General Zoology Class Image

Exam Keys
and statistics

Zool 170 General Zoology
Spring Semester 2001
(For lab exam information, see your TA)

 


FINAL EXAM

Statistics shown below the key.
For information on Makeup exams, see the news page (4-2-01/misc note)

The following table shows the answer and weight (points) for the given item. You can determine which questions were used (and how much they counted) in each particular "make-up" exam (M I-III) by looking at the weights.

Two questions were dropped, 13 and 50.

Question Answer Final M I M II M III
  total pts: 128 50 50 50
1 A 2 2    
2 B 1   2  
3 A 1     2
4 A 1     2
5 A 1 2    
6 B 1 2    
7 B 1 2    
8 B 1     2
9 A 1 2    
10 B 2   3  
11 A 2   2  
12 A 1   3  
13          
14 D 2   2  
15 E 1   3  
16 D 1   2  
17 E 2   3  
18 A 1     2
19 E 1 2    
20 D 1 2    
21 C 1 2    
22 D 1 2    
23 E 1 2    
24 C 2   2  
25 A 1     3
26 A 1   3  
27 B 1 2    
28 C 1 2    
29 C 1 2    
30 C 1 2    
31 D 1     2
32 D 1 2    
33 C 1 2    
34 A 1 2    
35 A 2 2    
36 A 1 2    
37 D 1   2  
38 D 1     3
39 CD 1     2
40 BE 1     2
41 BD 1     2
42 B 1     2
43 B 1   3  
44 AC 2      
45 E 2      
46 D 2      
47 E 1     2
48 A 1     2
49 B 2      
50          
51 C 2      
52 C 2      
53 B 2      
54 B 2      
55 AB 2      
56 A 1 2    
57 AB 1     2
58 AC 1     2
59 A 2      
60 A 1   2  
61 E 1   3  
62 A 2      
63 B 1   3  
64 C 1   2  
65 D 2     2
66 C 1     2
67 A 1     2
68 C 2      
69 B 2      
70 A 1 2    
71 C 2 2    
72 E 2 2    
73 AB 2      
74 BE 2      
75 C 1   3  
76 D 1   2  
77 CE 2      
78 BD 2      
79 AC 2      
80 AD 2      
81 BD 2      
82 BC 1      
83 D 1      
84 AC 1      
85 BE 1      
86 CE 1      
87 A 1     2
88 DE 1     2
89 BD 1      
90 BC 1      
91 DE 1     2
92 AE 1     2
93 CD 1      
94 CD 1      
95 C 1   2  
96 D 1   3  
97 AD 1     2
98 DE 1     2
99 BC 1 2    
100 B 1 2    

Final Exam statistics --

tests graded = n = 162
total score posssible = 128
range of scores:   27 to 123
mean = 80.59,  standard dev. = 20.76
median = 81,  mode = 77
curve: sort of normal shaped but very flat and spread out

M I statistics --

total score posssible = 50
range of scores:   4 to 50
mean = 34.83,  standard dev. = 9.14
median = 36,  mode = 36
curve: basically normal, a little skewed toward high end

M II statistics --

total score posssible = 50
range of scores:   3 to 50
mean = 34.76,  standard dev. = 9.87
median = 36,  mode = 42
curve: skewed toward high end

M III statistics --

total score posssible = 50
range of scores:   4 to 48
mean = 32.12,  standard dev. = 9.84
median = 33,  mode = 42
curve: highly skewed toward high end




Want a tip for improving future exams? See suggestions following
the key and statistics for exam I.


Key to Exam III

Statistics and additional comments included after the key.

Note: no questions were dropped from the exam this time, consider the additional three as possible extra points.

1. A 2. B 3. A 4. B 5. A 6. B 7. A 8. C 9. A 10. A
11. C 12. C 13. A 14. C 15.AE 16. C 17.AB 18. D 19.BE 20. E
21. A 22. D 23. A 24. E 25. E 26.CE 27. A 28. B 29. A 30. E
31.AD 32. A 33.DE 34. B 35.BD 36. E 37. D 38.BD 39.AB 40.CD
41.AC 42.BE 43. C 44.AC 45. C 46.AD 47. E 48.AE 49. A 50.C
51.AC 52.AB 53.CE              

Exam statistics --

tests graded = n = 168
total score posssible = 53
range of scores:   5 to 50
mean = 30.0,  standard dev. = 10.0
median = 30.0,  mode = 27
curve: normal shaped

Grade? ... you can do the math yourselves; see method below with the first exam to get a sense of where you stand compared to the rest of the class. When the scores are posted, the important one will be the total and where you stand relative to the rest of the class on that.


Key to Exam II

Statistics and additional comments included after the key.

Note: 2 questions (20 and 51) had problems and were dropped from the exam.

1. B 2. B 3. A 4. B 5. A 6. A 7. A 8. B 9. A 10. B
11. C 12. B 13. C 14. D 15. C 16. B 17. B 18. D 19. E 20. -
21. B 22. C 23. B 24. A 25. A 26. B 27. D 28. A 29. B 30. D
31. A 32. C 33. D 34. D 35. D 36. D 37.DE 38.AD 39. B 40.AE
41. A 42.AD 43. E 44.BE 45. D 46. D 47. B 48. C 49. E 50.B
51. - 52. E 53. C              

Exam statistics --

tests graded = n = 168
total score posssible = 51
range of scores:   12 to 49
mean = 32.7,  standard dev. = 9.2
median = 34.0,  mode = 38
curve: appeared sort of normal, but very spread out;
             it was also scewed slightly toward the high end

Grade? ... you can do the math yourselves on this one, see method below with the first exam to get a sense of where you stand compared to the rest of the class. When the scores are posted, the important one will be the total and where you stand relative to the rest of the class on that.


Key to Exam I

Statistics and additional comments included at bottom, after the key.

Note: for a variety of reasons, 5 questions (26, 34, 41, 52, and 55) had problems and were dropped from the exam.

1. B 2. B 3. B 4. A 5. B 6. B 7. A 8. B 9. B 10. A
11. B 12. B 13. B 14. E 15. C 16. D 17. A 18. B 19. D 20. C
21. D 22. AB 23. A 24. A 25. E 26. - 27. B 28. C 29. A 30. A
31. B 32. A 33. C 34. - 35. C 36. C 37. B 38. D 39. A 40. D
41. - 42. D 43. C 44. A 45. BD 46. C 47. E 48. A 49. E 50.C
51. A 52. - 53. B 54. B 55. - 56. D        

Exam statistics --

tests graded = n = 177
total score posssible = 51
range of scores:   14 to 49
mean = 32.2,  standard dev. = 7.7
median = 33.0,  mode = 31
curve: appeared sort of normal, but somewhat flat and very spread out;
             it was also scewed slightly toward the high end

IF I was to put grades on this exam (which I don't, it is only the points that count), I would use the normal distribution as shown below. (Note:  I only use the "university curve" when the actual curve is up in that range; in other words I use either the normal curve or the university curve [or a combination], whichever is most appropriate to the results ... for example, if the mean + 1.5 s.d. were to be above 90%, I would then use 90%.) Thus, the normal curve for these results would be:

     "A" = mean + 1.5 s.d. = approx. 44 and above
     "B "= mean +  (0.5 s.d. to 1.5 s.d.) = approx. 36 to 43
     "C "= mean (- to +) 0.5 s.d. = approx. 28 to 35
     "D "= mean - (0.5 s.d. to ~ 1.5 s.d.) = approx. 20 to 27
     "F "= below (mean - ~ 1.5 s.d.) = approx. 19 and below

The above is only an example to show how I calculate grades and to give a sense of where you stand at this point relative to the rest of those in the class. You should NOT count this as a "grade" and try to average it in with future "grades" -- only the points count, with the real grade calculated at the end of the semester, based on the total score.

Also note: regardless of how you did, there will be an opportunity (for everyone) to raise your score for the exam via a "make up exam" which is automatically built into the final exam. (It will be explained in more detail later in the course.)


TIPS on improving future exams ...

Persons who did not do as well on the exam as they would like, are not sure what "went wrong," and who want to improve studying for the future can perhaps obtain useful insight by doing a specific analysis of this exam, as follows. Take a piece of paper and make a list of all of the questions missed. Then for each question try to determine why that particular item was missed (didn't understand it, had not memorized something, did not study the topic, careless error, etc.) and write down the reason. After the list is completed, go over it and look for common denominators or if there is a pattern of problems. Then try to focus on and correct those problems. If you need help with an exam analysis or want to discuss it, see me, JWG.

(Also, some obvious ways to improve scores -- come to class, take good notes, study, and ask questions on what you do not understand. A lot of people are not doing that!)


Academic Dishonesty/Plagiarism:
All work in this course must be completed in a manner consistent with NDSU University Senate Policy, section 335: Code of Academic Responsibility and Conduct.


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Professor Name: James W Grier
Last Updated: 5/8/01
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