Anyone had any success in this subject who is willing to share their revision/study tricks and tips?
What worked for you, and what didn't?
Usually if I really have no idea about a subject, I'll watch a video about it first. Crash Course (hosted by Hank Green) and Amoeba Sisters have some good stuff on YouTube. After that, I will go into my textbook and make some thorough notes. Make sure that you write everything out in your own words, draw diagrams, spider-diagrams, anything that you will enjoy doing and will enjoy looking at.
Once you think you have an idea about what's going on, write everything out again in a different format more briefly. After this, it could be a good time to test yourself with some past paper questions on this topic. If you think you're still struggling, highlight the parts you need to improve on and have a break.
Come back to it later and keep writing things out in different formats until you really understand the subject.
Some people like flash-cards, but I don't think these are very effective for me.
Usually if I really have no idea about a subject, I'll watch a video about it first. Crash Course (hosted by Hank Green) and Amoeba Sisters have some good stuff on YouTube. After that, I will go into my textbook and make some thorough notes. Make sure that you write everything out in your own words, draw diagrams, spider-diagrams, anything that you will enjoy doing and will enjoy looking at.
Once you think you have an idea about what's going on, write everything out again in a different format more briefly. After this, it could be a good time to test yourself with some past paper questions on this topic. If you think you're still struggling, highlight the parts you need to improve on and have a break.
Come back to it later and keep writing things out in different formats until you really understand the subject.
Some people like flash-cards, but I don't think these are very effective for me.
Anyone had any success in this subject who is willing to share their revision/study tricks and tips?
What worked for you, and what didn't?
>Go on Physics and Maths Tutor >Print out the question by topic papers >Even if you don't understand the topics well enough, spend around 10mins having a go, and seeing what you remember >Then go back to your textbook and revision guide and read the topic you're revising >Try the papers again, and this time make sure to complete >Go over the mark scheme
One thing I've realised with A-level Biology is that it's really just learning out of the mark scheme. If you make it a habit to do exam questions over and over again, you'll see that similar questions will always have the same marking point.
Also DON'T spend too much time reading and writing notes, but make sure that at least 60% of your revision time is spent attempting exam questions. This is pretty much the strategy I used to get above 90% for my AS module (except for practical lol).
>Go on Physics and Maths Tutor >Print out the question by topic papers >Even if you don't understand the topics well enough, spend around 10mins having a go, and seeing what you remember >Then go back to your textbook and revision guide and read the topic you're revising >Try the papers again, and this time make sure to complete >Go over the mark scheme
One thing I've realised with A-level Biology is that it's really just learning out of the mark scheme. If you make it a habit to do exam questions over and over again, you'll see that similar questions will always have the same marking point.
Also DON'T spend too much time reading and writing notes, but make sure that at least 60% of your revision time is spent attempting exam questions. This is pretty much the strategy I used to get above 90% for my AS module (except for practical lol).
That's fantastic!! My exam technique is definitely something I need to work on tbh!! Can I ask how much independent study you did? and whether you found lessons at college useful?
I'm hoping to sit A2 exams this year. I'm self teaching the subject around a full time job
That's fantastic!! My exam technique is definitely something I need to work on tbh!! Can I ask how much independent study you did? and whether you found lessons at college useful?
Lessons in college was very useless and not even worth going to, so I've pretty much self taught the whole of A-level Biology.
Lessons in college was very useless and not even worth going to, so I've pretty much self taught the whole of A-level Biology.
That's so good that you've managed to pretty much teach yourself the subject!! What other resources you find useful? Do you use the CGP Revision Guides?
That's so good that you've managed to pretty much teach yourself the subject!! What other resources you find useful? Do you use the CGP Revision Guides?
CGP books are good for recap, but sometimes its pretty basic especially for the A2 modules. Use it along with your textbook.
CGP books are good for recap, but sometimes its pretty basic especially for the A2 modules. Use it along with your textbook.
Oh really? I just find there is not enough time in the day to read through the whole endorsed textbooks and make notes etc. I have the Edexcel Endorsed textbook for AS and I found that it rambles on way too much But maybe I should buy the A2 textbook as well
Oh really? I just find there is not enough time in the day to read through the whole endorsed textbooks and make notes etc. I have the Edexcel Endorsed textbook for AS and I found that it rambles on way too much But maybe I should buy the A2 textbook as well
I don't bother with making notes too often, and just stick to ones already made by others (some here). If you are going to make notes, only note down the important things in bullet points.
Oh really? I just find there is not enough time in the day to read through the whole endorsed textbooks and make notes etc.
Not being horrid, but this suggests to me a little that you're not organising your time very well. There's plenty of time in the day to do this. Do you have a good, tight study schedule based on the board' specification?
Not being horrid, but this suggests to me a little that you're not organising your time very well. There's plenty of time in the day to do this. Do you have a good, tight study schedule based on the board' specification?
I'm a mature student who works full-time. So I only have time to self-study in the evenings and weekends (if I'm not too busy)
I'll be frank with you, because there's no point soft-soaping you about this - it's not going to help you.
As I'm sure you're aware, 5 hours simply is insufficient to expect any sort of a result next June. 15 hours would be the bare minimum you should be dedicating to it - you have to expect to do much more time on it because you're self-studying it.
Obviously I don't know your schedule, but two hours Monday to Friday and 4 hours on Saturday and Sunday is 18 hours a week. Is that entirely unfeasible for you? If it is, then how much time could you dedicate to it - could you regularly do the 15 hours.
I'm banging on about this because I think it's the crux of the matter - it doesn't matter what fancy learning strategies and revision techniques you deploy if you're simply not putting the requisite number of hours in. That has to be the starting point.
I'll be frank with you, because there's no point soft-soaping you about this - it's not going to help you.
As I'm sure you're aware, 5 hours simply is insufficient to expect any sort of a result next June. 15 hours would be the bare minimum you should be dedicating to it - you have to expect to do much more time on it because you're self-studying it.
Obviously I don't know your schedule, but two hours Monday to Friday and 4 hours on Saturday and Sunday is 18 hours a week. Is that entirely unfeasible for you? If it is, then how much time could you dedicate to it - could you regularly do the 15 hours.
I'm banging on about this because I think it's the crux of the matter - it doesn't matter what fancy learning strategies and revision techniques you deploy if you're simply not putting the requisite number of hours in. That has to be the starting point.
??? A2 students only get a timetabled 5 hours of lessons for each subject. Add 1hr to any hw (not that we get any). Independent revision which is just reviewing is about another 3/4 hours. I dont think you should look at it in regards to hours.
I'll be frank with you, because there's no point soft-soaping you about this - it's not going to help you.
As I'm sure you're aware, 5 hours simply is insufficient to expect any sort of a result next June. 15 hours would be the bare minimum you should be dedicating to it - you have to expect to do much more time on it because you're self-studying it.
Obviously I don't know your schedule, but two hours Monday to Friday and 4 hours on Saturday and Sunday is 18 hours a week. Is that entirely unfeasible for you? If it is, then how much time could you dedicate to it - could you regularly do the 15 hours.
I'm banging on about this because I think it's the crux of the matter - it doesn't matter what fancy learning strategies and revision techniques you deploy if you're simply not putting the requisite number of hours in. That has to be the starting point.
So your saying I don't stand a chance? Shall I just give up now then? I always thought it was the quality and not the quantity of work you do. Clearly not!!
So your saying I don't stand a chance? Shall I just give up now then? I always thought it was the quality and not the quantity of work you do. Clearly not!!
No, I'm not saying that at all. What I am saying is that by self-teaching yourself a difficult subject like Biology, you've already set the bar pretty high. You've thus got to be realistic about the hours required for success, and five hours a week really is no-where near enough, regardless of your ability. I'm not trying to put you off, but what's the point of me pretending to you that 5 hours a weeks is plenty to self-teach yourself A2 Biology when in fact it's woefully short. You're right that quality of work is important, but there is also a minimum quantity that most people need to do as well.
@Ginertain has expressed incredulity that you should have to do 15-odd hours a week, when she 'only get 5 timetabled hours per week'. I would suggest that 5 hours of taught ,directed study is not directly equivalent to 5 hours of self-taught learning, and that an A2 student would ordinarily be expected to do more than three or four hours of 'just reviewing' a week on top of their directed learning in order to suceeed.