A living thing
The Biology examination is like most things in life, you get out of it what you put in. Preparation is the secret of success to the HSC Biology examination. The best preparation requires an effective study plan that concentrates on the syllabus, combined with refining examination techniques.
Design a study plan using the current syllabus
Work out the amount of time available to study Biology and divide it between the four topics studied. You should have studied three core topics and one option from five choices. These topics are equally weighted in the examination.
The focus of your study should be the Stage 6 Biology syllabus (amended October 2002). This syllabus has undergone several significant revisions. It is important to use the latest version. This can be downloaded from the Board of Studies website.
Preparing for the exam
Preparation for the examination should build on the course work done in class. As well, take all available opportunities to access a range of resources from libraries, museums, universities and the media to watch, listen and read about the content of the core modules and your chosen option.
Write your own summaries collating this information. Use Australian examples to illustrate answers wherever possible and be specific when naming an organism (use "red kangaroo" or "black-faced wallaby" not just a generic "kangaroo"). The Biology node of NSW HSC Online is a good site for extra information. It can often provide a different perspective on the course, complementing your class work. Be aware that the textbook you are using may have been written to a previous syllabus and may contain information no longer examinable.
Structure of questions
Well before the examination, become familiar with the exam structure and question styles. A good way to do this is to familiarise yourself with previous examination papers, available on the Board of Studies website.
The 2003 examination is based on the amended syllabus and is therefore a good guide to the types of questions that may be asked. Remember, the 2001 and 2002 examinations may contain questions that test parts of the syllabus that have been removed. Expect a range of question types in the examination including multiple-choice and free-response questions. Some questions will simply require recall of facts that may relate to only one outcome. Others will assess a range of outcomes, including outcomes of the prescribed focus areas or the skills that are listed in Module 9.1.
Expect some questions, for example, to require you to identify dependent and independent variables in an experiment, discuss the concept of a fair test and the use of a control, distinguish between destructive and non-destructive testing, select and draw appropriate graphs for data, or identify practising Australian scientists.
Holistic questions worth 5-8 marks should be planned and have a definite structure. They should not be just a regurgitation of every known fact. High-mark questions often require you to integrate knowledge, understanding and skills from different parts of the syllabus. They seek to identify students who have an accumulation of knowledge and understanding which is not limited to recall of information. The stimulus material provided may include an unfamiliar context to test your application of skills.
Be aware that the verbs used in questions have specific meanings prescribed by the Board of Studies. The Board of Studies provides meanings for these terms in a glossary, available from the website.
The most common verbs used in the Biology examination over the past three years were describe, explain, discuss and evaluate. Practise answering questions that start with these verbs in particular. To help you with this, there are some useful verb scaffolds available on the NSW Department of Education and Training's Science Unit website.
Practical experiences make up an important part of the course. You are required to complete at least 35 hours of practical activities during the HSC year, including an open-ended investigation. Be prepared to describe any of the practical investigations found in column three of the syllabus. Pay special attention to safe working practices and the disposal of waste material used during practical investigations.
Gathering, processing and analysing information
In the syllabus, you are asked to gather information from secondary sources. It is important to know how to gather materials from the internet using a search engine. You also need to know how to look for information in books, journals and CD-ROMs. Recognising relevant and reliable information is an important skill to be assessed.
Skills for processing and analysing information include techniques such as summarising and comparing sources for reliability, as well as the use of models, flow charts and graphs. Putting information into table form is another technique useful for processing and analysing information.
Refine your exam techniques
Candidates can often achieve full marks for a question through the use of notes, labelled diagrams, tables and graphs. Note the number of lines provided for the answer and the number of marks allocated. Attempt all questions because even partial answers are capable of scoring marks. It is also extremely important that you attempt only the option that you studied during the course.
The Notes from the Examination Centre (2001-2003) provide feedback about candidates' answers in the past HSC examination papers available on the Board of Studies website.
The Board of Studies provided every school with CD-ROMs with Standards Packages for the 2001 and 2002 HSC examinations. These packages include marking guidelines and sample answers at various performance levels.
The Biology node of NSW HSC Online is a valuable resource for revision. There are notes for each specific syllabus dot point, ideas for investigations, references to useful texts, links to supporting information and tips for the exam.
Jane West is an experienced teacher and writer of Biology materials. She is a teacher at Sydney Distance Education High School and is currently seconded to the Centre for Learning Innovation, NSW Department of Education and Training. Gerry McCloughan is R/Chief Education Officer Science, Curriculum K-12 Directorate, NSW Department of Education and Training.