how did you guys studied for/aced general biology

[s1lver]

I'm not doing as well as I would have liked. First exam, I got an 88/100. Second exam (last week), I got a 70/100.

I don't attend the classes because they're useless. I did for two weeks during the start of the semester but the Prof. just reads off of the PP slides ad verbatim. No clarification or extra info or anything like that. Just read the slide, click the button for the next slide, read, watch the YouTube link on the slide, click the next button again, read, etc. It's also a big class (over 90 students).

What I've been doing to study/prepare for the exams is reading the lecture PP slides that he posts online and do additional research on Wikipedia and Google if I need more clarification.

His exams look easy since it's multiple choice but all 4 or 5 answers are basically the same except for a word or two in each sentence.

Some background on me: I've been out of school for 11 years (I'm a freshman at age 29), this is my second semester attending a class in America (graduated grade school and high school from another country), and obviously, English is not my first language so the way he words the exam questions and the answers confuses me (he always makes them long/wordy while only changing a word or two each option).

I feel like I need to buy a book and watch the lecture bio vids from some school or something. There are so many new terms (endoplasmic reticulum, amino acid, membranes, organelles, etc.) that I feel like it's impossible to know even half of them. One term would have 47 other new terms to study/learn and it never ends. I could read the first three slides and it will take me a couple hours reading about each new term online because there are so many.

I wish it was like Math or Chemistry where all I have to do is do as many sample problems as I can from the book and online and tests are easy.

Sorry for the long post. I was going to stop after the third paragraph but I rambled on. :/

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[phonyreal98]

Is there a textbook that goes with the class?

 

[CoolWhipp]

read the book

 

[oaklandguy]

Well, my class was structured very similar to yours. We had power-point presentations that were completely useless. We had the Brooker biology book, and I would read the chapters at least twice over the nights before the tests. I would memorize as many details and specifics as I could (ex: how much ATP is created during glycolysis etc), and would use the online website for Aris for practice quizzes and watching videos on specific cycles and what-not. It's really about mastering the material and being able to apply it in any situation more so than straight memorization, but it does have a large amount of memorization as well. I was in a different situation than you, I managed a 68% on my first test, but got 100's on the next two. Just studied about twenty five hours for each exam. I don't know what other points you have other than exams, we had online labs and online quizzes which accounted for about 35% of the grade in the class, so getting 100's on those was very helpful.

 

[GregoryMD]

There are so many new terms (endoplasmic reticulum, amino acid, membranes, organelles, etc.) that I feel like it's impossible to know even half of them.

New terms? You should have gone over those in high school biology, and those should just be review.

My suggestion would be to go to any sort of SI tutoring if your school has any for that class, as well as copying down the notes as opposed to just reading them. I find its easier to memorize by redundantly re-writing your notes, even if its exactly like the power points. Especially in a memorization based class like bio.

That's why I go to lectures even if I get a professor like you mentioned; doesn't teach anything new. I go just to hear the information, while I copy the notes down. I don't even take notes for future review, since I never use mine. I'm just an auditory learner, so listening to a lecture just once suffices for me, and writing it all down once just solidifies that. I'll sometimes review over the notes a day before an exam just in case.

 

[Analog]

Reading the textbook is extremely important in biology

To ace my bio exams I read the textbook to get a hold of the subjects in a way I find much easier than listening to a prof. As I read through I follow along with the online PP notes. My profs don't stray much from the slides when they make exam questions so the slides are pretty important. After all is read I re-read through the slides to make sure I have a complete understanding of the material.

my profs at least, have a list of which lectures correspond to which textbook chapters which is very helpful

 

[JJMrK]

I remember doing almost the exact opposite of what you're describing; that is, going to every class and reading the notes and nothing but the notes. Worked for me, at least. I now no longer buy books if I'm taking a biology class.

 

[TheMightySmiter]

Go to class and take notes. It doesn't matter that your prof just reads off the slides, take notes on what he says anyway. Listening and writing it down will help you remember. Read and take notes on the book too. It's mostly busy work, but intro bio is not about understanding concepts--you have to be able to remember what you're taught.

You could also try going to the prof to see if he has any suggestions on how to best study for his tests. A 90 person class isn't that big (mine bio class is 400, my physics is 700) so he should have time for you. If he doesn't, ask your TAs who have taken the class before.

 

[Tatastrophy]

I would also say-if your school offers a free tutoring program-go for it. It is usually staffed with students who took the class and did well. So not only will they be able to help you understand the stuff, they would know what the professor tends to focus on the most. I am one such tutor and I try my best to help my tutees adjust to the expectations...I am sure this would help you. I know a lot of people feel that tutoring is only if you are on the verge of failing but I get a lot of students who already know the material-they just want to make their understanding iron clad, so they come to me for a different perspective.
I hope this helps. I'd also advise you to follow the method of "see one, do a millioin, teach two million" lol-basically talk to a friend who seems to get the concept or read very thoroughly about it. Walk yourself through whatever is involved in the concept...drawing diagrams may help. Repeat it in greater detail once you get the general idea. Then explain it to another student (or ten), or maybe even your professor (just ask him "am I understanding this correctly________").

That is what I do for pretty much all of my classes and it works for bio, chem, physics ...you name it.

 

[apumic]

I'm not doing as well as I would have liked. First exam, I got an 88/100. Second exam (last week), I got a 70/100.

I don't attend the classes because they're useless. I did for two weeks during the start of the semester but the Prof. just reads off of the PP slides ad verbatim. No clarification or extra info or anything like that. Just read the slide, click the button for the next slide, read, watch the YouTube link on the slide, click the next button again, read, etc. It's also a big class (over 90 students).

What I've been doing to study/prepare for the exams is reading the lecture PP slides that he posts online and do additional research on Wikipedia and Google if I need more clarification.

His exams look easy since it's multiple choice but all 4 or 5 answers are basically the same except for a word or two in each sentence.

Some background on me: I've been out of school for 11 years (I'm a freshman at age 29), this is my second semester attending a class in America (graduated grade school and high school from another country), and obviously, English is not my first language so the way he words the exam questions and the answers confuses me (he always makes them long/wordy while only changing a word or two each option).

I feel like I need to buy a book and watch the lecture bio vids from some school or something. There are so many new terms (endoplasmic reticulum, amino acid, membranes, organelles, etc.) that I feel like it's impossible to know even half of them. One term would have 47 other new terms to study/learn and it never ends. I could read the first three slides and it will take me a couple hours reading about each new term online because there are so many.

I wish it was like Math or Chemistry where all I have to do is do as many sample problems as I can from the book and online and tests are easy.

Sorry for the long post. I was going to stop after the third paragraph but I rambled on. :/

If you're not going to class, that's your primary problem. If you go to class and actually pay attention, you're bound to get something out of the lecture even if all the prof does is read from slides, although, admittedly, in the nearly 100 college classes I have taken, I have never had a prof truly just read off the slides. Sure, some use PPT a bit much but in every case I've had profs who definitely add valuable things to the PPT slides. Additionally, profs tend to mention important things that aren't on the slides that are on the test -- sometimes specifically to reward the students who attend. If you're skipping, you're shooting yourself in the foot.

 

[ThaliaNox]

Your biggest mistake is not going to class. I've heard lots of people say that class is useless to them, but I tend to notice that these are the same people who complain that they don't know what will be tested on. Teachers give hints to this in class, even if it is only the tone of their voice when talking about certain topics. If you try to read a book, you'll learn lots that the teacher won't test you on, and won't focus on the right areas.

I'm also going to be a bit harsh with you. The terms you mentioned as difficult to learn are very, very basic and most of your class will have mastered those things in high school biology. That's why the teacher does not spend much time on them. You said you were older... you probably just have forgotten your high school biology. Therefore, you have to study harder if you want to compete for high grades with people who just came from high school. They're starting from a higher place than you. You need to work harder than them to get the same grade.

 

[orthomyxo]

I remember doing almost the exact opposite of what you're describing; that is, going to every class and reading the notes and nothing but the notes. Worked for me, at least. I now no longer buy books if I'm taking a biology class.

This is exactly what I do. The only time I ever open my textbook is to clarify something that I'm confused about. Other than that, my lecture notes are serving me just fine and I've been getting good grades.

 

[BenUstudent]

I did not read the book, because it took too much time. So I looked over/understand the figures carefully (usually each figure covers 2-3pgs in text anyways)
Here is what I did.
1) My professor would post Lecture note. Print them out
2) Try to attend every class (I missed the first 30mins of one becasue of 14" snow dirft, yet still made it , perk of SUV)
3) Pay attention during lecture and take notes
4) Review Notes and lecture slides before and after ever lecture within 1hr of that session
5) If you have any questions ask the professor, don't wait till the last weekend to cram
6) create your own study guide. Ask your professor what mainpoints will be on exam if not major sections in corresponding chapters (so when your come final you are set, your study guide will sum up all of what you learned in language you understand, since you did it)
Anyways, those are my 2 cents good luck studying, and yes I did end up getting a "A", so I am not just talking out of my Anus

 

[angst019]

Because of the language hurdle, I strongly recommend getting some one-on-one time with your professor or the TA's. They might be able to see how to better word things such that a non-native speaker like yourself might more easily understand the topic.

Your grades aren't that bad - I got a 47/100 on an exam once and got an A in the class, so there is usually room for error. Hang in there - the worst thing you can do is panic!

 

[Express7]

I remember doing almost the exact opposite of what you're describing; that is, going to every class and reading the notes and nothing but the notes. Worked for me, at least. I now no longer buy books if I'm taking a biology class.

Doing that would totally screw me over on exams for the professors i had for Gen. Biology. My Bio 1 prof. had slides but she would put some really specific stuff on the exam that weren't on the slides. Having old exams really helped for her class . My Bio 2 prof. was this old guy who would only write stuff out on the overhead with HORRIBLE handwriting so all i could count on in that class was the book.

Study methods really depend on your profs. really. See how they test from the first exam and then adjust study methods from there.

 

[vickpick]

go to the lectures you lazy bum ...

i know it doesnt seem helpful but it is! u hear some thing and then u go back and study it.. thats like studying twice... (hearing it is better for me than reading it)

if that dont work for u than buy a book and read that..

personally.. I think wasted my money buying bio books so far...

im thinking abt not buying bio books anymore..

 

[La Doctora]

You're taking a risk by not going to class. Regardless of what you think, going to class actually does help in one way or another. And actually pay attention in class. My freshman year in bio 1, the girl who sat next to me in lecture always read love novels during class. She couldn't figure out why she was getting 70's and below on her tests. The teacher may also mention something that will be on the test but not in the notes/slides that you need to know.

If you think that you cannot memorize the terms given to you... then you may possibly be in the wrong major because from here on out, so much of what you need to know will involve memorization. You have to just suck it up and memorize if that's all you can do... However, once you know the actual functions of the terms, it's not so much as memorization as it is UNDERSTANDING...
You just need to focus more on the material and less on just reading over it.. Make fake exam questions to test yourself, make flash cards, make drawings and explain them to yourself... do what you can.