Advanced Placement Biology®/Honors Research Methods & Techniques
Kevin Jordan, NBCT, MS, MAT
http://www.geocities.com/jordan.ghhs
kbjordan@wcpss.net

How I Teach/ What I Expect
	Pacing: the whole book; last test will be Wednesday, April 29
	Grading: 60% test, 30% lab, 9% classwork/homework/quizzes, 1% tutorial 
	Complete PPT presentation of material
		Lecture notes by objective; complete notes posted at the beginning of each unit
		Combined with figures from the text
		Time is allowed for questions/clarification
	I include as much lab as time allows
		Full versions of all 12 required AP Biology Labs
		Many supplementary / exploratory labs	
	Worksheets are minimized, with exceptions
		Problem sets
		Summer assignment
	Homework/Expectations
		Read each chapter/ read each set of lecture notes
		Ask questions in class
	Testing
		Each test will be equivalent to about ½ an AP Exam
		60 multiple choice and 2 Free-Response Questions
		Weighted as the AP Exam: 60% MC, 40% F-R
		Raw test average about the same as AP Exam  50%
		Scaled for assignment of grades
	Help is available in Tutorial: 
		Tuesday and Friday 11:02-11:32
		Tuesday 3:10-4:40
		Otherwise by appointment

Exam Statistics:
	Average Score 2007: 3.857/5.000
	Average Score 2008: 3.942/5.000
		17/21 students took the AP Biology Exam
		Passing Rate: 16/17 (94%) scored 3 or better [50.1% for all] 

Changes in AP Biology Program
	Due to questions about equivalency
	Responses
		AP Audit of syllabi began in 2007
		Some colleges require higher scores for credit
		AP Biology exam scores rescaled in 2008; 60.8% passing to 50.1%	

HRMT Research Projects:
		Bioinformatics
			Examine chimpanzee – human chromosomal break points
			Look for evidence of alternate mRNA processing in tissue cDNA		
		EKG/EEG
			Electrode placement
		Biomechanics
			Tendon insertion point and power/speed
			Sesamoid bone size/placement vs. power/speed 
		Effect of UV on Plant Development
		Isolation of Pigment Production Mutants of Serratia marcescens
		Effect of Common Pollutants on Aquatic Primary Productivity