Praxis II Biology Content Essays
The Biology: Content Essays exam is a one hour test for prospective high school biology teachers in which the capability of the examinee to understand and teach biology is assessed. The exam presents three essay questions regarding the following topics:
- Molecular and Cellular Biology
- Classical Genetics and Evolution
- Organismal Biology and Ecology
These areas of biology are equivalent to the subject matter learned in beginning college courses in biology. The essay question pertaining to Molecular and Cellular Biology will cover the framework and purpose of the components of molecular genetics, the structure and activities of cells, and the features of chemicals as the foundation for life forms. For the category of Genetics and Evolution, the topics in question may include heredity, disorders, and proof of evolution, to name a few. The third essay covers the role of organisms in biology and ecology.
In addition to covering the different aspects of biology, each essay question will assess various skills of the examinee, and each question may be composed of numerous parts. In one essay, the examinee will demonstrate the ability to initiate and conduct experiments and analyze the resulting data. Another essay will test the examinee’s ability to understand scientific concepts and biological systems, and his or her comprehension of the use of models in science. In the final essay, the examinee must display knowledge of the way in which science affects society and how the laws and theorems of science are applicable.
All three essays will be equally scored on a scale of 0-5, with a score of 5 being the high score. A score of 5 is awarded to essays that show exceptional comprehension of science theories and vocabulary, using an ample amount of science terms and appropriate examples and proof to completely answer the essay question. Essays will receive a score of 4 for firmly answering the question using the correct vocabulary and using good examples. A score of 3 is given for essays that show average knowledge of science, using only some appropriate vocabulary. Essays that receive a score of 2 demonstrate a minimal amount of scientific knowledge and may not use appropriate terminology or examples. Essays are given a score of 1 for showing a negligible amount of knowledge, with no examples or scientific vocabulary. A score of 0 is given for essays that are left blank or do not address the question asked.
