how to learn biology (1 Viewer)

[joshbot]

Hmmmm.......does anyone know any good ways to teach biology to yourself. My teacher is so boring and speaks in a monotonic voice. As soon as she starts talking i fall asleep. Does anyone know if it is easy to teach this subject to yourself and if it is worthwhile or not.

 

[Survivor39]

Do you find reading a Biology textbook interesting? To enjoy biology, you need to appreciate life and the complexity of it. e.g. the various organelles in an eukaryotic cell including the rough endoplasmic reticulumn and lysosomes to perform its function. By the way, this is a year 11 topic so I hope you find it interesting.

 

[Dr_Doom]

Get the "Excel - Revise in a month HSC, BIOLOGY CORE"

It's really easy to understand. Covers the main points in biology. I read a few pages in it. And now I'm like way ahead of everyone else and understand everything.

 

[Master Gopher]

Revise in a month books are good, (especially for revising in a week ) but I also reccomend the Maquarie Biology study guide. These are v. clear and have nothing you don't need to know (Most of the textbooks waffle a bit, even the really good ones) and cover every dot point. It also includes experiments which is *essential* as exams often ask you to describe one.

However you can't just rely on reading out of study guides to learn; if you can't concentrate in class you'll have to make notes for yourself at home. It's hard to learn independently unless you're motivated, but if you are you've got good chances.

While I'm at it, the Excel pocket vocab book for Biology is also pretty good for quick reference (and not too $$ )

Personally, I do more Bio at home than in class because I find my biology teacher fairly monotonous. Also, I enjoy learning by myself - I find I get either bored or confused going at someone else's pace, whereas at my own pace I like biology quite a lot. I think independent learning is one of the best ways to learn anything - you get to be your own boss, you have to be motivated, you care about what you're doing - but it's probably not for everyone.

 

[leaderofrouge]

i dont really like biology (well not the kind taught at school), the only reason why i m doing it it's because it's required in the uni course I want to do...

is there any suggestions on how to make it more interesting?

before anyone gets misleaded from the statement; I dont hate the subject personally.

 

[white_spazzy]

hey people, personally i loved bio and didnt find it boring at all. HOWEVER if you are having trouble with staying attentive in class
1. Grab all the notes ur teacher gives you
2. Get your hands on as many text books as possible, you dont have to buy them, try borrowing some
3. Pick one or two that are relatively simple to understand (too easy ect EXCEL), one or two that you are comfortable using and at least one that challenges you.

This way you can work from the middle text to COMPLETE ALL THE DOT POINTS, but if you find one hard, look at it in the "easy" text. and then you can use the "harder" text to make your DPs more advanced.

I know this is alot of work, but if you want/need good results or dont have a good teacher some of the extra work may be necessary.

My hint: DO ALL THE DAMN DOT POINTS!!!! when you come to exams you will find it easier to review if you have all the info at your finger tips.

 

[leaderofrouge]

hey people, personally i loved bio and didnt find it boring at all. HOWEVER if you are having trouble with staying attentive in class
1. Grab all the notes ur teacher gives you
2. Get your hands on as many text books as possible, you dont have to buy them, try borrowing some
3. Pick one or two that are relatively simple to understand (too easy ect EXCEL), one or two that you are comfortable using and at least one that challenges you.

This way you can work from the middle text to COMPLETE ALL THE DOT POINTS, but if you find one hard, look at it in the "easy" text. and then you can use the "harder" text to make your DPs more advanced.

I know this is alot of work, but if you want/need good results or dont have a good teacher some of the extra work may be necessary.

My hint: DO ALL THE DAMN DOT POINTS!!!! when you come to exams you will find it easier to review if you have all the info at your finger tips.

can you help me judge the textbooks that i have avaliable on the "hard" & "easy" categorizing

- excel hsc biology - Diane Alford & Jennifer Hill
- heinemann biology - Kate Mudie & Judith Brotherton
- surfing biology - Kerri Humphreys

 

[white_spazzy]

can you help me judge the textbooks that i have avaliable on the "hard" & "easy" categorizing

- excel hsc biology - Diane Alford & Jennifer Hill
- heinemann biology - Kate Mudie & Judith Brotherton
- surfing biology - Kerri Humphreys

okay this is only my opinion, i dont know hard or easy you find biology. but i found Excel easy, and Heinemann is in between i dont know about surfing biology, i have not used it sorry.

 

[melimoo]

surfing is way too simplified
if you dont understand a concept at all, go to that first to get the basics but you will have to expand further beyond the surfing books

 

[rhia]

can you help me judge the textbooks that i have avaliable on the "hard" & "easy" categorizing

- excel hsc biology - Diane Alford & Jennifer Hill
- heinemann biology - Kate Mudie & Judith Brotherton
- surfing biology - Kerri Humphreys

i haven't used surfing, but i think defining excel and heinemenn as either easy or hard depends upon where you're coming from.

excel is easy if you're familiar with and have a good understanding of the syllabus and don't require in-depth information;
excel is hard if you're not familiar with and don't have a good understanding of the syllabus and require in-depth information as it doesn't elaborate very much.

heinemann, which i think is excellent, is better for real LEARNING and not revision - it's easier as a guide while learning a new topic, because it contains well detailed information. it's a bit harder if you're only after a bit of revision, because you have to dig through a lot to get a little.

 

[leaderofrouge]

thanks for the scaling....

sorry for the week-delay in the reply, I find heinemann and excel "understandable" but still consists of a degree of difficulty in the reading of the text. (it's probably to do with the fact that I m in ESL...)

I totally stuffed up in a formative task on 9.2 and I think I really needed some advice the real thing comes crashing me... any pieces of advice are much appreciated,
thanks

P.S. having said totally stuffed I really mean stuffed up; 35% (wtf...!@#$%)

 

[Dr_Doom]

I find hienemann is too descriptive and contains too much irrelivant information.

Excel coveres the exact dot points you need to know and you won't get confused.

Do Excel have the pracs aswell? Or is that only hienemann...

 

[Survivor39]

Excel doesn't have pracs. Heinemann is an excellent prac book.

 

[minushuman]

I blew my load all over a Heinemann book once, they really are that good.

 

[leaderofrouge]

umm... so I should study from the excel for the coursework and study the prac from heinemann?

is that the correct thinking?

 

[rhia]

umm... so I should study from the excel for the coursework and study the prac from heinemann?

is that the correct thinking?

correct thinking = do what best suits you. have a squiz at excel and heinemann and see what you like. personally i think with heinemann you don't need excell at all really, but i just use both to make sure i fully understand something, or when one makes more sense than the other to me etc.