[heelp.]

Who thinks the actual question paper for BIOL 4 is much harder than BIOL5?

[thegodofgod]

(Original post by heelp.)
Who thinks the actual question paper for BIOL 4 is much harder than BIOL5?

I think that BIOL4 (due to all the ecology crap) involves too much memorising (all of those definitions, for example). BIOL5 is a lot more suited for me, as it's more 'Biochemistry / Human Biology' heavy, which I adore

Well, since there are only 2 past papers for BIOL5 (June 10 and June 11), and I've only done June 11 (our school mock), it's difficult to say due to the small sample size and thus AQA being more able to screw us over (like usual).

The problem with AQA in general, is that you don't know what you're being asked - their questions aren't very clear cut, definitive.

Overall, I found BIOL4 questions more difficult than BIOL5, as BIOL5's more suited to me

[navarre]

I've found this too. So much How science works in Unit 4. There's lots of graphs and ecology in it, and a lot of 'suggest' questions, a word better replaced by 'take a wild stab in the dark'.

I always like question 8 on Unit 4 papers, as they are the big markers that are relatively straight forward to answer.

[g00d4u]

I find the content really easy for bio4 but the exams are on another level........

[lara_e_wilson]

Has anyone been doing any 'question spotting' as to what might come up this Friday?


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[HeyyThereKiddo]

I am not looking forward to either BIOL4 or BIOL5. I need a B, and I don't really see it happening! I got a B at AS, but for the life of me, I can never interpret the questions, and put exactly what they want down. I know the subject, but I find it too ambigous. Anyone else have this trouble?

[erinmccombe]

Has anyone else done the Biol4 past paper from Jan 2012?
Personally i thought that some of the questions asked where very vague and not 100% related to the course and i was wondering if anyone else thought this?

Btw are we supposed to know characteristics of ATP i.e. its soluble, releases small amounts of energy etc because its not in the text book (as far as i can see) and its not on the specification or am i just being thick? :P

[ilovetosleep]

anyone have any ideas for what might come up? also, isn't there a looong question at the end of the paper, so i wonder what that will be on.. :/ i find when i'm doing bits of past papers, it's like i'm on a completely different subject xD it's hard to relate what i learn in the books to what we're actually asked about...

[louthelion]

(Original post by HeyyThereKiddo)
I am not looking forward to either BIOL4 or BIOL5. I need a B, and I don't really see it happening! I got a B at AS, but for the life of me, I can never interpret the questions, and put exactly what they want down. I know the subject, but I find it too ambigous. Anyone else have this trouble?

i get this so bad..especially with bio4 - i do past papers but am always not quite on the mark scheme..so frustrating

[ilovetosleep]

(Original post by louthelion)
i get this so bad..especially with bio4 - i do past papers but am always not quite on the mark scheme..so frustrating

THIS. aqa mark schemes are so strict about the stupidest things. i feel so unprepared for tomorrow yet have NO idea how to prepare myself?! i feel like i know it all but just won't be able to answer the questions properly. D:

[louthelion]

(Original post by erinmccombe)
Has anyone else done the Biol4 past paper from Jan 2012?
Personally i thought that some of the questions asked where very vague and not 100% related to the course and i was wondering if anyone else thought this?

Btw are we supposed to know characteristics of ATP i.e. its soluble, releases small amounts of energy etc because its not in the text book (as far as i can see) and its not on the specification or am i just being thick? :P

hey, yeah Jan 2012 was a vague paper. Especially the question with the pigs and stuff. However thats just typical of bio4 - application application application! You've just got to read between the lines and hope you're getting at what they want!
Yeah I think it would be a good idea to learn ATP characteristics - even if they don't ask directly its good to have to show off to the examiner that you know the stuff and you never know with bio4, you might just be hitting that mark scheme!!

good luck

[louthelion]

(Original post by ilovetosleep)
THIS. aqa mark schemes are so strict about the stupidest things. i feel so unprepared for tomorrow yet have NO idea how to prepare myself?! i feel like i know it all but just won't be able to answer the questions properly. D:

EXACTLY this too!! Argh I know I have done lots of work for it and know the stuff but its just horrible to think that you might be writing something completely unrelated to what they want. Right now I am going through an empty past paper WITH the mark scheme and filling in answers to try and get an idea of what terminology etc the examiners are after..
good luck!

[ilovetosleep]

(Original post by louthelion)
EXACTLY this too!! Argh I know I have done lots of work for it and know the stuff but its just horrible to think that you might be writing something completely unrelated to what they want. Right now I am going through an empty past paper WITH the mark scheme and filling in answers to try and get an idea of what terminology etc the examiners are after..
good luck!

yep, that's what i've been doing today! i answer the question, look at the mark scheme and realise i'm on a completely different wavelength aha! xD thanks, good luck to you too! to be honest, at least it's easier than unit 5. ;D

[louthelion]

(Original post by ilovetosleep)
yep, that's what i've been doing today! i answer the question, look at the mark scheme and realise i'm on a completely different wavelength aha! xD thanks, good luck to you too! to be honest, at least it's easier than unit 5. ;D

haha lets hope we get a decent paper! Yeah I suppose in some aspects it is, but I find the unit4 stuff a lot more to my interests (prospective zoology student!) and I find unit 5 pretty challenging...especially that goddamn intimidating essay at the end

[ilovetosleep]

(Original post by louthelion)
haha lets hope we get a decent paper! Yeah I suppose in some aspects it is, but I find the unit4 stuff a lot more to my interests (prospective zoology student!) and I find unit 5 pretty challenging...especially that goddamn intimidating essay at the end

ack, yes, i really really hate unit 5. at least i have a week to study for it... D: honestly, i can't remember a thing about AS level, there's no way i can write a good essay.... personally i'm less into science than essay subjects, so most of it leaves my mind a few days after learning it. xD

[louthelion]

(Original post by ilovetosleep)
ack, yes, i really really hate unit 5. at least i have a week to study for it... D: honestly, i can't remember a thing about AS level, there's no way i can write a good essay.... personally i'm less into science than essay subjects, so most of it leaves my mind a few days after learning it. xD

yeah I have psychology on monday morning but once thats out the way I have a good 5 days, so at least its not being rushed haha. Still haven't got my head around the essay situation - it honestly terrifies me! If we get two crappy titles I will probably cry haha.
Oh well, bio5 is my last exam and then I'm free!! So thats keeping me going

[ilovetosleep]

(Original post by louthelion)
yeah I have psychology on monday morning but once thats out the way I have a good 5 days, so at least its not being rushed haha. Still haven't got my head around the essay situation - it honestly terrifies me! If we get two crappy titles I will probably cry haha.
Oh well, bio5 is my last exam and then I'm free!! So thats keeping me going

ahh, i had a psychology exam last week. i probably did the one you have on monday back in january. good luck! ^^ same, seriously... i skipped ALL the lessons where we practised synoptic essays because i'm a coward and hate confronting things like that! which doesn't leave me in a great situation now, i'll be honest.. xD oh god, same... it's the same for psychology and history- if you get into the exam, read the questions that you have to write huge essays on and realise you just can't? it's the worst feeling, i always wanna cry.. xD

haha same!! C: i'm jealous though, a lot of my friends have finished already or finish before the 22nd! ah well, still can't wait anyway! 8D

[louthelion]

(Original post by ilovetosleep)
ahh, i had a psychology exam last week. i probably did the one you have on monday back in january. good luck! ^^ same, seriously... i skipped ALL the lessons where we practised synoptic essays because i'm a coward and hate confronting things like that! which doesn't leave me in a great situation now, i'll be honest.. xD oh god, same... it's the same for psychology and history- if you get into the exam, read the questions that you have to write huge essays on and realise you just can't? it's the worst feeling, i always wanna cry.. xD

haha same!! C: i'm jealous though, a lot of my friends have finished already or finish before the 22nd! ah well, still can't wait anyway! 8D

You mean psya3 on monday? Thanks, I have psya4 this monday..kinda dreading it ha! So much to learn..oh well just gotta get on with it I guess. Yeah loads of my friends have finished too, but surely the later you finish the bigger the need for celebration right?!
Oh god yeah that feeling when your heart just stops..and then panic ensues and it just all goes tits up hahahahah! Keeping a calm head is so hard

[ilovetosleep]

(Original post by louthelion)
You mean psya3 on monday? Thanks, I have psya4 this monday..kinda dreading it ha! So much to learn..oh well just gotta get on with it I guess. Yeah loads of my friends have finished too, but surely the later you finish the bigger the need for celebration right?!
Oh god yeah that feeling when your heart just stops..and then panic ensues and it just all goes tits up hahahahah! Keeping a calm head is so hard

did you do the psya3 on monday too? ah, i'm sure you'll be okay! it really is though, i hated research methods!! my mum actually is a psychology teacher and absolutely loves research methods.. i wonder if i'm adopted? xD true! though, everyone has their celebration parties/trips to the pub while we're stuck inside revising! xD

i know! i just drink tons of water to try and calm down and then end up needing the loo halfway through my essay x'DD

[louthelion]

(Original post by ilovetosleep)
did you do the psya3 on monday too? ah, i'm sure you'll be okay! it really is though, i hated research methods!! my mum actually is a psychology teacher and absolutely loves research methods.. i wonder if i'm adopted? xD true! though, everyone has their celebration parties/trips to the pub while we're stuck inside revising! xD

i know! i just drink tons of water to try and calm down and then end up needing the loo halfway through my essay x'DD

yeah I did, it wasn't too bad but could definitely have gone better I felt..oh thats so cool, did she help you with it then? Research methods is nasty haha its so boring ahh I actually can't wait to finish!!