Biology practicals unit 3 & 6 help

I have my biology practicals coming up, I am an external candidate and haven't had any previous lab experience.. Is there any advice you can give me for getting good grades on them? Thanks

Reply 1

mbolomiti

Hi ya,

i am in the same position like you- never had any prev lab experience.where are you taking your external exams?

Reply 2

KiwisMangos

At Cardiff academy - they are really cheap in comparison to others like 3a tutors in Bristol. I paid £150 for both units 3&6

Have you done any revision?

Reply 3

mbolomiti

wow, that is really cheap! i am taking mine at 3A tutors. I am taking 3 A levels, Chemistry, Biology and Psychology. i have to admit is a lot of hard work and i work full time as well.
This weekend I am finishing with covering all units. Starting revision from next week. Have you started revising? are you only taking Biology? are you applying for a course at Uni?

Reply 4

KiwisMangos

Yeah - you should enquire with them as it's not far from bristol - would save you a lot of money! They do the practicals and the written units.

In studying A - Level Biology and A - Level Environmental studies and a Maths GCSE.. I paid under 500 for all of the exams inc pracs.

Yeah lots of work, did you do yours over a two year period? I have just my A2 env studies to get through next month so it's going to be a mad rush at the end :/

I have applied to sussex and Brighton unis. What about you?

Original post by KiwisMangos

i will most definately send them an email. but for this year now i have paid for this summer exams. well i decided to study the A levels in january just gone so i have less that 4 months to complete the AS units for all 3 subjects :colondollar:

so far so good though. starting revision from next week and past papers. when are you taking your practicals in Biology? did i say i am following AQA on all subjects. I am applying for Medicine this coming Oct.

How do you find Biology? there is a lot to memorise. so you are taking Env. studies and Biology right?

Reply 7

mbolomiti

Original post by mbolomiti

also maths...are you taking all of them in one year or two year time?

Reply 8

mbolomiti

Original post by KiwisMangos

are you studying all three subjects in one or two years period?

Reply 9

KiwisMangos

Ohh I see! So where do you live? Around Bristol?

I am taking my practicals on the 8th and 9th of April so like a week away! Haven't really done any revision for them yet so I need to spend next week doing that..

Im doing my As and A2 an Gcse in May/June and I'm also doing AQA for my subjects.. Pretty anxious really because I've managed to read through everything about once but I definitely don't feel like I can answer the questions on an exam.. I'm relying on the past papers and intensive studying before each particular exam to help me with that :tongue:

Biology is really interesting but yeah there is loads to memorise, the A2 unit can be pretty confusing at times but I think the key is just going over them an familiarising as much as poss!

Luckily for me I'm not working ATM I've nestle myself in a wooden cabin at my mums house in France and will fly ire when the exams call for me haha. how are you finding Biology? What are you going to do about the practicals and when are they? I've bought a book on the practical exams but I haven't read through it yet so I'm not entirely sure if it's good or not..

Reply 10

mbolomiti

wow..I am drifted away by the thought of (firstly not working) :smile:

and secondly being in France inside a wooden cabin and enjoying Revising! lol

you are so lucky , I have limited time to study/revise in the evenings after work Also I am trying to do some more hours in the weekends but I still need some time for myself really.

I am having my practicals on 1-2 May but I haven't even thought how to prepare for those. I have the AQA Biology & Chemistry books by Nelson Thornes and in some chapters highlights a 'potential' practical exam. to be honest for that part of the exams I will try to go through some past papers, memorise the scheme marks and what they want from candidates.otherwise I have no idea what else to do. Also I have been told that we get a week before the exam day, pre notification of the topic

.if you don't have any past papers I could email you some. BTW which books do you have for the practical?

as for the written exams, im on the same boat. just finished reading once and I will rely on going through past papers. I am currently trying to finish psychology-so much regret choosing this subject .soooo much to memorise!!

what type of revising tools do you use for biology? your own notes?diagrams? this website has quite a lot of things to choose which helps. which chapter of biology you find more demanding?

so you are flying over??!! are you staying in hotel during the exams? I live close to Winchester in Hampshire so extra cost on the top for accommodation etc during the exams. these exams have cost a fortune! lol

Reply 11

KiwisMangos

Heheh. Well I was working as a chef in Cardiff and helping my mum find a house here, so when we found one I took the opportunity to help her get settled and use the time to study. It's in a forest near the coast so it's pretty idyllic for studying these topics (not to rub it in) :tongue:

So your doing your As this year? A2 next year?

I have the Nelson Thornes books too for both A levels, from looking at the specification it seems they cover everything needed to know, I have recently received a letter from the exam centre and they've given me some topics that will be covered in the practicals which is pretty helpful because now i know what to concentrate on before them.

The book I bought was Phillip Allan - As & A2 investigative and practical skills in Biology.. It looks like it gives you all the skills to set out the graphs/tables understand the terminology and calculations, I think it will be helpful.

Ive been on the Aqa site and found lots i past papers thanks! In terms of learning the info I've been writing notes trough the whole book then planning on going through the books again answering the summary questions and HSW questions! I find the maths hard like 'standard deviation' - still haven't got a clue about it.. I haven't really done any diagrams or webs tbh - maybe i should... WHat about you?

Yeah I can imagine your pretty stressed ATM lol.. Better get planning some fun stuff to do over summer! I'm heading to festivals when I fly back and going surfing in wales at my dads (I'm from wales)

Reply 12

mbolomiti

you are not making it any easier for me you know (just on lunch break now while reading about you sitting inside a wooden cabin in the forect!) and i am sure the weather there it is not miserable as it is here :frown:

so yes, i am doing the AS this year - i had no choice as i already started very late (Jan) to read, just didnt want to miss another year. ohhh you have the same books, may i ask you then, where can i find the answers for the exam style questions at the end of each chapter? i went online to the website they advise to go but i cannot seem to find them, do you know at all where to get them? i alos raised a thread on student room but no replies :frown:

if you could paste the link would be great!

just checked on amazon the book for the practical you have...ochhh it is still £39 to buy it..is it worth the money you think? or is it prob too late for me to buy and benefit from it? i might look on ebay, or maybe when you finish you sell it to me :wink:

i still have an extra year to go through.

So what are the courses you have applied or going to apply - is it Sep 2014 entry?

oh would you mind sharing the topics you got from your exam center? at least would be a start for me as well as i have not received anything...

oh Wales is beautiful, i have actually studied in Cardiff Uni, i have already one degree but in total different area (Business)- loved the student life in Cardiff and i totally love Wales people, they are so much more polite and welcoming :smile:

may i ask how old are you? i guess if this is your first degree you are applying for then you must be in your early 20s or even younger?

i most definately arrange to do sth during the summer, i still have to take the UKCAT exams which is required when you are applying in Medicine so def this will require some more studing :s-smilie:

endless! i still try during my weekend to go for snowboarding - i love the sport so during the month i drive all the way to Hemel Hempstead there is an indoor slope there with rea snow- and i burn some energy and calm my nerves after all this studing! :biggrin: