Like other branches of science, biology has a lot of concepts which can confuse students. Some biology terms sound the same and their spelling can be difficult to remember. Students also have to remember how certain biological processes are occurring and what changes happen in each step.
Before you give up on understanding the subject because of these terms, processes and the like, there are ways to help you excel in your biology class and understand the subject easily.
To get you started, here are 10 secret ways you can apply to your studies to ace your Biology classes:
Focus on the terminologies
Biology terms and other scientific terms do not change even if science books are updated regularly. When you study, take a note of all the terminologies by listing them off in a notebook and mark them accordingly based on their topic. For example, if you are studying ecology, check the terminologies for ecosystems, community, biomes, and others.
Once you take note of the terminologies, list their definition. You can cross check the definitions with other science books to help you understand it better.
Check your notes
Notes are a must when you want to ace an exam since this will give you an idea of what your teachers want for your exam. Read your notes and reread them thoroughly, especially the points your teachers discussed during class. When you are done reading the notes, try writing your own understanding of the notes on a separate paper. This will let you know if you understood the concept clearly.
You can ask your teacher or a tutor to check your work.
Check past exam questions
You can also check out past exam questions used for class, or the exam questions listed at the end of each chapter. These questions would give you an idea of how a terminology or process will be asked during the test and what answers are required.
If your exam will deal with multiple choice questions, check the keywords in the question to determine what is being asked. For descriptive questions, you need to check the points of the question before you answer the question.
Analyze the Diagrams
Biology deals with the study of living things and as a result, you will need to understand how certain processes and systems work. For example, if you are studying the human body, you need to be familiar with the organs that comprise your nervous system, digestive system, and others. Diagrams are used to help students see these systems up close without having to cut a person or a living thing open.
Check the diagrams associated with certain concepts and study them since it will be easier to retain the concept on your mind when you can link it to a certain diagram.
Analyze the Flowcharts
Aside from diagrams, flowcharts are also used to understand how certain biological processes work and how each organ functions. It gives you an idea of how each process moves to a certain level and what happens during this period. Flowcharts also help people understand the concepts better since it gives a visual reference.
The benefits of flowcharts can be seen if you are studying concepts like photosynthesis. A flowchart will give you a clear picture of how the process works and help you recall how each step happens.
Organize your notes properly
When studying for an exam, your notes have to be in order and be in one place to help you study easily. If they are not sorted in order and are scattered in various notebooks or papers, it will be hard for you to prepare for your test since you do not know where to start. Organizing your notes can also take time, especially if you have to redo some parts. You may even lose the time you allotted for your studies because you are missing some notes.
Use Memory Techniques
Mnemonics is a great technique if you want to recall terminologies and facts that are hard to memorize. You can create unique acronyms based on the first letter of the terminologies or facts you want to remember. You can even create your own poem or song which will help you remember these facts better. Of course, make sure that your mnemonics are easy to remember and do not jumble them up if certain terms have the same first letter.
Study with your friends
For some people, studying with friends helps when dealing with difficult subjects like science and math. You can discuss with them the biology terms you are trying to remember, and come up with easier ways to understand concepts.
If you are not yet studying a certain part of your studies, you can ask them if they have covered it and let them explain it to you. You can even hold mock exams between one another and see how well your studies have been in so far.
Organize your schedule
When studying for an exam, it is best that you allot your time wisely so you can cover everything on the exam syllabus every day. You also need to allow enough time to study every chapter and do not stick to one for more than two hours. If the chapter you are studying is very long, study up to the time frame you allotted for the chapter and move on to the next. You can just skim to the parts you didn’t cover when you have extra time left.
Analyze the differences between terms
Finally, it is ideal to consider that biology has certain terms that sound similar to one another. One good example of this is the terms meiosis and mitosis, terms that involve cell division but each having a different composition. When you meet these terms in your readings, list them down and check their definitions and spelling. You can also speak the terms out loud to hear their differences once you are done with your revisions or notes.
Conclusion
Biology may sound complex at first, but it is a science that would allow you to understand how the natural world works and changes. When you get a hang of the subject with the help of our tips above, you will find it easier to pass it and gain an appreciation for the subject.
So, don’t fear the subject, try these tips today and ace it with flying colors!
Hunting for more tips to score in Biology? We have these articles:
Don’t Trip Over the Terms in Your A-levels Chemistry and Biology Questions
5 Study Techniques To Master Biology In A-Levels
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