AP Psychology Summer Assignment

2021-2022

Why do I have a summer assignment for AP Psychology?

Completing this assignment will allow you to:

• Uncover your hidden talents and begin to recognize them as strengths.
• Identify how these strengths have already played a part in your life story.
• Begin to learn the writing style required for Free Response Questions (FRQ)

What do I need for my summer assignment?

• Purchase or borrow the book Strengths Finder 2.0 by Tom Rath

*new or used is acceptable

• Attached FRQ writing style explanation

Assignment: Reading and Assessment

• You will read Part I of the book: Finding Your Strengths – An introduction.
• Continue reading Part II of the book: The 34 Themes and Ideas for Action.
• You will pick three strengths that you identify with the most from PART II of the book.

Assignment: FRQ Writing – Defining and Applying My Strengths

• Using the attached explanation of the FRQ writing style you will answer the question,

“What three strengths do you believe have helped you achieve the most in life?”

• Please DEFINE the strength in your own words and then APPLY to a specific situation in your own life. Make sure that everything is in complete sentences and not paraphrased.
• Remember that an FRQ is not completed in MLA format. It is a scientific writing style that is straight and to the point. The content is most important, not the way the response is constructed.

The FRQ writing assignment will be due on the first day of school, printed.

What is a Free Response Question?

• It is simple straight forward, clear, concise response to a given scenario.

• Questions will ask students to do the following: Explain behavior and apply theories using concepts   from different theoretical frameworks or subdomains in the field.

• Analyze psychological research studies, including analyzing and interpreting quantitative data.

This summer assignment is your first step towards mastering the FRQ.  You will articulate though writing, how your three strengths are significant to your life.  There are different formats and types of FRQ’s and when writing a FRQ, it is important to focus on psychological concepts.  For the summer assignment, describe how each of your strengths apply to success in areas of your life such as academics, athletics/clubs, work, and relationships.  All of these areas of life consist of psychological concepts.  Start by defining your strengths, and next write your application.  

Throughout the academic year, we will focus on improving writing skills that will help with your success in the AP Exam, but will also help with general writing skills that are accentual to academic success.  This summer assignment is your first step towards success.