How is the AP Biology Exam graded?
The multiple-choice questions are answered on a score sheet that is machine-graded. The essay books are shipped to the Reading (usually held at a college campus) for hand scoring in June by biology teachers at both the college and AP levels. On the first day of the Reading, scoring guidelines (standards showing where points may be earned) are determined by the Reading staff. A particular Reader will score only one of the questions for the seven-day duration, rapidly becoming familiar and comfortable with the guidelines. Papers are sometimes “back-graded” by a Table Leader to assure that the standards are being applied consistently. ETS will later take the essay score (out of 40 possible) as 40 percent of the final mark and add it to the objective score (out of 100 possible) as 60 percent of the final mark. The statisticians then help the AP Biology Chief Reader set the cutoffs for the awarding of 1s, 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s.
