13th International Biology Olympiad Latvia, 2002 Ministry of Education and Science University of Latvia Association of Biology Teachers
4 Kronvalda boulv., Riga LV-1586, LATVIA phone: +371-7034860, +371-7334125, Fax: +371-7223801, email: ulkoro@latnet.lv

Final Report

• 5. Results and statistical analysis
  • Theoretical part
  • Practical part
  • Total results

5. Results and statistical analysis

Theoretical part

The figures 1 – 24 represent statistics summarizing information on the theoretical part A and part B. Results were analyzed by Biology sub-branches.

As it can be seen from the graphs 1 - 9, in part A students showed the best results in Cell Biology, Plant Anatomy and Physiology, and Animal Anatomy and Physiology. In those sub-branches 62 % of students gave the true answers. Good results were achieved also in Genetics and Evolution (61 % true answers) and Systematics (59 % true answers). The most complicated part was Ecology (49 % true answers) and Ethology (54 % true answers).

Fig. 1. Cell Biology. (Part A).	Fig. 2. Plant Anatomy and Physiology. (Part A).	Fig. 3. Animal Anatomy and Physiology. (Part A).	Fig. 4. Ethology. (Part A).
Fig. 5. Genetics and Evolution. (Part A).	Fig. 6. Ecology. (Part A).	Fig. 7. Systematics. (Part A).
Fig. 8. Part A. True answers (%). CB – Cell Biology; PA – Plant Anatomy and Physiology; AA – Animal Anatomy and Physiology; ET – Ethology; GE – Genetics and Evolution; EC – Ecology; SY - Systematics		Fig. 9. Difference between excersises (% true answers). The easiest – Q22 (Plant anatomy and Physiology), 91.82 % true answers, and the heaviest –Q56 (Ecology), 22.64 % true answers.

Figures 10 – 24 show the participants density trace as well as the observed minimum, observed maximum and the possible maximum in tasks, Part B, in appropriate biology sub-branches. In total the results of part B correspond to the general curve of distribution (Fig. 23), but in several cases they are different. As many questions of Ethology, Part B, were skipped, there was no possibility to analyse the appropriate results. The column diagram is given in figure 16. The most difficult tasks were prepared in Genetics and Evolution (Fig. 17) and Ecology (Fig. 19), but less complicated tasks were prepared in Systematics (Fig. 21).

The difference between the observed maximum and possible maximum in part B in total is rather great – 41 point (Fig. 24). That means that part B tasks were quite difficult in comparison with tasks of part A.

Fig. 10. True answers. Participants density trace. Cell biology. (Part B).	Fig. 11. True answers. Cell biology. 1 – observed minimum; 2 – observed maximum; 3 – possible maximum. (Part B).	Fig. 12. True answers. Participants density trace. Plant anatomy and physiology. (Part B).	Fig. 13. True answers. Plant Anatomy and Physiology. 1 – observed minimum; 2 – observed maximum; 3 – possible maximum. (Part B).
Fig. 14. True answers. Participants density trace. Animal anatomy and physiology. (Part B).	Fig. 15. True answers. Animal Anatomy and Physiology. 1 – observed minimum; 2 – observed maximum; 3 – possible maximum. (Part B).	Fig. 16. Points vs. number of the participants. Ethology. (Part B).
Fig. 17. True answers. Participants density trace. Genetics and Evolution. (Part B).	Fig. 18. True answers. Genetics and Evolution. 1 – observed minimum; 2 – observed maximum; 3 – possible maximum. (Part B).	Fig. 19. True answers. Participants density trace. Ecology. (Part B).	Fig. 20. True answers. Ecology. 1 – observed minimum; 2 – observed maximum; 3 – possible maximum. (Part B).
Fig. 21. True answers. Participants density trace. Systematics. (Part B).	Fig. 22. True answers. Systematics. 1 – observed minimum; 2 – observed maximum; 3 – possible maximum. (Part B ).	Fig. 23. True answers. Participants density trace. Total. (Part B).	Fig. 24. True answers. Total. 1 – observed minimum; 2 – observed maximum; 3 – possible maximum. (Part B).