Tips for AP Biology Exam

Last night reminders

1. Get a good nights sleep, and don't study any more before the test.

2. Make sure you get up early enough to eat a good, well-rounded breakfast.

3. Bring a couple pencils for the multiple choice section and a black ball point pen for the free response section. Also bring a four function calculator, not a scientific or graphing calculator. 

4. If you find your self getting frustrated and feeling like you can't remember anything, step away from the test for a bit. Stand up, stretch, close your eyes get your mind off the test for a bit... maybe even skip to the end and go from the back to the front to shake things up.

Tackling the Multiple Choice Section

1. The first section consists of 60 multiple choice questions which are broken down into three parts 1) run-of-the-mill/random questions to test your understanding of the basics of biology; 2) matching questions, either labeling parts of a diagram, structures to functions, or terms to definitions; 3) multiple choice questions based on analyzing data from experiments. There will also be 6 calculations during this section where you bubble in your final answer.

2. You'll have about 45 seconds per question, but slowing down and doing well on the questions you do answer, is the best way to improve your score on the Exam. When you rush, you're far more likely to make careless errors, misread, and fall into traps.

3. Take a multiple choice practice test trying to answer each questions as you go and after the required 1 hour and 20 minutes, see how many you have answered correctly. Then try using a strategy. Take a different practice test, read each question, and decide if it is easy, medium or hard/you have no idea. Answer all the easy questions right away. Put a plus next to the medium questions on your answer sheet (so you don't mess up your answer sheet by skipping questions), and put a minus next to the hard/you have no idea questions on your answer sheet. Once you read through all 60 questions, answering the easy ones, go back and answer the questions you put a plus next to by reading more carefully, narrowing your answer down to at least two choices that make the most sense and then picking one of these. When you get through those, go back and answer the ones you put a minus next to in the same fashion. After 1 hour and 20 minutes using this strategy, see how many you have answered correctly. The idea is easier questions count just as much as harder ones, so you time is better spent on the shorter easy questions.

4. To get a 3, you should try to answer at least 40 questions, for a 4, try to answer 50, and for a 5 try to answer all 60.

Writing the Essays

1. The first thing that you should do is carefully read the questions and decide which one you know the most about. The second thing you should do is read the question. If you are given a choice of parts to answer, carefully choose the parts you know best.  Finally, the third thing you should do is read the question. Be sure that you answer the question that is asked, only that question, and all parts of it. 

2. Outline the answer first to avoid confusion and disorganization, write down key terms that you want to make sure you include in your answer. Pay close attention to the verbs used in the directions (such as "describe", "explain", "compare", "give evidence for", "graph" or "calculate") Thinking ahead helps to avoid scratch outs, skipping around, and rambling.

3. Write an essay. Outlines and diagrams, no matter how elaborate and accurate, are not essays and will not get you much, if any, credit by themselves. Exceptions: If you are asked as a part of an essay on a lab to calculate a number, this does not require that you write an essay, but be sure to show how you got your answer (both the formulas and the values you entered into those formulas); or, if you are asked to draw a diagram in the question, do so, but be sure to label it carefully.

4. Answer the question parts in the order called for. It is best not to skip around within the question. The essay questions do not have to be answered in any particular order though.

5. Go into detail on the subject but get to the point. Be sure to also include the obvious (for example, light is necessary for photosynthesis). Remember that no detail is too small to be included as long as it is to the point.

6. Define your terms. Say something about each of the important terms that you use in your essay.

7. If you cannot remember a word exactly, take a shot at it to get as close as you can. If you don't have a name for a concept, describe the concept.

8.  In recent years the AP Exam has included what are called synthesis or conceptual questions. For example, in 1987 students were asked to describe not only protein synthesis but also the processing and exportation of a protein from the cell. In 1988, students were asked to relate Mendel's laws to the process of Meiosis I. In 1990, students were asked to relate patterns of embryonic development in animals to their phylogeny. If you are asked this type of question and you do not know the relationship between two things, at least tell what you do know about the two concepts individually.

9. Write clearly and neatly. If the reader can't tell what you wrote, how can they give you the points.

10. Use a ball point pen with dark black ink for essays.

11. Carefully label your diagrams (they get no points otherwise) and place them in the text at the appropriate place not detached at the end. Be sure to refer to the diagram in your essay.

12. Bring a watch to the exam so that you can pace yourself. You have seven essays.

13. Understand that the exam is written to be hard. The national average for the essay section will be about 50% correct. It is very likely that you will not know everything. This is expected, but it is very likely that you do know something about each essay, so relax and do the best you can.

14. Try to answer every question. Remember that each point you earn on an essay question is the equivalent of two correct multiple choice questions, and there is no penalty for a wrong guess. Make an effort on every question! DON'T QUIT!

DON'T

1. Don't waste time on background information or a long introduction unless the quesition calls for historical development .

2. Don't ramble or shoot the bull- say what you know and go on to the next question. You can always come back if you remember something.

3. Don't use a pencil, and don't use a pen with an ink color other than black. Don't use a felt-tip pen because the ink seeps through the page and makes both sides of the paper hard to read.

4. Don't panic or get angry because you are unfamiliar with the question. You probably have read or heard something about the subject- be calm and think.

5. Don't scratch out excessively. One or two lines through the unwanted words should be enough.

6. Don't write more than a few words in the margins.

7. Don't worry about spelling every word perfectly or using exact grammar. These are not a part of the standards the graders use.