trends on ap free-response questions

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5 Exam Essay Trends:

1.

"Theme" (concept) questions-across the curriculum
2. Internal choice
3. Experimental design
4. Evolution
5. Giving examples

1.  Theme questions

1991 #1 carbon question
1992 #2  biological recognition
1993 #1  membrane energetics
#2  physiology-nutrient cycling
#4  biochemistry-physiology
1995 #3  energy transfer
1996 #1  biochemistry-physiology
#2  structure-function
1997 #2  regulation
1998 #4  interdependence in nature
1999 #2  cell to cell communication
#4  DNA dogma
2000 #2  feedback (regulation)/homeostasis
#3  DNA dogma
#4  defense
2001 #1  structure/function
#4  DNA dogma
2002 #1A  DNA dogma/biotech
#3A  structure/function
#1B  DNA dogma-viral infection
#3B  cell structure/function
#4B  germ layer structure/function
2003 #3A  population genetics
#1B DNA dogma
#2B  regulation/hormones
#3B  water
2004 #1A meiosis

 

2.  Internal choice

Almost every question has internal choice!!

 

3.  Experimental design

1987 #3 plant hormones
1990 #1 respiration lab (DATA)
1991 #1 transpiration (DATA)
1992 #1  diffusion and osmosis
1993 #3  excercise-design expt.-hypothesis given
1994 #3  enzymes-design expt.
1995 #4  gel electrophoresis (DATA)
1996 #3  seeds-seedlings (DATA)
1997 ##  slugs! (DATA) generate hypothesis
1998 #2  transformation procedure
1999 #1  photosynthesis-design
2000 #1  enzymes with graph-design expt.
2001 #4  graph DO/explain conditions
2002 #2A  animal behavior (DATA)
#4A  osmosis/diffusion graph/explain
#2B  exercise/homeostasis
2003 #1A  fruitfly genetics/interpret
2004 #3A DPIP photosynthesis
#2B primary production

 

4.  Evolution

1990 #1  transition to land
#4  animal phylogeny
1991 #4  adaptations
1992 #4  mechanisms/evidence
1994 #1  pop genetics/speciation
1995 #2  adaptation
1997 #4  pop genetics
1998 #3  evolution of sex
1999 #3  domains
2000 #4  adaptations
2001 #2  natural selection mechanisms
2003 #4A cell death
#4B  speciation

2004

#2A Darwin's contributions and modern theory
#4B classification

 

5.  Examples

1993 #2  human impact
1995 #1  symbiosis
#3  energy transfer
1996 #6  H2O phys-L.O. functioning
1997 #4  choose organism
1998 #1  specific cell
#2  application of gene transfer
#3  organisms/sex
1999 #4  choosing historic experiment
2000 #4 organisms (A) plants (B) animals
2003 #2A  regulation/homeostasis
2004 #4A symbiotic relationships
#1B prokaryote biology
#3B homeostatic control

 

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