OAE Biology study guide
OAE Biology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The OAE Biology assessment (exam code 007) is one of the Ohio Assessments for Educators subject tests used in the educator licensure process for candidates who want to teach biology in Ohio schools. It is designed for people preparing for an initial teaching license in the life sciences, typically candidates completing a teacher-preparation program or adding a science endorsement. The OAE Biology study guide has 6 sections and about 2,034 words.
01Nature of Science
This domain tests how biological knowledge is built: hypothesis testing, experimental design, measurement quality, data interpretation, and peer review. Expect items that ask you to critique a described experiment, name variables, read a data table, or decide whether a stated conclusion follows from the evidence.
356 words, about 2 min02Molecular and Cellular Biology
This domain covers macromolecule structure, enzyme function, cell organelles, membrane transport, and the energy transformations of respiration and photosynthesis. Items reward structure–function reasoning: why a shape, a gradient, or a compartment position determines what happens.
362 words, about 2 min03Genetics and Evolution
This domain tests transmission genetics (Mendel, probability, non-Mendelian patterns), molecular genetics, and the mechanisms that change allele frequencies over time. Expect Punnett-square and pedigree reasoning plus population-genetic calculations.
331 words, about 2 min04Biological Unity and Diversity
This domain covers classification, phylogeny, and the survey of major groups from prokaryotes through vertebrates, emphasizing shared biochemistry and the structural adaptations that mark major transitions. Linnaean hierarchy: Domain, Kingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus, Species; binomials are italicized with the genus capitalized.
329 words, about 2 min05Ecology and Environment
This domain tests population growth, species interactions, energy flow and matter cycling in ecosystems, succession, biomes, and human environmental impact. Items often use a graph or a short scenario requiring quantitative reasoning.
312 words, about 2 min06Science, Technology, and Society
This domain connects biological knowledge to real applications and decisions: biotechnology tools, public health, bioethics, regulation, and how evidence informs policy. Items ask you to evaluate applications and reason about risk rather than to recall brand names.
344 words, about 2 min