Beginning with the May 2011 AP Exam administration, total scores on multiple-choice sections will be based on the number of questions answered correctly. Points will no longer be deducted for incorrect answers and, as always, no points will be awarded for unanswered questions.
Existing research confirms that both formula scoring (in which points are deducted for incorrect answers) and rights scoring (in which no points are deducted for incorrect answers) are valid scoring procedures. As AP has expanded, we have needed to create additional versions of each AP Exam to support test-taking worldwide. Unlike most other high stakes exams, AP Exams have a heavily weighted free-response section, which requires specific test development and scoring processes that ensure AP Exams are comparable in difficulty from version to version. The change to rights scoring simply enables us to streamline those processes.