Survival Guide: Honors biology

With midterms beginning on the 24th, Wayland freshmen will have completed half of their first year at the high school. No doubt, many of them have noted the stark contrasts between high school and middle school: the schedules, the social environments and the classes are all markedly different. Students in the honors biology classes face an especially drastic change. The relative ease with which one can navigate through middle school science classes is rendered wholly implausible by the rigor of the honors biology course, which demands far greater labor should students hope to succeed. However, it is not as daunting as it may appear, for with the right techniques, there is no reason to achieve any less than you desire.

I consider myself a successful student of biology; I managed to produce above a 97% average grade over the four quarters, as well as perfect scores on both the biology SAT and MCAS. However, my methods are only a few of many that can be used to succeed in the class.

Tests and Quizzes

Like most other classes, tests and quizzes account for a significant portion of students’ grades in honors biology. Therefore, it is essential to score high on these in order to achieve a high grade overall.

The class is largely focused around the memorization of information. It is rare that students will need to apply knowledge to solve problems. Therefore, it is often necessary to reserve a significant amount of time for studying for tests.

Using the Textbook
In my experience, the key to studying for tests in the class is to utilize the textbook. The class is very much taught around the textbook: frequent homework assignments are readings from the book and it is fully expected that students have read what is assigned. Sometimes, questions on the quizzes are hardly spoken of in class, but rather pulled directly from information in given textbook readings. Given these questions and the fact that most other information on the test is encompassed in the chapters, it is an exceedingly helpful technique to simply read the designated chapters of the test.

Studying Diagrams
The textbook should not be the sole study source, however. Though it does contain the majority of information that students must understand, another key resource are diagrams. Especially in the latter half of the year, diagrams given in class will inevitably appear on the tests in some variation. Typically memorizing the labels of diagrams, coupled with understanding the information in the textbook, will grant students all the knowledge they need to succeed on the tests.

Test-taking
The majority of questions on tests and quizzes in the class are multiple choice – some tests, including the midterm and final, are entirely so. In order to grade multiple choice, the class uses Scantron, sheets with letter options that are bubbled in order to mark an answer. Students will recognize these sheets from standardized tests such as the MCAS. In order to successfully complete such tests on time, it is often necessary to move at a fast clip through the test. If students are unsure of an answer, they should mark down an answer anyways, and return to the problem after completion of the test to review it. There are no additional points taken off for guessing incorrectly than there are for leaving an answer blank, so it is best to give the problem a good guess if nothing else.

Using Scantron
It is rare to lose points for not bubbling an answer darkly enough on the Scantron sheet, for the scanning machine is exceptionally competent at detecting shading. However, missing a line and bubbling in an answer for the wrong problem number can ruin an entire test. If a student skips a line early on, every other answer afterwards could be filled in for the wrong problem as well, leaving them entirely at the teacher’s mercy. Therefore, it is important to fill in the answer on the Scantron sheet after each problem, and to occasionally check to make sure that the problem numbers on the test line and their respective answers line up with those on the Scantron.

Check your work
Checking work in general is vital on honors biology tests. It is tragically common for students to mis-bubble answers on the Scantron, or to fall for a trick question, of which there are many. It is truly invaluable to devote some time after completing the problems to check the work. If there isn’t much time remaining, simply checking to ensure the Scantron sheet is accurately bubbled and reviewing any difficult problems is sufficient. However, if students finish early, looking over each problem will often provide a valuable opportunity to catch mistakes. Students aren’t usually released once finished, so there’s no rush to hand the test in.

Adhering to these methods is not going to guarantee a full score on every test, but they were essential to my own successes.

Homework and Labs

Homework
Homework in honors biology can sometimes seem excessive, but the methodology behind is simple: just do it. Doing the homework won’t directly boost a grade, but it provides a leg up in understanding the concepts discussed in class.

Labs
Labs may seem similarly tedious sometimes, but unlike homework, they account for a surprising portion of the grade given their substance. Failing to complete labs can significantly damage a grade, so it’s valuable to do them and hand them in time. This is not a difficult proposition at all given the fact that most labs and their questions can be completed entirely in class. Though labs do provide an opportunity to chat with friends during class, it is very much worthwhile to focus on completing the designated work.

Projects

Projects in the honors biology course warrant the same advice as most other classes. The big ones come once per quarter, and are typically introduced early on. The key to succeeding on these is to start early. As progress is made, it is common for questions to arise, and it is best for these to be answered earlier than the night before. Finishing early also allows students to refine their project to create the best possible product.