Category: A-level Biology

How to make the transition from GCSE to A-level biology

A-levels can be a big step up from GCSE. There’s more detail, more depth and often some satisfying answers to questions left over from earlier lessons. A-level subjects, especially sciences like biology, can feel like they make more sense than GCSE courses, while being even more challenging. The transition from GCSE to A-level biology can be daunting, but it doesn’t need to be.

My students often ask how they can prepare for the transition from GCSE to A-level biology. Parents often ask how they can best support their child, especially if they didn’t study biology school. Don’t worry! The transition doesn’t need to be scary, and what happens at home can be a big help – you may even have fun doing it.

Getting into good habits early is essential when making the transition from GCSE to A-level biology.

Using resources when making the transition from GCSE to A-level biology

The good news is that, like GCSE, each A-level exam course has a clear path through the course – its specification. Often, students are aware each exam board (AQA, Edexcel, OCR etc.) provides a course specification but often they don’t make use of it. It’s there for you to download. Treat it like a reference guide – it might not be bedtime reading, but it shows you where you are and what’s coming up. It also has some tips for what the exam questions will look like.
(As an example, here is a link to the AQA A-level biology specification) Continue reading “How to make the transition from GCSE to A-level biology”

Tips for the night before the exam

You’re almost there. You’ve worked really hard and the exams are finally here. Revision at this stage is probably just finishing touches. But there are a few tips to keep in mind the night before the exam and to take with you on the big day.

  1. Remember to read the question

I know, I know – this is a cliché. The easiest piece of advice to follow, and the easiest to forget in the moment. Sometimes we scan a question quickly, spot a few key words and make an assumption about how to answer without reading on. I can’t overstate this – please read the question to the end. Read it twice. There are clues in there. This is particularly important for questions with data and diagrams – make sure you understand what the chart or graph shows before starting on your answer. Continue reading “Tips for the night before the exam”

A-level biology summer school – get a head start on next year

Our online A-level biology summer school sessions are designed to reassure and prepare – whether you’re making the transition from GCSE to A-levels, or looking to recap and test your knowledge as you head towards your exam year and more detailed topics in Year 13. Continue reading “A-level biology summer school – get a head start on next year”

How to make a revision timetable that works

Whether you’re revising for GCSE or A-levels or preparing for university or college exams, making a revision timetable or a revision plan is an important step to learning anything. Complementing our post on how to revise, here we’re exploring what you need to make a revision timetable, and how to structure your revision sessions.

We find that revision is most effective as part of your weekly routine alongside your learning. In contrast to “cramming” in the days or weeks before exams, (which rarely works and often increases stress) regular revision helps to build confidence.

Continue reading “How to make a revision timetable that works”

How to use the p-value in A-level biology

The problem with biological processes is that they’re messy. The same measurements taken on different days are likely to be slightly different (in some cases very different) due to the random nature of biological molecules sloshing around in cells. Scientists call this randomness “noise”. Noisy measurements might fool us into thinking a change we observe in our experimental data is important, when in fact it’s just the universe being random. We need a way of spotting a difference that stands out – that is significant – this is where we turn to statistical tests and the p-value in A-level biology. Continue reading “How to use the p-value in A-level biology”

How to study A-level biology as a private candidate

Many students choose to study A-level biology as a private candidate, enjoying the flexibility of home education/ home-schooling or online education. I have helped several students find their way with the practicalities involved, like choosing an exam board and an exam centre. I have also tutored several A-level biology candidates through all or part of their course. I would like to share some of this advice with you: Continue reading “How to study A-level biology as a private candidate”

How to answer A-level Biology essay questions

The Synoptic essay questions on paper 3 of the AQA A-level biology course carry 25 marks, so doing well can make a big difference to your overall grade. The essay encourages you to think across different topics (some call this “synoptic” or “holistic” thinking). This is also valuable for other areas of the exams, particularly the application questions.

Here are a few tips for tackling your A-level biology essay: (As an example, let’s use the title “The importance of movement in cells and tissues”)

  1. Think broadly…

Essay titles are deliberately vague to give you the chance to show your knowledge in a variety of topics. To help you to choose what’s most relevant, look out for subjective words like “movement” and “cells”. Think of the possible alternatives. “Cells”, for example, hints that you could discuss plants, animals, single-celled organisms etc. in your essay. “Movement” could mean short distances (across a membrane) or much further (circulation or mass flow) or even the whole tissue moving (phototropism). Continue reading “How to answer A-level Biology essay questions”

How to answer A-level biology describe and explain questions

The wording of A-level biology describe and explain questions is  important.  Often when people lose marks in exams, it’s not due to being completely wrong, but slightly wrong – the answer might make perfect sense, but miss the point of the question. Very frustrating!

I’ve written about how to answer A-level biology evaluate questions, and application questions, (and how to choose a statistical test), but what about Describe and explain questions? What’s the difference? What does each question want from you? Continue reading “How to answer A-level biology describe and explain questions”

How to answer A-level biology application questions

A lot of our tutees ask how to answer A-level biology application questions. Application questions (AKA “applied knowledge” questions or assessment objective 2, AO2 questions) challenge you to apply your knowledge in an unfamiliar setting. Essentially, they are biological puzzles, and you have all the information you need to solve them – the real challenge is working out how and where to start.

Here are a few tips to guide you through:

  1. Ask yourself – what topic is this?

Look for key words and phrases that give you clues to which topic area (or areas) the question relates to. There may be a lot of information in the opening part of the question here that you’ve not seen before – that’s ok! It’s designed that way. If there’s a strangely named chemical described as an enzyme, everything you know about enzymes and proteins might be useful. Do we have an unfamiliar gene? Great – now everything you know about transcription, translation, epigenetics and even genetic engineering could be relevant.

It’s best to start with a clear idea of the context of the question.

Continue reading “How to answer A-level biology application questions”

How to answer A-level biology evaluate questions

One of the most popular requests from online A-level Biology students is “How do I answer A-level biology evaluate questions?” (AKA assessment objective 3 (AO3) questions)

Usually, these questions involve scientific data and a conclusion made by a student, journalist or politician. The idea is to discuss their conclusions and decide how much you agree.

Here are a few tips to try:

1. Don’t be afraid to agree AND disagree

Evaluate questions are usually looking for a balance of your opinions. You probably won’t agree completely, or disagree completely with a conclusion and that’s fine. The good news is there are marks for providing evidence for and against.

2. Look for “sweeping” statements

Usually “evaluate” questions are testing your ability to spot where the “story” in the science has been misinterpreted. Often the conclusion over-reaches – maybe it says a drug “cures lung disease” when the data only shows an effect on cells in dish, or in rabbits rather than humans. Look for places where the conclusion and the data are mismatched. Continue reading “How to answer A-level biology evaluate questions”