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blood plasma doesnt only consist of glucose and protein
it has lots of stuiff..you can also include the blood cells..
too much blood cells...lower WP and stuff
jsut think about it
Reply 21
i'm about to start doing some unifying concepts stuff. i did central concepts in january, it was fine. questions are straightforward on that. having looked through the uc papers i think it should be alrightish - lots of the questions are "suggest" and you can get marks for anything vaguely sensible, and a lot of the marks come from "describe the data/graph" so you can get easy marks for describing the trend and quoting hte figures.

so, just the actual content to work on now...
Reply 22
allisandro
i'm about to start doing some unifying concepts stuff. i did central concepts in january, it was fine. questions are straightforward on that. having looked through the uc papers i think it should be alrightish - lots of the questions are "suggest" and you can get marks for anything vaguely sensible, and a lot of the marks come from "describe the data/graph" so you can get easy marks for describing the trend and quoting hte figures.

so, just the actual content to work on now...


The describing date/graph thing is quite straight forward but I hate going back and forth looking at the graph turning the page which usually occurs for some reason - bad paper design or just deliberately done by OCR to kill yer time.?? The hardest questions are definitely "describe and explain" results or an experiment simultaenously because sometimes ur not even sure what the experiment is suggesting!!!

I hate it when OCR only give u "vague" clues. such as there was a question on taking discs from leaves of plants, and then putting them in water, shining lamp light on them, and they float!. Then u had to explain this, and Im thinking, "hmm...photosynthesis with light?", and in the end I get all wrong, because its to do with temperature and rates of reactions with subtle links with photosynthesis. What the f**k OCR? - is all I can say
Reply 23
I've given up all hope trying to revise for tomorrow's exam; it's pointless, as far as i'm concerned! They could ask absolutely anything. Instead, i'm concentrating on cramming for Friday's Microbio and Biotech exam :frown: :mad: :rolleyes: I'll be soooooo happy when this is all over!
Reply 24
mongoose
I've given up all hope trying to revise for tomorrow's exam; it's pointless, as far as i'm concerned! They could ask absolutely anything. Instead, i'm concentrating on cramming for Friday's Microbio and Biotech exam :frown: :mad: :rolleyes: I'll be soooooo happy when this is all over!


Initially I felt and thought exactly the same, but then I realised u CAN revise for Unifying concepts, but only a little. I just hate it when the questions are so ambiguous. I got an A grade last year for AS, but it scares me how difficult it is to do some of these unifying concepts papers. The trap me and most people fall into, is wrongly interpreting what the question is asking. My teacher keeps telling me to "think about it carefully", but I've tried and tried and tried, to pull myself away from that trap but it's just impossible to not fall into it - as well as working against the clock. Its like pointing a loaded gun at someone's head and telling them-"this bullet is gonna miss!"
Reply 25
ResidentEvil
The describing date/graph thing is quite straight forward but I hate going back and forth looking at the graph turning the page which usually occurs for some reason - bad paper design or just deliberately done by OCR to kill yer time.?? The hardest questions are definitely "describe and explain" results or an experiment simultaenously because sometimes ur not even sure what the experiment is suggesting!!!

I hate it when OCR only give u "vague" clues. such as there was a question on taking discs from leaves of plants, and then putting them in water, shining lamp light on them, and they float!. Then u had to explain this, and Im thinking, "hmm...photosynthesis with light?", and in the end I get all wrong, because its to do with temperature and rates of reactions with subtle links with photosynthesis. What the f**k OCR? - is all I can say


yes i know the one, but you still get marks for what you put...they're looking to see how you analyse, so don't stress that much! just try and keep an open mind and think about all the different things it could be, go through topics you've covered. in a describe and explain question you can get 2 out of 3 marks for just describing and using figures! the paper is only out of 60 anyway!
Reply 26
ResidentEvil
Initially I felt and thought exactly the same, but then I realised u CAN revise for Unifying concepts, but only a little. I just hate it when the questions are so ambiguous. I got an A grade last year for AS, but it scares me how difficult it is to do some of these unifying concepts papers. The trap me and most people fall into, is wrongly interpreting what the question is asking. My teacher keeps telling me to "think about it carefully", but I've tried and tried and tried, to pull myself away from that trap but it's just impossible to not fall into it - as well as working against the clock. Its like pointing a loaded gun at someone's head and telling them-"this bullet is gonna miss!"

i think you have to be careful,though, that you don't overlook the obvious...i'm terrible for that "it can't possibly be that, that's too simple!" sometimes it really is that simple!
Reply 27
Well, 'how's my unifying concepts revision going?' Simple. It's not. Have done absolutely Jack, on the subject. Most of the stuff is common sense anyways, which you can get away with having not done much revision. What I just don't like is having to figure out what the examiners want for their answers. The questions are pretty straightforward bordering on easy, but it's just a matter of knowing how to word your answers. Once I get over this problem it should be alright. As for UC, have given up revising for that. I have lost all motivation to do any work and I'll just take everything as it comes along. BTW good luck for tomorrow peeps!
Reply 28
I reccoment a good night sleep. Its pretty important you feel refreshed for the exam. Also look at the question and when comon sense slaps you in the face don't ignore it :cool:
adrian
Most of the stuff is common sense anyways, which you can get away with having not done much revision.


Tis tres true, the majority of the Biology papers are just describing graphs and trends and such like, however I can't say I'm all too enamoured with those 6 mark questions they throw in where you actually have to know something! Similary for Unit 6 when somehow a 12 mark essay on god knows what will have to be conjured up!
Reply 30
Is anyone actually thinking of doing anything today? To tell you the truth I'd feel much better if someone said that they've done nothing today. It'll make me feel like I'm not alone.
Reply 31
I have done 2 chapters on Central concepts (I really don't think you can revise Unifying). I am panicking I have a tonne of CC still to do and the topics I did were the "easy ones" of populations + classification. Does anyone have any good tips for learning photosynthesis meiosis (what happens in each stage -i know the order of stages) or respiration?

Could really do with a couple of tricks like the old MRS NERG one for GCSE, damn those were the days!!!
Reply 32
Tealer
I have done 2 chapters on Central concepts (I really don't think you can revise Unifying). I am panicking I have a tonne of CC still to do and the topics I did were the "easy ones" of populations + classification. Does anyone have any good tips for learning photosynthesis meiosis (what happens in each stage -i know the order of stages) or respiration?

Could really do with a couple of tricks like the old MRS NERG one for GCSE, damn those were the days!!!


Populations are easy he says! I totally hate all ecology and population biology, horrid, nasty yuck!

I find that the best way to revise the biochemical pathways is to draw flow diagrams or make bullet pointed lists... start with the light dependent stage on the thylakoid membranes, bullet point the similarities and differences between the cyclic and non-cyclic photophorylation. For the Calvin Cycle the best method is to make a diagram of the pathway and also make bullet points outlining the main stages (fixation of CO2 by RuBP catalysed by rubisco; breakdown of the 6C intermediate to 2 x 3C PGA; oxidation of PGA to 2 x GALP; conversion of 1/6th GALP to carbs, the rest for the re-generation of the CO2 accepter, RuBP). And the same again for meiosis, quick pencil diagrams and bullet pointed notes.
Reply 33
allisandro

just try and keep an open mind and think about all the different things it could be, go through topics you've covered
allisandro

i think you have to be careful,though, that you don't overlook the obvious...i'm terrible for that "it can't possibly be that, that's too simple!" sometimes it really is that simple!

adrian

it's just a matter of knowing how to word your answers

MJ_23

when comon sense slaps you in the face don't ignore it

lil-pink-stars

just describing graphs and trends

All I got to say in response to all this is................"bullet to the head"..........

I think u people are underestimating this Unifying Concepts paper. What's with this "not revising much it's only gonna be interpreting stuff" attitude? Yes, it is interpretation, but also applying knowledge with interpretation. Majority of it is NOT common sense. If it was common sense, someone who does not study biology can walk in to the exam and come out smiling after doing the paper - not going to happen. I advice, you all prepare by reading over things in the text book. I did some preparation for UC, and then attempted a difficult UC paper, and only managed to get 68% - usually my marks are not this low!.

Dont forget how screwed up the practical was? So we need to do well in UC to regain our good score. Although u could argue that most people did poorly in the practical (hopefully they did!), so they will lower the grade boundary, but statistics show OCR do not tend to go anything under 70% raw marks to get an A regardless of how hard the paper/practical was, and truthfully there are BOUND to be people getting over 70% for the very hard paper/practical, so they will get the A and majority will be left without it!

I know it pretty much defies the purpose of UMS , but u never know, shit happens.... it occured in one exam in my school once a few years back, where nobody in my school managed to get an A because the paper was so hard, yet UMS didnt seem to alter the boundary regardless???
Reply 34
ResidentEvil
All I got to say in response to all this is................"bullet to the head"..........

I think u people are underestimating this Unifying Concepts paper. What's with this "not revising much it's only gonna be interpreting stuff" attitude? Yes, it is interpretation, but also applying knowledge with interpretation. Majority of it is NOT common sense. If it was common sense, someone who does not study biology can walk in to the exam and come out smiling after doing the paper - not going to happen. I advice, you all prepare by reading over things in the text book. I did some preparation for UC, and then attempted a difficult UC paper, and only managed to get 68% - usually my marks are not this low!.

Dont forget how screwed up the practical was? So we need to do well in UC to regain our good score. Although u could argue that most people did poorly in the practical (hopefully they did!), so they will lower the grade boundary, but statistics show OCR do not tend to go anything under 70% raw marks to get an A regardless of how hard the paper/practical was, and truthfully there are BOUND to be people getting over 70% for the very hard paper/practical, so they will get the A and majority will be left without it!

I know it pretty much defies the purpose of UMS , but u never know, shit happens.... it occured in one exam in my school once a few years back, where nobody in my school managed to get an A because the paper was so hard, yet UMS didnt seem to alter the boundary regardless???


if you've done well over your past modules, and you learnt everything thoroughly, you'll be fine. as it says, there is no content beyond that which you have learnt in foundation, central concepts, human health and disease and transport. if you have done well on that you will have the knowledge to apply to this paper. there is a lot of interpretation on the paper. if you're this stressed today, what are you going to be like tomorrow? calm yourself down or you won't perform to your full potential, which is obviously very high. Have a break for lunch, then read over your notes and do past papers, but don't get yourself worked up!
Reply 35
I have revised loads for this exam. I done a transport retake so im only skimming though it. Rest of it I'm learning the basics and applying it. Best Way IMO.
Reply 36
ResidentEvil
Majority of it is NOT common sense.

Hate to do this but I disagree. If it were not common sense then it would be a breeze, which needless to say, it is not. Biology used to be one of my stronger subjects where I was averaging at least 95%. But with unifying concepts, I am struggling to even hit the 83% mark always wavering around 79-80% area. I think that the majority of the biology questions previously required you to remember your bio book and regurgitate the answers. Along the way there would be a question which required you to apply your knowledge. I must admit that when it comes to common sense, I have fallen short and this is why I find unifying concepts a bit more of a challenge. There isn't really much in the way of applying what you have learnt but more using your COMMON SENSE. Well that's my opinion anyway, which is why I have done no revision for unifying concepts and am hoping that when the push comes to the shove I will be able to blab my way through the paper. Anyways relax, I am sure you won't be the only one who is finding UC a bit of a challenge. You'll do fine.
Thank god I'm not the only one thinking this paper is going to be absolute hell. My lecturer has gone on and on about how easy this paper is so i nearly threw myself under a bus when i looked at the paper! I did central concepts in jan so i havent even got that stuff fresh in my memory :frown:
Reply 38
fluffysheep2000
Thank god I'm not the only one thinking this paper is going to be absolute hell. My lecturer has gone on and on about how easy this paper is so i nearly threw myself under a bus when i looked at the paper! I did central concepts in jan so i havent even got that stuff fresh in my memory :frown:

i havnt started bio yet and not even looked at trasnport section again - i cant do it. ive had so many exams this week.
not started environmental yet (done two chapters) failure is beckoning!
fluffysheep2000
Thank god I'm not the only one thinking this paper is going to be absolute hell. My lecturer has gone on and on about how easy this paper is so i nearly threw myself under a bus when i looked at the paper! I did central concepts in jan so i havent even got that stuff fresh in my memory :frown:


I wish I had done Microbiology in January instead of Central Concepts. That would have mad far more sense as nothing from Microbiology is going to be in Unifying Concepts. Grrr!

So far today, I have read through an entire AS-biology revision guide, jotting little bits down. And I have looked through 4 UC past papers, of which I found one to be a nightmare, and the others were alright. I haven't got mark schemes, so haven't a clue if my answers are right or wrong.

I just hope it's not got a lot on Meiosis or Krebs Cycle & Oxidative Phosphorlyation etc as I still am crap at that!

Good luck guys, let's show OCR what we're made of!

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