Practice papers
Smash out some last few practice papers for that extra confidence boost, and to work out exactly how you’ll manage your time in the exam. With some luck you can crush the MCQs in the first 20-or-so minutes, leaving yourself more time for those tricky 7 and 8-markers.
Make sure you complete all questions every time. You’ll have to do so in about 80 hours, so there’s no use taking the easy route now. The more questions you answer, the more confident and capable you’ll be on the day. A sure-fire mark-booster.
Some final tips for those higher-mark questions:
- Dot-point out your structure and examples beforehand… Try to work out what the markers are looking for, and use that to decide how you will answer the question in the most effective way.
- Underline/flag key ideas… If the question is asking you to talk about three different scientists, structure your answer by scientist, and start a new line for each. Make your answer legible and clear.
- Give enough examples… For an 8-mark question, give three examples that are properly explained, with all key terms defined.
- Answer explicitly, using the words of the question… make it EASY for the marker to give you marks. They’re overworked teachers who are often just looking for things to tick. Make sure that they know that you’ve answered the question correctly and thoroughly.
Memorising
Now’s the time to cement a shit-tonne of information into your tiny head (am I allowed to say shit? whatever.). This seems like a massive task, but if you break it down into manageable bits, it will be much much easier.
To help you structure your study, here are some things you should have memorised:
- Definitions (of everything. Begin every higher-mark question by defining key terms)
- Processes (ultrafiltration/reabsorption/secretion in the kidney, xylem/phloem in plants, the immune response)
- Lists (the steps of evolution by natural selection, Koch’s postulates)
- Experiments (Mendel, Morgan, Beadle and Tatum, Pasteur etc.)
Consider the fact that you’ve utilised much of this information before – half-yearlies and trials, plus in all those practice papers. For some dot-points, your memory might just need a quick booster before it all comes flooding back. For others, it might all seem brand new. Try not to freak out, just give yourself the time that you need…
I read things out loud to myself, tried to explain concepts to my cat (pictured below), and recorded myself reading content and listened to it. You could try Jake’s technique of writing out everything you don’t know in a sweary ‘summary sheet’, but make sure not to intimidate yourself – just include the absolute essentials.
(http://i.imgur.com/x2kcBNj.png)
my cat Rory (yes really)
Spend some extra time on your option
Unless your school is super edgy and does the content in a different order, your option will likely be your weakest area. You probably learnt it at the same time as studying for trials - trying to fit all your other subjects into your head - and either wrote your own notes without really thinking about them, or tried to memorise someone else’s notes without actually ‘getting it’ (guilty...). Compensate for this by giving yourself another opportunity to truly understand the key ideas in yours. What are the key ideas threaded throughout the syllabus? How do they link to each-other, and how do they link to the core Bio syllabus? Now’s the time for sketching out mind-maps and talking to yourself.
Summarise summarise summarise
There’s no use memorising essay-style answers to dot-points. That’s just not going to be useful come exam time. Try to synthesise key content into dot-points, diagrams, and even just key words. There are certain things that you’ll DEFINITELY have to know like the back of your hand. These things are scientists and people. I made myself some palm cards with literally JUST the key content on them.
To help you out a little on your quest for godlike biology knowledge:
(http://i.imgur.com/iOvuHj7.png)
Eat some celery
If my memory of being a 6-year-old doesn’t fail me, you are what you eat and it also takes one to know one. Thus, in order to truly understand the nature of xylem and phloem, water and glucose transport, respiration, and cell-structure, you must imbibe of the plant itself. This is the most important step.
Take care xx
Naomi