5 Steps to a 5: AP Biology - Mark Anestis 2021
STEP 3 Develop Strategies for Success
CHAPTER 4 How to Approach Each Question Type
STEP 3
Develop Strategies for Success
CHAPTER 4 How to Approach Each Question Type
CHAPTER 4
How to Approach Each Question Type
IN THIS CHAPTER
Summary: Become familiar with the types of questions on the exam: multiple choice and free-response. Pace yourself and know when to skip a question that you can come back to later.
Key Ideas
On multiple-choice questions, you no longer lose any points for wrong answers. So you should bubble in an answer for every question.
On multiple-choice questions, don’t “out-think” the test. Use common sense because that will usually get you to the right answer.
Free-response answers must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable.
Free-response questions tend to be multipart questions—be SURE to answer each part of the question or you will not be able to get the maximum possible number of points for that question.
Make a quick outline before you begin writing your answer.
The free-response questions are graded using a positive-scoring system, so wrong information is ignored.
Multiple-Choice Questions
You have approximately 90 seconds per question on the multiple-choice section of this exam. Remember that to be on pace for a great score on this exam, you need to correctly answer approximately 42 multiple-choice questions or more. Here are a few rules of thumb:
1. Don’t out-think the test. It is indeed possible to be too smart for these tests. Frequently during these standardized tests we have found ourselves overanalyzing every single problem. If you encounter a question such as, “During what phase of meiosis does crossover (also referred to as crossing over) occur?” and you happen to know the answer immediately, this does not mean that the question is too easy. First, give yourself credit for knowing a fact. They asked you something, you knew it, and wham, you fill in the bubble. Do not overanalyze the question and assume that your answer is too obvious for that question. Just because you get it doesn’t mean that it was too easy.
2. Don’t leave questions blank. The AP Biology exam used to take off one-fourth point for each wrong answer. This is no longer the case. You should bubble in an answer for each multiple-choice question.
3. Be on the lookout for trick wording! Always pay attention to words or phrases such as “least,” “most,” “not,” “incorrectly,” and “does not belong.” Do not answer the wrong question. There are few things as annoying as getting a question wrong on this test simply because you didn’t read the question carefully enough, especially if you know the right answer.
4. Use your time carefully. Some of these questions require a lot of careful reading before you can answer them. If you find yourself struggling on a question, try not to waste too much time on it. Circle it in the booklet and come back to it later if time permits. Remember—you are looking to answer approximately 42 multiple-choice questions correctly to be on pace for a great score—this test should be an exercise in window shopping.
It does not matter which questions you get correct. What is important is that you answer enough questions correctly. Find the subjects that you know the best, answer those questions, and save the others for review later on.
5. Be careful about changing answers! If you have answered a question already, come back to it later on, and get the urge to change it . . . make sure that you have a real reason to change it. Often an urge to change an answer is the work of exam “elves” in the room who want to trick you into picking a wrong answer. Change your answer only if you can justify your reasons for making the switch.
6. Check your calculations! The math required in the grid-in section isn’t overly complicated. That said, it would be unfortunate to lose points because of a silly calculation error. Make sure to work carefully and check your math. Happily, any equations you need will be provided for you.
Free-Response Questions
The free-response section consists of six broad questions. It is important that your answers to these questions display solid reasoning and analytical skills. The two long essays together carry approximately the same weight as the four short-response questions combined. Expect to often use data or information from your laboratory exercises as you answer some of the questions.
The free-response part of the exam includes two long free-response questions and four short free-response questions. The format for the questions is included below.
6 Questions | 1 Hour 30 Minutes | 50% of Exam Score
There are two long questions and four short-answer questions. Long questions are worth 8—10 points each; short-answer questions are worth 4 points each.
Free-Response Question #1 relates to interpreting and evaluating experimental results. This question is worth between 8 and 10 points and presents students with an authentic scenario accompanied by data in a table or graph. This question tests a student’s ability to do the following in four question parts:
Part 1: (1-2 points) Describe and explain biological concepts, processes, or models.
Part 2: (3-4 points) Identify experimental design procedures.
Part 3: (1-3 points) Analyze the data.
Part 4: (2-4 points) Make predictions and then justify those predictions.
Free-Response Question #2 relates to interpreting and evaluating experimental results with graphing. This question is also worth between 8 and 10 points and presents students with an authentic scenario accompanied by data in a table or graph. This question tests a student’s ability to do the following in four question parts:
Part 1: (1-2 points) Describe and explain biological concepts, processes, or models.
Part 2: (4 points) Create a graph, plot, or chart and use confidence intervals or error bars.
Part 3: (1-3 points) Analyze the data.
Part 4: (1-3 points) Make predictions and then justify those predictions.
Free-Response Question #3 relates to a lab experiment scenario. This question is worth 4 points. This question tests a student’s ability to do the following in four question parts:
Part 1: (1 point) Describe and explain biological concepts, processes, or models.
Part 2: (1 point) Identify experimental design procedures.
Part 3: (1 point) Predict Results
Part 4: (1 point) Justify those predictions.
Free-Response Question #4 describes a biological phenomenon with a disruption. This question is worth 4 points. This question tests a student’s ability to do the following in four question parts:
Part 1: (1 point) Describe biological concepts, processes, or models.
Part 2: (1 point) Explain biological concepts, processes, or models.
Part 3: (1 point) Predict Results
Part 4: (1 point) Justify those predictions.
Free-Response Question #5 presents students with an authentic scenario along with a visual model or representation. This question is worth 4 points. This question tests a student’s ability to do the following in four question parts:
Part 1: (1 point) Describe biological concepts, processes, or models represented visually.
Part 2: (1 point) Explain these concepts processes or models visually.
Part 3: (1 point) Represent relationships with a biological model.
Part 4: (1 point) Explain properly how this visual representation relates to a larger biological concept, theory, or principle.
Free-Response Question #6 provides students with data represented in a graph, table or other form of visual representation. This question is worth 4 points. This question tests a student’s ability to do the following in four question parts:
Part 1: (1 point) Describe data.
Part 2: (1 point) Describe data.
Part 3: (1 point) Use data to evaluate a hypothesis.
Part 4: (1 point) Explain properly how experimental results relate to a larger biological concept, theory, or principle.
Answers for the free-response questions must be in essay form. Outline form is not acceptable. Labeled diagrams may be used to supplement discussion, but in no case will a diagram alone suffice. It is important that you read each question completely before you begin to write. Write all of your answers on the pages following the questions in the booklet.
Free-Response Tips
Do not repeat the prompt. You do not earn any credit by doing so and is a waste of time since the reader already knows what the prompt is.
When formulating your response, do not use “it” to refer to anything you are speaking about. The reader does not know what “it” means. Make sure to explain what “it” means.
Answer each question using complete sentences. Do not use bullet points or list to answer a question.
When asked to make comparisons, make sure to compare or explain the differences between both groups not just one.
When discussing quantitative data, make sure you use units to help describe the data. Numbers alone will not get you credit.
Be sure to address whether trends are increasing, decreasing or remaining constant when asked to describe a trend.
When answering questions, make sure to:
Attempt and address all the parts of every question. Do not leave anything blank.
Identify the task verb and be familiar with what you are being asked to do.
Make necessary connections. The majority of questions are constructed to have you make connections between multiple concepts.
When deconstructing a question, keep in mind the following steps:
1. Locate any models, graphs, or data that are in the prompt. Examine them and ask the following questions: What do you see? What does it mean?
2. Read the prompt looking for boldface terms, which include the task verbs. These will ask: “What are you supposed to be doing?”
3. Re-read the prompt and look for any biology concepts that are present. These concepts will give you the background and context needed to answer the question.
Some important tips to keep in mind as you write your essays:
✵ The free-response questions tend to be multipart questions. You can’t be expected to know everything about every topic, and the test preparers sometimes throw you a bone by writing questions that ask you to answer two of three parts or three of four parts. This gives you an opportunity to focus in on the material that you are most comfortable with. It is very important that you read the question carefully to make sure you understand exactly what the examiners are asking you to do.
✵ You are given 90 minutes to complete six free-response questions. The two long free- response questions should take 25 minutes each and the four short questions should take about 10 minutes each. This may not seem like a lot of time, but if you write a bunch of practice essays before you take the exam and budget your time wisely during the exam, you will not have to struggle with your timing. Below are suggestions for budgeting your time:
✵ Read the question carefully and make sure you know what it is asking you to do.
✵ Construct an outline that will help you organize your answer. Don’t write the world’s most elaborate outline. You won’t get points for having the prettiest outline in the country—so there is no reason to spend an excessive amount of time putting it together. Just develop enough of an outline so that you have a basic idea of how you will construct your essay. Your essay is not graded based on how well it is put together, but it certainly will not hurt your score to write a well-organized and grammatically correct response.
✵ The free-response section is graded using a “positive scoring” system. This means that wrong information in an essay is ignored. You do not lose points for saying things that are incorrect. (Unfortunately, you do not get points for saying things that are incorrect either . . . if only!) The importance of this fact is basically that if you are unsure about something and think you may be right, give it a shot and include it in your essay. It’s worth the risk.