AP Biology Exam Information & FRQ Tips

Your exam will be.....TBD

The AP Biology Exam consists of two sections. In section I you will have 90 minutes to complete 60 multiple choice questions. In section II, you will have a ten minute reading period to review and begin planning your responses to two long and four short free response questions. You will have an additional 80 minutes to complete section II. Each section will be weighted 50% toward the total exam score. Answer all of the questions on the exam. You will have a formula sheet and can use a four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator for both test sections.

Additional Information about the Free-response questions from the College Board

Question 1: Interpreting and Evaluating Experimental Results (8–10 pts)
Question 2: Interpreting and Evaluating Experimental Results with Graphing (8–10 pts)
Question 3: Scientific Investigation (4 pts)
Question 4: Conceptual Analysis (4 pts)
Question 5: Analyze Model or Visual Representation (4 pts)
Question 6: Analyze Data (4 pts)


The following task verbs are commonly used in the free-response questions:

Calculate: Perform mathematical steps to arrive at a final answer, including algebraic expressions, properly substituted numbers, and correct labeling of units and significant figures.

Construct/Draw: Create a diagram, graph, representation, or model that illustrates or explains relationships or phenomena. Labels may or may not be required.

Describe: Provide relevant characteristics of a specified topic.

Determine: Decide or conclude after reasoning, observation, or applying mathematical routines (calculations).

Evaluate: Judge or determine the significance or importance of information, or the quality or accuracy of a claim.

Explain: Provide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning to support or qualfiy a claim. Explain “how” typically requires analyzing the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome; whereas explain “why” typically requires analysis of motivations or reasons for the relationship, process, pattern, position, situation, or outcome.

Identify: Indicate or provide information about a specified topic, without elaboration or explanation.

Justify: Provide evidence to support, qualify, or defend a claim, and/or provide reasoning to explain how that evidence supports or qualifies the claim.

Make a claim: Make an assertion that is based on evidence or knowledge.

Predict/Make a prediction: Predict the causes or effects of a change in, or disruption to, one or more components in a relationship, pattern, process, or system.

Represent: Use appropriate graphs, symbols, words, illustrations, and/or tables of numerical values to describe biological concepts, characteristics, and/or relationships.

State (the null/alternative hypothesis): Indicate or provide a hypothesis to support or defend a claim about a scientifically testable question.

Support a claim: Provide reasoning to explain how evidence supports or qualifies a claim.

Here is a list of great Tips for Writing Free Response Questions

PowerWords  http://www.clearbiology.com/tips-for-answering-ap-biology-free-response-questions/

Practice Free Response Questions From the College Board !! You can find them at this link with rubrics too! Idea for how to use them...

Every week until your exam, choose one long FRQ or two short FRQ's from the CB site (go to bottom of page) to practice.  Do the question and I encourage you to look up information to help you construct a well written specific answer(s). Use the rubric to assess yourself. Note any questions you want to ask me in margins or at top or bottom of page. Look at sample student answers (provided with rubrics).