How to Ace Your Biology Exam (Or Other Science Class)

Are you new to studying science courses? Have you decided to major in Biology in college? Do you need to pass your AP Biology exam, or any other similar course? Biology can be a difficult subject to study; here are some study tips to help best prepare you for your exam.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Notes from Class
• Textbook
• Pen
• Highlighter
• Index Cards

1. The first, and most expected step in acing any exam is to ATTEND ALL OF YOUR CLASSES. This may be less of a problem in high school where attendance is mandatory, but in college, when you have the choice to go to class or not, just remember that the professor may cover concepts in your lecture that are not as detailed in your textbook. Also, in college, most professors write their own exam papers and as they teach, they tend to focus or emphasize points that will be prevalent on the exam.

2. Now that you're preparing to study for the exam, gather your notes, textbooks, and any other material your professor may have provided. You may wonder why biology (or science) should be studied differently, and I will explain why. Biology is a subject that is heavy in its own terminology. Even at an introductory level, you will encounter different scientific terms and it can appear to be its own language. So, before you understand the concepts that the terms are referring to, you need to learn the language itself.

3. 
    
   Plain index cards are all you need

   One of the most effective ways to study new key words and terms is to USE FLASH CARDS. By using index cards, you can quiz yourself and help reinforce the material you are learning. Even the act of creating the flash cards will help you study. You should make a flash card for each key term or concept. If, for example, you are studying DNA replication, you would want to make a flash card for DNA, RNA, helicase, codon, mRNA...until all of the key terms are memorized. After this, you can focus on learning the mechanisms and actual concepts.

4. It may sound like Biology is all about memorization and in a way, it kind of is. A lot of subjects (like introductory psychology, sociology, etc) can be studied by speed-reading or skimming the material but a very term-intensive course like Biology requires both memorization and understanding. To improve your understanding of the material, it's a good idea to DO THE PRACTICE QUESTIONS in the back of the book chapter. These questions are designed to review the material and also practice your critical thinking skills. Some professors may even use those questions as an example when writing their exam.

5. 
    
   A university study group can be helpful

   Another way to help increase your understanding and reinforce what you've studied is to JOIN A STUDY GROUP. Often, those who study the same subject will be able to help you practice concepts and answer questions you may not understand. Sometimes, when you've studied for hours on end, it is nice to have a support group that will help you boost your morale.

Tips & Warnings

• Try not to cram for your exam
• Remember that Biology, unlike other courses, is very term-intensive and requires some memorization.
• These tips can be used for other classes as well!

[abighow]

on 3/29/2009 I like Biology and your tips O(��_��)O~��