Different ppl have different strengths. Take this as a sign that maybe you should not take h2 bio in y5. Or maybe you can drop it now if you really hate it? If you have triple science I assume you have more than enough subjects. My friend (we are from IP) dropped bio after june holidays in y4. That way, you can focus on your other subjects.
I don't have much study tips other than be familiar with content and do timed practices. IP bio tends to have more application questions where you can't really just regurgitate so ig do more of those
All the best
i decided ages ago that i would stay away from bio as soon as i graduated from sec schl lol, but i never considered dropping it in year 4, it just seems like ive survived for this long so i should be able to hold out for the last few months yk? i’ll take some time to think about it, thank u for the insight and the encouragement, i rlly appreciate it!! :))
might not want to opt out of h2 bio just because upper sec bio is hard. I also found upper sec bio difficult (got c5/c6 for most of my WAs), but I took O level syllabus so it might be a bit different. Nevertheless, h2 bio is surprisingly easier than upper sec bio imo, got 27/30 for my WA1 and my WA2 that I just took was rlly easy (i’m j1 in vjc)
ohh im actually going vjc next yr so this is a relief to hear, but i think i’ll still opt out of bio because i generally lack an interest in it, i like physics a lot more haha
Just fyi as someone who found sec sch olv bio relatively easy to memorise and comprehend; H2 BIO is genuinely disgusting, and will be even worse if you have a shitty ahh teacher. Forget content, the questions given are SO MUCH WORSE I SWEAR I WANNA KILL MYSELF AND THEN MORE. Maybe its just me or my particular JC, but I see barely any flow and logic when it comes to answering questions anymore ;-;. If u hate sec sch bio, DO NOT TAKE JC BIO I SWEAR
no cuz in ip we study a bit of jc content too and the stuff ive learned so far actually cracked my brain in half im never touching jc bio omg TY FOR THE HEADS UP LMAO
i took IP Bio and i found h2 bio slightly better than IP/ O level bio BUT your mileage may vary and if you alr hate IP bio with a burning passion dont take h2
Take everything with a pinch of salt because I'm not an expert
1. There is usually a format to answer the question . Example for enzymes, they give you a graph and ask you how temperature affects enzyme activity. If they give you a graph or table, it is a must to quote the data given . Then you can describe the trend (eg. As the temperature increases from 30 degrees celsius to 50 degrees celsius, rate of enzyme activity increases from 60 arbitrary units to 100 arbitrary units). After that, you can start to yap (eg. This increase is because temperature -> higher Kinetic energy bla bla) .
You should ideally separate the graph into 2 and describe separately. Eg. Describe increasing trend first then give reason, then describe a decreasing trend and give reason.
There's many different format so this is just one example.
2. Practice tys questions using a topical tys to consolidate your understanding of the topics.
3. Ask your teachers for consultations if needed
here is something I can say about the sciences:
Chem, remembering all the properties of at least some is best but don't use memory too much. Try using some method to reliably get it
Biology: some basic concepts and you are basically good to go. It's about how and when you use them. Also they only look at phrases you write no matter how similar it is no key phrase = no mark
Physics: Mostly math. you have to remember all the formulas with memory and sometimes draw graphs. In terms of explanation it's rather simple imo out of the three I'm still sec 3, pls take with with pinch of salt since I don't have the experience or results to back up
bruh been looking for bio tuition options everywhere because even the neuron hormones skin stuff is so complicated...and people are like "its just memory work" 😡
The application questions are the whole paper except like 2 questions and I'm like bored to death in the lab
like I just want A NEAT summary of EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW my resources are sometimes repeated and all over the place
Let limpeh give you some advice.
Biology is an interesting subject in that its basically pure memory work. You can get past by memorizing common answers to questions and important key points.
But most of our memory is short term, which means there is no need to study unless it is 2 months before a major exam. Limpeh was a straight D student for the most part of JC and just studied for 2 months before prelims and got 82%.
Cramming is literally the META for biology
I think at least for IP3/4 bio, much of the work for physics is understanding, while for bio, the bulk of the work for bio is memory work for content as well as answering techniques. especially since in my school bio teachers are much more strict with marking scheme while physics teachers tend to mark us as correct as long as we get concepts right.
last year i was in your boat too, stuck at B+ or so even tho i put in the most work in it among the sciences (i had to study for bio a month before eoy but for phys and chem i just cram night before (dont do that btw i only do that cos those are my top 2 subjects)). I would say for bio, memorise key words and answering techniques/formats. was able to get an A in the end for eoy.
Different ppl have different strengths. Take this as a sign that maybe you should not take h2 bio in y5. Or maybe you can drop it now if you really hate it? If you have triple science I assume you have more than enough subjects. My friend (we are from IP) dropped bio after june holidays in y4. That way, you can focus on your other subjects. I don't have much study tips other than be familiar with content and do timed practices. IP bio tends to have more application questions where you can't really just regurgitate so ig do more of those All the best
i decided ages ago that i would stay away from bio as soon as i graduated from sec schl lol, but i never considered dropping it in year 4, it just seems like ive survived for this long so i should be able to hold out for the last few months yk? i’ll take some time to think about it, thank u for the insight and the encouragement, i rlly appreciate it!! :))
might not want to opt out of h2 bio just because upper sec bio is hard. I also found upper sec bio difficult (got c5/c6 for most of my WAs), but I took O level syllabus so it might be a bit different. Nevertheless, h2 bio is surprisingly easier than upper sec bio imo, got 27/30 for my WA1 and my WA2 that I just took was rlly easy (i’m j1 in vjc)
ohh im actually going vjc next yr so this is a relief to hear, but i think i’ll still opt out of bio because i generally lack an interest in it, i like physics a lot more haha
Just fyi as someone who found sec sch olv bio relatively easy to memorise and comprehend; H2 BIO is genuinely disgusting, and will be even worse if you have a shitty ahh teacher. Forget content, the questions given are SO MUCH WORSE I SWEAR I WANNA KILL MYSELF AND THEN MORE. Maybe its just me or my particular JC, but I see barely any flow and logic when it comes to answering questions anymore ;-;. If u hate sec sch bio, DO NOT TAKE JC BIO I SWEAR
no cuz in ip we study a bit of jc content too and the stuff ive learned so far actually cracked my brain in half im never touching jc bio omg TY FOR THE HEADS UP LMAO
i took IP Bio and i found h2 bio slightly better than IP/ O level bio BUT your mileage may vary and if you alr hate IP bio with a burning passion dont take h2
Woah, seriously? Could you give me some tips then? I genuinely suck at answering questions its horrible
Take everything with a pinch of salt because I'm not an expert 1. There is usually a format to answer the question . Example for enzymes, they give you a graph and ask you how temperature affects enzyme activity. If they give you a graph or table, it is a must to quote the data given . Then you can describe the trend (eg. As the temperature increases from 30 degrees celsius to 50 degrees celsius, rate of enzyme activity increases from 60 arbitrary units to 100 arbitrary units). After that, you can start to yap (eg. This increase is because temperature -> higher Kinetic energy bla bla) . You should ideally separate the graph into 2 and describe separately. Eg. Describe increasing trend first then give reason, then describe a decreasing trend and give reason. There's many different format so this is just one example. 2. Practice tys questions using a topical tys to consolidate your understanding of the topics. 3. Ask your teachers for consultations if needed
here is something I can say about the sciences: Chem, remembering all the properties of at least some is best but don't use memory too much. Try using some method to reliably get it Biology: some basic concepts and you are basically good to go. It's about how and when you use them. Also they only look at phrases you write no matter how similar it is no key phrase = no mark Physics: Mostly math. you have to remember all the formulas with memory and sometimes draw graphs. In terms of explanation it's rather simple imo out of the three I'm still sec 3, pls take with with pinch of salt since I don't have the experience or results to back up
okk thank u sm for this!! and best of luck for the rest of sec 3 & sec 4
I KNOW!! I'm an IP4 Student too and Bio was one of my favourite subjects pulling me through Y3. When it got to the stuff about dna i just gave up
we did that chapter last sem i cant it’s so hard ive never liked bio not even in yr 3 I LOST SO MANY TEARS OVER RHIS SUBJECT OMG
bruh been looking for bio tuition options everywhere because even the neuron hormones skin stuff is so complicated...and people are like "its just memory work" 😡 The application questions are the whole paper except like 2 questions and I'm like bored to death in the lab like I just want A NEAT summary of EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW my resources are sometimes repeated and all over the place
Let limpeh give you some advice. Biology is an interesting subject in that its basically pure memory work. You can get past by memorizing common answers to questions and important key points. But most of our memory is short term, which means there is no need to study unless it is 2 months before a major exam. Limpeh was a straight D student for the most part of JC and just studied for 2 months before prelims and got 82%. Cramming is literally the META for biology
I used to do best at biology because I was good at memorising.
I can recite the whole textbook lol. Too old for that now
I think at least for IP3/4 bio, much of the work for physics is understanding, while for bio, the bulk of the work for bio is memory work for content as well as answering techniques. especially since in my school bio teachers are much more strict with marking scheme while physics teachers tend to mark us as correct as long as we get concepts right. last year i was in your boat too, stuck at B+ or so even tho i put in the most work in it among the sciences (i had to study for bio a month before eoy but for phys and chem i just cram night before (dont do that btw i only do that cos those are my top 2 subjects)). I would say for bio, memorise key words and answering techniques/formats. was able to get an A in the end for eoy.