Quick Guide to the2014 AP Biology Exam

Basic Info

Section I: 90 minutes for 63 multiple-choice + 6 grid-

in questions

▫ 50% of total score

Section II: Free-Response Questions

▫ 10 minute reading period to read/plan answers

▫ 80 minutes to write:

2 Long Free Response questions (~20 min each)

6 Short Free Response questions (~6 min each)

▫ 50% of total score

Content

Big Ideas:

1.Evolution

2.Cellular Processes: Energy & Communication

3.Genetics & Information Transfer

4.Interactions

Download and study the AP Biology Course and

Exam Description (available on our class wiki

under “AP Exam Review”)

Section I: Multiple-Choice & Grid-In

Questions

Multiple Choice (63 questions) Essential Knowledge + Science Practice Requires more reading than in previous exams

(paragraphs, diagrams, data analysis)Grid-In (6 questions) Integrate science and math skills Calculate correct answer and bubble in the grid Bring a four-function calculator (with square

root) to use on the exam A formula list will be provided for the exam

Sample Grid-In• In a certain species of flowering plant,

the purple allele P is dominant to the

yellow allele p.

• A student performed a cross between a

purple-flowered plant and a yellow-

flowered plant. When planted, the 146

seeds that were produced from the cross

matured into 87 plants with purple

flowers and 59 plants with yellow

flowers.

• Calculate the chi-squared value for the

null hypothesis that the purple-flowered

parents was heterozygous for the flower-

color gene. Give your answer to the

nearest tenth.

Multiple-Choice Strategies• Pacing is important! Give yourself about 1 min. per

multiple-choice and about 3 min. per grid-in.• NO penalty for guessing!! Answer every

question.• If calculations are required and more time is

needed, skip it and come back to it later. (Make a mark in test booklet next to question to answer later.) Do the same with questions you can’t answer.

• Lab-set questions are tedious. Skip the diagram/data, skim the question first, then go back to the diagram/data to seek the information.

• Underline key words such as NOT or EXCEPT.

Multiple-Choice Strategies

• Read each answer choice before making a final

selection.

• Use process of elimination! Cross out letters of

incorrect choices in test booklet. Narrow it down.

• If you absolutely don’t know it, GUESS! Don’t leave

anything blank!

• If you finish early, go back over as many items as

possible to catch careless errors.

Free-Response Questions

• During 10-minute reading period:

▫ Skim each question▫ Identify which is easiest hardest

▫ Organize thoughts and outline essays on

sheet provided

• Circle or underline KEY WORDS

• Be sure to address each directive listed. (eg.

analyze, compare, contrast, describe, design,

explain)

Free-Response Questions

• If there are several parts, answer in sequence.

• Write an essay! No bullet points or outlines.

• Diagrams: Label them!

• Calculations: Show your work and each step!

Remember UNITS.

• “Buzz words”: Define or describe them!

• If you can’t remember a term, describe/define it.

• Don’t leave any part of essay blank. Each point

is worth 2X a multiple-choice point.

• If time allows, proofread your essays!

• Be kind to Readers: use good handwriting

On test day:

Arrive early! (30 minutes before start time – you cannot come into an exam late and there are NO makeups!)

Eat a good, nutritious breakfast!!

2+ sharpened #2 pencils + clean eraser

2 black ballpoint pens for essay

Bring a photo ID

Bring a watch (allow 4 hours).

Bring a calculator. (4-function w/square root)

Also, NO books, notes, laptops, cameras, cell phones

2013 AP Bio Exam Scores

• Score Distribution:

• 5 – 5.4%

• 4 – 21.4%

• 3 – 36.3%

• 2 – 29.5%

• 1 – 7.4%

College Board Comments about new

AP Biology Exam

• 1,200 college students were administered redesigned

AP Biology exam questions this spring; their work was

scored at the AP Reading.

• College professors also took the full redesigned AP

Biology exam themselves & evaluated each question

to set the pts needed for 2,3,4,5.

• Most AP Biology students earned enough pts to get a

2,3,4, but very few scored well enough on the grid-ins

and free-response to score a 5.

College Board Comments about new

AP Biology Exam

• AP Biology grid-in questions require students to

use mathematics to solve biological problems.

The avg score on these was very low: 36%.

• Multiple-choice: last year, students earned 63%

correct on average; this year, 61%

• FRQs require students to "explain," "describe,"

"justify" their content knowledge. Very low

scores on avg.

In Class And After School Review

• 14 stations - Each station is a different strategy

• Assigned groups of 2-3 (depending on strengths)

• Also see the websites for review

• THERE IS NO MAGICAL SOLUTION – HARD WORK AND DETERMINATION IS THE KEY!!!!!▫ You have a great deal of responsibility for your own

review in this course. You need to understand that I am a facilitator, coordinator, and possibly a mentor but I cannot learn this material for you. If you want to be successful on this exam you will have to work hard and study!

▫ If you consider yourself a “bad test taker” then the solution is to practice and become a great test taker

▫ Complaining DOES NOT solve the problem