AP Biology Essay Writing Strategies

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AP Biology Essay Writing Strategies
Thursday, September 26th

• Today I will
• Review strategies that can be used to write AP
  biology essays.
• Outline an experiment to test variables affecting
  plant growth.
• Devise a list of task words to identify when
  writing essays.

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Practice Essay

• Numerous environmental variables influence plant
  growth. Three students planted a seedling of the
  same genetic variety in the same type of
  container with equal amounts of soil from
  the same source.

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• Their goal was to maximize their seedlings
  growth by manipulating the environmental
  conditions.
• Their data is shown here
• Seedling Mass (g)
• Day 1 Day 30
• Student A 4 24
• Student B 5 35
• Student C 4 64

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Your Task

• Over the next 5 minutes, create an
• outline for answering the following
• questions
• QUESTION 1
• Identify three different environmental variables
  that could account for differences in the mass of
  the seedlings at day 30.
• Then, choose one variable and
• design an experiment to test the hypothesis
  that your variable affects in regard to growth of
  these seedlings.

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Question 2

• Discuss the results you would expect if your
  hypothesis is correct.
• Provide a physiological explanation for the
  affect of your variable on plant
  growth.

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Assignment

• Using resources, write out the best answer you
  can to the essay question. No more than 2 pages
  doubled spaced.

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Essay Exam Tips

• Writing to the AP Biology essay questions is a
  skill.
• Like any skill, it must be taught and practiced.

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Question Mechanics

• 10 pts can be earned in a question, but there are
  more than 10 ways to get the points.
• Questions usually have subparts (often 3) with
  internal maximum values.
• Points must be earned on all sections for a score
  of 10.

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More Mechanics

• Questions often have a statement or stem.
• Subparts are built off of the stem.
• Elaboration points may be possible in one or more
  sections.

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Example

• Stem The movement of water through vascular
  plants is important to their survival.
• Explain the mechanism of water movement in Ts.
• Explain how gas exchange affects Ts.
• Describe two adaptations in desert plants.

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Essay Exam Scoring

• Gain points for correct statements.
• No point deduction for wrong answers.
• Answers must be in sentences, not
  in outline form.

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Essay Exam Scoring

• Drawings permitted, but must be explained.
• Drawings will only count for part of the
  questions credit.

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Writing Tips

• Read the question carefully!
• Read the question carefully!
• Read the question carefully!

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Writing Tips

• Outline possible answers, then begin to write.
• Dont use the 5 paragraph
  style.
• Use the Task Words

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Writing Tips

• Give details and specific examples.
• If question is in parts, write the answer in
  parts.
• Spend equal amounts of time on each question.

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Writing Tips

• Dont assume the reader will know what you
  mean. Give definitions to all terms .
• Use the whole page (and more).