Conrad Thesis: A Study of Discrepancies Between Advanced Placement (AP) Calculus AB and BC Exam Scores

Abstract

AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC are nearly identical courses. However, AP Calculus AB exam scores are among the lowest exam scores annually while AP Calculus BC exam scores are typically among the highest scores each year. Further, the AP Calculus BC exam AB subscores are also higher, on average, than the AP Calculus AB scores overall. This thesis explores the discrepancies between AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC exam scores. The researcher felt the difference in scores likely had to do with the intrinsic motivation an individual student had when enrolling in the course and how that student fared throughout the school year. This thesis examined four school years’ worth of enrollment data at one online provider and compared this data to AP exam scores. Further, a survey was given to students both in local districts as well as this same online provider in the 2017-2018 school year, asking individual students to report their reason(s) for enrolling in their Calculus course, their semester scores, and their AP exam score. The data from the 2017-2018 school year did not show statistically significant data to correlate enrollment reason(s) to AP exam scores. The survey questions, however, could be broken down even further than the researcher did for this project. In future studies, this same survey could be analyzed more granularly or given with restrictions to students who partake in the survey to glean more accurate or detailed data.