A-level Bio study help

my average grade won't progress past a D and I understand all the content, so STEM community please help me out! what are some foolproof study techniques i could use for this a-level specifically? I'm aiming for an A, and i'm in year 12 so there's time for progress. please be extensive i would appreciate it :smile:

Also, could you include what you achieved/are predicted in biology yourself? (p.s. I do AQA)

Reply 1

Tatakae L

18

Original post by varsh_xx

my average grade won't progress past a D and I understand all the content, so STEM community please help me out! what are some foolproof study techniques i could use for this a-level specifically? I'm aiming for an A, and i'm in year 12 so there's time for progress. please be extensive i would appreciate it :smile:

Also, could you include what you achieved/are predicted in biology yourself? (p.s. I do AQA)

Hi there. I achived a C without revsion (which i have started now) and the one tip I could give you for AQA bio, is defo do past paper practice and learn all the key words, because you could know the content but miss out one key word and then suddenly you dont get the mark for it. The marks scheme for AQA Bio is really strict when it comes to key words so that would be my tip. Hope this helps :smile:

Reply 2

eallistar

11

Original post by varsh_xx

my average grade won't progress past a D and I understand all the content, so STEM community please help me out! what are some foolproof study techniques i could use for this a-level specifically? I'm aiming for an A, and i'm in year 12 so there's time for progress. please be extensive i would appreciate it :smile:

Also, could you include what you achieved/are predicted in biology yourself? (p.s. I do AQA)

Just to reiterate, im in y13 now but in my end of year 12 exam i got an A
The whole trick is to note all the content you need for each topic, then find an exam board specific mark scheme for that question type and revise what that instead of any notes you might be given.

That works for big mark questions, put for application all you can do is practice exam questions that require that skill and you’ll soon be able to do it immediately :smile:

Reply 3

eallistar

11

Original post by varsh_xx

my average grade won't progress past a D and I understand all the content, so STEM community please help me out! what are some foolproof study techniques i could use for this a-level specifically? I'm aiming for an A, and i'm in year 12 so there's time for progress. please be extensive i would appreciate it :smile:

Also, could you include what you achieved/are predicted in biology yourself? (p.s. I do AQA)

Also it does help to really understand the content which you say you do because with those application questions you need to use your knowledge in a wider approach - as it get closer to the exam, what you don’t understand just learn

Original post by varsh_xx

my average grade won't progress past a D and I understand all the content, so STEM community please help me out! what are some foolproof study techniques i could use for this a-level specifically? I'm aiming for an A, and i'm in year 12 so there's time for progress. please be extensive i would appreciate it :smile:

Also, could you include what you achieved/are predicted in biology yourself? (p.s. I do AQA)

Hi @varsh_xx,

These are some of my tips that helped me secure an A my a-levels:

1) Spec points: this is such an underrated a-level resource, a lot of students overlook it. Throughout your revision familiarise and constantly refer to your spec points. Ensure everything in the spec points is covered in your notes. The spec points tell you exactly everything you need to know, nothing more and nothing less.

2) Practice "essay-style" answers: In your past papers you may notice 6-8 mark questions where you’ll need to write detailed paragraphs. These 'big mark' questions usually ask of a particular process, but just by mentioning specific keywords you can easily get the marks you need. Important definitions are always noted in the spec points. I found it useful to write down the big mark questions on a flashcard, and the answers in memorable bullet points on the back. Flashcards were so useful for memorising biological processes and mechanisms.

3) Summarising chapters: For each chapter I made a summary, which covered all the bullet points according to the spec points. I used the Cornell note method to summarise each chapter. The summary was especially helpful for when I needed a refresh on the content. You'll thank your younger self for when you're in Y13 and need to look back at AS content.

Hope this helps,
Danish
BCU Student Rep

Reply 5

HBeetle

12

Hiya, I started yr12 bio on D, now yr13 consistantly on A and A*. Lots of diagrams to solidify my understanding of the content, then past papers and making sure i fully understand the mark scheme. Any qs i got wrong, review that topic or area, make some extra notes eg cornell from watching a video. Most schools dont offer uplearn and it is very expensive but our school pays our subscriptions and it is very useful too, but mostly focusses on basic key info and exam qs.

A-level Bio study help

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