IB Biology requires students to be proficient not only in the content but also in practical skills and analytical thinking. Many students struggle to get 5s and 6s, let alone a 7! However, once you understand how to approach this subject, getting a 7 becomes much more attainable.
IB Biology has two main components: the exam and the IA. This guide will cover tips for both!
Planning
Effective preparation starts with a well-structured study plan. Your plan should:
- Target all the main topics (both SL and HL components), prioritizing weaker areas.
- Include specific subtopics to study, not just the general topic name.
- Space out all topics and ensure you revisit past topics to reinforce your knowledge.
Many students make the mistake of allocating equal time to all topics rather than focusing more on weaker areas (equity over equality). Putting the same amount of time into a topic you're confident in and a topic you're struggling with doesn't make sense.
Resources for Biology
There are numerous resources available for IB Biology.
The IB Biology YouTubers are:
- Cheryl Hickman
- Alex Lee
The main text resources are:
· Pearson IB Biology textbook / Study Guide
· BioNinja
All resources will cover the content; however, I will give you the best tips to succeed.
Use BioNinja to pre-read before class. Pre-reading isn’t just skimming over the content, but actually learning it:
- Write notes for the topic you are going to study in class the night before
- In these notes, make mini-mind maps connecting subsections to one another
- Draw diagrams when you can and label them – This is by far the best way to memorize Biology content
- Mark any content that doesn’t make sense or that you are unsure of. Ask your teacher to elaborate on the content
The Pearson Study Guide is also good; however, it is really condensed. Use this resource to help understand points you are unsure of. By learning the content before the class, you are going to be able to follow along better, stay more engaged, and overall learn more. Also, this will make class time act as a revision time as you have learnt the content prior.
At the end of the week this is what you will do:
- Go through the content once again with the video resources
- Summarize what they say as you are going through the video
- If you come across a section that doesn’t make sense, go read your notes on it and listen to what the videos say. Focus on making sure you understand the section before continuing the video
In my opinion, you shouldn’t be doing past papers until it’s time for your mocks as they are a valuable resource. Instead, use PESTLE or an IB QuestionBank to practice questions specific to the topic you are learning.
Extra Tip!
Another thing both HL and SL students should do is to summarize the main big concepts like transcription, translation, ultrafiltration, etc. These are the main concepts that will be asked in your extended response (which is worth nearly 50% of your Paper 2!). Make sure you keep revising these concepts, also drawing the diagrams associated with them (as they can count to marks) and ensuring you 100% understand them.
Mock and Final Exam Preparation
The best way to improve your biology skills is by doing past papers. However, only do these once you are confident with all the content, ideally before mocks and final exams. Using them too early can waste valuable resources.
For mocks, past papers from the last year or two are used so focus on them. This will leave years of papers you can use during SWOTVAC (studying at home) to prepare for final exams.
Specifically:
- Do a Paper 1 (MC) and study the subtopics for any questions you get wrong.
- This method exposes you to all topics and helps identify weak areas.
- Rewriting mark scheme answers for incorrect questions and creating a document with key terms and phrases from the mark scheme can be very helpful.
- Go through the Mark Schemes!
- The mark scheme will tell you the key words you have to use to guarantee marks
- After doing a past paper, go through the mark scheme for every question. If you miss a point or a key word, rewrite the whole mark scheme answer and learn it
- You can make a Word document with the table the mark scheme points and practice them
The IA
The IA is crucial as it contributes 20% to your final grade. Here are some tips for a successful IA:
- Choose a research question with ample existing research.
- Formulate an in-depth research question—aim for at least two lines.
- Conduct extensive research, including images/diagrams in your background information.
- Look at examples online to guide you. Choosing a well-researched topic simplifies this process.
Most importantly, if you need help, ask your teachers or seek feedback from past IB students or tutors like those at KIS Academics. Getting extra feedback is one of the best ways to boost your IA grade.
And that's how you can get a 7 in HL Biology!
Biology is definitely not a subject you can cram in. You must take your time to understand all the content. You also must actually study it, not just skim over notes and videos. Remember though, with hard work and discipline you can easily learn the content and get yourself a 7. Make sure to try your hardest for this final stretch of your secondary schooling, get the 7s you deserve and make yourself proud!
KIS academics
Want more personalized study guidance to help drastically improve your marks? A private tutor can make the biggest difference!
Written by KIS Academics Tutor for IB and QCE, Sameer Baad. Sameer is currently studying for a Bachelor of Advanced Finance and Economics at the University of Queensland. You can view Sameer’s profile here and request him as a tutor.
