Study Skills, Exam Strategy, and Wellbeing
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Learning That Lasts
Dunlosky et al. (2013) found that practice testing and distributed practice are among the most effective study techniques, while rereading and highlighting are much less useful. Brown et al. (2014) add interleaving and elaboration.
| Technique | How to apply it in biological science |
|---|---|
| Retrieval practice | Close the book and draw the diagram from memory (a nephron, the heart, mitosis), then check it |
| Spaced repetition | Revisit each unit after a day, a week, and a month; use flash cards for terms |
| Interleaving | Mix topics (a cell biology question, then a genetics problem, then a physiology one) |
| Elaboration | Explain a process aloud, such as how a nerve impulse travels |
| Concept maps | Link ideas across units, for example hormones, feedback, and homeostasis |
| Error log | Record mistakes and the correction, and review weekly |
Biology-Specific Skills
- Diagrams: practise labeled drawings (cells, organs, life cycles) with a sharp pencil, clear lines, and neat labels. Know the labels examiners expect.
- Tables and comparisons: many questions ask you to compare (mitosis and meiosis, arteries and veins, DNA and RNA).
- Essays: plan with a short outline, define key terms, use correct terminology, and include examples.
- Data handling: interpret graphs, tables, and experiments; state the trend, give the figures, and explain.
- Practical skills: microscopy, preparing slides, food tests, enzyme experiments, and dissection or virtual dissection (the NIE has proposed replacing some dissections with virtual ones, in line with ethical teaching) (NIE, n.d.-c).
Paper Structures
Paper formats change, so confirm the current rules. In recent years, each science subject has generally had a multiple-choice paper and a second paper with structured and essay questions, and some subjects have a practical or school-based component. Read the instructions on the day.
Exam Technique
- Read each question twice, and underline command words: state, describe, explain, compare, discuss, suggest.
- Match the length of your answer to the marks.
- Use scientific terms precisely (for example "diffusion" is not "osmosis").
- Include units and significant figures in calculations.
- For multiple-choice questions, eliminate wrong options first.
- Keep time for review, and leave no blank where there is no penalty (check the rules).
Wellbeing
A school-based study reported in a public source found high levels of anxiety and depression among grade 12 and 13 students, although the sample was small and the figures should not be generalized (Wikipedia, "GCE Advanced Level in Sri Lanka," n.d.). Protect yourself:
- Sleep seven to nine hours, since memory is consolidated during sleep.
- Move, eat regularly, and drink water.
- Stay connected with family and friends; keep one non-study activity.
- Ask for help early from a parent, teacher, or counselor.
- Keep perspective: your worth is not defined by one examination, and there are many ways to a career in health or science (see Chapter 24).
CHAPTER 3