Do Science A-Levels Require More Exam Technique than knowledge?

What are your views because the questions don't really change over years so is it more about exam tech. than actual in-depth knowledge??

Reply 1

Katie-Victoria

I took chemistry and biology, I knew the exam technique inside out.

The sheer volume of information was what threw me, at gcse there isn't much to memorise but at a-level you have to be able to memorise, regurgitate and then apply to different scenarios.

So no, not all about exam technique I don't think.

Reply 2

Mm_Minty

I'd say science A levels are the ones that require the least amount of exam technique!
You just have to cram in as much knowledge or as many keywords ad phrases as possible. Humanities subjects are more about the technique - if this goes wrong you get marked down but in sciences, there's no set way you have to answer them.

Reply 3

Vanny17

I think it is about exam technique and knowledge

Reply 4

username129099

I thinking the opposite, its all knowledge. You have they keywords, phases and elements in diagrams. Once you include those you get the marks, there is no technique in the same way as an essay subject.

Reply 5

Kinesthetic

It's a bit of both really

Exam technique in the sense that by knowing the mark schemes you stand a better chance than never looking at a paper simply knowing the textbook by heart.

Knowledge is needed as factual recall will make up around 30% (something like that) of the exam itself, but the rest can be data and how science works (tables, graphs, etc.).

The spec is quite vague in terms of knowing technique - the mark schemes are specific too.
My advice would be to learn the mark scheme, practise as many papers as available (use legacy specification papers too!) as well as using a revision guide to clear up any confusion, and you'll be well away :smile:

Enjoy

Reply 6

lattywatty

No you definitely need more understanding than exam technique for the sciences. A lot of it is one word answers or drawing diagrams so there's no technique there, just pure knowledge. I think at A-level you need proper in-depth understanding too. Not just knowing what happens but why and how it happens so you can apply it to any scenario they throw at you. This is the main difference from GCSE in my opinion.

It's different for arts subjects where I reckon exam technique plays just as an important role, if not more, than knowledge.

Reply 7

Revolution is my Name

Not really, no. The only exam technique you need can easily be gleaned from doing a few past papers and looking at their mark schemes.

Reply 8

TheMeister

Yes, and cramming key words into answers - hence why I was never good at it. I always need to have a discussion when I'm writing, hence why science has never been my thing

Reply 9

username244734

whizzkid2k8

What are your views because the questions don't really change over years so is it more about exam tech. than actual in-depth knowledge??

tbh I found that you needed to know how things linked together more than anything. An in-depth knowledge wasn't actually needed, though it helps I guess.

And I hatehatehate 'learning' exam techniques. HATE IT. So I never do, and I came out with As in Bio and Chem. I didn't do any practice papers in my own time, just the ones they gave out in lessons and stuff.

I despise how some people learn stuff purely for the exam and nothing else. :shifty: