Maximizing Study Time: Tips for Nailing Science Exams in High School

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around strategies for studying science effectively in high school, particularly in the context of preparing for exams in subjects like biology, physics, and mathematics. Participants share their personal experiences, study techniques, and opinions on the nature of different scientific disciplines.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant expresses frustration over their poor performance in a biology exam despite studying extensively through repetitive note-taking.
  • Another participant suggests that reviewing course notes and practicing problems is a more effective study method, although this may not apply to biology.
  • A claim is made about the difference between superficial understanding and deep knowledge of material, emphasizing the importance of truly knowing the content.
  • Several participants recommend reading textbooks and making detailed notes, followed by practicing questions to reinforce learning.
  • There is a debate regarding the validity of biology as a science compared to physics, with some participants defending biology's scientific status and criticizing the views of a physics teacher.
  • One participant mentions the importance of addressing mistakes in homework and exams with a teacher or TA to improve understanding.
  • Another participant highlights the relevance of biophysics as a significant field, arguing for the necessity of quantitative biology courses in science education.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the effectiveness of various study methods and the legitimacy of biology as a science. There is no consensus on the best approach to studying or the status of biology compared to physics.

Contextual Notes

Some participants reference specific study techniques and resources, but there is no agreement on a singular effective method. The discussion includes personal anecdotes that may not generalize to all students.

Who May Find This Useful

High school students preparing for science exams, educators interested in study techniques, and individuals exploring the relationship between different scientific disciplines.

Tommy1995
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So I'm currently in my last year of high school and I just completed my biology exam and I did quite poorly in it.. But the thing is I studied really hard for it, spent like an hour and a half every day before the exam (2 weeks). The way that I studied for that test however was by writing out heaps of notes. I pretty much kept repeating a constant cycle of writing the same thing over and over again... However, many of my other peers barely studied that much for the exam and they aced it.

So how do you guys study for science and how useful is it?
 
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sounds like you just had a bad test, happens to everyone. I usually review course notes and then work as many problems that I can find solutions for (this obviously doesn't apply to biology).
 
Well, you know the difference between ''quasi knowing'' and really knowing the material stone cold? A's reflect knowing the material stone cold, where the rate determining step to answering a question is writing down your answer.
 
Tommy1995, check out Cal Newport's books.
 
tahayassen said:
Tommy1995, check out Cal Newport's books.

Hmm just looked at the reviews... seems useful but I can't find it in any of my libraries or book stores, not even sydney university library has it LOL, you rekkon you could gimme a brief summary of his guide? :D
 
Just read Cal Newport's blog. I didn't find anything in his books that differed significantly from his blog material.
 
I've never taken a serious biology class before, but I know that for physics and math you really just need to do a ton of problems. I've seen lots of people try to sell special techniques and "hacks," and these can work, but if you haven't done the work you can't truly expect to know the material.
 
Just read the textbook then make detailed notes like these http://www.mediafire.com/view/?yc1y3ja4p43tmfk
My physics teacher convinced me to drop biology though, he believes that bio isn't a real science, only physics is haha and i never enjoyed bio tbh
anyway, i find this to be the best way to study science, get ur syllabus, make detailed notes like in the link, then do practice question. Learn the theory then apply it, basically.
 
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Synchronised said:
bio isn't a real science, only physics is

Damn straight holmes!~
daaaammn straight.
 
  • #10
Tommy1995 said:
Synchronised said:
My physics teacher convinced me to drop biology though, he believes that bio isn't a real science, only physics is...
Damn straight holmes!~
daaaammn straight.

Seriously? Biologists just make it up as they go along, right? :rolleyes:

My advice is to disregard egotistical rubbish. It's unbecoming of an educator, especially in science.

How to study (from a physics and mathematics perspective):

- Consider the homework the bare minimum. You should work as many problems from relevant sections as you have time for. I'd spend at least an hour a night working problems from the current section being studied.

- Take the mistakes you make on homework and exams to a TA or professor and have them show you where you went wrong if you weren't able to figure it out for yourself. Then go to the corresponding sections in your textbook and work relevant problems, again.
 
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  • #11
Synchronised said:
Just read the textbook then make detailed notes like these http://www.mediafire.com/view/?yc1y3ja4p43tmfk
My physics teacher convinced me to drop biology though, he believes that bio isn't a real science, only physics is haha and i never enjoyed bio tbh
anyway, i find this to be the best way to study science, get ur syllabus, make detailed notes like in the link, then do practice question. Learn the theory then apply it, basically.

Considering that biophysics is one of the most active fields of physics research at the moment. I think you should stop listening to your teacher. A good quantitative biology course should be a requirement for any science degree.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
  • #12
Dembadon said:
Seriously? Biologists just make it up as they go along, right? :rolleyes:

My advice is to disregard egotistical rubbish. It's unbecoming of an educator, especially in science.

bp_psy said:
Considering that biophysics is one of the most active fields of physics research at the . I think you should stop listening to your teacher. A good quantitative biology course should be a requirement for any science degree.

Very true! Biology is as much of science than physics. It may very well be that you don't like biology very much. But to say that it is not as much of a science as physics is rubbish. I am appalled that a teacher makes such statements!
 
  • #13
My biology teacher and physics teacher have these kinds of discussion all the time :)
 
  • #14
Synchronised said:
Just read the textbook then make detailed notes like these http://www.mediafire.com/view/?yc1y3ja4p43tmfk
My physics teacher convinced me to drop biology though, he believes that bio isn't a real science, only physics is haha and i never enjoyed bio tbh
anyway, i find this to be the best way to study science, get ur syllabus, make detailed notes like in the link, then do practice question. Learn the theory then apply it, basically.

For some reason, I think your physics teacher is joking.
 
Last edited by a moderator:

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