How to get 3 A* in Triple Science?

What is the best way to revise for science - revison guides or textbooks
I really want to take the three sciences as A Levels, so I actually want to understand what i'm learning in order to prepare me. I don't just want to learn it off by heart. Sooo.... Should I use revision books or textbooks?
Are there any methods that are good for revising?

Reply 1

jack3w98

5

It really depends tbh, if you have a good grasp of sciences then you should use the revision guides but if you are not very good at the sciences (getting C grades or below) then I would use the textbooks. What i'm doing is using revision guides (CGP are quite good) and writing notes on what the specification says and trying to summarise it briefly. I will then re-read my notes a few times and then go into past papers and then you can identify where you are weakest at if you are losing marks in the past papers and use the textbook/notes to help me understand it.

Reply 2

x__justmyluck

12

Revision guides then past papers nearer the exams. Got me A*s in bio, chem and physics at GCSE and bio and chem at A level.

Reply 3

JPL9457

10

Original post by x__justmyluck

Revision guides then past papers nearer the exams. Got me A*s in bio, chem and physics at GCSE and bio and chem at A level.

what did you get in your GCSEs?

Reply 4

xLilyP

Personally I think the textbooks are best... It's true they sometimes have more detail than necessary but if you're studying them at A-level then this should be useful? It also means you'll learn enough padding for 6 markers etc, whereas I sometimes think the revision guides aren't quite detailed enough. Having said that I have friends who only use the revision guides and are doing fine, so maybe it's all down to the quality of teaching, your notes and how you revise:P

Reply 5

Kreme

4

Original post by TheChosenOne1

What is the best way to revise for science - revison guides or textbooks
I really want to take the three sciences as A Levels, so I actually want to understand what i'm learning in order to prepare me. I don't just want to learn it off by heart. Sooo.... Should I use revision books or textbooks?
Are there any methods that are good for revising?

Revising a day before the exam so your knowledge is still fresh in the mind.

Reply 6

sp0811

2

Original post by TheChosenOne1

What is the best way to revise for science - revison guides or textbooks
I really want to take the three sciences as A Levels, so I actually want to understand what i'm learning in order to prepare me. I don't just want to learn it off by heart. Sooo.... Should I use revision books or textbooks?
Are there any methods that are good for revising?

I was in this exact position, I ended up with 3A*s and achieving all 100 UMS..

I did this by actually revising the full revision guide BUT YOU HAVE TO USE THE SPECIFICATION OF THE BOARD!! that is seriously the best way to revise for any exam.

After full revising the guide and specification do two past papers a week and mark them. (You should revise two months before your exams I think). Learn the mark schemes and what they are really looking for.

The questions become repetitive after you do lots of papers, and the little points will get you your a* !

Reply 7

Adam315

Original post by TheChosenOne1

What is the best way to revise for science - revison guides or textbooks
I really want to take the three sciences as A Levels, so I actually want to understand what i'm learning in order to prepare me. I don't just want to learn it off by heart. Sooo.... Should I use revision books or textbooks?
Are there any methods that are good for revising?

Yeah, it does depend on you. as a whole, to get A*'s in all of the science's you need to revise like ****. Subjects like English are quite easy (although I'm not saying the subject is easy etc. as I'm doing it at A-level) as you can make some BS up and get a good grade. Science you need the right info so, no easy way around it, spend a lot of your time just revising extra science (doing extra maths would be useful too, particularly if you want to do it next year).

Reply 8

x__justmyluck

12

Original post by JPL9457

what did you get in your GCSEs?

10A*s

Original post by xLilyP

Personally I think the textbooks are best... It's true they sometimes have more detail than necessary but if you're studying them at A-level then this should be useful? It also means you'll learn enough padding for 6 markers etc, whereas I sometimes think the revision guides aren't quite detailed enough. Having said that I have friends who only use the revision guides and are doing fine, so maybe it's all down to the quality of teaching, your notes and how you revise:P

As long as you understand the concepts in class you can use the revision guides to revise the material and mark schemes for past papers are the best way to learn what you need to write for 6-8 mark questions, you'll quickly pick up the phrases for each topic that get you marks every time. My biology teacher was awful, my attendance was around 50% and I did no homework at all in my A2 year, started revising 6-8 weeks before the exams.

Reply 9

interstitial

18

Original post by Kreme

Revising a day before the exam so your knowledge is still fresh in the mind.

I have to agree with this, even.better if you do it straight before your exam :smile:

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Reply 10

Lokiofasgard

6

Revision notes, past papers (at least looking at the sorts of questions and knowing in advance what'll probably come up), revision guides and a good mindset

Reply 11

Kreme

4

Original post by majmuh24

I have to agree with this, even.better if you do it straight before your exam :smile:

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or during the exam with some cheeky cheat notes . :wink:

Reply 12

interstitial

18

Original post by Kreme

or during the exam with some cheeky cheat notes . :wink:

That was meant to be our secret tactic, why did you tell everyone :frown:

Reply 13

Kreme

4

Original post by majmuh24

That was meant to be our secret tactic, why did you tell everyone :frown:

Don't worry. They still don't know how to hide them as well as we can (without getting caught).

Reply 14

tomb97

Original post by x__justmyluck

Revision guides then past papers nearer the exams. Got me A*s in bio, chem and physics at GCSE and bio and chem at A level.

Did you use the AQA textbooks, or just the revision guides?

Reply 15

Kojira

1

I find it very tedious and challenging to read through 300+ pages worth of triple science content (from revision guides) and be able to memorise it all. That being said, I managed to get good grades for it in mock exams.. the pressure is on for the real ones in May/June

Reply 16

oneabdi

1

If you're doing AQA...

http://www.my-gcsescience.com

Use those videos and make notes. He follows the specification well if not perfectly.

Reply 17

Xabier

14

Original post by TheChosenOne1

What is the best way to revise for science - revison guides or textbooks
I really want to take the three sciences as A Levels, so I actually want to understand what i'm learning in order to prepare me. I don't just want to learn it off by heart. Sooo.... Should I use revision books or textbooks?
Are there any methods that are good for revising?

The CGP Revision guides and textbooks are probably the best.

Reply 18

tory88

18

At GCSE, the CGP revision guides are probably most useful (at A level this is no longer the case). However, the ebst way to get those A*s is to do as many past papers as possible. So use the revision guides until a few weeks before exams, and then just drill past papers as much as possible.

Reply 19

sophie97

CGP revision guides are perfect, learn those off by heart.
Learn the exam techniques by looking at past paper mark schemes after each past paper. You may know the facts but find what you write down isn't on the mark scheme, so look at what is and next time write that.
Try to get full marks on your practical assessments as this is an easy way to boost your grade. This is also a case of realising what they are looking for and where you get the marks.

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How to get 3 A* in Triple Science?

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