B1 Exam Tips Feedback from the examiners The examiner says…

Too many candidates continue to draw more lines than is asked for in the questions.

Make sure you take care with your handwriting, we won’t give you any marks if we can’t read what you have written.

Too many candidates are placing more than one word in the gaps.

Read the entire sentence before deciding what should go in the gap.

This was a common misconception; DD is not a sufferer of sickle cell as it is a recessive disorder so DD means they do not have the disorder and that they are not a carrier either. 0% in this genetic cross had sickle cell.

Be careful, the two genetic disorders the exam board could ask you about (both sickle cell disease and cystic fibrosis) are caused by recessive alleles and so a sufferer would have both lower case alleles. dd

Always ensure that you check which gametes belong to the male and which to the female to avoid losing unnecessary marks.

Focus on what the question is asking rather than just putting down everything you know about a subject. Always show your working! Ensure you answer all parts of the question to maximise your marks. Be careful not to say two opposite statements in the same answer. Do not be afraid to use the information you have been given as part your answer. Always read the question correctly to ensure that you are answering the question that is being asked rather than one you would like to be asked.

This is not enough detail for the mark. The question asks for the trend in data so use a sentence like; ‘As the _____________ increases, the ______________ increases/decreases.’

GCSE Biology B1 Foundation June 2014 Paper Summary Based on their performance on this paper, candidates are offered the following advice: Ensure that mathematical skills are used as there will always be an element of this assessed on every paper Use spare time at the end to check the quality of written communication as there will always be marks awarded on the 6 mark questions Candidates must ensure that the context and the question is answered as appropriate. Check the command words carefully Some candidates must appreciate that when the question asks them to draw only one line then only one line must be drawn. This also extends to when the question asks you to state only one biological term as well.

GCSE Biology B1 Higher June 2014 Paper summary Based on their performance on this paper, candidates are offered the following advice: Use their maths skills, particularly when calculating means or reading off graphical data. This is a skill in itself, and is awarded marks accordingly. It is essential that candidates look to the number of marks allocated to the question, and answer the question with the relevant number of points. If the question is allocated 3 marks, then the candidate needs to make 3 separate points. Candidates should work on the way in which they answer the 6 mark questions. If the question is based around a graph, then information from the graph should be quoted alongside an explanation of the answer, to gain full marks. Be careful to look to the command words on the paper especially when a different command word to the norm is asked such as 'evaluate' or 'compare'.

Don’t be put off by these command words: Suggest… Asking you to apply your knowledge to a new situation. You need to think about what you already know about the topic and work out how this relates to the situation you’re being asked about. e.g. “Suggest advantages that the Hubble Space telescope has over telescopes on Earth.” Discuss… Similar to a “compare” question, except that a “discuss” question requires you to explain some of the factors that you have compared, or to make a conclusion based on the comparison that you have made. Some discuss problems are more similar to “describe” questions, but require you to consider different areas of a topic. e.g. “Discuss the problems that can be caused by incomplete combustion of methane in a gas fire.” Evaluate… These questions ask you to take ideas or evidence and use it to make a judgement or to justify your answer in some way. In many ways, this is similar to “discuss”, except that you need to make sure that evidence is used to help you make the final judgement or conclusion. e.g. “Evaluate different methods that can be used to dispose of waste polymers.”

Miss Cox’s Exam Question Lotto… In shoots auxins cause cell elongation In roots auxins inhibit cell elongation

As a year group you are incredibly good at understanding difficult scientific concepts! Have confidence in your answers and don’t leave a single question blank

GOOD LUCK FROM ALL THE SCIENCE TEACHERS AND TECHNICIANS