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AS Biology - Please help

I'm a private candidate who is self-studying for AS Edexcel Biology (IAL) with Chemistry and Physics. I'm planning for May/June session. I'm not sure how to begin, if anyone can give me some sincere advice, I'll truly appreciate it! Anything will do such as notes, links, personal tips, etc. Thank you in advance! <3
(edited 6 years ago)
Reply 1
Avatar for ajayma
ajayma
17
Get the textbook as it’s made by the examiner and has everything they could ever ask you in it
Original post by ajayma
Get the textbook as it’s made by the examiner and has everything they could ever ask you in it


Hey - I'm a fellow AS Biology Student having just started Year 12. Do you mean the AQA Biology textbook by Glenn and Susan Toole?
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Julie Hime-sama
I'm a private candidate who is self-studying for AS Edexcel Biology with Chemistry and Physics. I'm planning for May/June session. I'm not sure how to begin, if anyone can give me some sincere advice, I'll truly appreciate it! Anything will do such as notes, links, personal tips, etc. Thank you in advance! <3


How are you going to do the practical and how are you doing the compulsory practicals throughout the course?
Original post by Reece.W.J
How are you going to do the practical and how are you doing the compulsory practicals throughout the course?


Practical? I'll be giving Alternative to Practical, right? Since I'm doing Edexcel. Is there something I'm perhaps missing out? :frown: I haven't started with the Syllabus yet as I wasn't sure how to-
Reply 5
Avatar for ajayma
ajayma
17
Original post by cricinfo
Hey - I'm a fellow AS Biology Student having just started Year 12. Do you mean the AQA Biology textbook by Glenn and Susan Toole?


Yeah whatever the official textbook is for your spec. I do ccea so I don’t know
Original post by Julie Hime-sama
Practical? I'll be giving Alternative to Practical, right? Since I'm doing Edexcel. Is there something I'm perhaps missing out? :frown: I haven't started with the Syllabus yet as I wasn't sure how to-


For future reference if you are taking an international A level you should make that clear in any questions that you ask as there is now a huge difference between EDEXCEL international A levels and those they offer in the UK.
You should also avoid text books etc designed for the new linear A levels and instead look for resources that were produced for the old modular A levels that closely match the IAL content and structure.
Get those books, learn their content and assess your progress/develop your exam technique using past papers. Study mark schemes carefully, especially for Biology where questions often require very specific answers even though the question may not appear to specify that.
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Julie Hime-sama
I'm a private candidate who is self-studying for AS Edexcel Biology with Chemistry and Physics. I'm planning for May/June session. I'm not sure how to begin, if anyone can give me some sincere advice, I'll truly appreciate it! Anything will do such as notes, links, personal tips, etc. Thank you in advance! <3


Past papers, past papers, past papers! Alongside with the Textbook and YouTube videos.

That's the only way you'll learn. :yep:
Original post by Julie Hime-sama
Practical? I'll be giving Alternative to Practical, right? Since I'm doing Edexcel. Is there something I'm perhaps missing out? :frown: I haven't started with the Syllabus yet as I wasn't sure how to-


All 2015 specs have a practical element. Most private candidates have to pay thousands to do them somewhere. You can learn the practicals for the exam w/o doing them but there is an actual practical assessment written and actually doing a practical which is like 10% so you could still get a decent grade. If you want to do a science degree however, they require you pass the practical part of the spec which you will get 0 in
Original post by Reece.W.J
All 2015 specs have a practical element. Most private candidates have to pay thousands to do them somewhere. You can learn the practicals for the exam w/o doing them but there is an actual practical assessment written and actually doing a practical which is like 10% so you could still get a decent grade. If you want to do a science degree however, they require you pass the practical part of the spec which you will get 0 in


I also need help for IAL.Which textbook should I use for biology AS (IAL)?The one by ann fulick (green one)?
(edited 6 years ago)
Original post by Reece.W.J
All 2015 specs have a practical element. Most private candidates have to pay thousands to do them somewhere. You can learn the practicals for the exam w/o doing them but there is an actual practical assessment written and actually doing a practical which is like 10% so you could still get a decent grade. If you want to do a science degree however, they require you pass the practical part of the spec which you will get 0 in


As they mention "alternative to practical" it seems highly likely they are doing the international A levels specification that is unaffected by the A level reforms in the UK
Original post by gdunne42
For future reference if you are taking an international A level you should make that clear in any questions that you ask as there is now a huge difference between EDEXCEL international A levels and those they offer in the UK.
You should also avoid text books etc designed for the new linear A levels and instead look for resources that were produced for the old modular A levels that closely match the IAL content and structure.
Get those books, learn their content and assess your progress/develop your exam technique using past papers. Study mark schemes carefully, especially for Biology where questions often require very specific answers even though the question may not appear to specify that.


I also need help for IAL.Which textbook should I use for biology AS (IAL)?The one by ann fulick (green one)?
Original post by arizonaidiot
I also need help for IAL.Which textbook should I use for biology AS (IAL)?The one by ann fulick (green one)?


Original post by arizonaidiot
I also need help for IAL.Which textbook should I use for biology AS (IAL)?The one by ann fulick (green one)?


Yes, if you are doing edexcel international a level I'd go for this AS text book.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Edexcel-Biology-Student-Level-Sciences/dp/1405896329/ref=sr_1_20?ie=UTF8&qid=1508670752&sr=8-20&keywords=edexcel+as+level+biology
Original post by gdunne42


Thank you brother:smile:.Did you do IAL or the old gce?Regardless,do you have any tips for me to achieve an A grade in biology?What did you get in AS?
Original post by gdunne42
As they mention "alternative to practical" it seems highly likely they are doing the international A levels specification that is unaffected by the A level reforms in the UK


Is there a difference between IAL and GCE? I was planning to give GCE until one of my friends said that it'll be ending by 2018 or so. I hope I'm not confusing information
Original post by gdunne42
For future reference if you are taking an international A level you should make that clear in any questions that you ask as there is now a huge difference between EDEXCEL international A levels and those they offer in the UK.
You should also avoid text books etc designed for the new linear A levels and instead look for resources that were produced for the old modular A levels that closely match the IAL content and structure.
Get those books, learn their content and assess your progress/develop your exam technique using past papers. Study mark schemes carefully, especially for Biology where questions often require very specific answers even though the question may not appear to specify that.


Oh, thank you sooo much! <3 That really helped me, I was about to buy resources of GCE although I'm giving IAL Edexcel as one of my friends suggested that they are similar.
Original post by arizonaidiot
Thank you brother:smile:.Did you do IAL or the old gce?Regardless,do you have any tips for me to achieve an A grade in biology?What did you get in AS?


I did a very old gce some years ago. My only tip for A level biology is to study past paper questions and review the mark schemes and examiner reports to understand exactly how examiners want them to be answered to earn top marks. Good luck with your study.
Original post by Julie Hime-sama
Oh, thank you sooo much! <3 That really helped me, I was about to buy resources of GCE although I'm giving IAL Edexcel as one of my friends suggested that they are similar.


All biology A levels are similar but if you are studying independently you would be wise to shoose resources that closely match the exams and structure you are preparing for. It may be hard to match the content of text books for the new UK specification to modular exams of IAL.

You friend is right that Edexcel will introduce a new IAL biology specification for first teaching in september 2018. This means that students who already started this year will take exams in the old specification in summer 2018 and 2019.
http://qualifications.pearson.com/en/qualifications/edexcel-international-advanced-levels/international-advanced-level-from-2018.html

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