<p>After getting a very bad grade on my first introductory biology midterm, I've realized that I need help in how to study smart. So does anyone have any advice on how to study for bio? Does anyone know of a good website where there are good practice problems? Not just multiple choice, but free-response based where you have to synthesize what you learn in class? I would really appreciate if someone can give me a little advice. Thanks in advance!</p>
<p>What kind of biology…energy transfer? It’d help to know what material you’d like to cover, I’ve seen some sites that involve matching games that are pretty helpful to some people.</p>
<h2>I posted on a thread about this a few days ago… so I’ll just copy/paste</h2>
<p>Have you tried drawing pictures/diagrams? I always draw to learn bio, rather than just learning definitions. It’s also really helpful to break things down into grouped concepts, and memorize them as “units”. </p>
<p>You used desmosomes as an example. I like to make a review sheet for each unit, like one for desmosomes, other filaments, and the surfaces they bind to (if important for your test) like the basal lamina. If I were trying to learn what a desmosome was, first I’d break down that definition so that I understand exactly what a desmosome is, then make a review sheet for it.</p>
<p>“intermediate filaments weld cell membranes of adjacent cells together in isolated spots.”</p>
<h2>Ok. So a desmosome is a filament, which is sort of like a rope or tether. Its function is to “weld cell membranes of adjacent cells”, so it’s located on the outside of the cell. When two cells want to bind/sit together, they’ll use their desmosomes to reach out and tether to one another. To remember this, I’d probably just draw a picture of cells sitting adjacent, with little filaments reaching out to each other, and label these filaments. In the same picture I’d label other major cell parts that I’m expected to know.</h2>
<p>I’ve never really seen helpful practice problems for general bio, which is mostly conceptual understanding and straight memorization. Could also try looking into videos… there are a few groups who make really cool biology animated movies (biovision is one, a youtube search will bring up others), which I always found helpful but are mostly cell bio.</p>
<p>Yes! Diagrams and pictures!</p>
<p>I went from a 75% on the midterm to a 95%, getting an A in biology! (Of course, I had daily in-class quizzes in there that helped boost my grade up as well + the lab portion to the class), but it really does help. Just staring at notes won’t help at all. You need to re write things over again until you are able to recite them without looking and draw pictures to help along with those concepts!</p>
<p>Mnemonics and word associations help as well :)</p>
<p>I don’t know any websites, unfortunately (sorry), but does your teacher hold any review sessions. My teacher did and it helped IMMENSELY. If not, try to see if you can get a few people together to study.</p>