IGCSE / IB/ A-Level / SAT Biology Exam Preparation
Topics for IGCSE / IB / A-Level / SAT Biology include Classification of Living Organisms, Cells, Enzymes, Nutrition, Transport Systems in Plants and Animals, Excretion, Respiration, Coordination and Response, Homeostasis, Genetics and Evolution, Human Influences on the Ecosystem, and others. Major emphasis is on the study of Human Body and the Organ Systems.
Students also learn how human activities are causing a threat to nature. They are exposed to processes such as Photosynthesis and Transport Systems in Plants.
Tips on how to prepare for your upcoming exam!
These tips are based on some common mistakes made by students. They are collected under various subheadings to help you when you prepare for your examinations.
Make sure you read all the general tips. These can be important in any of the papers you do. Make sure you know which examination papers you are taking before you look at the tips for the
different papers.
All of you will take paper 1, which is all multiple choice questions. You may be taking paper 2, which is Foundation OR you may be taking paper 3, which is extended. You may be taking paper 5, which is a practical examination in a laboratory OR you may be taking paper 6 which is a written paper about practical work.
Key points to learning biology terms
Terms are the names used in biology. These will be used in questions. You will get more marks if you can use them correctly in you examination. Ask your teacher if you are unsure of the different meanings between biological terms. Try to use the correct spelling. The person marking your answer will try to recognise what word you mean, but if the spelling is wrong, then they cannot allow you a mark. Some biological terms have very similar spelling. One example is “ureter”, urethra” and “uterus”. If your mis-spelling is “uretus”, it could be “ureters” or “uterus”. Other common examples are ovum, ova, ovary and ovule, testes and testa; sucrose and sucrase.
Do not try to mix the spellings of two words when you are not sure which of them is the correct answer, e.g. meitosis, when you are not sure whether the answer is mitosis or meiosis, or urether, when you are not sure if the answer is ureter or urethra. You need to check carefully that you have used the right word when similar terms are used in the same topic , e.g. urea and urine, ureter and urethra., semen and sperm Writing in your own words. You sometimes have to write two or more sentences to answer a question.
Use short sentences. If you write long sentences you can get mixed up. It is hard to find correct statements in a muddled answer.
You are often asked to write down something you have learned. Make sure you have learnt the meanings of the common terms used in biology, e.g. photosynthesis, osmosis, fermentation.
You also need be able to write down the meaning of more complicated ideas, e.g. level of organisation, natural selection, global warming, eutrophication.
