Cracking the Free Response in AP Macroeconomics and Microeconomics Patricia Brazill Co-Chair, Macro Test Development Irondequoit High School Rochester,

Cracking the Free Response in AP Macroeconomics and Microeconomics

Patricia BrazillCo-Chair, Macro Test DevelopmentIrondequoit High SchoolRochester, NY [email protected]

Sandra WrightMicro Test DevelopmentAdlai Stevenson High SchoolLincolnshire, IL [email protected]

Emphasize the concepts and skills so they know how to drive the AP Econ Car and read the Map (FRQ Questions) so that no matter what question is asked they can rely on their knowledge of how to drive and read the map to go where ever the question asks…

How to help students move beyond prescribed questions or previously asked FRQs…

The FRQ in both exams is worth 1/3 of the test Grade

2010 Macro

53% 3 or above

Each Exam cut score changes

Students scores can improve with FRQ scores -

You want your students FRQs to exceed average scores!

Instructional planning report

When answering the Macroeconomics or Microeconomics free response questions, a student should respond clearly and concisely. Including paragraphs or even full-sentence responses is not always necessary; however, it is important to address the verb prompts appropriately (as explained below). A written response that presents conflicting answers is likely to lead to the loss of points.

Advice from Chief Reader

“SHOW” means use a diagram (graph). Correct labels are critical!

“EXPLAIN” means to take the reader through all the steps or linkages in the line of reasoning. Often a formula or graph will work.

“IDENTIFY” means provide a specific answer, a list, a point on a graph, without explanation

“CALCULATE” means use math to determine a specific numerical answer and show work

Verbs: What do students need to do?

Correctly drawn and labeled AD/AS models

Correctly drawn Production Possibilities model

Showing a recession on a PPF

Good news from 2012 Macro

Content Areas: Foreign Exchange Market Fiscal Policy Effect on AD

Good news from Macro 2011

Content Areas: The Mechanics of Money Creation Categories of Unemployment Classical Adjustment to Recession

Bad News from 2011Less than ~25% of Students Correctly

Answered

General Content Areas:Money and BankingReal vs. Nominal Distinction International Economics

Bad News from 2012 Macro

Determining Pe and Qe on a Monopoly graph

Firm Graph in PC market Price ceiling on a PC market graph Finding Allocative Efficienct Quantity when an externality exists

Good News from Micro 2011

Elasticity Consumer surplus when price discrimination

PC Labor market graphs finding DWL when externality exists

Bad News from Micro 2011

Good news from Micro 2012 Monopoly Graph

◦ Marginal Revenue and Demand Curves◦ Profit Max Quantity where MR = MC◦ Price on Demand Curve above Q*

Finding Total Utility by Summing MU

Identifying Domestic Production Level in Situation with Imports and a Tariff

Micro Trouble Spots9. Optimal Consumption

Rule

7. Effect of Subsidy on Quantity Produced

6. Effect of Lump-Sum Subsidy on Deadweight Loss

5. Tariff Revenue4. Value of Consumer

Surplus3. Cross-price Elasticity2. Effect of Price Increase

on Total Revenue1. Surplus-maximizing

Tariff

Special Mention: Labels!

What you can do to help your students… Ask students to show their work for calculation

problems. They should include both the formula used and the

numbers used in their calculations. This will help you find the errors in their thinking

GO BACK TO THE BASICS AT THE END OF THE COURSE Use the notes from the Chief Reader (Scoring plus

Samples and Commentary Use your Instructional Planning Report from College

Board Teach the VERBAGE GRAPH GRAPH GRAPH!!!!! Score FRQs from a grid

Take frequent timed FRQ TESTS - Short FRQs are 12 minute questions Teach students to grade from rubric Mini white boards – look at their models!

Sidewalk chalk – muscle memory Presentations of Macro and Micro 1 to class

What should students do?

Production Possibilities Supply and Demand Aggregate Supply and Demand with vertical

Long Run Aggregate Supply Phillips Curve Money Market Model Loanable funds Currency market with simple

Supply/Demand

Macro models students must know

Production Possibilities Supply and Demand – Include tariffs, tax

incidence, and world prices in your analysis Perfect Competition side-by-side graphs Monopoly Monopolistic Competition Payoff matrix in Game Theory Labor market – side by side graphs Monopsony

Micro Models Students Must know

Frequently Tested Concepts in Macro FRQ’s 1995-2011Fiscal Policy, discretionary and automatic

  1995 #12009 B#1

1995 #22010 #1auto

1997 #32010B #1

2000 #12011 #1

2001 #12011/B#1auto

2002 #1 2003 #1,2

2003B #3

2005#1 2005 #3 

 AD/AS Model

  1995 #12003B-12010 B-1

1996 #12004 #12010B #3

1997 #32004B-12011 #1

1998 #12005 #12011B #1

1999 #12006 #12012 #3

2000 #12007#1

2001 #12006B #1

2002 #12007B #1

2002B #12009B#1

2003 #12010 #1 

Money Market Model

  1999 #12007B #1

2000 #32209 #1

2002 #12009 #3

2003 #12009B #2

2004 #12010 #2

2005B-12010B#2

2005 #12012#1

2006 #2 2007#1 2006B #2

Interest rate effects (on I or growth or 4-x)

  1995 #12009#2

1997 #1,32009B #3

1999 #12010 #1

2003 #32011 #2

2001 #12012#1

2002 #1 2003B #1

2004 #1 2007#2 2007B #4

Monetary Policy   1996 #22005B-1

1997 #12007#2

1997 #32009 #1

1999 #12010 #2

2000 #32010B #2

2002 #12011 #1 

2002B #12011 #3

2003 #1,22011B #2

2004 #12012#1

2004B #1

Crowding Out   1995 #2                  

Keynesian v. Classical thought

  1995 #1 2004 #1 2007B #1

2010 #1 2011 #1 2011B#1        

Inflation impact   1995 #1 1996 #1 2002B-1 2003 #1 2004B-1 2011B #3

Long run growth   1995 #1 2000 #1 2002 #2 2006 #3 2008 #1 2009 #2 2010 #1 2011 #1    

4-X   1996 #22006 #1

1998 #32007#1

1999 #12006B #1

2000 #22007B #3

2001 #22012#3

2002 #32009 #2

2002B #32009B #3

2003B #12010 #3

2004 #22010B #2

2005B #32011 #2

Balance of Trade   1996 #22008 #2

1998 #32010 #3

1999 #12012#1

2001 #3 2002 #3 2002B-3 2003 #1,2

2003B-1 2004 #2 2005B #3

Multiple Expansion of $

  1996 #3 2001 #3 2004 #3 2006#2 2009 #3 2009B #2

2011#3 2012#2    

Elasticity   1997 #1                  

Loanable Funds   1997 #12010B #1

2002 #22011 #2

2003B-12011B 1

2004 #2 2006 #2 2007#2 2006B #2

2007B #2

2008 #1 2010 #1 

Circular Flow   1997 #2 2003B-1                

Nominal – real interest rates

  1997 #12011B #3

1998 #12012#1,3

1999 #2 2005 #1 2005B-2 2006#2 2007#2 2006B #2

2009 #1 2010B #2

PPF/comp. adv.   2003 #2 2003B-2 2004B-3 2005B-2 2007B #2

2008#3 2010B #1

2102#1    

Phillips Curve   1999 #12010B #1

2001 #12011 #1

2003B-32011B #1

2004B-1 2005B-1 2006 #3 2006B #3

2008 #1 2009 #1 2009B #1 

GDP   2007 #3 2011B#3                

Inf Expectations

  2009 #1                  

Bond prices/rates

          2010#2 2011 #3        

Frequently Tested Concepts in Micro FRQ’s 1995- 2011

Supply and Demand Grapsh   1995 #12010 #1

1998 #!2010B #2

1999#1 2000 #3 2003#2 2004B#3 2004 #2 2005B#3 2005#2 2006B #3 

Externalities   1995 #22011 #3

1992 #3 2001 #2 2002B #2 2002#2 2003 #1 2004 #1 2006 #3 2009 #1 2009 #2

Allocative (economic) efficiciency (MSC=MSB)

  2004#1 2011 #3

2005 #1 2011B #2

2006 #3 2008#2 2009 #1 2009 #2 2009B#1 2010 #2 2010B #1 2011 #1

Relationship of P and MR 1995 #3 1996 #3 1999 #3 2003 #2 2010B #1 2011 #1          

MR = MC rule 1995 #3  2004B#1

1996 #1,3 2004 #1,3

1997 #2  2005B #1,2

1998 #1,3 2005 #1

1999 #3  2006B #1

2000 #1  2006 #1

2001 #1  2007B #1

2002B #1 2008#1

2002 #1  2010 #1

2003B #3 2010B #1

2003 #1,2  2011 #1,22102 #1

Monopoly Model 1996#1  2006B#1

1997 #2Natural 2007A

1998 #3 2008 #2 natural

1999 #3 2009 #1

2000 #1  2010B #1

2003B #1 2011 #1

2003 #2  2012#1

2004B #1 2004#1 2005B #1 2006 #1

Price Discrimination 1998 #3 2011 #1                  

Elasticity/TR test*cross elasticity*Income elasticity

1996#2 1998 #3 2000 #3 2004B #1 2004B #2 2005B #3 2008 #1 2009B2* 2010B#3 2011 #1 2012#2

Perfect CompetitionProduct market and firm, side by side

1995 #3 2006B #2

1996 #1 2007 #2Labor

1999 #3 2008#1

2000 #1 2009 #1

2001 #1  2010 #1

2002B #2 2011 #2

2002 #1  2011B#1

2003B #1 2003 #1 2004 #1 2005B #2

Monopolistic Competition 2002B #1 2007B #1 2009B #1                

Market power 1995 #1           

Price Ceilings/Floors 1996 #2 1998 #1 2001 #1 2002B #3 2006B #2 2008#2 2011 #1 2011B #3      

Labor MarketMRP=MRC rule

1997 #1 2006B#2

1998 #2 2007 #2

2000 #2 2010 #2

2001 #32010B #2

2002B #3 2011 #2

2002 #1 2003B#3 2003#3 2005B#1 2005#3 2005B #1

S & D analysis of tariff/world market

2000 #3 2003B #2 2004 #3 2004 #3 2004 #2 2012#3          

Consumer/producer surplus 2002B#1 2003B#2 2003 #2 2004 #2 2006B #2 2009 #2 2010 #3 2012#3      

Tax incidence 2004B #2 2005 #2 2009 #2                

Deadweight loss 2003B #1 2005 #1 2010 #3 2011 #3 2012#1            

Equimarginal principal 2002 #3 2003 2008#2 2009B#2 2012#2            

Oligopoloy/game theory 2007B #2 2007 #3 2009 #3 2009B #3              

Lump sum, Per unit tax/subsidy

2008#1 2009 #1 2009 #3 2009B #3 2011 #2 2012#1          

Economies of scale 2009B #1                    

Income effect 2009B #2                    

Substitution effect 2009B #2                    

MONOPSONY 2011B3