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AP Psychology Free Response: The AAQ and EBQ

How to answer AP Psychology's Article Analysis Question and Evidence-Based Question, with the six AAQ parts, the three EBQ parts and a worked plan.

  • ⏱ 3 min read
  • ✏️ 3 worked examples
  • 🎯 5 practice questions
  • 📶 Intermediate
APHigh School
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Curriculum fit: US AP Psychology free-response section. The question types and parts follow the AP Central exam page checked on 6 November 2026. Scoring details can change, so use the latest scoring guidelines from AP Central.

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What Is It?

The free-response section has two questions and 70 minutes. Question 1 is the Article Analysis Question (AAQ). Question 2 is the Evidence-Based Question (EBQ). Each is worth up to 7 points.

In the AAQ you read one summarised peer-reviewed study and answer six parts: the research method, the research variable, interpreting a statistic, ethical guidelines, generalizability, and argumentation and application.

In the EBQ you read three summarised studies on one topic and answer three parts: write a claim, cite two pieces of supporting evidence, and explain your reasoning using AP Psychology content.

AAQ sourcesOne summarised studyAAQ partsMethod, variable, statistic, ethics, generalizability, argumentEBQ sourcesThree summarised studiesEBQ partsClaim, two pieces of evidence, reasoning
Both free-response questions are worth up to 7 points. The AAQ analyses one study; the EBQ builds an argument from three.

Key Formulas and Ideas

  • AAQ (up to 7 points, 6 parts): research method, research variable, statistic interpretation, ethical guidelines, generalizability, argumentation and application.
  • EBQ (up to 7 points, 3 parts): a claim, two pieces of supporting evidence from the sources, and reasoning that links the evidence to the claim using course content.
  • Claim, Evidence, Reasoning: say what you think, point to the data, explain why the data supports it.
  • Always answer in the order of the parts and label each one.

Worked Examples

Example 1

Identify the Research Variable (AAQ)

Question

A summary describes students who slept 8 hours or 5 hours before a memory test. Researchers compared the number of words recalled. Name the independent and dependent variables.

  1. The researchers chose the hours of sleep, so that is the independent variable.
  2. The number of words recalled is measured, so it is the dependent variable.
  3. Write each in a full sentence that uses the study's own details.

✓ Answer Independent: hours of sleep. Dependent: words recalled.

Example 2

Write an EBQ Claim

Question

Three sources show that sleep, stress and exercise all relate to memory. Write a one-sentence claim for the topic 'what helps students remember'.

  1. Choose a position that the sources can support.
  2. Add a reason so it is an argument, not a fact.
  3. Write: 'Healthy habits such as enough sleep improve memory because they support the brain processes that store new information.'

✓ Answer A clear, arguable claim that the sources can support

Example 3

Plan Your 70 Minutes

Question

You want to split the 70 minutes evenly between the two questions. How many minutes does each get?

  1. 70 ÷ 2 = 35 minutes each.
  2. Use about 5 of those minutes to read and plan, and the rest to write.
  3. Move on at the time limit, because a partial answer to each question earns more than a perfect answer to one.

✓ Answer About 35 minutes each (a plan, not an official rule)

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Writing about the topic in general instead of about the study you were given.
  • Quoting a source without saying how it supports the claim in the EBQ.
  • Forgetting to define a term in your own words when it is needed to answer a part.
  • Giving a claim in the EBQ that is only a fact from one source, not an argument across the sources.
  • Running out of time because you spent too long on the first question.

Practice Questions

0 of 5 answered
Q1How many free-response questions are on the AP Psychology exam?
Q2How many sources do you use in the Evidence-Based Question?
Q3Which part is NOT one of the six AAQ parts?
Q4In Claim, Evidence, Reasoning, what does the reasoning do?
Q5How many points is each free-response question worth, up to?

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between the AAQ and the EBQ?

The AAQ asks you to analyse the design and results of one study. The EBQ asks you to build an argument from three studies on the same topic. The AAQ has six parts and the EBQ has three.

Do I need to quote the sources in the EBQ?

You need to cite the evidence so it is clear which source supports your claim, but quoting is less important than explaining how the evidence supports the claim. Use course content in your reasoning.

How can I practise the free-response questions?

Use the released questions and scoring guidelines on AP Central, write answers under timed conditions, then mark them against the guidelines and list every missed point.

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Sources and Review

Reviewed by StudyMorrow editorial review on 6 Nov 2026.