The Student Room Group

AQA GCSE Biology- How to learn key definitions

Hello,
I have been struggling with GCSE Biology, as the mark scheme requires you to know very specific terminology. Are there any tips for helping me to learn these key definitions, and are there any websites with those definitions?
Reply 1
Flashcards worked pretty well for me when I did GCSE Bio
Quizlet is a pretty good website for revision: https://quizlet.com/en-gb/content/gcse-biology
Original post by FutureGeek123
Hello,
I have been struggling with GCSE Biology, as the mark scheme requires you to know very specific terminology. Are there any tips for helping me to learn these key definitions, and are there any websites with those definitions?

GCSE Biology does have a lot of key facts to remember but science is quite repetitive so u should be fine. I would recommend this website called physicsandmathstutor yh it has physics and maths in its name but also has biology chemistry and everything. I would also recommend cgp books and u can also buy flash cards online they have everything u need to learn and it's broken down so its easier. My gcse science is also good that my school gave me but u have to pay but its still really good.
Reply 3
Original post by FutureGeek123
Hello,
I have been struggling with GCSE Biology, as the mark scheme requires you to know very specific terminology. Are there any tips for helping me to learn these key definitions, and are there any websites with those definitions?

Here's some of the resources I used:

Quizlet - great for making flashcards online and different 'modes' you can select to answer questions you've made or other users have made
Physics and Maths Tutor - they have LOTS of topic paper with mark schemes and a condensed set of notes for each topic.
BBC Bitesize - great to check up on key definitions, videos and revision questions (mainly multiple choice).
Seneca - they have great free courses covering the whole specification with videos and quick-fire questions and if you subscribe to Seneca Premium you can get flashcards, 'hyperlearning', and predicted papers, though this comes at a cost.
Exam board website (I did AQA) - should have the 2018 GCSE Biology Papers and 1 set of specimen papers, the 2019 papers, which I did, will be available in May 2020, though you may have that paper for mocks.
CGP Books, flashcards and practice papers - condensed notes, highlighted key words and phrases, two packs of practice papers and flashcards.

Sorry if it's a bit lengthy but I hope this helps (these helped me get a grade 9 in Biology).
Original post by FutureGeek123
Hello,
I have been struggling with GCSE Biology, as the mark scheme requires you to know very specific terminology. Are there any tips for helping me to learn these key definitions, and are there any websites with those definitions?

Rather than use websites, you'd be more likely to remember them if you started your own glossary of key terms and concepts. Find them out from reliable sources and then enter them into your own reference material. It's a much more 'active' way to learn these sorts of things than just passively taking them in from a website.

Learning definitions is, in large part, rote learning. Once you're sure you understand any theory behind them, you just need to keep repeating them until you remember it. Use memory aids such as visualisation, making up funny words or stories - anything that helps you to remember.
Original post by AS_29
Here's some of the resources I used:

Quizlet - great for making flashcards online and different 'modes' you can select to answer questions you've made or other users have made
Physics and Maths Tutor - they have LOTS of topic paper with mark schemes and a condensed set of notes for each topic.
BBC Bitesize - great to check up on key definitions, videos and revision questions (mainly multiple choice).
Seneca - they have great free courses covering the whole specification with videos and quick-fire questions and if you subscribe to Seneca Premium you can get flashcards, 'hyperlearning', and predicted papers, though this comes at a cost.
Exam board website (I did AQA) - should have the 2018 GCSE Biology Papers and 1 set of specimen papers, the 2019 papers, which I did, will be available in May 2020, though you may have that paper for mocks.
CGP Books, flashcards and practice papers - condensed notes, highlighted key words and phrases, two packs of practice papers and flashcards.

Sorry if it's a bit lengthy but I hope this helps (these helped me get a grade 9 in Biology).


Thank You very much for the reply. I'll use these websites on my quest to succeeding in GCSE Biology
Original post by Reality Check
Rather than use websites, you'd be more likely to remember them if you started your own glossary of key terms and concepts. Find them out from reliable sources and then enter them into your own reference material. It's a much more 'active' way to learn these sorts of things than just passively taking them in from a website.

Learning definitions is, in large part, rote learning. Once you're sure you understand any theory behind them, you just need to keep repeating them until you remember it. Use memory aids such as visualisation, making up funny words or stories - anything that helps you to remember.

Thank You for the revision techniques!
Original post by WoTiFix
GCSE Biology does have a lot of key facts to remember but science is quite repetitive so u should be fine. I would recommend this website called physicsandmathstutor yh it has physics and maths in its name but also has biology chemistry and everything. I would also recommend cgp books and u can also buy flash cards online they have everything u need to learn and it's broken down so its easier. My gcse science is also good that my school gave me but u have to pay but its still really good.

Thank You for the website physicsandmathstutor it was just what I was looking for!

Quick Reply

Latest