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[OCR Biology AS] Revision Guide OCR vs CGP

Hey guys, i am currently revising for biology through the exam board text book given.

First of all, is it worth getting a revision guide for the exams?

If so, i know only two that i have seen around class. The OCR revision guide, and the CGP revision guide. Which one of these are worth getting? If you know one better than these two please do reccomend.

Thanks :smile:

Reply 1

Unsworth

I would recommend the OCR text book over the CGP, we were given both by our school and the CGP has alot less detail than what is in the OCR one. Although you obviously don't need everything that is in OCR's copy, it definitely helps to learn the details and cut it down rather than not learning enough.

Reply 2

Otherguyx

So your saying that this one is good, and its worth getting?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/OCR-Revise-AS-Biology-New/dp/0435583700/ref=pd_sim_b_1

or i should stick to my original big OCR text book?

Reply 3

Unsworth

Oh no I mean the big 250 page OCR copy, assume that is what you have as the original? I have found it the best one by far.

Reply 4

Wilko94

I would say both are brilliant, that's what I thought and I got both. The OCR Revision book is concise and has all the key marking points, and the CGP book is great if you're really trying to get your head around something.

If I had to choose, I'd say get the CGP one, assuming you already have the big OCR textbook. The revision book is the same but more condensed, which is useful.

Hope that helps, I'm an A2 student by the way.

Reply 5

Joseppea

OCR Heinemann Textbook > CGP revision book > OCR revison book.

Imho. :smile:

Reply 6

Otherguyx

Damn i still dont know which to buy!

Ok here is a little bit about my self...

1)I am a very visual learner
2) i can remember anything related to images very easily which is how i revise.
3) Infact, i can remember things i revised for my GCSE's about 2 years ago clearly just because i drew images of them!!!
4) i can remember MOST of my biology F211 revision because i drew posters and diagrams to help aid my revision!!!

So i need something that helps in that. If i just read text i dont learn anything....

The problem for me with the normal text book is that there is so much content its overwhelming! Its too much to read.

Most if it i can understand if i just read it a few times from the book, or if i look online or something, or if i ask here.

Its just the amount i have to cover. Its just overwhelming.

It seems that the OCR Revision book is good but im worried i might miss things out and ill loose marks in the actual exam...

CGP book looks good too... but it might have even less information compared to the OCR Revision book.

Ive seen the OCR revision book and there is no colour at all which puts me off...

Reply 7

Niki_girl

Original post by Otherguyx

I think the big OCR textbook and a copy of the old textbook (http://www.amazon.co.uk/Essential-Biology-OCR-Student-Book/dp/0748785116/ref=sr_1_18?ie=UTF8&qid=1331382685&sr=8-18) which I brought. I had these 2 books last year , and the black-and-white revision guide (which is basically just a condensed version of the bigger book, and without colour).

I made a LOT of posters, flashcards, flow charts, tables (for comparing things) last year, your style of learning sounds like mine. :smile:

I got an A at AS, but I've dropped Biology now - I didn't enjoy it much! :tongue:

I also made a thread where I put up a lot of my resources I made when I was reivising for this course - http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1768558.

Hope this helps! I think the trick is with Biology is to do about 10-15 minutes a day of revision on both Units 1 + 2, and try to learn/ memorise 1 or 2 key terms and their definitions a day as well. If you did this from now (tip, use the glossary at the back of the large textbook as a starting point!) until May you could cover everything!

I know it seems impossible now but as you get closer to May things will fall into place. If you start your revision soon you'll see what I mean, Biology as a whole is just a series of linked processes, the more you learn and understand at AS the easier it becomes to piece together by exam time - good luck!

Reply 8

AGrumpyMole

Original post by Otherguyx

Both.

Reply 9

Otherguyx

WOW niki_girl thanks for the link, really helps!

that is alot of notes! thanks!

Very nice of you to share them all like that!

Reply 10

Niki_girl

Original post by Otherguyx

WOW niki_girl thanks for the link, really helps!

that is alot of notes! thanks!

Very nice of you to share them all like that!

It's fine! :smile:

Otherwise they'd just be sitting on my computer...also, it took so long to write/ make all of them, that I feel better knowing that they're getting more use, if you know what I mean.