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Student guide to HSC Biology

Having made the decision to continue your studies and to gain a higher qualification in biology you may
be feeling a little bit nervous about whats to come. But dont worry this guide has been put together to
try and answer your questions and help you through the coming weeks so that you can be successful in
your studies.
Biology is the scientific study of life. We are living things ourselves so biology is about us too! During
your HSC course, you will get the chance to delve deeper into why things are the way they are. You will
need review your knowledge from 7-10 in order to move on your understanding at HSC.
A good grade in biology is either a requirement or a recommendation for some courses in medicine,
dentistry and veterinary science. HSC level biology also provides a useful background to a wide variety
of Higher Education courses. With an HSC level in Biology you could go on to study: radiography,
nursing, physiotherapy, pharmacology, pharmacy, psychology, forensic science, archaeology, marine
biology, ecology, sports studies, biochemistry, accountancy, law or even teacher training.
What are the main differences between 7-10 and HSC biology?
Although there is much overlap in topics and terms, there is quite a lot of new material that you wont
have met before. Also, you need to go into more detail regarding the topics you are already familiar with
and your level of thinking and explaining has to be deeper.
New material
There will be many more facts and unfamiliar terms to learn and recall in exams than there were at 7-10.
Examples of new areas include the structure of cell membranes, the immune response, homeostasis,
enzymes, proteins synthesis. Dont be put off by all the complex terms you will start to come across,
they are important for scientists to communicate precisely what they mean, and as your HSC course
progresses you will become more comfortable and confident with using them (see the section on words
at the end of this guide).
Detail
You must be prepared to go into a topic or subtopic in much more detail than at 7-10. This sometimes
means using specific examples of what you know in general (e.g. named examples) It might involve
describing something in much more detail than before (e.g. exactly how your nerves work and how this
is controlled).
Thinking and explaining
As well as going into more detail and giving examples wherever you can, you need to justify your
statements and apply your knowledge and skills to unfamiliar examples. Justifying what you are saying
in HSC biology often involves relating structure to function, i.e. explaining why something looks the way
it does or why a particular structure allows it to function. For example, knowing the detailed structure of
the cell membrane allows you to explain its many functions. Now you can apply this knowledge to
discuss how an unfamiliar medical drug might work by changing the structure of the membrane.
Developing practical skills
You will develop your practical skills further in HSC biology, such as using the microscope to measure
and calculate sizes of cells. In fact, there is an assessment devoted to practical skills.

How to achieve at HSC level

A different approach to your studies is needed at HSC
compared to 7-10 science. Weve already explained that there
is much more detail at HSC level so you will need to work hard
in lessons and out of lessons in order to fully grasp the topics.

Time Management
Plan your time. Look carefully at when your biology classes are
timetabled and plan appropriate times around these that you can write up your class notes and complete
homework. Too often, students come to classes having not looked at a topic since the previous week.
Try to plan a short session to look over work before the next lesson. If you develop this habit you will find
the topic being discussed in the lesson makes much more sense.
Make up a weekly planner so that you have blocks of time for each of your subjects. For each subject
you should plan at least as long as the class time allocated (5 or 6 hours per week). If you find you have
some time left over, use it to sort out your personal study notes, revise the weeks topics or read ahead.
The extra time spent regularly improving your understanding is what helps obtain the grades.

Independent learning
In most subjects at A level you will be expected to write notes in lessons and then write up your notes
in your own time. But what do teachers mean when we say write up your notes?
Writing up notes is an important step in processing your work. You might remember from 7-10 science
that processing information makes it more likely to stick in your long term memory. Processing also
means you engage with the concepts. It should involve:

Re-reading your class notes or hand outs as soon after the lesson as possible.
Highlighting the key points and any areas you did not understand fully (and asking for help on
these)
Reading the relevant section in the textbook and other resources (see the Resources section of
this guide)
Re-writing your notes, include relevant diagrams, keywords and definitions and information that
you have found in the other resources.
Attempting some questions to see how much you really understand.

The above could be done in any order depending on how you work best. You might find at the start that
it is helpful to do this with a friend.
Remember, HSCs in science are considerably harder than 7-10. We expect a much greater
commitment from you in order to be successful. It should go without saying that homework is always
completed, on time and to the best of your ability. If you dont understand something in your homework
then you should look it up or ask your teacher for help. Your teacher will also ask to see your class notes
on a regular basis.
Students who succeed in their HSC courses are those who developed a routine way of working
in their own time so that they were able to add to and enhance their learning. This is
independent learning and it makes a real difference.