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Facts About the AP Biology Exam. Structure of Test. 3 Hours long Divided into two sections Section I --100 multiple choice questions Section II--4 Essay questions. Section I. 100 multiple choice questions 45 seconds per question 80 minutes to answer 100 questions 3 parts
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Structure of Test • 3 Hours long • Divided into two sections • Section I --100 multiple choice questions • Section II--4 Essay questions
Section I • 100 multiple choice questions • 45 seconds per question • 80 minutes to answer 100 questions • 3 parts • Regular multiple choice questions • Matching questions • Questions dealing with experiments or data
Section II • 4 Essay questions • 10 minute reading period • 90 minutes to answer all 4 essays • 22 minutes per essay
Section I--- • 58 multiple choice questions • Example: If a segment of DNA reads 5’-ATG-CCA-GCT-3’, the mRNA strand that results will be (A) 3’-TAC-GGT-CGA-5’ (B) 3’-UAC-AGT-CAA-5’ (C) 3’-TAA-GCU-CGA-5’ (D) 3’-UAC-GCU-CGA-5’
Section I-- • Experiments or data • Given a diagram and multiple choice questions about diagram • Common sense/ logical deduction more useful than strict science
Section II • 4 free response essays • Divided into parts--vary in difficulty • Questions • Area 1: Molecules and cells • Area 2: Heredity and Evolution • Area 3: Organisms and populations
Sample Free Response • Enzymes are biological catalysts • A. Relate the chemical structure of an enzyme to its catalytic activity and specificity • B. Design an experiment that investigates the influence of temperature, substrate concentration, or pH on the activity of an enzyme • C. Describe what information concerning enzyme structure could be inferred from the experiment you have designed
Scoring • Maximum points Section I-100 pts • 60% of grade • Maximum points Section II- 40 pts • 10 pts per essay question • 40% of grade • Raw scores translated into composite scores---then to AP number grade 1-5
Example • (Raw score for section I)=(Number answered correctly)-(Number wrong÷4) • Convert raw score to composite score • (Composite score of section I=0.75x(Raw score for Section I) • (Raw score for section II)=(Points for essay 1)+(Points for essay 2)+(Points for essay 3)+(Points for essay 4) • (Composite score for section II)=1.5 x(Raw score for section II)
Strategy 1: Pace Yourself! • Take your time--do not need to answer every question--mistakes accounted for • Go for questions you know skip the ones you don’t
Strategy 2: Three-Pass System • Perfect score- do not have to answer every question • Skip most difficult questions • Easiest questions first • Medium questions second pass • Hard question last pass • WATCH THE BUBBLES!
Strategy 3: Process of Elimination (POE) • The structure that act as the sites of gas exchange in a woody stem are the • Lungs • Gills • Lenticels • Ganglia • Lentil beans
Strategy 4: Aggressive Guessing • 4 wrong answers = Loss of 1 point • Eliminate 2 answer choices--guess
Strategy 5: Word Associations • Know your science vocabulary • Help you to narrow down choices
Strategy 6: Mnemonics • King Phillip of German came over for great spagetti • Kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, species
Strategy 7: EXCEPT questions • 10 percent -Except/Not/Least • Wrong--Least correct • Cross of the ones that apply to question
Strategy 8: ETS Essay • ETS readers looking for hot button terms= points • Read each question 2x • 10 minute period- brainstorm write down key terms • Outline essay using key terms • If asks for 2 examples--give just 2 examples • Use diagrams but must label correctly
Signal Words • Description- detailed verbal picture”just the facts”--not opinions • Discussion-conversation among ideas • Explain-take something complicated and make it more clear--simpler terms • Compare- answer that is focused on similarities between 2 things • Contrast- answer emphasizing differences