O'levels Biology Help

iamapebble SG

Dear all, sorry if I seem like I'm flooding the homework forum, I really don't mean to. =/ But.. I'm taking biology next week and that is giving me a lot of headaches (mentally and physically).

You see, I know that to score well for Biology, in the case of my school, most of time is memorising. But then I'm not really good at memorising (that's why I don't take geography or history, I take literature). Furthermore, it's not like SS whereby I can grasp the content and be able to memorise it well.

For Biology, it's a no-no for me. It's like if I have to memorise it well, I have to seriously be able to VISUALISE it in my mind, that's why so far the only topics I can memorise are the heart (whereby I illustrate it by my hands) and respiration. Topics like the eye can kill me. Of course those on transport in plants are considered okay.

For the past 2 years, I've always ended up forcing myself to memorise the other topics which to say the truth, half the time I don't even know what I'm memorising. It's not that I don't understand the chapter, it's just that, I am very very slow and I need to visualise it, that's why during lessons when almost everyone can understand a new topic and the teacher moves on yet I'm the only one left not understanding anything yada yada yada~

So please, advise me how should I go about understanding and memorising Biology effectively. I thought of giving up a thousand and one times already, but then I realise it's the last time I'll be taking Biology and since I only have Physics, EM and Biology next week, I have time for Biology, because my Physics and EM are manageable.

P/S: My teacher told me that as long as I understand I can do it, but thing is when it comes to examinations, I can't seem to know what concept the question is looking out for and also for the essay questions, I ALWAYS mix up concepts, perhaps it's due to my lack of memorising though. I've already tried all the structured questions from the TYS already btw.

PLEASE HELP! Thank you really really, so much. :)

UltimaOnline SG

To be honest, with the weaknesses that you described (that you're aware) you suffer from, you should have consistently clarified all your doubts throughout Sec 3 & Sec 4 with your school teacher, and/or taken the (self-responsible) initiative to sign up for private tuition much earlier on (not last minute before exams), preferably both.

Asking for "PLEASE HELP!" here on an internet forum just a couple of days away from the actual 'O' level exam can't possibly make much of a difference, no matter what anyone posts in reply. Too little, too late.

So if/when you proceed on to 'A' levels, for your own sake, you probably want to be a little more proactive, a little earlier, a little more consistently.

For today here on the forum, the only way we can help is for you to post your questions and also what you think is the answer, and we can give comments. (If you just post questions without your own answers, that's not helping you clarify your misconceptions, coz if you just wanted model answers, you might as well read a Ten Yr Series with Model Answers book.)

maurizio13 SG

Now your best chance lies in spotting questions and putting your efforts in those topics. Do those of higher importance first.

iamapebble SG

Hey thanks for your replies, seriously! :D

Frankly speaking, I've been too occupied with seeking help for my 2 other sciences and amaths. I was failing amaths all the way or having borderline passes last year and it's only this year that I'm starting to get my A1. As for my physics, I started out very weak last year as well and I've been trying to stabalise my A1 as well, as for chemistry same story.

For the past 2 years, my Biology has always been B3 (which I felt is okay, since I think I had to stabalise my confirmed A's first) and Biology was sort of a back-up in case anything unexpected happens during O'levels and it will end up becoming one of my r5, and then finally for prelims I got a C5 (yes, I studied), which kind of told me it's time I do something about Biology, and that's why I'm here asking for advices on how to study Biology more effectively because maybe what I'm doing is wrong.

It may seem like 'I deserve it' but I really do put in effort for any Biology exams. I'm not wanting too much for O'levels, I know I can't get distinctions for it, but I just don't want a C again moreover for the last time since I'm pretty sure I'm not cut out for Biology.

Yes, why didn't I drop Biology? My teacher told me time and time again not to, because she keeps believing that I can do it. And I enjoy Physics and Chemistry, so I didn't drop them to make way for Biology.

Sounds like excuses for myself though, I know. Thanks a lot once again anyways! :) I guess I'll just have to do what I can for now and do my best, and hope you guys would help me if I post any questions which, I will provide my answers in the first place! :)

UltimaOnline SG

Hey thanks for your replies, seriously! :D

You're welcome

As for 'A' levels (if you choose JC route instead of Poly), then you'll have to re-decide if you want to take triple science or double science. Probably you'll go for Phy and Chem. But personally, Chem and Bio are a lot more interesting, any at level ('O', 'A', University).

Garrick_3658 SG

If you have been able to pass Biology in school just by pure memorising, then I guess your school's papers just aren't strict enough.

Isn't the new syllabus of Biology more based on "applications to new situations, new problems?" Just like all the new syllabuses. I think you should try to grasp the main concepts behind the topics and not memorise things like "Characteristics of enzymes", even if which comes out, I can still name at least 6 of them from my past understanding of the topic.

Good luck. And I do hope that you will make it to a good JC, which is what you SHOULD be aiming for.

iamapebble SG

You're welcome

Haha, I don't know why I just can't seem to get interested in Biology. =[

iamapebble SG

If you have been able to pass Biology in school just by pure memorising, then I guess your school's papers just aren't strict enough.

Good luck. And I do hope that you will make it to a good JC, which is what you SHOULD be aiming for.

Thanks! I shall treat it as a compliment that you think I can make it, haha.. Anyway, the memorising part is what I gathered from the people who always score well for Biology you see. T.T

davidche SG

If you have been able to pass Biology in school just by pure memorising, then I guess your school's papers just aren't strict enough.

Good luck. And I do hope that you will make it to a good JC, which is what you SHOULD be aiming for.

thats why it is a PASS.

Darkness_hacker99 SG

There are three types of learner; auditory, visual, and kinesthetic(touch). You seems to be a 'visual/kinesthetic learner' because you find visualization more useful and helpful in aiding you learning.

I would suggest you go to youtube and search for the relevant subjects. Some topics they really have great video tutorials. :)

More infor: http://webhome.idirect.com/~kehamilt/spklearn.html

eagle SG

there's no time to reflect and worry.

Play cheat in studying; read your TYS questions + solutions if you dun hv the time to do.

Whatdatoot SG

Bio is rather easy if you had studied earlier. It is a day by day thing. 2 years would have been a very long and good time to memorise all the topics.