The instructions for the biology 36 exam follow. I am providing them here to save you time on Friday, and also to give you a feeling for what the exam will be like. The questions fall into the following categories:

1) comparative, asking you to compare features among groups.

2) form and function, asking you to correlate form with particular functions.

3) phylogenetic, asking you to describe how/why animals are classified in a particular manner

4) evolutionary, asking you to understand evolutionary mechanisms that underlie animal form.

Some questions may cover more than one of the above categories.

Here are the instructions:

0) Read all of these instructions.

1) Write your name on each page of the exam. Answer each question on the page provided (you may use the back, but you should not need it).

2) There are 4 questions. Answer only 3 questions. Do not answer all 4 questions. Each question will be worth 33 points.

3) Please write neatly. If I can't read it, it is wrong.

4) Please answer each question succinctly. One written page should be more than enough room for each answer. You will lose points for addition of irrelevant material.

5) You may use drawings, figures, graphs, and equations to supplement your text. Be sure to explain these in your text.

6) Please consider your answer carefully before writing on your exam. Scrap paper will be available.

7) The questions are general in nature - they ask you to explore general principles. However, your answers will be strengthened by the use of specific examples (i.e. Specific animals or specific structures, etc) that illustrate your points.

How should you study?

One good way is to pose your own questions falling into the catgories I describe above. Even though you probably won't guess my questions exactly, this will give you practice answering that type of question.

How should you construct your 8X11 note sheet?

Trying to pack 6 weeks of notes onto one side of paper generally doesn't work. Instead, try to include essential information that you don't want to memorize, such as the particular characteristics of each phylum.

Good luck,

CMG