TABLE 4.

Sample low-level tested and untested items^a

	Unit exam item	Final exam item
Tested item (content: mutations in gene expression)	The mRNA written below is the sequence of the hypothetical Billy gene.	A genetic mutation which changes the resulting amino acid in the coded protein from an Arginine (Arg) to a Serine (Ser) is a a) Silent mutation b) Missense mutation c) Nonsense mutation d) Frameshift mutation e) Spontaneous mutation
	5′Cap-AUGGCCAAUCCGCUCCGAAGUGGCGCGUGUCUGUGAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA-3′
	What kind of mutation would I cause if I changed the highlighted letter to an A? a) Silent point mutation b) Missense point mutation c) Nonsense point mutation d) Frameshift
Untested item (content: photosynthesis alternative pathways)	(No unit exam item)	Due to the extreme heat, desert plants have modified processes of carbon fixation (the gathering of CO2 for photosynthesis). Which process do they use? a) C3 photosynthesis b) C4 photosynthesis c) CAM photosynthesis d) Photorespiration

^aAs a reminder, all unit exams were high-level. Thus, unit exam questions are example high-level questions that covered the low-level content.