Test Information Guide

Field 66: Biology
Sample Open-Response Item

The following materials contain:

Sample Test Directions for Open-Response Items

This section of the test consists of two open-response item assignments. You will be asked to prepare a written response of approximately 150–300 words, or 1–2 pages, for each assignment.

Read the assignments carefully before you begin your responses. Think about how you will organize your responses. You may use the erasable sheet(s) to make notes, write an outline, or otherwise prepare your responses. However, your final response to each assignment must be either:

  1. typed into the on-screen response box,
  2. written on a response sheet and scanned using the scanner provided at your workstation, or
  3. provided using both the on-screen response box (for typed text) and a response sheet (for calculations or drawings) that you will scan using the scanner provided at your workstation.

Instructions for scanning your response sheet(s) are available by clicking the "Scanning Help" button at the top of the screen.

As a whole, your response to each assignment must demonstrate an understanding of the knowledge of the field. In your response to each assignment, you are expected to demonstrate the depth of your understanding of the subject area by applying your knowledge rather than by merely reciting factual information.

Your responses to the assignments will be evaluated based on the following criteria.

The open-response item assignments are intended to assess subject knowledge. Your responses must be communicated clearly enough to permit valid judgment of the evaluation criteria by scorers. Your responses should be written for an audience of educators in this field. The final version of each response should conform to the conventions of edited American English.

Your responses should be your original work, written in your own words, and not copied or paraphrased from some other work.

Be sure to write about the assigned topics. Remember to review your work and make any changes you think will improve your responses.

Any time spent responding to an assignment, including scanning the response sheet(s), is part of your testing time. Monitor your time carefully. When your testing time expires, a pop-up message will appear on-screen indicating the conclusion of your test session. Only response sheets that are scanned before you end your test or before time has expired will be scored. Any response sheet that is not scanned before testing ends will NOT be scored.

Sample Open-Response Item

Objective 0012
Prepare an organized, developed analysis of a key topic in biology related to Molecules: Structures and Processes or Heredity and Biological Evolution.

Use the information below to complete the exercise that follows.

A computer simulation of the Miller-Urey experiment is used to investigate the relationship between the gases composing Earth's early atmosphere and the synthesis of the amino acids important to life on Earth. In this simulation of the original experiment, the user can modify the type of gases that were found in the early atmosphere, such as carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, sulfur, and phosphorous, and observe changes in the type of amino acids produced.

Use your knowledge of the concept introduced in the scenario—that six key elements form monomers that can further combine to form large carbon-based macromolecules—to write a response of approximately 150–300 words, or 1–2 pages, in which you:

Sample Strong Response to the Open-Response Item

The sample response below reflects a strong knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.

Key concepts: Amino acids are the building blocks of proteins. Proteins act as catalysts for most of the chemical reactions in cells by lowering the required amount of activation energy. Proteins are also the structural elements of cells forming such things as the cytoskeleton. Ribosomal proteins along with RNA help form the structure of ribosomes and as such become a key player in the actions of R N A and D N A, in turn permitting the synthesis of more proteins at the cellular level.

The Miller-Urey experiment was inspired by the knowledge that life on earth could not exist without the aid of proteins. It hoped to demonstrate that life could come from non-life, i.e. the non-living geochemical reactions of the early earth could have resulted in the production of at least the basic precursors of organic compounds and therefore set the stage for living things to come into existence.

Miller and Urey postulated that the right mixture of six key elements, as existed in the early atmosphere, could be subjected to high energy, such as would have been the case with lightning arcing through that atmosphere. As a result, some organic compounds could be formed spontaneously. The original experiment showed that some amino acids were indeed formed as a result of the process.

Sharing a diagram of the Miller-Urey apparatus with students could open up a discussion of how the experiment was designed to work. They will be asked to look for the place in the process where the elements were introduced. They will be asked to calculate how the simulation could produce a variety of different compounds due to the changes in the percentages of gases introduced. If the simulation is available for student use they could then test some of their ideas.

SHORT ALT TEXT

A version of a Miller-Urey apparatus is drawn as a series of tubes and chambers connected in a single unit. Water is first boiled in a chamber and the steam rises towards an input valve where gasses, such as N H 3, C H 4, and H 2 are fed into the apparatus. The combined gas travels to a chamber where a spark is created. From that chamber, the resulting substance is run through a condenser. After the condenser, a dip in the shape of the tubing allows for amino acids to collect. The end of the tubing is finally connected back to just above the boiling water in the chamber where the water is being boiled.

Scoring Rubric

Performance Characteristics

The following characteristics guide the scoring of responses to the open-response item(s).

Performance Characteristics
Purpose The extent to which the response achieves the purpose of the assignment.
Subject Matter Knowledge Accuracy and appropriateness in the application of subject matter knowledge.
Support Quality and relevance of supporting details.
Rationale Soundness of argument and degree of understanding of the subject matter.

Scoring Scale

The scoring scale below, which is related to the performance characteristics for the tests, is used by scorers in assigning scores to responses to the open-response item(s).

Score Scale with description for each score point.
Score Point Score Point Description
4 The "4" response reflects a thorough knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
  • The purpose of the assignment is fully achieved.
  • There is substantial, accurate, and appropriate application of subject matter knowledge.
  • The supporting evidence is sound; there are high-quality, relevant examples.
  • The response reflects an ably reasoned, comprehensive understanding of the topic.
3 The "3" response reflects an adequate knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
  • The purpose of the assignment is largely achieved.
  • There is a generally accurate and appropriate application of subject matter knowledge.
  • The supporting evidence is adequate; there are some acceptable, relevant examples.
  • The response reflects an adequately reasoned understanding of the topic.
2 The "2" response reflects a limited knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
  • The purpose of the assignment is partially achieved.
  • There is a limited, possibly inaccurate or inappropriate, application of subject matter knowledge.
  • The supporting evidence is limited; there are few relevant examples.
  • The response reflects a limited, poorly reasoned understanding of the topic.
1 The "1" response reflects a weak knowledge and understanding of the subject matter.
  • The purpose of the assignment is not achieved.
  • There is little or no appropriate or accurate application of subject matter knowledge.
  • The supporting evidence, if present, is weak; there are few or no relevant examples.
  • The response reflects little or no reasoning about or understanding of the topic.
U The response is unrelated to the assigned topic, illegible, primarily in a language other than English, not of sufficient length to score, or merely a repetition of the assignment.
B There is no response to the assignment.