AP Computer Science A

Last updated

Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science A (also known as AP CompSci, AP CompSci A, APCSA, AP Computer Science Applications, or AP Java) is an AP Computer Science course and examination offered by the College Board to high school students as an opportunity to earn college credit for a college-level computer science course. AP Computer Science A [1] is meant to be the equivalent of a first-semester course in computer science. The AP exam currently tests students on their knowledge of Java.

Contents

AP Computer Science AB, which was equal to a full year, was discontinued following the May 2009 exam administration. [2]

Course

AP Computer Science emphasizes object-oriented programming methodology with an emphasis on problem solving and algorithm development. It also includes the study of data structures and abstraction, but these topics were not covered to the extent that they were covered in AP Computer Science AB. The Microsoft-sponsored program Technology Education and Literacy in Schools (TEALS) aims to increase the number of students taking AP Computer Science classes. [3]

The units of the exam are as follows: [4]

UnitTopicExam Weighting
1 Primitive Types 2.5–5%
2 Using Objects 5–7.5%
3 Boolean Expressions and if Statements 15–17.5%
4 Iteration 17.5–22.5%
5Writing Classes 5–7.5%
6 Array 10–15%
7 ArrayList 2.5–7.5%
82D Array7.5–10%
9 Inheritance and Polymorphism 5–10%
10 Recursion 5–7.5%

Case studies and labs

Historically, the AP exam used several programs in its free-response section to test students' knowledge of object-oriented programs without requiring them to develop an entire environment. These programs were called Case Studies.

This practice was discontinued as of the 2014–15 school year and replaced with optional labs that teach concepts.

Case studies (discontinued)

Case studies were used in AP Computer Science curriculum starting in 1994. [5]

Large Integer case study (1994-1999)

The Large Integer case study was in use prior to 2000. It was replaced by the Marine Biology case study.

Marine Biology case study (2000-2007)

The Marine Biology Case Study (MBCS) was a program written in C++ until 2003, then in Java, for use with the A and AB examinations. It served as an example of object-oriented programming (OOP) embedded in a more complicated design project than most students had worked with before.

The case study was designed to allow the College Board to quickly test a student's knowledge of object oriented programming ideas such as inheritance and encapsulation while requiring students to understand how objects such as "the environment", "the fish", and the simulation's control module interact with each other without having to develop the entire environment independently, which would be quite time-consuming. The case study also gives all students taking the AP Computer Science exams with a common experience from which to draw additional test questions.

On each of the exams, at least one free-response question was derived from the case study. There were also five multiple-choice questions that are derived from the case study.

This case study was discontinued from 2007, and was replaced by GridWorld.

GridWorld case study (2008-2014)

GridWorld is a computer program case study written in Java that was used with the AP Computer Science program from 2008 to 2014. [6] It serves as an example of object-oriented programming (OOP). GridWorld succeeded the Marine Biology Simulation Case Study, which was used from 2000–2007. The GridWorld framework was designed and implemented by Cay Horstmann, based on the Marine Biology Simulation Case Study. The narrative was produced by Chris Nevison and Barbara Cloud Wells, Colgate University.

The GridWorld Case Study was used as a substitute for writing a single large program as a culminating project. Due to obvious time restraints during the exam, the GridWorld Case Study was provided by the College Board to students prior to the exam. Students were expected to be familiar with the classes and interfaces (and how they interact) before taking the exam. The case study was divided into five sections, the last of which was only tested on the AB exam. Roughly five multiple-choice questions in Section I were devoted to the GridWorld Case Study, and it was the topic of one free response question in Section II.

GridWorld has been discontinued and replaced with a set of labs for the 2014–2015 school year.

  • Actors
    • The GridWorld Case Study employs an Actor class to construct objects in the grid. The Actor class manages the object's color, direction, location, what the object does in the simulation, and how the object interacts with other objects.
    • Actors are broken down into the classes "Flower", "Rock", "Bug", and "Critter", which inherit the Actor class and often override certain methods (most notably the Act method). Flowers can't move, and when forced to Act, they become darker. Flowers are dropped by Bugs and eaten by Critters. Rocks are also immobile and aren't dropped or eaten. Bugs move directly ahead of themselves, unless blocked by a rock or another bug, in which case the Bug will make a 45 degree turn and try again. They drop flowers in every space they occupy, eat flowers that are directly on their space of grid, and are consumed by Critters. Critters move in a random direction to a space that isn't occupied by a Rock or other Critter and consume Flowers and Bugs.
  • Extensions
    • The Case Study also includes several extensions of the above classes. "BoxBug" extends "Bug" and moves in a box shape if its route is not blocked. "ChameleonCritter" extends "Critter" and does not eat other Actors, instead changing its color to match the color one of its neighbors. "Crab Critter" moves left or right and only eats Actors in front of it, but otherwise extends the "Critter" class.
    • Students often create their own extensions of the Actor class. Some common examples of student created extensions are Warden organisms and SimCity-like structures, in which objects of certain types create objects of other types based on their neighbors (much like Conway's Game of Life). Students have even created versions of the games Pac-Man, Fire Emblem, and Tetris. [7]
  • Known issues
    • The version that is available at the College Board website, GridWorld 1.00, contains a bug (not to be confused with the Actor subclass Bug) that causes a SecurityException to be thrown when it is deployed as an applet. This was fixed in the "unofficial code" release on the GridWorld website. Also, after setting the environment to an invalid BoundedGrid, it will cause a NullPointerException.

Labs

Instead of the discontinued case studies, the College Board created three new labs that instructors are invited to use, but they are optional and are not tested on the exam. There are no questions on the specific content of the labs on the AP exam, but there are questions that test the concepts developed in the labs. The three labs are: [8]

Exam

History

The AP exam in Computer Science was first offered in 1984.

Before 1999, the AP exam tested students on their knowledge of Pascal. From 1999 to 2003, the exam tested students on their knowledge of C++ instead. Since 2003, the AP Computer Science exam has tested students on their knowledge of computer science through Java.

Format

Prior to 2015, the exam was composed of two sections, consisting of the following times:

As of 2015, however, the Multiple Choice section was extended by 15 minutes while the Free-Response section was reduced by 15 minutes for the following:

Grade distributions

In the 2023 administration, 94,438 students took the exam. The mean score was a 3.21 with a standard deviation of 1.50. The grade distributions since 2003 were:

Score200320042005 [9] 2006 [10] 2007 [11] 20082009 [12] 2010 [13] 2011 [14] 2012 [15] 2013 [16] 2014 [17] 2015 [18] 2016 [19] 2017 [20] 2018 [21] 2019 [22] 2020 [23] 2021 [24] 2022 [25] 2023 [26] 2024 [27]
517.1%18.6%17.9%21.9%19.3%21.7%23.2%26.3%24.9%23.6%26.6%21.3%24.4%20.8%24.2%24.7%26.7%25.6%23.9%27.3%26.8%24%
424.5%23.6%23.2%22.2%22.8%21.7%25.7%24.7%24.8%24.3%26.6%23.1%24.6%20.5%20.9%21.2%21.9%21.7%21.9%20.4%22.4%22%
319.6%15.3%14.9%14.4%14.5%13.9%13.2%13.9%14.2%15.6%13.9%16.8%15.2%23.1%21.9%21.8%21.0%23.2%19.3%19.9%18.8%20%
29.2%9.4%9.9%7.7%9.5%9.0%8.2%7.9%7.9%7.7%7.0%7.7%7.2%12.5%11.5%11.9%11.9%12.8%12.1%10.4%9.5%11%
129.6%33.1%34.0%33.7%33.9%33.7%29.8%27.1%28.2%28.7%25.9%31.1%28.5%23.1%21.5%20.4%18.4%16.8%22.8%22.1%22.5%23%
% of scores 3 or higher61.2%57.5%56.0%58.5%56.6%57.3%62.1%65.0%63.9%63.5%67.1%61.2%64.3%64.5%67.0%67.8%69.6%70.4%65.1%67.5%68.0%66%
Mean2.902.852.812.912.842.893.053.153.103.063.212.963.093.043.153.183.263.263.123.203.213.13
Standard Deviation1.481.541.541.591.561.581.571.561.561.551.551.551.561.441.461.451.441.401.481.501.501.48
Students14,67414,33713,92414,66215,04915,53716,62220,12022,17626,10331,11739,27848,99457,93760,51965,13369,68570,58074,67677,75394,438

AP Computer Science AB

Course

The discontinued AP Computer Science AB course included all the topics of AP Computer Science A, as well as a more formal and a more in-depth study of algorithms, data structures, and data abstraction. For example, binary trees were studied in AP Computer Science AB but not in AP Computer Science A. The use of recursive data structures and dynamically allocated structures were fundamental to AP Computer Science AB. Due to low numbers of students taking the AP Computer Science AB exam, it was discontinued after the 2008–2009 year. [28]

Grade distributions for AP Computer Science AB

The AP Computer Science AB Examination was discontinued as of May 2009. The grade distributions from 2003 to 2009 are shown below:

Score2003 [29] 2004 [30] 2005 [9] 2006 [10] 2007 [11] 2008 [31] 2009 [12]
537.6%27.0%31.2%33.7%33.2%38.9%39.3%
413.8%18.5%19.5%19.7%19.7%19.1%20.6%
324.6%17.8%18.5%17.2%18.3%15.1%16.1%
210.0%12.0%10.4%9.3%9.3%9.0%7.4%
113.8%24.6%20.4%20.1%19.5%18.0%16.5%
% of scores 3 or higher76.0%63.3%69.2%70.6%71.2%73.0%76.0%
Mean3.513.113.313.383.383.523.59
Standard deviation1.421.541.511.521.501.511.47
Students7,0716,0775,0974,9395,0644,9955,105

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Advanced Placement</span> American program with college-level classes offered to high school students

Advanced Placement (AP) is a program in the United States and Canada created by the College Board. AP offers undergraduate university-level curricula and examinations to high school students. Colleges and universities in the US and elsewhere may grant placement and course credit to students who obtain qualifying scores on the examinations.

In the United States, Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science is a suite of Advanced Placement courses and examinations covering areas of computer science. They are offered by the College Board to high school students as an opportunity to earn college credit for college-level courses. The suite consists of two current classes and one discontinued class.

Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus is a set of two distinct Advanced Placement calculus courses and exams offered by the American nonprofit organization College Board. AP Calculus AB covers basic introductions to limits, derivatives, and integrals. AP Calculus BC covers all AP Calculus AB topics plus additional topics.

Advanced Placement (AP) Biology is an Advanced Placement biology course and exam offered by the College Board in the United States. For the 2012–2013 school year, the College Board unveiled a new curriculum with a greater focus on "scientific practices".

Advanced Placement (AP) English Language and Composition is a course and examination offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program.

Advanced Placement (AP) Human Geography is an Advanced Placement social studies course in human geography for high school, usually freshmen students in the US, culminating in an exam administered by the College Board.

Advanced Placement (AP) Physics B was a physics course administered by the College Board as part of its Advanced Placement program. It was equivalent to a year-long introductory university course covering Newtonian mechanics, electromagnetism, fluid mechanics, thermal physics, waves, optics, and modern physics. The course was algebra-based and heavily computational; in 2015, it was replaced by the more concept-focused AP Physics 1 and AP Physics 2.

Advanced Placement (AP) Psychology and its corresponding exam are part of the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. This course is tailored for students interested in the field of psychology and as an opportunity to earn Advanced Placement credit or exemption from a college-level psychology course. It was the shortest AP exam until the AP Physics C exam was split into two separate exams in 2006.

Advanced Placement (AP) Spanish Language and Culture is a course and examination offered by the College Board in the United States education system as part of the Advanced Placement Program.

Advanced Placement (AP) Statistics is a college-level high school statistics course offered in the United States through the College Board's Advanced Placement program. This course is equivalent to a one semester, non-calculus-based introductory college statistics course and is normally offered to sophomores, juniors and seniors in high school.

Advanced Placement (AP) United States Government and Politics is a college-level course and examination offered to high school students through the College Board's Advanced Placement Program. This course surveys the structure and function of American government and politics that begins with an analysis of the United States Constitution, the foundation of the American political system. Students study the three branches of government, administrative agencies that support each branch, the role of political behavior in the democratic process, rules governing elections, political culture, and the workings of political parties and interest groups.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Advanced Placement exams</span> Exams offered by College Board culminating Advanced Placement courses

Advanced Placement (AP) examinations are exams offered in United States by the College Board and are taken each May by students. The tests are the culmination of year-long Advanced Placement (AP) courses, which are typically offered at the high school level. AP exams have a multiple-choice section and a free-response section.

Advanced Placement (AP) Environmental Science is a course and exam offered by the American College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program to high school students interested in the environmental and natural sciences. AP Environmental Science was first offered in the 1997–1998 school year.

Advanced Placement (AP) French Language and Culture is a course offered by the College Board to high school students in the United States as an opportunity to earn placement credit for a college-level French course. The AP French Language test is widely compared to a final examination for a French 301 college course. Enrollment requirements for AP French Language differ from school to school, but students wishing to enter it should have a good command of French grammar and vocabulary as well as prior experience in listening, reading, speaking, and writing French and a holistic cultural knowledge of francophone regions. The AP French Language and Culture exam underwent a change beginning in May 2012 designed to better test interpretive, interpersonal, and presentational communication skills.

Advanced Placement (AP) Japanese Language and Culture is a course offered by the College Board as part of the Advanced Placement Program in the United States. It is intended to give students a thorough background in the Japanese language and Japanese social customs. The class was first given as a certified College Board program in the 2006–07 school year. Preparations for the corresponding test were made, but the complex computer and internet requirements were not fully sorted out by administration time, and the exam was not given in some areas.

Advanced Placement (AP) Physics C: Mechanics is an introductory physics course administered by the American College Board as part of its Advanced Placement program. It is intended to serve as a proxy for a one-semester calculus-based university course in mechanics. Physics C: Mechanics may be combined with its electricity and magnetism counterpart to form a year-long course that prepares for both exams.

Advanced Placement (AP) Physics C: Electricity and Magnetism is an introductory physics course administered by the College Board as part of its Advanced Placement program. It is intended to serve as a proxy for a second-semester calculus-based university course in electricity and magnetism. Physics C: E&M may be combined with its mechanics counterpart to form a year-long course that prepares for both exams.

AP Capstone, officially known as the Advanced Placement Capstone Diploma Program, is a 2-year program developed by the College Board that consists of two courses: the AP Seminar and AP Research. Students who successfully complete the program and obtain scores of 3 or higher on at least four other AP exams receive either an AP Capstone Diploma or an AP Seminar and Research Certificate.

Advanced Placement (AP) Computer Science Principles is an AP Computer Science course and examination offered by the College Board to high school students as an opportunity to earn college credit for a college-level computing course. AP Computer Science Principles is meant to be the equivalent of a first-semester course in computing. Assessment for AP Computer Science Principles is divided into two parts, both an end of course exam as well as the creation of artifacts throughout the course.

Advanced Placement (AP) International English Language is an AP Examinations course managed by Educational Testing Service (ETS) with the sponsorship of the College Board in New York. It is designed for non-native speakers to prepare for studying in an English-speaking university, particularly in North America. The course also gives students a chance to earn college credit. The three-hour exam assesses four language skills: listening, reading, writing, and speaking. The test paper has two sections: multiple-choice questions and free-response questions. APIEL committee consists of high school and university English teachers from Belgium, China, France, Germany, Switzerland, and the United States.

References

  1. AP Computer Science A Home Page, The College Board
  2. "Important Announcement about AP Computer Science AB". AP Central. The College Board. 2008. Archived from the original on April 9, 2008.
  3. Bishop, Todd (2012-07-27). "Geek of the Week: Kevin Wang is putting computer scientists into high schools". GeekWire . Archived from the original on 2015-07-05. Retrieved 2015-07-05.
  4. "AP Computer Science A Course and Exam Description, Effective 2020" (PDF). AP Central. Retrieved September 24, 2020.
  5. "GridWorld Case Study". AP. The College Board. Archived from the original on February 26, 2012.
  6. Horstmann, Cay. "GridWorld". horstmann.com. Accessed September 15, 2008.
  7. Horstmann, Cay. "Extending GridWorld". Extending GridWorld. Retrieved 22 February 2016.
  8. "New Computer Science A Lab Requirement" . Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  9. 1 2 STUDENT GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS (PDF), College Board, 2005, retrieved January 30, 2017
  10. 1 2 STUDENT GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS (PDF), College Board, 2006, retrieved January 30, 2017
  11. 1 2 STUDENT GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS (PDF), College Board, 2007, retrieved January 30, 2017
  12. 1 2 STUDENT GRADE DISTRIBUTIONS (PDF), College Board, 2009, retrieved January 30, 2017
  13. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  14. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  15. "AP Computer Science A 2012 Score Distribution" (PDF). College Board. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  16. "AP Computer Science A 2013 Score Distribution" (PDF). College Board. Retrieved 12 January 2014.
  17. "Student Score Distribution" (PDF). College Board. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  18. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  19. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  20. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  21. "Student Score Distributions, AP Exams - May 2018" (PDF). The College Board. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  22. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  23. "STUDENT SCORE DISTRIBUTIONS" (PDF). Retrieved June 9, 2021.
  24. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  25. "Student Score Distributions" (PDF). Retrieved October 1, 2023.
  26. "STUDENT SCORE DISTRIBUTIONS" (PDF). Retrieved January 12, 2024.
  27. Total Registration (2024-06-25). "2024 AP Exam Score Distributions". www.totalregistration.net. Retrieved 2024-06-27.
  28. Cech, Scott J., "College Board Intends to Drop AP Programs in Four Subjects", Education Week, 9 April 2008
  29. "2003: Computer Science AB Grade Distributions". AP Central. College Board. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  30. "2004: Computer Science AB Grade Distributions". AP Central. College Board. Retrieved January 30, 2017.
  31. "2008 Computer Science AB Grade Distribution". College Board. Archived from the original on 20 June 2009. Retrieved 5 March 2012.
Listen to this article (16 minutes)
Sound-icon.svg
This audio file was created from a revision of this article dated 16 May 2020 (2020-05-16), and does not reflect subsequent edits.