Overall CheckpointsDP Biology Core Understandings, Skills, and Applications checklist (SL & HL)
DP Biology Options Understandings, Skill, and Applications checklist (SL & HL) What you will need to know: List of Scientists Lists of needed Skills List of all Drawings and Diagrams in SL and HL These are random, so the questions change every time you try them. Good check points. Good overall checkpoint- Topics 1-6 (SL) Good Overall Checkpoint- Topics 1-11 (HL) |
Calculations and Units
You need to be able to calculate the following in the exams for the Core:
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Nail down those definitions
Definitions are often one point questions, but they should be easy points. They are also looking for specific wording or words in your definitions. So make sure you have mastered the basics of these definitions.
Key Term Review (Topics 1-11) This is NOT comprehensive, but is a good general review
Key Term Review Answer Key
Key Term Review (Topics 1-11) This is NOT comprehensive, but is a good general review
Key Term Review Answer Key
Drawing in IB Biology
Draw the Core, Label if you are able, Annotate if you are great! - Stephan Taylor
List of all Drawings and Diagrams in SL and HL |
Structured Response
Papers 2 and 3 often contain many structured response questions. These are short answer questions and require you to construct your knowledge of a topic. They can be as simple as "define" and as complicated as "Discuss."
Structured Response Questions
Structured Response Markscheme
- Practice! Make sure you know what types of questions you struggle with.
- Know your command terms! For a review click here. Don't get caught answering the wrong question
- Use the scientific terminology- these are terms they are usually looking for. Example: If the are asking about natural selection- talk about survival and reproduction. If they ask about enzymes- talk about active sites, denaturation, lock and key etc. Use the terminology!
- Study terminology! Practice!
- Pay attention to things like '…using a named example…' – without addressing these you will not get full marks. "Named" means specific!
- Notice the point numbers- these represent the number of things you need to discuss. If it asks you to discuss the relationship between Enzymes and temperature and has a (3)- they are looking for 3 different aspects to that relationship.
- Practice! Practice! Practice!
Structured Response Questions
Structured Response Markscheme
Data Analysis
Paper 2 section A contains at least 1 data analysis question. These questions are often based on outside knowledge but will require you to understand the scientific concepts as well.
Tips:
Data Based Questions Review
Data Based Questions Review Markscheme
Tips:
- Practice! Complete the questions yourself not with a partner, then check them as a group.
- Read the introduction paragraph- they often give you answers in here!
- Understand the graph!
- Don't forget the command terms!- make sure to answer the whole question not just part of it….
- Use your scientific language correctly! Make the connections to the scientific language AND the data!
- Make sure your numbers have units!!!!!!!!!!
- PRACTICE!!!
Data Based Questions Review
Data Based Questions Review Markscheme
Extended Response
In paper 2 section B, you are required to answer one (SL) or two (HL) extended response questions. These are worth 20 marks. Content makes up 18 of those marks, with ‘quality of answer’ making up the other two. The questions are normally broken into three or four parts, with the first parts just a few marks each. There will be at least one which is 8 or 9 marks.
Tips:
• Practice. Complete questions by yourself and check them as a group.-- don't let others do it for you!
• Use the 5-minutes reading time at the start of the exam to go through each option and decide which will give you the best outcome.
• Highlight the command terms, pay attention to the number of marks available.
• Practice.
• Look for caveats in the question such as ‘…using a named example…‘ – without addressing these you will not get full marks.
• Use scientific language appropriately. If you look on the markschemes, these are often underlined, meaning that you cannot be awarded a certain mark without the correct terminology.
• Practice. You might not have written a block of text for a while, so strengthen those writing muscles!
• Use English (or your response langauge) appropriately. It is expected that two parts of the question are answered in prose style, but do not confuse this with flowery writing. Don’t overstretch your language abilities, or you may confuse the examiner. Write simply and clearly. Address the command terms.
• Write logically and check your work. One quality mark is simply for the completeness of the answer and the readability of the work – does the examiner need to skip backward and forward to understand your idea or can they read it once and get your meaning?
• If you use diagrams or charts, make sure they are clearly labeled and that you refer to them in the text. You can use pencil for these, but you must NOT use colours.
• Practice. The more you do, the more likely you are to spot patterns and go into the exam feeling confident.
Extended Response Review Questions
Extended Response Review Markscheme
Tips:
• Practice. Complete questions by yourself and check them as a group.-- don't let others do it for you!
• Use the 5-minutes reading time at the start of the exam to go through each option and decide which will give you the best outcome.
• Highlight the command terms, pay attention to the number of marks available.
• Practice.
• Look for caveats in the question such as ‘…using a named example…‘ – without addressing these you will not get full marks.
• Use scientific language appropriately. If you look on the markschemes, these are often underlined, meaning that you cannot be awarded a certain mark without the correct terminology.
• Practice. You might not have written a block of text for a while, so strengthen those writing muscles!
• Use English (or your response langauge) appropriately. It is expected that two parts of the question are answered in prose style, but do not confuse this with flowery writing. Don’t overstretch your language abilities, or you may confuse the examiner. Write simply and clearly. Address the command terms.
• Write logically and check your work. One quality mark is simply for the completeness of the answer and the readability of the work – does the examiner need to skip backward and forward to understand your idea or can they read it once and get your meaning?
• If you use diagrams or charts, make sure they are clearly labeled and that you refer to them in the text. You can use pencil for these, but you must NOT use colours.
• Practice. The more you do, the more likely you are to spot patterns and go into the exam feeling confident.
Extended Response Review Questions
Extended Response Review Markscheme
Information taken and adapted from http://i-biology.net/ibdpbio/exam-skills/