Exam Tips (Cambridge (CIE) IGCSE Biology): Revision Note

Use the information in the question

• Many questions give you information to use, such as a diagram, a table, a graph or a short paragraph

• This information may:

  • provide background to help you understand an unfamiliar context

  • be data that you need to analyse

• When navigating multi-part questions, remember that:

  • information provided at the start of a question stem applies to every part that follows, e.g. (a), (b) and (c)

  • multi-part questions build step-by-step, meaning that a value or answer from an earlier sub-question is frequently required to complete a later part

• How you need to use information in a question depends on the question prompt; you may need to:

  • describe trends or read precise figures from graphs or tables

  • identify specific structures in diagrams or photos and link them to their function

  • use biological concepts (e.g. osmosis or limiting factors) to explain the specific situation described

• While you will need to use information provided to answer questions, it is important that you avoid simply restating the question

  • copying out sentences from the question stem without adding biological reasoning, or answering the specific question, will not gain marks

  • the only exception to this is in a situation where you have interpreted a diagram or data set in order to provide a description

Follow specific instructions

• Many questions contain a second instruction as well as the command word

• Look out for instructions such as:

  • "give your answer to two significant figures" or "to one decimal place"

  • "show your working"

  • "use a label line to identify…"

  • "other than…"

• Ignoring these additional instructions will result in lost marks, even if the answer is otherwise correct, so read questions carefully

Use the marks to plan your answer

• The number of marks tells you how many separate points you need to make

• As a rule, 1 mark = 1 point, for example:

  • for 1 mark, write a short answer, often a single word or phrase

  • for 2 marks, write two separate points, or a point and the data that supports it

  • for 3 or 4 marks, write three or four separate points, often as a linked sequence

• The size of the answer space also tells you roughly how much to write

• For a calculation, the marks are often for the equation, the working and the final answer, so show every step

Answer the question that is set

• A correct piece of biology only scores if it answers the question that has been asked

• Two common mistakes are:

  • writing down everything you can remember about a topic, instead of only what the question asks

  • answering the question you expected or wanted to be asked, instead of the one on the paper

• Only the points that answer the question can score, however much else you write

• Before you start writing:

  • read the question twice

  • underline the command word, so you know what type of answer is needed

  • underline the number of marks, so you know how many points to make

  • make sure you understand what the question is asking, e.g. try putting it into your own words

Checking & presenting your answer

• It is important that you check your answer for:

  • contradiction

    • If your answer contradicts itself, it cannot be given the mark, because it is not clear which part you mean

    • This often happens when you add an extra point after a correct answer

  • repetition

    • Writing the same point twice in different words only scores once

  • readability

    • Your answer can only be marked if it can be read by the examiner

    • If you change an answer, cross it out with a single line and write the new answer clearly

    • If you use extra space, write the question number next to your answer and say where it continues

• In addition, pay careful attention to numerical answers, e.g.:

  • always give the unit with your answer, unless it is already printed on the answer line

  • check that values have been rounded correctly, and to the correct number of figures