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CfE Advanced Higher Biology 2015/2016

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Original post by redddddd
I doubt it.

My teachers say it will pretty much be like this because as you get into higher qualifications its not all about knowledge, its about being able to analyse and interpret


That's true, but this prelim really was about 85% problem solving, there were only really one or two 1 mark questions of knowledge per question. The specimen paper and revised seem to have a better mix! Tbh it felt a bit like we'd all revised for nothing!

Original post by Junioh
I think there will be a good mixture of both. Hopefully.


Yeah fingers crossed! I guess there's not much that we can do either way but it would have been nice to have the choice of doing the old AH, so that there would be more resources :/
Original post by ffiorentini
That's true, but this prelim really was about 85% problem solving, there were only really one or two 1 mark questions of knowledge per question. The specimen paper and revised seem to have a better mix! Tbh it felt a bit like we'd all revised for nothing!



Yeah fingers crossed! I guess there's not much that we can do either way but it would have been nice to have the choice of doing the old AH, so that there would be more resources :/


yeah I agree if the exam paper is mostly PS based, then I don't see the point revising... a bit like English close reading :s-smilie:
I really don't think ah biology is fully ready... we are all guinea pigs...
I'm doing enzyme extraction from bananas, does anyone know if a specific buffer has to be used?
Original post by The999Theory
I'm doing enzyme extraction from bananas, does anyone know if a specific buffer has to be used?


How are you extracting the enzymes?
Original post by Zain-A
Are you taking the piss? March? No way that is true, I've not even started mine yet for Chem or Bio...


I'm not taking the piss.

I am saying what I was told by the SQA marker that works at my school. He said the deadline is March. It may be different for your school. For all I know, this could be an internal deadline.

You're leaving your investigations WAY to late. Our school started ours in October/November time. I'm nearly done my Chem, already finished Bio. If you think about it, we leave school in April. So obviously our investigations have to be handed in before April i.e. March
Original post by TheSmartGirl
I'm not taking the piss.

I am saying what I was told by the SQA marker that works at my school. He said the deadline is March. It may be different for your school. For all I know, this could be an internal deadline.

You're leaving your investigations WAY to late. Our school started ours in October/November time. I'm nearly done my Chem, already finished Bio. If you think about it, we leave school in April. So obviously our investigations have to be handed in before April i.e. March


The SQA deadline is 24th April which means you are right, they have to be finished by the end of march. I am so worried, haven't started at all
Original post by TheSmartGirl
I'm not taking the piss.

I am saying what I was told by the SQA marker that works at my school. He said the deadline is March. It may be different for your school. For all I know, this could be an internal deadline.

You're leaving your investigations WAY to late. Our school started ours in October/November time. I'm nearly done my Chem, already finished Bio. If you think about it, we leave school in April. So obviously our investigations have to be handed in before April i.e. March


Might be an internal deadline, spoke to my teachers and the SQA pick up date is in April according to them. And how am I leaving my investigations too late? Don't appreciate that comment at all. For years my school as always started them after prelims in January and for years no one has failed to finish them.

How has it taken you since October and you haven't finished your chemistry one? I started last week and I've already got all my procedures planned and my background chemistry done? All I need to do now is make the chemicals I will need, do my experiment which I will do in two weeks time cause we are off next week then write it up, which has already been started.
Started Bio in October, finished in Nov/Dec time. Spent Christmas writing bio.

Started chem Dec, nearly done. Spending upcoming holidays typing them.

Didn't want to start both projects at the same time.

Cool, you do what you have to do. Didn't mean offence. I was simply giving advice to someone. I couldn't start my projects especially both right now and have them both finished and typed up by the end of March.

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Reply 228
Avatar for Yammy
Yammy
15
Original post by Zain-A
Might be an internal deadline, spoke to my teachers and the SQA pick up date is in April according to them. And how am I leaving my investigations too late? Don't appreciate that comment at all. For years my school as always started them after prelims in January and for years no one has failed to finish them.

How has it taken you since October and you haven't finished your chemistry one? I started last week and I've already got all my procedures planned and my background chemistry done? All I need to do now is make the chemicals I will need, do my experiment which I will do in two weeks time cause we are off next week then write it up, which has already been started.


Yeah don't worry you have time. My school does chemistry investigation early, and biology investigation after prelims. It should take about 1/2 weeks but we'll get it done :biggrin:
Original post by Zain-A
Might be an internal deadline, spoke to my teachers and the SQA pick up date is in April according to them. And how am I leaving my investigations too late? Don't appreciate that comment at all. For years my school as always started them after prelims in January and for years no one has failed to finish them.

How has it taken you since October and you haven't finished your chemistry one? I started last week and I've already got all my procedures planned and my background chemistry done? All I need to do now is make the chemicals I will need, do my experiment which I will do in two weeks time cause we are off next week then write it up, which has already been started.


I started bio this time last year and didn't do physics till late March. It's cool man



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Original post by Asklepios
How are you extracting the enzymes?


Mush banana in silver sand and water then filter in muslin or something like that. My teacher told me as long as I have the pH written down, which was pH 7, then they'll provide an appropriate buffer. :P
I've seen a few example investigations using a centrifuge also?
Original post by The999Theory
Mush banana in silver sand and water then filter in muslin or something like that. My teacher told me as long as I have the pH written down, which was pH 7, then they'll provide an appropriate buffer. :P
I've seen a few example investigations using a centrifuge also?


Yeah that should be fine. The extraction buffer should allow solubility of the proteins, TBS and PBS should both work. Also depends on what you want to do after you extract the proteins, e.g. A specific buffer is needed for SDS-PAGE.

Another method is to use acetone precipitation https://tools.thermofisher.com/content/sfs/brochures/TR0049-Acetone-precipitation.pdf
Hey guys, I need some advice. So basically if I don't get an offer for medicine this year, to reapply I need A's this year. Trouble is I got 41% in my prelim, didn't study properly, don't know any of the course and every-time I try to learn any of it I can't get myself past topic 1 of unit 1 (the protein structure stuff)

So what is the best way for me to learn this all in order to sweat past papers Qs before the exam? Because usually I would just do tons of ppapers but I can't do that right now as I don't know any of it.

Should I just read my notes again and again? They are in powerpoint format and really bad tbh, or should I rewrite them using scholar? Or is rewriting a waste of time?

Thanks :smile:
Reply 233
Avatar for oz600
oz600
Original post by Zain-A
Hey guys, I need some advice. So basically if I don't get an offer for medicine this year, to reapply I need A's this year. Trouble is I got 41% in my prelim, didn't study properly, don't know any of the course and every-time I try to learn any of it I can't get myself past topic 1 of unit 1 (the protein structure stuff)

So what is the best way for me to learn this all in order to sweat past papers Qs before the exam? Because usually I would just do tons of ppapers but I can't do that right now as I don't know any of it.

Should I just read my notes again and again? They are in powerpoint format and really bad tbh, or should I rewrite them using scholar? Or is rewriting a waste of time?

Thanks :smile:


I find it quite useful to make flashcards asking a question with the answer on the back I find that the quickest way to learn lots of facts. I use this app called flashcards+, it's on Apple but I'm sure there are others too
Reply 234
Avatar for Yammy
Yammy
15
Original post by Zain-A
Hey guys, I need some advice. So basically if I don't get an offer for medicine this year, to reapply I need A's this year. Trouble is I got 41% in my prelim, didn't study properly, don't know any of the course and every-time I try to learn any of it I can't get myself past topic 1 of unit 1 (the protein structure stuff)

So what is the best way for me to learn this all in order to sweat past papers Qs before the exam? Because usually I would just do tons of ppapers but I can't do that right now as I don't know any of it.

Should I just read my notes again and again? They are in powerpoint format and really bad tbh, or should I rewrite them using scholar? Or is rewriting a waste of time?

Thanks :smile:


I read the sqa support notes to study for the exam, helped a lot.
Here's the link:
http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/AHCUSNBiology.pdf
It tells you exactly what knowledge you need to know (except for some parts where you need scholar for more in depth knowledge).

But yeah use that alongside with papers and also memorise past papers answers if you didn't get it right :biggrin:

Edit: Don't bother rewriting scholar, just read it and online tests help too! I mean we have 3 months to the exam so probably enough time to read over all of scholar.
(edited 8 years ago)
Original post by Zain-A
Hey guys, I need some advice. So basically if I don't get an offer for medicine this year, to reapply I need A's this year. Trouble is I got 41% in my prelim, didn't study properly, don't know any of the course and every-time I try to learn any of it I can't get myself past topic 1 of unit 1 (the protein structure stuff)

So what is the best way for me to learn this all in order to sweat past papers Qs before the exam? Because usually I would just do tons of ppapers but I can't do that right now as I don't know any of it.

Should I just read my notes again and again? They are in powerpoint format and really bad tbh, or should I rewrite them using scholar? Or is rewriting a waste of time?

Thanks :smile:


Don't do past papers until you think you can do pretty much the whole paper without looking at your notes or guessing.

In the mean time, read over your notes and try understanding them. Instead of just memorising, think why. A lot of AH biology is quite logical if you have a good knowledge of higher plus a but of higher chemistry.
Original post by Zain-A
Hey guys, I need some advice. So basically if I don't get an offer for medicine this year, to reapply I need A's this year. Trouble is I got 41% in my prelim, didn't study properly, don't know any of the course and every-time I try to learn any of it I can't get myself past topic 1 of unit 1 (the protein structure stuff)

So what is the best way for me to learn this all in order to sweat past papers Qs before the exam? Because usually I would just do tons of ppapers but I can't do that right now as I don't know any of it.

Should I just read my notes again and again? They are in powerpoint format and really bad tbh, or should I rewrite them using scholar? Or is rewriting a waste of time?

Thanks :smile:


I personally find Scholar unit tests very helpful and it's a good way to see if you're ready to do the past papers.
Yeah there aren't many past papers that we can use! Don't use them unless you're ready!
(edited 8 years ago)
Anyone here done the unit 3 unit assessment yet? and if so has anyone done the package 1 edition?
Thanks :smile:
I am not enjoying Adv Higher Biology at all this year! Human was much better! I am so so so annoyed about the absence of the Biology Bible, aka the Study Guide! What's everyone doing for Revision guides?
My investigation is on Does the age of a tree affect the abundance of lichen
Original post by Junioh
I personally find Scholar unit tests very helpful and it's a good way to see if you're ready to do the past papers.
Yeah there aren't many past papers that we can use! Don't use them unless you're ready!


Original post by Asklepios
Don't do past papers until you think you can do pretty much the whole paper without looking at your notes or guessing.

In the mean time, read over your notes and try understanding them. Instead of just memorising, think why. A lot of AH biology is quite logical if you have a good knowledge of higher plus a but of higher chemistry.


Original post by muchensmile
I read the sqa support notes to study for the exam, helped a lot.
Here's the link:
http://www.sqa.org.uk/files_ccc/AHCUSNBiology.pdf
It tells you exactly what knowledge you need to know (except for some parts where you need scholar for more in depth knowledge).

But yeah use that alongside with papers and also memorise past papers answers if you didn't get it right :biggrin:

Edit: Don't bother rewriting scholar, just read it and online tests help too! I mean we have 3 months to the exam so probably enough time to read over all of scholar.


Original post by oz600
I find it quite useful to make flashcards asking a question with the answer on the back I find that the quickest way to learn lots of facts. I use this app called flashcards+, it's on Apple but I'm sure there are others too


Thanks guys! Think I will just read over scholar a couple times and do the end of topic/unit tests then move on to past papers.

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