DAT Sections

The DAT is comprised of four sections: survey of the natural sciences, perceptual ability (often called the PAT), reading comprehension, and quantitative reasoning. There is an optional pretest section, which comprises of questions on science, PAT, or math. The questions from this section are not scored and hence have no affect on the students score report. The function of the pretest section is to help those organizing the test with research on future questioners for candidates.

I. SURVEY OF NATURAL SCIENCES

The Survey of Natural Sciences section consists of questions designed to test the students understanding in the areas of Biology (40), General Chemistry (30)and Organic Chemistry. (30) This section comprises of 100 questions that have to be completed within the time span of 90 minutes.

A. Biology - This will test fundamental principles and concepts of biology with the major emphasis on biology (as opposed to plants). There are about 40 questions on this section with topics ranging from those listed below.

1. Origin of life 2.Cell metabolism 3. Photosynthesis 4. Enzymology 5. Organelle structure 6. Organelle function 7. Biological organization 8. Major taxa relationship 9. Vertebrate system a. integument b. skeletal c. muscular d. circulatory e. immunological f. digestive g. respiratory h. urinary i. nervous j. endocrine k. reproductive 10. Fertilization 11. Embryology 12. Developmental mechanics 13. Mendelian Inheritance 14. Chromosomal Genetics 15. Meiosis 16. Mitosis 17. Human Genetics 18. Molecular Genetics 19. Natural Selection 20. Population Genetic 21. Speciation 22. Population ecology 23. Community Ecology 24. Animal Behavior 25. Social Behavior.

B. Inorganic Chemistry – This tests the fundamental principles and concepts of inorganic chemistry with the major emphasis on knowledge required in the first year of college. There are a total of 30 questions in this section with questions on topics listed below.

1. Stoichiometry a. Percent Composition b. Empirical Formulas c. Balancing equations d. Weight/Weight e. Weight/Volume Composition f. Density Problems.

1. Gases a. Kinetic Theory of Gases b. Molecular Theory of Gases c. Graham's Law d. Dalton's Law e. Boyle's Law f. Charle's Law g. Ideal Gas Laws 2. Liquids 3. Solids 4. Solutions a. Colligative Properties b. Concentration Calculations 5. Acids and Bases 6.Chemical Equilibrium a. Molecular b. Acid / Base c. Precipitation d .Equilibrium Calculations 7. Thermodynamics 8. Thermochemistry a. Laws of Thermodynamics b. Hess's Law c. Spontaneity Prediction 9. Chemical Kinetics a. Rate Laws b. Activation Energy c. Half Life 10. Oxidation-Reduction Reactions a. Balancing Equations b. Determination of Oxidation Numbers c. Electrochemical Concepts d. Electrochemical Calculations 11. Atomic and Molecular Structure a. Electron Configurations b. Orbital Types c. Lewis Dot Diagrams d. Atomic Theories e. Molecular Geometry f. Bond Types g. Quantum Mechanics 12. Periodic Table Properties a. Categories of Non metals b. Categories of Transition Metals c. Categories of Non Transition Metals 13. Nuclear Chemistry / Reactions

C. Organic Chemistry There are total 30 questions dealing with:

1. Bonding a. Atomic orbitals b. Molecular Orbitals c. Hybridization d. Lewis Structures e. Bond Angles f. Bond Lengths 2. Mechanisms a. Energetics b. Structural Intermediates c. Stability of Intermediates d. SN-1 Reactions e. SN-2 Reactions f. Elimination g. Addition h. Free radical mechanisms i. Substitution Mechanisms. 3. Chemical & Physical Properties of Molecules a. Stability b. Solubility c. Polarity d. Inter and intra molecular forces e. Separation Techniques 4. Organic Analysis a. Introductory Infrared b. 1H NMR spectroscopy c .Simple Chemical Tests 5. Stereochemistry a. Conformational Analysis b. Optical Activity c. Chirality d. Chiral Centers e. Places of Symmetry f. Enantiomers g. Diastereomers h. Meso Compounds 6. Nomenclature a. IUPAC rules of identification of functional groups 7. Reactions of the Major Functional Groups a. Prediction of reaction products b. Important mechanistic generalities 8. Acid Base Chemistry a. Resonance Effects b. Inductive Effects c. Prediction of Products and Equilibria 9. Aromatic Chemistry a. Concept of Aromaticity b. Electrophilic aromatic substitution 10. Synthesis a. Identification of the product b. Identification of the reagents c. Simple sequence reactions.

II. READING COMPREHENSION

Reading Comprehension section has a total of 50 questions to be completed within 50 minutes. Students are given about 3 passages related to dental, basic, or clinical science that student will usually encounter in their first year of dental school, with a word limit of 1200 to 1500 words to be read. The passages are followed by multiple-choice questions relating to the passage. This section will evaluate the student’s ability to investigate, recognize and infer the meaning of the passages on scientific topics.

Students’ will be test on: 1. Ability to read, organize and remember new information in dental and basic science. 2. Ability to comprehend thoroughly when studying scientific information 3. Reading materials.

III. QUANTITATIVE ABILITY

The Quantitative Reasoning section helps to assess the student’s capability to reason with numbers, to manipulate numerical relationships, and deal intelligently with quantitative materials. On the whole this section will determines the students’ skills in dealing with arithmetic functions and knowledge. This section consists of 40 Questions that have to be completed within 45 Minutes. This section is not included in the examinations provided at the Canadian Examination centers.

1. Algebraic equations 2. Fractions 3. Conversations (ounces, pounds, feet, inches) 4. Percentages 5. Exponential notation 6. Probability and Statistics 7. Geometry 8. Trigonometry 9. Applied Mathematical Problems.

IV. THREE DIMENSIONAL SECTION

or the Perceptual Ability Test

The Perceptual Ability Test has a total of 90 questions, which consists of a range of non-verbal perceptual test items. A part of this section covers two-dimension perception while the other covers the three-dimension perception.

This section will assess the student’s necessary perceptive of three-dimensional figures. The students have to answer six parts within this section in a 60-minute time limit

1. Angle Discrimination – 1.arrange from smallest to largest angle 2. Form Development - View of a figure from the end, front and top: two of the three are given and the missing diagram has to be identified.

2. Orthographic Projections - Visualize a figure from the side after given a three dimensional view of it. Students are expected to imagine how an object looks from all directions, then pick from the five apertures outlined, the opening through which the object could pass directly if the proper side were inserted.

3. Apertures - students are given a square with 16 potential holes. It is folded in a unique way and a hole is placed in it. It is then unfolded and students are expected to determine where all the holes will be once unfolded.

4. Cubes - Study a group of cubes with their sides exposed. Imagine them painted and then the cubes disassembled. Identify how many of the cubes have one, two, three, four or five sides painted.

5. Paper Folding - Construct a three dimensional figure from a plan-flat pattern that is presented