A-level Biology Study Group 2023-2024

Hi, I started year 13 and I’m doing Edexcel A exam board for biology. I enjoy most of the course, but especially the human biology side. I struggle more with the plant aspect, like the structure and function of things in the plants. Also, I struggle with knowing how to answer questions. I can understand and recall the content, but I never know what questions are asking of me.

I do Edexcel A as well! I prefer the ecology and biodiversity side more. The disease stuff is also very interesting.

We’re almost the opposite😭 I’m guessing if you prefer ecology you also like the plant biology in topic 4 and 5? I find disease interesting as well, I found learning about cystic fibrosis intriguing and I’m looking forward to the infection topic that involves HIV.

I'm not a fan of photosynthesis or cell biology but overall I have preferred topics 4 and 5. We're already doing the HIV topic and you also look at TB. The forensics stuff can be quite grim though and I am glad that it is over.

Wow, you seem farther ahead than my class. We’re doing climate change in topic 5 still! We’ve spent quite a while on it and I’m not sure why.

I don’t particularly care for photosynthesis, but I like cell biology (except for plants…)

We do two topics at a time so we're doing 5 and 6 together, we've almost finished both though I think. The data analysis stuff is so boring though and I'm looking forward to it being over.

Oh no, there’s data analysis in those topics specifically? I thought it was all spread out over the subject.

This is where you can chat with other students studying the same subjects as you and support each other as you head towards your exams

You can post any useful tips and resources that you come across, offer support to others, share your successes, or just have moan when it gets tough!

Just remember, it’s against the site rules to ask for or offer any copyrighted papers, or to take conversations off-site to do these things. Posts that break these rules will be removed.

A few possible ice breaker questions are:
What exam board are you with?
What do you enjoy most about this subject/ course?
What area do you struggle with in this subject/ course?

Good luck with the next few months. Remember, ask for help, support where you can and together we can do this!

Hiaa! I'm Manal and I've started year 12.

My favourite part about AS biology so far definitely has to be biological molecules. I do Edexcel A, and looking at the thread below it seems to be a popular exam board- Very contrasting to what I originally thought about my exam board not being done as widely for biology!

Even though biology is and has been my favourite subject, proteins always manage to make me doubt myself- If anyone has any good tips specifically for Edexcel A, I'd be extremely grateful!

I do Edexcel A! I'm in year 13 and I have found that making my own flashcards to be the best way to revise for biology. Repetition is a good approach especially to proteins which I know can seem quite complicated. Practise exam questions are also very useful and the CGP revision maybe be helpful as well. Hope this helps! If you have any more questions please feel free to ask here

Hi, i'm reuben !
just started year 13
doing aqa
my favourite topic so far has been organisms exchange substances with their environment, specifically the heart/circulatory system
looking forward to homeostasis
i struggle with the the data/evaluate questions; my least favourite topic is ecology

Hi,

I'm with AQA, my favourite parts of biology are the practicals mainly because when it comes to writing them up I feel like a true scientist, and also because I think practicals make it easier to understand the content. The area I'm struggling the most with right now would have to be exam technique: I understand the content it's just the mark-schemes are soooooo harsh.

Hi I'm Natalie, London based mature student. Studying A-Level Biology - need to get an A for Uni!
Started with AQA but thinking of switching to EdExcel Syllabus A - seems less content heavy and more ecology.
Hoping to study Marine Biology. Interested in genetic evolution / morphology of fish due to environmental / ecological changes later on - I might be mad enough to attempt an EPQ on an aspect of this if I can find an appropriate supervisor. Right now I am finding genetics and ecology fascinating.
I don't have a classroom teacher, currently looking for a tutor, so would really appreciate seeing your sixth form / college recommended resources / book lists for AQA and EdExcel.
Thanks!

Hey Reuben, I am really struggling with the heart and the circulatory system especially the cardiac cycle. Do you have any tips on learning it? With evaluating questions good points to check and you will usually get a mark for are: no stats test to provide significance, only for a specific species, only for a specific period of time, Standard differences overlap so assume not significant and likely due to change (vice versa) - I saw a post on this and it has helped bring up my marks.

for the cardiac cycle, part of understanding it is knowing the pressure changes. so in ventricular systole, the ventricles contract, which means that the volume of the ventricles decreases, so pressure increases, as pressure and volume are inversely proportional. and because the pressure in the ventricles is now higher than in the arteries, the semilunar valves are forced open.