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Ultimate Biology resources thread

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Fantastic notes though some fomr unit 3 are from wikinotes but still i really appreciate u putting them up.Thanks a lot!!

Reply 61

WokSz

awesome - I just realized one thing: the exam requirements in the UK and abroad are v. similar.

Reply 62

cdpuk

Heh turns out these are the notes someone sent to me that I copied on to wikinotes - some of you may have seen the other topic in this forum.

I've only done unit 1, 2 and 3 so far but here they are

Unit 1: Molecules and cells
Unit 2: Exchange transport and reproduction
Unit 3: Energy and the Environment

Everything is there, separated out on to lots of pages so it's easier to find what you're looking for, plus you can edit them if you find any mistakes :smile:

-Chris

EDIT: If someone has the other units could they upload them or send them to me? It'd be good to get the whole lot on there. I can't even be bothered to try and download from that strange site in post #1

Reply 63

fireworks

Hi guys,
I'm doing AQA AS Biology (Specification A), and have a bit of a dilemma. I have a textbook written by the cheif examiner (Bill Indge) specifically targetted at the course with each chapter based on the precise things that we are required to know for the exam, however, I have also been given notes by my teacher. These notes seem OK, but seem to lack detail in areas and are a bit vague. What should I concentrate on revising from?

I was going to write my own revision-style notes for each unit of Modules 1 and 2 based on information from my teacher's notes and the textbook but this would be far too time-consuming and would mean I would get very little actual revision/learning done. What else would you guys suggest? I will gain some advice from the chief examiner himself next month when I go to see him in a conference about how to use his textbook and AQA past papers to succeed in the May/June final exams, but I would really like to be well on my way in revision by then.

Any advice much appreciated...

Fireworks

Reply 64

~*Sar*~

do u means this book, but the AS version?

http://images-eu.amazon.com/images/P/0340802448.01.LZZZZZZZ.jpg

What i did for AS, was go through that entire book, and put all the info onto revision cards.
So really i ended up learning the whole book, but as it was in my own words and handwriting it was easier. Also when u write things down it does help u learn them. An i did ok in biology last yr, i got 95/105 in mod 1 and 92/105 in mod 2.

Reply 65

fireworks

Hi,
That's the book, yes (AS version of course). Did you do your notes in bullet point form on revision cards then? I have notes made for each unit in Module 1, compiled using my textbook (Mr. Bill Indge's) and my class notes from our teacher. Module 2's units are more in-depth so will need to see how I get on with those ones. So, I ain't starting from scratch with notes which is good :smile:

.

If I know both I can't really go wrong, and I'll have 'read around the subject' to a certain degree I suppose.

Thanks for your help, and any further suggestions/comments are welcome! :smile:

Fireworks

Reply 66

helenlicious

I have a god-awful biology teacher who doesn't teach much, and I found even the textbook was a bit waffly sometimes. One really good method of revision I've found (and it's got me full marks in two biology modules now!), is to download the syllabus for each module (http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/pdf/AQA-5411-6411-5413-6413-W-SP-06.pdf - just scroll down to the part of the syllabus you need), which has point by point everything you need to know for the exams.
Just go through that, make brief notes on each point using the textbook, your notes, whatever, then tick it off. After a few hours you'll have an entirely comprehensive set of notes on everything you need for that module.

Hasn't failed me yet (touch wood) :biggrin:

Past papers are also good for seeing the kind of detail you'll need to know - also downloadable from the AQA website. Good luck!

Reply 67

fireworks

Thanks for that. The idea of using the specification/syllabus bullet points as headings is good as it makes it unlikely that I will miss anything out. So that describes each thing I need to know - it does not just mention a couple of the things from each unit does it (the specification that is)?

Anyways, I very much appreciate the advice given here, so thanks. One more thing, did you guys take a long time to learn this stuff, and did you find the actual papers (which I realise are downloadable from AQA's site), easy enough after the learning?

Thanks

Reply 68

WokSz

Hey. Well, my teacher did exactly the same thing as yours. We use the Cambridge International Examination Boards book which is specifically aimed at my specifications. Now, my teacher gave us notes as well, but she said that they are summaries for the most important points. The way I'm revising is by going through every point in the syllabus and making notes on that, using the bullet point as titles. Trust me, if you do 4 bullet points a day even, you should be done with the syllabus in about a month, which gives you another month to revise them and do past papers :smile:

Reply 69

alispam

It depends on your teacher, i don't really think that txt book has very good detail on some things...my teacher gives brilliant notes so i just learn those as the textbook is lacking in some areas.

Reply 70

shoiab

Hey

I'm starting to look around for an A2 Biology AQA (B) revision guides

Has anyone got any recommendations?

What do you think of these ones......
http://www.whsmith.co.uk/WHS/Go.asp?isbn=1841463957&DB=220&Menu=Books by CGP

http://www.whsmith.co.uk/WHS/Go.asp?isbn=0340813563&DB=220&Menu=Books

http://www.whsmith.co.uk/WHS/Go.asp?isbn=0435583131&DB=220&Menu=Books

Reply 71

shoiab

ye i've seen those in the school library, i've have a closer inspection of them . LOL

Reply 72

fried_brain

you should really try the heinemann revision guides, i personally thought they were brilliant! i found them much more productive than the philip allan books which are too simplistic, the heinemann books really helped me with my biology re-takes this year raised my E in BYB3 to an B nearly and A! :smile:

Reply 73

shoiab

right...so its between phillip alans or heinemanns

Reply 74

stratomaster

I use the heinemann ones and they are very good. You need to suppliment it with your own notes though.

Reply 75

Stranded

I've heard Phillip Allans is great :hmmmm:

Reply 76

skdoc

These notes are absolutely terrific for anyone doing edexcel Biology! Thought id BUMP UP THIS THREAD ..as its REVISION TIME!!

thank you matt!

have u been able to track bio unit 5 notes? pity that they are incomplete :frown: