Revise A-Level Biology with Me: Master Inheritance Through a Proven Study Routine
Nov 15, 2024
Inheritance is one of the foundational topics in A-Level Biology, and I’m so excited to dive into it with you! Revision can feel monotonous and even a bit lonely, so why not turn this session into a collaborative “Revise With Me” experience? Whether you're preparing for an upcoming test, revisiting Year 12 content while tackling Year 13, or simply looking to strengthen your understanding, this step-by-step guide is the perfect approach to revising inheritance.
To make the most of your revision, let’s walk through my tried-and-tested 3-step process for mastering any topic: understanding, remembering, and practicing. This method, backed by resources that students love, is designed to keep you focused and maximize your study time. Let’s get started!
Step 1: Understanding (20% of Your Study Time)
The first step in any revision journey is ensuring a strong foundation of understanding. For inheritance, I recommend using a mix of videos (like my YouTube videos!), your textbook, and any comprehensive notes you have. You’ll want to check your comprehension by actively engaging with the material—turning information into flashcards, mind maps, or diagrams.
In this session, I’m using my notes and a video on inheritance for a bit of “Inception”-style learning. You can follow along with my method or use similar resources to build a clear mental map of key inheritance concepts.
Key Tip: Don’t just passively read or watch; transform the information into something visual or interactive! This helps with memory retention and understanding, setting you up for success in the next step.
Step 2: Remembering (40% of Your Study Time)
Now that you understand the content, it’s time to move on to remembering it. Here, techniques like active recall, flashcards, and blurting are your best friends. Since definitions are critical in inheritance questions, start by testing your memory of essential terms using flashcards.
For this step, I’ll be working through an inheritance flashcard pack. I say each term out loud, separating the ones I remember correctly from those I need to review again. Once you have the definitions down, move on to testing your understanding with an active recall workbook or similar questions that help you recall key points.
Key Tip: This is where repetition comes in. Separating your flashcards into “known” and “try again” piles is a fantastic way to reinforce weaker areas, and active recall makes sure you don’t just recognize answers but can retrieve them confidently.
Step 3: Practicing with Exam Questions (40% of Your Study Time)
The final step in solidifying your knowledge is practice. Working through exam-style questions is essential for understanding how concepts translate into exam expectations and mark schemes. This is where you get familiar with the kinds of questions that might come up, learn how to structure your answers, and understand what examiners look for.
I’ll be tackling some exam questions for inheritance in this session. You can pause and try each question alongside me in this YouTube video, testing yourself and comparing your approach to the solutions provided. Make sure to pay attention to the specific language and detail required by the mark scheme—it can make a big difference in your score!
Key Tip: Practice makes perfect. The more questions you attempt, the better you’ll get at anticipating what’s expected, which will boost your confidence and performance when it matters.
Wrapping Up Our Revision Session
And that’s our revision session for today! Following this 3-step approach—understanding, remembering, and practicing—can be applied to any biology theory you’re working on. With consistency and active engagement, you’ll be well on your way to acing those exams.
If you’d like to get your hands on the flashcards, active recall workbooks, or comprehensive A-level notes I used in this session, you can find links below. And for more study tips, be sure to check out my other “Revise With Me” videos—like my session on biological molecules—to keep building your skills!
Related Resources:
Conclusion
Revision doesn’t have to be a lonely or overwhelming process. With the right approach and supportive resources, you can tackle A-Level Biology topics with confidence. Whether you’re reinforcing key concepts or learning new ones, following a structured method will help you retain information more effectively and feel prepared come exam day. Happy studying, and let’s conquer A-level biology together!
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