you’ve learned in your AP Psychology class.
4. You decided late in the year to take the exam.
5. Surprises energize you.
6. You feel okay if you arrive 10–15 minutes late for an appointment.
If you fit this profile, consider Plan C.
Table 2.1 Three Different Study Plans for AP Psychology
Calendar for Each Plan
Plan A: You Have a Full School Year to Prepare.
Use this plan to organize your study during the coming school year. Although its primary purpose is to prepare you for the AP Psychology exam, this book can enrich your study of psychology, and help you develop your analytical and free-response writing skills.
SEPTEMBER–OCTOBER (Check off the activities as you complete them.)
—Determine the student mode (A, B, or C) that applies to you.
—Carefully read the Preface, Introduction, and Chapters 1–4 of this book.
—Take the Diagnostic Exam and get an idea of what you’ll need to know to succeed in this course.
—Begin to integrate boldfaced words into your vocabulary.
—Get on the Web and take a look at the AP website(s) listed on p. 339.
—Skim the review chapters in Step 4 of this book. (Reviewing the topics covered in this section will be part of your year-long preparation.)
—Buy a few color highlighters.
—Flip through the entire book. Break the book in. Write in it. Toss it around a little bit; highlight it.
—Get a clear picture of your own school’s AP Psychology curriculum.
—Begin to use the book as a resource to supplement the classroom learning.
NOVEMBER (The first 10 weeks have elapsed.)
If your class is learning topics in a different order, it would be beneficial for you to substitute the corresponding Step 4 chapters in this book.
—Read and study Chapter 5, History and Approaches. Answer all Review Questions.
—Read and study Chapter 6, Research Methods. Answer all Review Questions.
—Read and study Chapter 7, Biological Bases of Behavior. Answer all Review Questions.
DECEMBER
—Read and study Chapter 8, Sensation and Perception. Answer all Review Questions. If you have time, visit the San Francisco Exploratorium website to do related activities.
—Read and study Chapter 9, States of Consciousness. Answer all Review Questions.
—Read and study