In 2017, before I was an AP Chemistry reader, I created a document called Write This, Not That (WTNT) on the AP Chemistry exam. I had noticed several comments from AP readers on the AP Chemistry Facebook Group and the AP Teacher community about how to help students tighten up responses to ensure they earn the deserved points. A lot of the feedback was aimed at improving answers in general:
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Don’t use the word 'it.' If you're comparing two scenarios, the word 'it' can make it unclear which species you're discussing.
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Read the question, and answer that question - In other words, you must respond to the question in the way it asks you to
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Definitions and generalizations (i.e., "Like Dissolves Like") are not enough to earn points - you must discuss the chemical principles
Figure 1: My post on the AP Teacher Community requested feedback and additions for the initial draft of Write This, Not That. Dozens of responses from readers and teachers on the AP Teacher community and the AP Chemistry Teachers Facebook group helped me assemble the first draft.
After I started the list from these comments, I went into the Chief Reader Reports, beginning with the first year of the modern exam (2013), and pulled tips from questions in which students made common errors. Over time, I have continued to add items from the Chief Reader Reports. In 2018, WTNT was added to the end of the Big Idea Review PowerPoint that Brandi Freeman created and several AP teachers collaborated on. I have also been honored to have WTNT included as a teaching resource in each Chief Reader Report since 2021.
WTNT is a fantastic resource for helping your students improve their writing. I am very proud of its success and popularity in our AP Chemistry teacher community. However, I have noticed it is sometimes used in a way I did not intend: as a memory sheet, or a list of “buzz-words”. I have been an AP Reader since 2020, and it is important to note that there is no single correct way to answer free-response questions to guarantee points. You can’t memorize your way to a high score on the AP Chemistry exam.
WTNT is a two-sided document - it highlights common errors (great for teachers designing lessons). It offers tips for crafting accurate responses (fantastic for students as they evaluate and revise their work). It is not intended to be a document that teaches content; it was designed to teach students how to be better scientific writers. As I continue to review the Chief Reader Reports, I have noticed that the same mistakes come up repeatedly. I have notated WTNT with specific question parts; consider using those questions as warmups or practice problems in class during instruction. Point out common mistakes if your students make them. Later, during a summative review (like for your midterm or final), use WTNT as a refresher for students. For the most part, the content tips are mistakes that can happen when students read questions too quickly and miss details in the prompt (i.e., write the electron configuration for the ion, not the neutral atom).
Figure 2: A snapshot of “Write This, Not That” with two pointers that have annotations for released question parts.
In 2020, to support the use of WTNT in a way that most benefits students, I created a PowerPoint with released AP questions and annotated scoring guides. There are many benefits to having students perform error analysis on their work. I hope the PowerPoint version of Write This, Not That is a ready-to-go lesson you can use during your review.
Figure 3. An annotated scoring guide from a Unit 9 practice question.
For what it’s worth, in my classes, I print out the WTNT document for my students in booklet form. I share it with them twice: before our fall final exam (I only share the units we completed) and then again at the beginning of our review period for the exam. Then, when we work through the free-response questions, I have them reference "Write This, Not That" when they are peer reviewing or self-editing their responses to free-response questions. I use the PowerPoint version for practice questions and then have them self-score to notice where they missed opportunities to earn points because of the quality and depth of their answers. I don’t go point-by-point through WTNT, but by having students get into the document to critique their responses, they see the power it can have. My students generally report that they like to reread it the weekend before the exam to remind themselves to avoid common pitfalls.
I hope these resources support you and your students as you prepare for the exam!
