Basic Diploma Exam Strategies

1. Basic Diploma Exam Strategies In other words: how to scramble towards the right answer when you forget everything we’ve taught you.

2. This is a Bio 30 Diploma Exam Question

3. This is a Bio 30 Diploma Exam Question

4. When studying, look for question types that seem to be repeated year after year. There’s usually a reason for this

9. Know the following diagrams(they appear nearly every year)

10. And remember the myelin sheath = Speed.

17. They like oxytocin. So should you.

18. 19. If a pregnant woman failed to produce oxytocin, what would be the result? A. Urination would be more frequent. B. ADH levels in the bloodstream would drop. C. Uterine contractions would not begin for labour. D. Oxytocin levels would increase in the bloodstream

19. TSH turns on ThyroxineThyroxine turns off TSH • Negative feedback loops.

20. TSH turns on ThyroxineThyroxine turns off TSH • Negative feedback loops.

21. TSH turns on ThyroxineThyroxine turns off TSH

22. Meiosis/Mitosis • Mieosis has an “E” in it. So does SEX. Meiosis ONLY makes the gametes (sex cells – haploid -- n). • Mitosis is the division of diploid cells (body cells -- 2n). • Seriously, people still don’t get this.

23. Irritating Police Might Arrest Terrorists Or in MITOSIS Interphase, Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase You can make up your own annoying mnemonic – this one’s mine.

24. In MEIOSIS the police aren’t irritating but they are repetitive. Police Might Arrest Terrorists x 2 End result: Men --- 4 viable sperm Women– 1 viable egg and 3 daughter cells (1 after Meisosis 1 and 2 after Meiosis 2). Meiosis 2 works exactly the same as Mitosis but with n instead of 2n.

25. Some form of non-disjunction question will appear. With or without a picture of a karyotype.

26. Karyotype is NOT a genetic test. • It is simply a picture of the homologous chromosomes. • Useful for determining the presence of non-disjunction or oddly shaped chromosomes. • DNA fingerprinting, gene mapping, test crosses and pedigrees are genetic testing technologies.

27. DNA goes to RNA goes to Amino Acid You need to transcribe before you translate

28. Keep RNA and DNA clear. The right answer The answer you get if you forget about the differences in RNA

29. Know the genetic definitions well.Choices will often contain answers for both phenotype and genotype.

30. Be very careful in determining whether a genetic trait is AUTOSOMAL or SEX-LINKED. Autosomal genotype ex: Bb Sex-linked ex: XRY

31. 90% chance of pedigree. This one is sex-linked.

32. This one is autosomal

33. Probability vs Percent chance On numeric response it is extremely important to read the little words below the question.

36. Crossover frequency Larger percentages are farther apart and more likely to be separated during crossover.

37. Crossover frequency Larger percentages are farther apart and more likely to be separated during crossover.

38. Watch out for the birds. In birds, the female has the different sex chromosomes and the male is the one with the homologous pair. i.e. Female birds is ZW and the male is ZZ. They will tell you that but you need to read carefully.

39. Recombinant DNA • Gel electrophoresis • Restriction Enzymes • Ligase • Polymerase

40. Hardy-Weinberg (BR and “NO” x 3) • BIG POPULATION • RANDOM MATING • NO SELECTIVE ADVANTAGE • NO MIGRATION • NO MUTATIONS p2 +2pq + q2 = 1 p+q=1

42. r vs K and J vs S r-selected: Little r = little things = fast breeding large numbers – J curve K-selected: Big K = big things = slow breeding = lower numbers – S curve.

43. Natural Selection • Bottle neck effect • Founder effect • Mimicry • Camoflage • Parasitism • Commensalism • Succession (Primary, secondary , climax community and pioneer species)

44. Random prefix hints. • Inter – Outside of (Interspecies, international) • Intra – Within (Intraspecies, intravenous) • Endo – Inside • Ecto– Outside • Meso – Middle • Hypo– Low • Hyper – Fast

45. SESAME STREET GAME!!!!! (Rely on knowledge and skills first but failing that………………………….)

46. 25. It has been observed that some breastfeeding mothers do not ovulate until they stop breast feeding. Ovulation would not occur if A. prolactin inhibits the release of oxytocin B. prolactin inhibits follicular development C. oxytocin stimulates the release of FSH and LH D. oxytocin stimulates the release of gonadotropin-releasing hormone One of these things is not like the others, One of these things just doesn't belong, Can you tell which thing is not like the others By the time I finish my song?

47. Again. What is the different choice?

48. ELIMINATE THE NONSENSE (Making a guess from two or three choices has a higher chance of success than guessing wildly from 4.) Again, it is still better if you actually know something.

49. What is the obvious nonsense choice?

50. Don’t get confused when two sets of answers are offered. Often you only need to know something about one thing to eliminate the wrong answers.