is yr 11 bio tested in the actual hsc exam? (1 Viewer)

hscgirl

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 15, 2022
Messages
377
Gender
Female
HSC
2024
hey, so i'm finding y11 bio EXTREMELY boring at the moment, and even though i'll obvs try for the prelims anyway, i'm just wondering if y11 bio is tested in the hsc? thanks
 

ZakaryJayNicholls

Active Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2022
Messages
126
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
Uni Grad
2018
In all of the main year 11-12 Science courses [ Biology / Chemistry / Earth & Environmental Science / Physics ] the HSC exams will cover a mix of content from both year 11 (Preliminary) and year 12 (HSC). This is also true for the content contained in all the main year 11-12 Mathematics courses [ Life Skills / Standard 1 / Standard 2 / Advanced / Extension 1 / Extension 2 ].

It is usually the case that the exams are more heavily concentrated with content from the year 12 curriculum [the latter half of all the papers will typically be harder and full of more difficult questions which are often more heavily related to the HSC content], but because each 2-unit course is a single 2-year course technically all content can be covered in the HSC examinations. It is worth noting that the content covered each year varies and is at the complete discretion of NESA, so in any given year they are free to focus more on preliminary content or focus more on HSC content.
 

ZakaryJayNicholls

Active Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2022
Messages
126
Gender
Male
HSC
2010
Uni Grad
2018
You should ask your biology teacher if the year 11 is content which you will need, their answer will essentially be yes, this is because a core focus of the content you are doing in year 11 (alongside the modules and incorporated into the modules) is a combination of foundations and "Working Scientifically" [NESA syllabus codes BIO11/12-1 to BIO11/12-7].

Questions focused on BIO11/12-1 to BIO11/12-7 are actually quite common in the HSC exams, if you look at the 2022 HSC Biology Mapping grid from any of the current release of past exams you will find this.

As I stated earlier "It is usually the case that the exams are more heavily concentrated with content from the year 12 curriculum".

If you need proof, a good example is Q32 in the 2022 HSC paper which the HSC markers state requires you to "Demonstrates extensive knowledge and understanding of processes that could lead to differences in the gene pools of different populations, including mutation, gene flow, genetic drift and natural selection" in order to achieve full marks. Remembering that natural selection is covered in year 11 module 3, and mutation, gene flow, genetic drift come from year 12 module 6.
 

Users Who Are Viewing This Thread (Users: 0, Guests: 1)

Top