AP Biology

AP Biology is a college-level introductory course that helps students develop a deep understanding of biology through inquiry-based investigations. Students explore key topics such as evolution, cellular processes, energy and communication, genetics, information transfer, ecology, and biological interactions.

College Course Equivalent

AP Biology is comparable to a two-semester introductory biology course for biology majors at the college level.

Prerequisites

Students should have successfully completed high school courses in both biology and chemistry.

Course Content

The course content is structured into units that are commonly taught in college-level courses and textbooks, arranged in a sequence often used in such settings. The AP Biology course comprises eight units, each with specific weightings for the multiple-choice section of the AP Exam, as outlined below.

Pacing suggestions at both the unit level and in the “Course at a Glance” guide offer recommendations for teaching the essential content and administering the Personal Progress Checks. These pacing guidelines are based on a typical schedule where classes meet five days a week for 45 minutes per session. While these recommendations are intended to help with planning, teachers are encouraged to adjust the pacing to accommodate student needs, alternative schedules (such as block scheduling), or their school’s academic calendar.

This table summarizes the major topics covered in each unit and the percentage of the exam score each unit represents:

Unit	Exam Weighting
Unit 1: Chemistry of Life	8–11%
Unit 2: Cell Structure and Function	10–13%
Unit 3: Cellular Energetics	12–16%
Unit 4: Cell Communication and Cell Cycle	10–15%
Unit 5: Heredity	8–11%
Unit 6: Gene Expression and Regulation	12–16%
Unit 7: Natural Selection	13–20%
Unit 8: Ecology	10–15%

AP BIOLOGY Science Practices

The table below outlines the science practices that students are expected to develop throughout the AP Biology course. These practices are foundational to many tasks on the AP Biology Exam.

In the unit guides above, these practices are embedded and revisited to help teachers integrate them into the course content with enough repetition to ensure students can apply these skills effectively on the AP Biology Exam.

Science Practice	Description	Components
Science Practice 1: Concept Explanation	Explain biological concepts, processes, and models in written format.	1.A Describe biological concepts and/or processes. 1.B Explain biological concepts and/or processes. 1.C Explain biological concepts, processes, and models in applied contexts.
Science Practice 2: Visual Representations	Analyze and interpret visual representations of biological concepts and processes.	2.A Describe characteristics of a biological concept, process, or model represented visually. 2.B Explain relationships between characteristics of biological concepts visually: – In theoretical contexts – In applied contexts 2.C Explain how visually represented concepts relate to larger biological principles. 2.D Represent relationships within biological models, including: – Mathematical models – Diagrams – Flow charts
Science Practice 3: Questions and Methods	Formulate scientific questions and determine methods to investigate them.	3.A Identify or pose a testable question based on observation, data, or a model. 3.B State null or alternative hypotheses, or predict experiment outcomes. 3.C Identify experimental procedures aligned with the question, including: – Dependent and independent variables – Appropriate controls and justifications 3.D Make observations or collect data from lab setups or results (Lab only; not assessed). 3.E Propose a new investigation based on: – Evaluation of evidence from an experiment – Evaluation of design/methods
Science Practice 4: Representing and Describing Data	Create and interpret various types of data representations.	4.A Construct graphs, plots, or charts (e.g., XY plots, histograms, bar charts, box and whisker plots), including: – Orientation – Labeling – Scaling – Plotting – Trend lines 4.B Describe data from tables or graphs, including: – Identifying specific data points – Describing trends and patterns – Explaining relationships between variables
Science Practice 5: Statistical Tests and Data Analysis	Use statistical tests and perform calculations to analyze data.	5.A Perform mathematical calculations (e.g., means, rates, ratios, percentages). 5.B Use confidence intervals and error bars to assess statistical differences. 5.C Conduct chi-square hypothesis testing. 5.D Use data to evaluate hypotheses by: – Rejecting or accepting the null hypothesis – Supporting or refuting the alternative hypothesis
Science Practice 6: Argumentation	Develop and justify scientific arguments with evidence.	6.A Make a scientific claim. 6.B Support claims with evidence from biological principles or data. 6.C Provide reasoning to connect evidence to theories. 6.D Relate experimental results to broader biological concepts. 6.E Predict impacts of changes in biological systems based on: – Biological concepts – Visual representations – Data

This table outlines the essential science practices that students should develop throughout the AP Biology course.

AP BIOLOGY Exam Overview

The AP Biology Exam evaluates students’ understanding of the science practices and learning objectives outlined in the course framework. The exam duration is 3 hours and consists of 60 multiple-choice questions and 6 free-response questions. Students may use a four-function, scientific, or graphing calculator on both sections of the exam. The exam structure, including question types, weighting, and timing, is detailed below:

Section	Question Type	Number of Questions	Weighting	Timing
One	Multiple-choice questions	60	50%	90 minutes
Two	Free-response questions	6	50%	90 minutes
Question 1	Interpreting and Evaluating Experimental Results	1	8–10 pts
Question 2	Interpreting and Evaluating Experimental Results with Graphing	1	8–10 pts
Question 3	Scientific Investigation	1	4 pts
Question 4	Conceptual Analysis	1	4 pts
Question 5	Analyze Model or Visual Representation	1	4 pts
Question 6	Analyze Data	1	4 pts

The exam assesses content from each of the four core themes of the course:

1. Evolution
2. Energetics
3. Information Storage and Transmission
4. Systems Interactions

How Student Learning is Assessed on the AP Biology Exam

The AP Biology Exam evaluates students on all six science practices across both the multiple-choice and free-response sections, as detailed below.

Science Practice	Multiple-Choice Section	Free-Response Section
1: Concept Explanation	Individual or set-based multiple-choice questions assess students’ ability to explain biological concepts, processes, and models in written format.	Free-response questions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 include one or two points each for Science Practice 1, requiring students to describe and explain these concepts, processes, and models in both conceptual and applied contexts.
2: Visual Representations	Questions assess students’ skills in analyzing visual representations of biological concepts and processes. Students need to describe characteristics, explain relationships, and connect visuals to larger biological principles.	Free-response question 5 primarily focuses on Science Practice 2.
3: Questions and Methods	Questions assess students’ ability to determine scientific questions and methods, including identifying or posing testable questions, stating hypotheses, and proposing investigations.	Free-response questions 1 and 3 emphasize Science Practice 3, with about half of the points allocated to this skill.
4: Representing and Describing Data	Questions assess students’ skills in describing data from tables or graphs, including identifying data points, trends, and variable relationships.	Free-response questions 2 and 6 focus on Science Practice 4, with about half of each question’s points dedicated to it. Question 1 also includes one or two points on this skill.
5: Statistical Tests and Data Analysis	Questions assess students’ ability to perform statistical tests and mathematical calculations, such as using confidence intervals, chi-square tests, and data evaluation.	Free-response question 1 or 2 may require a mathematical calculation, while question 6 assesses data analysis skills to evaluate a hypothesis or prediction.
6: Argumentation	Questions assess students’ skills in developing and justifying scientific arguments using evidence, including making claims, providing reasoning, and explaining relationships to larger biological concepts.	Free-response questions 1, 2, 3, 4, and 6 contain one to three points each for Science Practice 6, requiring students to justify claims and predict impacts on biological systems.

Section I: Multiple-Choice

The first section of the AP Biology Exam consists of 60 multiple-choice questions, which may appear as standalone items or in sets of four to five related questions. All six AP Biology science practices are tested in this section, with the following exam weightings:

Science Practice	Exam Weighting
1: Concept Explanation	25–33%
2: Visual Representations	16–24%
3: Questions and Methods	8–14%
4: Representing and Describing Data	8–14%
5: Statistical Tests and Data Analysis	8–14%
6: Argumentation	20–26%

Section II: Free-Response

The second section includes two long free-response questions and four short-answer questions, each emphasizing a different “big idea” and instructional unit. Here is a breakdown of each question:

• Free-response Question 1: Interpreting and Evaluating Experimental Results (8–10 points)
  Students analyze a scenario with accompanying data. This question assesses:
  • Part A (1–2 points): Describe and explain biological concepts, processes, or models.
  • Part B (3–4 points): Identify experimental design procedures.
  • Part C (1–3 points): Analyze data.
  • Part D (2–4 points): Make and justify predictions.
• Free-response Question 2: Interpreting and Evaluating Experimental Results with Graphing (8–10 points)
  This question presents data and assesses students’ ability to:
  • Part A (1–2 points): Describe and explain biological concepts, processes, or models.
  • Part B (4 points): Construct a graph, plot, or chart with error bars or confidence intervals.
  • Part C (1–3 points): Analyze data.
  • Part D (1–3 points): Make and justify predictions.
• Free-response Question 3: Scientific Investigation (4 points)
  Students respond to a lab scenario, addressing:
  • Part A (1 point): Describe biological concepts or processes.
  • Part B (1 point): Identify experimental procedures.
  • Part C (1 point): Predict results.
  • Part D (1 point): Justify predictions.
• Free-response Question 4: Conceptual Analysis (4 points)
  This question presents a biological phenomenon with a disruption, assessing:
  • Part A (1 point): Describe biological concepts or processes.
  • Part B (1 point): Explain biological concepts or processes.
  • Part C (1 point): Predict the effects of a change in a biological system.
  • Part D (1 point): Justify predictions.
• Free-response Question 5: Analyze Model or Visual Representation (4 points)
  Students analyze a visual model, focusing on:
  • Part A (1 point): Describe visual characteristics of a biological concept, process, or model.
  • Part B (1 point): Explain relationships within the visual representation.
  • Part C (1 point): Represent relationships within the biological model.
  • Part D (1 point): Relate the visual to larger biological principles.
• Free-response Question 6: Analyze Data (4 points)
  This question involves interpreting data from a graph, table, or other representation, assessing:
  • Part A (1 point): Describe data.
  • Part B (1 point): Describe trends or patterns.
  • Part C (1 point): Use data to evaluate a hypothesis or prediction.
  • Part D (1 point): Explain how results relate to broader biological principles, concepts, or theories.

Common Task Verbs in Free-Response Questions:

The following task verbs are frequently used in AP Biology free-response questions:

• Calculate: Perform mathematical steps to reach a final answer, including algebraic expressions, correct substitution of values, labeling of units, and significant figures.
• Construct/Draw: Create a diagram, graph, model, or representation that illustrates relationships or phenomena. Labels may be required.
• Describe: Outline relevant characteristics of a specified topic.
• Determine: Make a decision or conclusion based on reasoning, observation, or mathematical calculations.
• Evaluate: Assess the significance or importance of information, or judge the quality or accuracy of a claim.
• Explain: Provide information about how or why a relationship, process, pattern, or outcome occurs, using evidence and/or reasoning. “Explain how” typically requires analyzing the process, while “explain why” focuses on motivations or reasons.
• Identify: Indicate or provide information about a specified topic without further explanation.
• Justify: Provide evidence and reasoning to support or qualify a claim.
• Make a claim: Assert a statement based on evidence or knowledge.
• Predict/Make a prediction: Foresee the causes or effects of changes or disruptions in a relationship, process, or system.
• Represent: Use graphs, symbols, words, illustrations, or tables to convey biological concepts, characteristics, or relationships.
• State (the null/alternative hypothesis): Provide a hypothesis to support or defend a claim about a scientifically testable question.
• Support a claim: Use reasoning to explain how evidence backs or qualifies a claim.

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