Tips on how to get a 40 in Biology?

[Jay.C]

Hey guys ill be doing biology next year and was wondering how I would achieve a study score of 40 or above? If you have any study tips they would be much appreciated or knowledge about the sort of marks I should be aiming to achieve. Also I will be in year 11 next year so how much time should i devote to biology compared to other subjects??

[Tyleralp1]

Hey, it's good to see you're looking to aim high early on! A clear sign of determination, so you're already on your way

I can go on forever with things to do, however I'll try keep it short and sweet.

1. Lightly skim through the course during the summer holidays (something I wish I did). It helps so much when you come to doing the topic in class for the first time, as you'll most likely be able to grasp it faster, and began applying the knowledge.

2. Allocate study sections in preparations for SACs. Do this by a topic by topic basis. Break these up into small and easy to manage sections. For instance if your test is on Proteins, do a block on Protein Structure, Enzymes Functions, Enzyme Structure and Denaturation. Basically, try break the topics up into fine sub categories - making it easier to digest the information. Take regular breaks when studying. My personal suggestion is to make a personal note book as an ongoing task throughout year - saves time at exams.

3. Review content periodically, not just before a SAC. You're assessed with an exam, so save precious time by regularly revising, even if it's lightly, past topics. If you don't, you might find yourself having to re learn a fair bit of the course near exam time.

4. Questions! Lots and lots of practice questions. Checkpoints is great before SAC's and completing any of the book's questions, or external resources questions. You need to focus on exposure to a broad range of situations to apply your knowledge.

5. Know the content back to front. Make sure you've covered everything possible, and try not to dwell into non VCE content too much. Never leave anything to chance. Some things you may need to rote learn, but conceptual understanding is ideal as a lot of BIO is application of knowledge.

6. Seek help when required. Always seek to immediately rectify any issues. Do this ASAP otherwise it will pile up.

7. Lastly, ensure you keep a balance between normal life. Maintain a healthy diet, sleep on time (can't stress this enough), and don't burn out. Enjoy what you're doing and you'll be fine.

Hope this all helps!

[Jay.C]

Thank you for such an in depth answer! It really makes a difference!

[Superfruit]

Hey guys ill be doing biology next year and was wondering how I would achieve a study score of 40 or above? If you have any study tips they would be much appreciated or knowledge about the sort of marks I should be aiming to achieve. Also I will be in year 11 next year so how much time should i devote to biology compared to other subjects??

Hey
I got a 46 for bio in year 11. Tyleralp1 gave a superb answer.
If I could do anything for you, I would like to restress the importance of doing lots of practice exams under timed conditions. Be strict with yourself whilst correcting them, and ask your teacher when you have queries. Also, email your teacher regularly with any qs you have, with sample questions you have answered so she/he can correct it. I revised the content taught in class that evening mainly by writing the concepts over and over till it stuck in my head. For some that method is not effective, but it really worked for me. Learn any definitions off by heart, and incorporate key words such as 'specific' into answers (eg when referring to the action of enzymes).
Lastly, don't be disheartened if you get any bad sac scores during the year, just find out where you went wrong with the help of your teacher and work hard to re-earn your rank for the next SAC. Personally, I think bio is a great subject to do in year 11, because you will have more time to learn its heavy content.
Good luck and I hope all your dreams come true!!!!!!!

[Jay.C]

Hey
I got a 46 for bio in year 11. Tyleralp1 gave a superb answer.
If I could do anything for you, I would like to restress the importance of doing lots of practice exams under timed conditions. Be strict with yourself whilst correcting them, and ask your teacher when you have queries. Also, email your teacher regularly with any qs you have, with sample questions you have answered so she/he can correct it. I revised the content taught in class that evening mainly by writing the concepts over and over till it stuck in my head. For some that method is not effective, but it really worked for me. Learn any definitions off by heart, and incorporate key words such as 'specific' into answers (eg when referring to the action of enzymes).
Lastly, don't be disheartened if you get any bad sac scores during the year, just find out where you went wrong with the help of your teacher and work hard to re-earn your rank for the next SAC. Personally, I think bio is a great subject to do in year 11, because you will have more time to learn its heavy content.
Good luck and I hope all your dreams come true!!!!!!!

Thanks so much for your answer I definitely learn by repetition so that will be a helpful way for me to learn. Just to get an idea, what sort of marks did you achieve to get such a high study score? (If the question isn't to personal).

[bonkbadonk]

Thanks so much for your answer I definitely learn by repetition so that will be a helpful way for me to learn. Just to get an idea, what sort of marks did you achieve to get such a high study score? (If the question isn't to personal).

You would want an A+ in each of your SACs and the exam. Preferably a close to perfect score in the multiple choice, since it IS pretty much free marks. Last year's A+ cutoff was 93/110 (lose 17 marks), but I suspect this year will be lower than that since the exam was harder. So aim to make as few mistakes as possible in the exam, which includes understanding all the content, knowing what to apply, etc. etc.

[dankfrank420]

Hi Jay

I got 42 for Bio. Pretty good, but not like some of the freaks (I say that in a good way) on AtarNotes. I also did it in year 11, so I can empathise with your position.

I'll be honest. I was very lazy at the start of the year. I did literally nothing for Bio over the summer break, and did maybe two hours of homework a week (partly because my teacher was a bit apathetic, partly because I didn't realise how hard a 3/4 is). My lack of work was evident in my first SAC - I got 56%. However, I quickly learned from this and I didn't get below 80% on another SAC. The lesson is that you must put in the work consistently to get the marks. This also shows, as SuperFruit said, that you shouldn't be disheartened by your scores. There are so many SACs in Bio one doesn't make that much of a difference.

So make sure you put consistent work throughout the year (work ahead of your class if you can) and use the term 2 holidays to go through Unit 3 Prac exams if you have the time. Also, you can probably do some Unit 4 questions as well, as lots of it is based on year 10 genetics.

[vor0005]

1) Make sure you go to the TSFX Lectures or get a hold of their notes for both Unit 3&4. To be completely honest, once I got a hold of these notes, my textbook simply gained dust in my cupboard - didn't use it at all. I think that if you are to use a textbook - then definitely choose Nature of Biology - but seriously, I regret even buying it. Yes, the notes are that good! I hated the textbook in that it had a lot of irrelevant content in it and filtering it out was just a waste of time!

2) This is by no means crucial. But try to get a head start over the holidays. Personally, I'm pretty disorganised - that being said, I left my Bio study until the last 2 weeks. This gave me enough time to cover AOS 1. I was pretty happy with my self at the time, but looking back, definitely don't be afraid to cover AOS 2 or even the whole of Unit 3. However, ensure that you do not burn out. Once you have reached the point where you simply can't be screwed, stop. Also, don't cram - this is pointless. Do as much as you can that will sink and help you throughout the year. No point making notes for something you won't remember in a couple of months, yeah?

3) Tutor.... optional, however I highly recommend one - having a good tutor is definitely very helpful & motivating if you do choose to go down this path. They are pretty cheap for a decent one anyway so definitely give it a go if you think that you need that extra help! I had one and he was really helpful!! PM me if you want me to give you his details. On a side note - I'm selling a copy of TSFX Biology notes from this year (2014) atm so if you want a copy then also PM me!

4) The rest is just simple and mainly revolves around keeping on track and not falling behind. Constant note taking - try to do it before class so that you're consolidating knowledge in class. Don't fall behind - simple as that. If you fall behind, catching up is very hard!

5) Checkpoints, Checkpoints, Checkpoints!!! This little book is your best friend for SACs & even before the exam! Alright, Schools are lazy. For your SACs, they don't want to think of their own questions - so what do they do? They look through your checkpoints books or past exams and copy paste (with different names, numbers etc.). Most schools will do this! (and not just for bio) Before every SAC, i went through the checkpoints questions twice! The second time I pretty much memorised the response in the answers at the back - and so, come SAC time, when I see a familiar question (which came up at least twice per SAC), I had already known the answer!

6) While your SACs are important - it is all about the exam! Generally, you want to have an A+ average for Unit 3 and 4 to have a good chance at getting above 40 but do not worry if you don't achieve this!! I got an A average for Unit 3, and A+ average for Unit 4 and still came out with a 40+ Study Score. I got a better study score than someone who averaged A+ for both units (in the same cohort) simply because I did better than him on the exam. Essentially, make sure you kill the exam and you will walk out with above 40 (given that your SAC scores aren't toooooooo low)

FAQ:
How many practice exams do I need to do to get above 40?
As many as you need to feel confident going into that exam. I did about 25 all up - you may be different. I honestly don't recall but I think i was averaging (by the end of it) high 80's - low 90's. So not that amazing, but definitely try to get that as close to 100 as possible!!

Do I need to cover anything from Unit 1&2 if I'm going straight into 3&4 (without 1&2)?
No - I honestly didn't notice that I was at any disadvantage compared to students who undertook 1&2. Worst case scenario, they might have heard of some terms before which I hadn't - really no big deal. Don't stress, you'll be fine

[Superfruit]

Thanks so much for your answer I definitely learn by repetition so that will be a helpful way for me to learn. Just to get an idea, what sort of marks did you achieve to get such a high study score? (If the question isn't to personal).

No worries! My SACS were out of 25 marks. Most of the time I got 23/25 or 21/25. I got 24/25 like twice. Twice, I got below 20. I studied hard for the SACS, but I had difficulty gaining marks, probably because my teacher was a harsh marker.
My teacher even told me mid-year that I ranked 8th in the class (which is average, considering that my class size was only about 17 students). But I worked hard and I did a pile of practice exams, and I finished off coming 3rd in the class with a 46.
So hopefully that gives you some sort of inspiration to not worry about you SACs too much. Don't get me wrong, study very hard for them and do your best...but don't get overly upset or give up because of them like I did during some parts of the year.

[Jay.C]

1) Make sure you go to the TSFX Lectures or get a hold of their notes for both Unit 3&4. To be completely honest, once I got a hold of these notes, my textbook simply gained dust in my cupboard - didn't use it at all. I think that if you are to use a textbook - then definitely choose Nature of Biology - but seriously, I regret even buying it. Yes, the notes are that good! I hated the textbook in that it had a lot of irrelevant content in it and filtering it out was just a waste of time!

2) This is by no means crucial. But try to get a head start over the holidays. Personally, I'm pretty disorganised - that being said, I left my Bio study until the last 2 weeks. This gave me enough time to cover AOS 1. I was pretty happy with my self at the time, but looking back, definitely don't be afraid to cover AOS 2 or even the whole of Unit 3. However, ensure that you do not burn out. Once you have reached the point where you simply can't be screwed, stop. Also, don't cram - this is pointless. Do as much as you can that will sink and help you throughout the year. No point making notes for something you won't remember in a couple of months, yeah?

3) Tutor.... optional, however I highly recommend one - having a good tutor is definitely very helpful & motivating if you do choose to go down this path. They are pretty cheap for a decent one anyway so definitely give it a go if you think that you need that extra help! I had one and he was really helpful!! PM me if you want me to give you his details. On a side note - I'm selling a copy of TSFX Biology notes from this year (2014) atm so if you want a copy then also PM me!

4) The rest is just simple and mainly revolves around keeping on track and not falling behind. Constant note taking - try to do it before class so that you're consolidating knowledge in class. Don't fall behind - simple as that. If you fall behind, catching up is very hard!

5) Checkpoints, Checkpoints, Checkpoints!!! This little book is your best friend for SACs & even before the exam! Alright, Schools are lazy. For your SACs, they don't want to think of their own questions - so what do they do? They look through your checkpoints books or past exams and copy paste (with different names, numbers etc.). Most schools will do this! (and not just for bio) Before every SAC, i went through the checkpoints questions twice! The second time I pretty much memorised the response in the answers at the back - and so, come SAC time, when I see a familiar question (which came up at least twice per SAC), I had already known the answer!

6) While your SACs are important - it is all about the exam! Generally, you want to have an A+ average for Unit 3 and 4 to have a good chance at getting above 40 but do not worry if you don't achieve this!! I got an A average for Unit 3, and A+ average for Unit 4 and still came out with a 40+ Study Score. I got a better study score than someone who averaged A+ for both units (in the same cohort) simply because I did better than him on the exam. Essentially, make sure you kill the exam and you will walk out with above 40 (given that your SAC scores aren't toooooooo low)

FAQ:
How many practice exams do I need to do to get above 40?
As many as you need to feel confident going into that exam. I did about 25 all up - you may be different. I honestly don't recall but I think i was averaging (by the end of it) high 80's - low 90's. So not that amazing, but definitely try to get that as close to 100 as possible!!

Do I need to cover anything from Unit 1&2 if I'm going straight into 3&4 (without 1&2)?
No - I honestly didn't notice that I was at any disadvantage compared to students who undertook 1&2. Worst case scenario, they might have heard of some terms before which I hadn't - really no big deal. Don't stress, you'll be fine

Thank you so much!!!! That was such an in depth answer and really ran through every thing I needed to know. I will be attending the TSFX summer school program and was thinking of doing the weekly tuition classes. What would your opinions be on me doing the weekly tuition classes? Thanks heaps again!! this advice makes a huge difference!

[nerdmmb]

I'd just like to add on that it's really important for you to answer questions in Bio according to the number of marks allocated for that question

That was my biggest weakness but it can defintley be achieved with lots of practice

[vor0005]

Thank you so much!!!! That was such an in depth answer and really ran through every thing I needed to know. I will be attending the TSFX summer school program and was thinking of doing the weekly tuition classes. What would your opinions be on me doing the weekly tuition classes? Thanks heaps again!! this advice makes a huge difference!

I personally only attended the lectures for Unit 3 & 4 - not the Master classes. Therefore, I can't review the weekly tuition classes for you - however, I can tell you that the notes (which are included with the lecture) are more than enough to get you above 40. I got my  TSFX Unit 3 notes way too late - probably in around May?? I wouldn't be surprised if I would have gotten an A+ (as opposed to just an A) for Unit 3 if I had gotten them earlier (and consequently a better study score).

Good luck for next year! I'm sure you'll smash Biology!

[nerdmmb]

I attended the masterclass however I did not find it very useful to be honest. It's simply revision and if you've learn the content already, then you might as well practice on your own and if you haven't learnt a particular concept, the 2hr lecture which is held every week for 10 weeks can be very boring.
Then again, everyone is different but I personally didn't benefit from it however the practice exam booklet which can be bought directly and the notes were gold.

I also just like to add that if you've already got the notes then there's really no point in attending the masterclass because the notes that are given in the masterclasses are exactly the same as a ones given in the headstart and revision lectures.

[katiesaliba]

I don't think that you should rote learn definitions and/or concepts. Biology is increasingly becoming a subject that tests your knowledge and understanding, rather than your ability to recite textbook definitions. I received a 40+ SS for biology and yet I went into the exam knowing very few predetermined definitions. Of course, you'll notice key words that are important to include when defining concepts and phenomenons, but do not try and memorise entire definitions! In my opinion, that's just a waste of time. Instead, look beyond the scope of the course (but not too far), so that you have a thorough understanding of everything. For example, when I learnt about photosynthesis and cellular respiration, I taught myself the intricacies of each so that I could fully understand them. Of course, you're not going to be asked to name the enzymes involved in the Krebs cycle, but it's still nice to have an understanding that will prepare you for those difficult questions come SAC and exam time. Biology is about expanding your knowledge bank; it's about having an understanding that can be applicable to new, unknown situations.

In saying this, the thing I struggled with most in biology was being concise. So, I strongly suggest printing out and reading through every examiner's report so that you will know what the examiners are after when answering a question.  Personally, I believe that some of their answers are a bit too simplistic, so that's where you can add in your understanding and enhance their answers (albeit within reason and without becoming too verbose)! It's all about balance, and through the acquirement of a great understanding of biology, you'll be able to summarise the most important details of biological processes (tip: USE ACRONYMS!)

Watch youtube videos (Crash course, Khan academy, Bozeman science) and listen to podcasts (Douchy's). Determine your learning style. Use acronyms. Summarise. Draw diagrams. Teach an imaginary class. Create flashcards. And, above all, ENJOY THE SUBJECT!

Feel free to PM me if you have any additional questions Good luck!

[fishandchips77]

For the 40+ student the "suggest a reason" type questions are absolute killers. These are specifically designed to trip up students who blindly rote learn the content (not that rote learning is necessarily a bad thing). Generally they will test knowledge you probably have never encountered before. The examiners want you to draw material from the course to put together a best GUESS answer. Yup, a GUESS.

You'll need a detailed understanding of the course, common sense, creativity, and CONFIDENCE.

Most people are uncomfortable with this concept of guessing and lose confidence or panic because they have no idea what to write. That's exactly what the examiners want, so the best way to tackle these questions is to stay calm and realise that probably nobody else really knows the correct answer. You have no choice but to guess.

In fact the "correct answer" isn't important. What you write might be factually incorrect but still score full marks because examiners are instructed to award marks to anything that "sounds legit". As long as you back up what you say with some evidence (i.e. some key concept or definition from the bio course) you will get full marks! Sometimes two contradictory answers may be given full marks!

e.g. a 70 year old man and a 20 year old man become infected with a lethal strain of influenza. Which would me more likely to become severely ill? Provide reasoning for your answer?
The answer isn't in the textbook....
Common sense tells us the 70yo man is MOST AT RISK because elderly people tend to have weaker immune systems. You can use your knowledge from the course to illustrate how weaknesses in the 3 lines of defense can make you susceptible to illness.
Alternatively you could use your course knowledge about the adaptive immune system to reason it is possible the 70yo is LESS AT RISK because he may already be immune to this type of influenza.
These answers are contradictory and neither or both these answers may be "correct" but both might score full marks in the exam.

Sticking to the study design is important but people with a broader knowledge of biology will be at a distinct advantage with these kinds of questions.
e.g. Suggest a reason why forward protruding noses in Africa might be an advantage.

In summary: rote learning and sticking to the study design are important but be prepared to get creative and do some real thinking!

Hope it helps