AQA Biology A2 UMS

It is the exam technique for sure
I underline key words of questions and all the rest of it but I still seem to write correct answers but not correct in terms of the mark scheme is that marks sense
I really can't think the whole 'it'll be worth it' thing anymore - these past couple of years studying Alevels have really taken it out of me - so much effort yet so little back
Cant wait to finish now tbh :P

Jesus, basically I'm screwed then since I'm pretty terrible at biology but can't drop it since I already chose to drop maths before :/
Thanks for the post. Praying unit 4 goes well enough for me not to have to resit it so I can resit unit 1 in the summer ontop of unit 5.
I was almost put off resetting unit 1 though since I've heard how hard unit 5 is :/
Thanks again

Trust me I know how you feel, I was predicting myself to get an A/B this summer and got a mid-C which was so disappointing for me as I put tonnes of effort. It was mainly my ISA that let me down though. With the papers, keep going through as many as you can and correcting your mistakes in time for the exam, you should start now if you want an A First build a large selection of exam papers, learn one topic - do 20-30 questions till you can do it with no problems and then do the main papers and see what you get. It's a lot of work I understand, A Levels are DRAINING!

Trust me I know how you feel, I was predicting myself to get an A/B this summer and got a mid-C which was so disappointing for me as I put tonnes of effort. It was mainly my ISA that let me down though. With the papers, keep going through as many as you can and correcting your mistakes in time for the exam, you should start now if you want an A First build a large selection of exam papers, learn one topic - do 20-30 questions till you can do it with no problems and then do the main papers and see what you get. It's a lot of work I understand, A Levels are DRAINING!

Trust me I know how you feel, I was predicting myself to get an A/B this summer and got a mid-C which was so disappointing for me as I put tonnes of effort. It was mainly my ISA that let me down though. With the papers, keep going through as many as you can and correcting your mistakes in time for the exam, you should start now if you want an A First build a large selection of exam papers, learn one topic - do 20-30 questions till you can do it with no problems and then do the main papers and see what you get. It's a lot of work I understand, A Levels are DRAINING!

hi, is it possible to tell me how you prepared for you biology isa? as i got a d (30/60ums) last year

ahh bump. wanted to get an a but got a very low b im really stressing about my unit 1 resit and mostly my biology isa retake!

Ok biology ISA is the easiest of all the exams if you know what you are doing.

Before the exam look at the specimen paper along with the mark scheme, trust me you will learn a LOT. With ISA it's all about including the key words, such as water bath is used to CONTOL changes in temperature and thermometer is used to MONITOR changes.

Another thing is you have to practise drawing and labelling graphs, you get marks for using an appropriate scale and for appropriate labels.

While you're doing the experiment you will be told to decide something, think about this carefully and think of any questions that may come up relating to it. For example why you chose to do what you did.

If the experiment tells you to heat or cool something before the written rest think why you did that.

Another thing is line of best fit, if there are NO anomalies then draw a curve. If there is one or more join the points up using a straight line as you cannot guess the values.


Good luck, if you need anymore help feel free to quote me.

Thanks alot for the help! btw what did you get in your isa and when did you start revising for your isa? i.e. one week before?

I did the EMPA last year and got a D..with no revision at all, bad move.

This year my school decided to change it to ISAs as everyone failed the EMPA, and I got 45/50 which is like borderline A* I think. I started revising about two days before the written test. After the practical if you make notes on what happened and what you did, then it shouldn't be too hard to revise for.

thanks alot for your help! btw did you do a AS biology isa and what was it on?

I did do the AS one, that was the one I retook, I don't think I'm allowed to say sorry, but don't worry you're teacher should give you a vague idea a week before the practical or so.

Sorry I couldn't be of more help, but the specification papers honestly are the bes things to look at, especially the mark schemes, you learn what you need to include to get those marks! Goodluck!

Ok biology ISA is the easiest of all the exams if you know what you are doing.

Before the exam look at the specimen paper along with the mark scheme, trust me you will learn a LOT. With ISA it's all about including the key words, such as water bath is used to CONTOL changes in temperature and thermometer is used to MONITOR changes.

Another thing is you have to practise drawing and labelling graphs, you get marks for using an appropriate scale and for appropriate labels.

While you're doing the experiment you will be told to decide something, think about this carefully and think of any questions that may come up relating to it. For example why you chose to do what you did.

If the experiment tells you to heat or cool something before the written rest think why you did that.

Another thing is line of best fit, if there are NO anomalies then draw a curve. If there is one or more join the points up using a straight line as you cannot guess the values.


Good luck, if you need anymore help feel free to quote me.