MTTC Biology (017) study guide
MTTC Biology (017) · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
Biology (017) is one of the subject-matter tests in the Michigan Test for Teacher Certification (MTTC) program, listed on the official site with endorsement codes DA and IA. Candidates take it to demonstrate biology knowledge for educator certification in Michigan; the score report is one piece of the state's endorsement requirements, and the Michigan Department of Education - not the testing vendor - decides what each endorsement requires. The test is delivered by computer as 100 multiple-choice questions. Total appointment time is 2 hours and 45 minutes, which includes 15 minutes for the CBT tutorial and nondisclosure agreement, leaving 2 hours and 30 minutes of actual testing time. The passing score is 220, the fee is $129 (additional fees may apply), and scores are released within 6 weeks of testing. Appointments are available year-round, Monday through Saturday excluding some holidays, at sites in Michigan and nationwide. Topics on this exam: Biology. The MTTC Biology (017) study guide has 1 section and about 437 words.
01Biology
The MTTC Biology (017) “Biology” domain tests the integrated core of the life sciences: scientific inquiry, the chemistry of life, cell structure and function, energy transformations, molecular genetics, heredity, evolution, organismal diversity, and ecology. Questions typically ask you to apply a principle to a described experiment, data set, or scenario rather than recall an isolated fact, so connect each term to a mechanism. Inquiry: Hypotheses must be testable and falsifiable; controlled experiments hold all but one variable constant, and correlation alone does not establish causation. Chemistry of life: Water’s polarity and hydrogen bonding explain cohesion, adhesion, and its role as a solvent.
437 words, about 2 minMore study resources for MTTC Biology (017)
- Practice questionsA cell biologist treats a sample of cells with a drug that blocks the formation of the mitotic spindle.
- FlashcardsEmergent properties. Characteristics that arise at higher levels of biological organization and cannot be predicted from the individual parts alone, such as life emerging from the interaction of molecules and organelles.
- Cheat sheetHierarchy of organization: atom → molecule → organelle → cell → tissue → organ → organ system → organism → population → community → ecosystem → biosphere.
- Key termsCell membrane. A thin double layer of phospholipids with embedded proteins that surrounds every cell and controls which substances enter or leave, while also helping cells recognize and attach to one another.
- Study planMap every subarea of Domain 1 (molecules, cells, genetics, evolution, organisms, ecology) against a self-rated confidence scale to identify the three weakest subareas.
- Common mistakesMost practice crosses involve unlinked genes, so candidates default to a 9:3:3:1 Punnett square and ignore recombination frequency, then pick a ratio that matches no listed option and guess.
- Exam-day guideBring a current, unexpired ID with your name matching your registration exactly.