Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) : Best Study Resources

So you’re taking the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) exam and you’re asking some of the following questions:

Where do I find a free practice test?
An exam breakdown?
How do I register for the test?

Those are all great questions, and you’ve found the right place to get them answered!

My name is Ashley Macken, and at Best in Class we are here to help you get familiar with everything you need to know about the Praxis Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) exam!

Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Video Overviews

Choosing the right study material for the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge can be overwhelming. 240 Tutoring offers a helpful video on choosing the right study resources for you.

The following video from Mometrix walks you through a handful of practice questions to help you get an idea of what content will be on your Praxis exam.

First Thing to Know

Praxis® exams are a series of tests used by various states to measure a candidate’s knowledge and skills as related to teaching. The term “praxis” means to demonstrate theoretical knowledge in practice, meaning these tests provide a chance for you, the prospective teacher, to show that you have learned all the necessary skills to begin teaching a certain subject.

This particular test, the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge, is meant for secondary school teachers hoping to teach social studies. This exam is used by many states and professional associations and organizations as part of their licensure and certification process.

The identification number for the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge is 5081. This number’s only purpose is to help differentiate between the different tests. Since descriptive titles are similar, the test number is a great way to make sure you are registering and studying for the correct exam.

Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Exam Breakdown

The Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge is made up of 130 selected-response questions over six content categories. You will have two hours to complete the entire Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) exam.

What is a Passing Score

The Praxis® exams are graded using scaled scores. Using a scaled scoring system allows test makers to adjust scoring of each test administration to best reflect question variations from test to test.

After you have taken your exam you will receive a score report with a score ranging from 100 to 200. Since this test is used across many states, each state has the freedom to determine its own passing standard. Visit the Praxis® State Requirements page to determine your state’s passing standard.

How to Register for Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Exam

New to Teaching?

Praxis® tests are used by most state education agencies and have specific requirements. If you are new to teaching you will want to check your state’s requirements for certification and licensure.

Once you have received approval from a certification program, you can begin the process of registering for your Praxis exam. You will register using the ETS Praxis® registration page.

Select the blue “Create Account” link near the center of the page.
Fill in your information. Your Social Security number is not specifically required by the ETS page, but it is required by some states. If you choose to leave it off and later find out that your state requires it, it could make it difficult to register for your test.
Once you are logged in, you will be directed to a home page. Select “Register for a Praxis® Test.”
Next, complete and submit the optional information regarding your experience and education. While the questions are not all required by the ETS website, they may be required by your state.
You’re almost done! Now, use the drop-down lists to select your state and agency. Work through the remaining prompts to select your test administration, choose your score recipients, and pay for your test.
Be sure to print your admission ticket. It may not be required by your testing site, but it would be best to have it just in case.

You can also register for a Praxis® exam by mail or by phone.

Registering by mail is a bit more complicated. You will need to complete a test authorization voucher form. Once your request is processed you will receive a voucher number and directions on how to register. Make sure to print your admission ticket to bring with you to your testing appointment.

Registering by phone requires an additional $35 fee. You will need to have created an online ETS Praxis® account and be testing at a US test center. If you meet these requirements, call 1-800-772-9476 (Monday–Friday 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET) and pay by credit or debit card.

More information on how to register for a Praxis® exam can be found on the Praxis® website.

Already Certified?

Registering for your test will be quick and easy!

Log in to your ETS Praxis® account.
Once you are logged in, you will be directed to a home page that provides relevant links. Select “Register for a Praxis® Test.”
Review all of your personal information and background questions, and update your information if needed.
Finally, use the drop-down lists to select your state and agency. Work through the remaining prompts to select your test administration, choose your score recipients, and pay for your test.

Remember to print your admission ticket! It may not be required by your testing site, but it would be best to have it just in case.

That’s it! Now you will arrive to take your test on your selected day. Once you pass the exam and meet all of your state’s specific requirements, you’ll be qualified to teach social studies at the secondary level!

Yay!

Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) Free Practice Test

Getting ready to take the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) can be worrisome. You’re probably asking yourself if you’ll be able to pass and wondering what to study.

Knowing what content to study is crucial. You’ll want to make sure you have a practice test to help you understand the framework of your Praxis® exam.

Luckily, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve collected the best practice tests to help you know what content to study before you take the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge exam.

Best Free Practice Test

240 Tutoring’s Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Practice Test

240 Tutoring has been helping teachers since 2011 pass their exams. They offer an online, completely free practice test for the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge exam. This practice test will give you a free score breakdown, so you can see exactly what you need to study.

Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) Paid Practice Test

Best Paid Practice Test

240 Tutoring’s Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Study Guide

240 Tutoring also offers a full study guide and practice test. Their Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Study Guide includes more than 241 practice questions and 102 pages of content. So while it is a paid practice test, it offers a lot of extra benefits.

Best of all? The study guide comes with a money-back guarantee that you will pass the test.

BONUS: 240 Tutoring is a month-to-month subscription. You get all of their Praxis study guides — including the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge — for just one monthly price of $39.99. So simply subscribing to one study guide gives you access to all study guides. If you plan on taking multiple Praxis® tests, this is a great deal!

Runner-Up for Practice Test

The Praxis® Study Companion

The ETS website offers practice questions as part of its study companion for the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge exam. The reliability of this resource is undeniable, as the questions are provided by the same company that is responsible for the actual test. While reliable, however, it will likely not fulfill all of your study needs. ETS provides fewer than 30 questions for the selected-response section. Given that this section will contain approximately 130 questions, this practice test can offer only a partial understanding of your preparedness.

Praxis® Study Companion for the Social Studies: Content Knowledge

Honorable Mention

Study.com Practice Test

This practice test provides a preview of Study.com’s paid resources. Each question is followed by a short sample of a video or lesson.

Unfortunately, it falls short in the amount of questions offered. With only 15 practice questions, the limited amount of content will likely not be enough to help you study. And while there seems to be a lot of information to support each practice question, it is hard to navigate back and forth between the course content preview and the practice test questions.

Study.com Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Practice Test

Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) Free Study Guide

As you probably have already realized, the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) exam covers a lot of content. You’re probably asking yourself how you’re ever going to be able to study all of the material in order to pass your exam.

The question you probably really want answered is, “Where can I get a study guide that has everything I need to pass the Praxis® exam?”

Well, lucky for you, we’ve got exactly what you need! Below you’ll find a breakdown of the best study guides for the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge exam.

Best Free Study Guide

240 Tutoring’s Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Ultimate Guide

240 Tutoring offers a free guide, the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Ultimate Guide and Practice Test, to help test takers like you get a good idea of what your exam will be like.

The Ultimate Guide offers a breakdown of many of the concepts that will be on the exam. It provides charts, graphs, and examples of specific content to help you better understand the tested content categories.

Between the practice tests and the free study material, this Ultimate Guide is an excellent starting point! However, keep in mind that the free Ultimate Guide will not cover every tested concept. Depending on your current content knowledge, you may need to take your studying further than what is offered in this guide.

wledge Ultimate Guide and Practice Test

Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081) Paid Study Guide

Best Paid Study Guide

240 Tutoring’s Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Study Guide

240 Tutoring also offers a full study guide. Their Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Study Guide includes more than 241 practice questions and 102 pages of content. So while it is a paid study guide, it offers a lot of extra benefits.

Best of all? The study guide comes with a money-back guarantee that you will pass the test.

BONUS: 240 Tutoring is a month-to-month subscription. You get all of their Praxis® study guides — including the Praxis Social Studies: Content Knowledge — for just one monthly price of $39.99. So simply subscribing to one study guide gives you access to all study guides. If you plan on taking multiple Praxis tests, this is a great deal!

Runner-Up for Study Guide

The Praxis® Study Companion

The ETS website offers a free study companion for the Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge exam. The great thing about this study guide is that it comes from the same company that makes the test. It also offers some good test-taking tips and explains the types of questions you might see on the exam. The downside is that it can be cumbersome to read through and a bit overwhelming at times.

Social Studies: Content Knowledge Study Companion

Honorable Mention

Study.com Study Guide and Practice Course

Study.com offers a Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Practice Course and Study Guide. You can access a small portion of the content for free, which might give you an idea of some of the test content. However, to access the rest of the material you’ll need to sign up for an account and provide payment information. The paid guide offers 89 chapters broken down into 806 video and text lessons. Some may see this as a positive, while others may find the amount of material daunting.

Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge Study Guide

About the Author

Ashley Macken

Ashley is a first-grade teacher who is ending her 10-year teaching career to focus on small group tutoring and being a stay-at-home mom. She feels she has a wealth of knowledge of the education world to share with others. One thing you wouldn’t expect about Ashley is that she owns a working 1926 Model T.

Content Category	Percentage of Test	Approximate Number of Questions
I United States History	20%	26
II World History	20%	26
III Government/Civics/Political Science	20%	26
IV Geography	15%	19
V Economics	15%	20
VI Behavioral Sciences	10%	13

Praxis® Social Studies: Content Knowledge (5081): Best Study Resources