How to Pass a GCSE Biology Exam

Know your exam board., Switch off the computer, mobile phone, television and MP3 player., Gather your notes, revision guides and also CDs., Your school should issue you a Biology book specific to your exam board., Write down key notes for your exam...

22 Steps 2 min read Advanced

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Step 1: Know your exam board.

    The way certain exam boards structure their papers can vary, and you may need to study extra material if this is the case.

    This article serves as a guideline for all major exam boards.
  2. Step 2: Switch off the computer

    You cannot revise if you are talking to a friend or watching an episode of Friends. , Also have a blank exercise book and a calculator at hand. , However your school will not give it to you for free but may supply so you can buy from them revision guides which are also specific for your exam board.

    This are a great way to prompt yourself a week or so before the exam.

    Look through the textbook.

    Don't be intimidated by the big text and confusing words.

    Try to read the book and take in information.

    If you are still confused then ask your Biology teacher to help you. , These short bullet point type notes will be easy to remember. , This is usually for BMI (body mass index).

    In the exam they may give you the equation but remember it just in case. , They help you understand what type of questions are in the exam and also help you know the areas you struggle with. ,, For example "30 people take part in an experiment which was about how much exercise they do in a week, the line graph shows the amount of exercise they did and their heart rate.

    Suggest the link between the amount of exercise and their heart rate." Normally these types of questions will be broken down into 2 or 3 separate parts.

    For the question in quotation marks you need to tell the examiner the link between heart rate and the amount of exercise they do.

    Another part of the question is: "Is the test reliable?" In which the answer should "If the test was reliable it means if repeated the test will get the same results." Remember:
    Reliable = repeatable! ,,, Remember practise makes perfect. ,,,
  3. Step 3: mobile phone

  4. Step 4: television and MP3 player.

  5. Step 5: Gather your notes

  6. Step 6: revision guides and also CDs.

  7. Step 7: Your school should issue you a Biology book specific to your exam board.

  8. Step 8: Write down key notes for your exam such as "Respiration is the break down of glucose in order to provide energy for your cells to carry out functions

  9. Step 9: carbon dioxide and water are the waste products."

  10. Step 10: In some Biology topics you will need to know equations.

  11. Step 11: Always do past exam papers!

  12. Step 12: When you have done the past exam papers and have asked a teacher or have a mark scheme to mark it

  13. Step 13: go back to the questions you got wrong or you did not understand.

  14. Step 14: In the exam there will be questions about science in everyday life.

  15. Step 15: Go over key areas which you do not understand.

  16. Step 16: Know the different types of variables as these are sure to come up on the "How Science Works" questions.

  17. Step 17: Once you have gone over the areas in which you do not understand and you are confident that you know the topic then do another past paper.

  18. Step 18: If in doubt always ask your biology teacher if you do not understand.

  19. Step 19: If you want an A*

  20. Step 20: you will have to memorize all the Higher/process sections in your notes/book

  21. Step 21: make your revision thorough and always state the obvious in a data analysis question

  22. Step 22: Good luck with your exam!

Detailed Guide

The way certain exam boards structure their papers can vary, and you may need to study extra material if this is the case.

This article serves as a guideline for all major exam boards.

You cannot revise if you are talking to a friend or watching an episode of Friends. , Also have a blank exercise book and a calculator at hand. , However your school will not give it to you for free but may supply so you can buy from them revision guides which are also specific for your exam board.

This are a great way to prompt yourself a week or so before the exam.

Look through the textbook.

Don't be intimidated by the big text and confusing words.

Try to read the book and take in information.

If you are still confused then ask your Biology teacher to help you. , These short bullet point type notes will be easy to remember. , This is usually for BMI (body mass index).

In the exam they may give you the equation but remember it just in case. , They help you understand what type of questions are in the exam and also help you know the areas you struggle with. ,, For example "30 people take part in an experiment which was about how much exercise they do in a week, the line graph shows the amount of exercise they did and their heart rate.

Suggest the link between the amount of exercise and their heart rate." Normally these types of questions will be broken down into 2 or 3 separate parts.

For the question in quotation marks you need to tell the examiner the link between heart rate and the amount of exercise they do.

Another part of the question is: "Is the test reliable?" In which the answer should "If the test was reliable it means if repeated the test will get the same results." Remember:
Reliable = repeatable! ,,, Remember practise makes perfect. ,,,

About the Author

J

Joseph Brown

Specializes in breaking down complex practical skills topics into simple steps.

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