Section Blueprint and Score Targets
Section I is taken in the Bluebook app. You have 90 minutes to answer 75 four-option questions (A–D), worth 66.7% of your composite score. Questions appear either as standalone items or in small sets of 2–4 questions tied to a research summary, data table, or graph. Calculators are prohibited; all arithmetic is simple enough to compute on your scratch paper.
Each unit accounts for 15–25% of the questions. By science practice, the questions split like this:
| Science Practice | Exam Weight | Approx. Questions | Core Task |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practice 1: Concept Application | ~65% | 48–50 | Apply psychological perspectives, theories, and terms to everyday or clinical scenarios. |
| Practice 2: Research Methods & Design | ~25% | 18–20 | Identify methods, variables, sampling, operational definitions, flaws, and ethics. |
| Practice 3: Data Interpretation | ~10% | 7–8 | Calculate or interpret descriptive stats, correlation coefficients (), effect sizes, and -values. |
Raw Target Numbers
Because there is no penalty for wrong answers, every single question must have a selected response before time expires. Based on estimated scoring curves, aim for these raw Section I totals to anchor your overall score:
- Score 5 Target: 55–62+ correct (73–83%). Even at 62 you still need about 8 of the 14 free-response points for a 5 on the estimated curve, and at 55 about 11, so Section II still matters.
- Score 4 Target: 45–54 correct (60–72%).
- Score 3 Target: 37–44 correct (49–59%).
The 90-Minute Pacing Plan
You have an average of 72 seconds per question, which is generous if you do not reread long stems three times. Use a two-pass system in Bluebook to bank easy points and protect your clock.
| Elapsed Time | Benchmark Target | Action Plan |
|---|---|---|
| 0:00 – 25:00 | Questions 1–25 | Pass 1 (Part A): Work steadily at ~60 seconds per item. If a stem takes two reads without clicking, pick your best educated guess, click Mark for Review, and advance immediately. |
| 25:00 – 50:00 | Questions 26–50 | Pass 1 (Part B): Keep momentum through the middle sets. Never spend 3 minutes wrestling with a single tricky research vignette. |
| 50:00 – 75:00 | Questions 51–75 | Pass 1 (Part C): Reach Question 75 with 15 minutes remaining on the clock. Ensure every single item has a selected bubble. |
| 75:00 – 90:00 | Marked Items | Pass 2 (Cleanup): Open the Bluebook review screen. Visit only your marked items. Change an answer only if you misread the stem or found concrete evidence in the text. |