OCR AS Biology/Chemistry

Am I the only one who's really struggling with these? The papers are really different from the previous specification. Suggestions for how to revise for these tests? Seems like memorisation won't work because you actually have to apply knowledge😭

Reply 1

AbbieEl

1

Yes i do AS biology and i understand the work and stuff we are taught,revise and everything but when it comes to the exams i get no marks

Reply 2

Clintbarton

14

I did the AS AQA biology specimen as a mock today, (different exam board, I know) but I agree that the layout was so different! I am so used to being terrible on exams because I understand the content but the application of knowledge in the hundreds of suggest and data interpreting questions throw me off completely but this specimen was so different. It was about 85% memorisation, 2 maths questions and a huge comprehension with a three marker, 3 two markers and a one marker at the end.

It was too easy so I have my suspicions that the next mock on Monday's paper 2 is going to be more data-based.

Have you done the recently released OCR chemistry specimen papers? I can't get hold of them anywhere!

Reply 3

metaljoe

7

I know buddy I'm in the same boat as are many of my friends. The chemistry multiple choice is a joke. All that text and knowledge/application and calculations easily worth 3-4 marks in the previous exams is now worth 1 MARK!!!!!!!! I found the chemistry in depth fine just not the foundations in chemistry, which is a bit odd. Regarding revision use the edexcel board papers to do multiple choice practise and just do all the old spec papers even though they are no way near as hard as the new spec. Practise hard calculations from all boards so that you are fully prepared. Hope this helps!

Reply 4

Clintbarton

14

The multiple choice is horrendous - loads of working for one bloody mark and I didn't finish in the suggested time frame.

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Reply 5

romansholiday

17

This thread's got me worried. I'm taking both Chem and Bio next year and it sounds horrendous. My future self will have to worry about that, but I wish you guys all the best of luck :smile:

What should I be getting at GCSE to prep me for AS Level?

Reply 6

metaljoe

7

Original post by romansholiday

This thread's got me worried. I'm taking both Chem and Bio next year and it sounds horrendous. My future self will have to worry about that, but I wish you guys all the best of luck :smile:

What should I be getting at GCSE to prep me for AS Level?

You should be better prepared as you will have a real set of past papers to work with. We however have only had a specimen paper. Your school will also have a better ideas to how the exams work and how to better prepare for them next year.

For GCSE just work hard. There is not a lot to do regarding preparation as 90% of what you will learn for chemistry will be new to you. However I cannot speak for biology as I do not take it. It will be fine, just focus on your upcoming exams rather than the future!

Reply 7

Clintbarton

14

Original post by romansholiday

This thread's got me worried. I'm taking both Chem and Bio next year and it sounds horrendous. My future self will have to worry about that, but I wish you guys all the best of luck :smile:

What should I be getting at GCSE to prep me for AS Level?

Chemistry isn't that bad. Mainly it is just memorising content and exam technique, and a lot of maths. They've introduced 20 marks of multiple choice which is really difficult to fit in for the time as they're all one mark questions but are quite difficult. That's OCR, though, not sure about AQA.

Biology, however, I think is dreadful. It's not that difficult in the content - there's a lot of stuff but it's easy enough once you know principles etc and it's a lot of learning. But the exam is the dreadful part. They've upped the maths this year but the questions are so innate and not even biology related half the time. Most of the exam is suggest questions and application of knowledge which is difficult because there are a load of marks and they're looking for very very specific things.

Just be prepared for a lot of revision and you will be okay. You will be better prepared as you have our exams to go on as the guy above me said. :smile:

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Reply 8

romansholiday

17

Original post by Clintbarton

Chemistry isn't that bad. Mainly it is just memorising content and exam technique, and a lot of maths. They've introduced 20 marks of multiple choice which is really difficult to fit in for the time as they're all one mark questions but are quite difficult. That's OCR, though, not sure about AQA.

Biology, however, I think is dreadful. It's not that difficult in the content - there's a lot of stuff but it's easy enough once you know principles etc and it's a lot of learning. But the exam is the dreadful part. They've upped the maths this year but the questions are so innate and not even biology related half the time. Most of the exam is suggest questions and application of knowledge which is difficult because there are a load of marks and they're looking for very very specific things.

Just be prepared for a lot of revision and you will be okay. You will be better prepared as you have our exams to go on as the guy above me said. :smile:

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Original post by metaljoe

You should be better prepared as you will have a real set of past papers to work with. We however have only had a specimen paper. Your school will also have a better ideas to how the exams work and how to better prepare for them next year.

For GCSE just work hard. There is not a lot to do regarding preparation as 90% of what you will learn for chemistry will be new to you. However I cannot speak for biology as I do not take it. It will be fine, just focus on your upcoming exams rather than the future!

Thank you both for the replies! I'm gonna work my butt of next year, and I know it's gonna be very difficult, but I'll try my best. I'm going to be on OCR next year, so really looking forward to those hard multiple choice questions (not). I'm just going to revise as I go along, making all of my flashcards throughout the year rather in exam season. Again, good luck with your exams!

Reply 9

zeezus

OP

13

Original post by romansholiday

Thank you both for the replies! I'm gonna work my butt of next year, and I know it's gonna be very difficult, but I'll try my best. I'm going to be on OCR next year, so really looking forward to those hard multiple choice questions (not). I'm just going to revise as I go along, making all of my flashcards throughout the year rather in exam season. Again, good luck with your exams!

If your school is going to make you do the AS exam as well as the A Level then you should really start reading up and getting ahead on your course before you start Yr 12. If that's not your thing then make sure you're remembering the content as you're going along, biggest mistake of my life was leaving revision till last minute!😭