Biology P3 Tips 03

note: I'm using Vika's account since i'm too lazy to make one =_=, for those who failed to guess who am I, I wont tell ^.^

The third one, last but not least.
This post is about the last part of the microscope question, just after the labelled-drawing question, and the things to expect from the practical (just so that we will not be surprised).

Q2: The Drawing Features and Comparisons

So, the last part of the question will give you a picture, and it will ask you to compare and contrast the picture given with the image of a section of the slide. Definitely, absolutely, inevitably, you MUST draw a table. Drawing an appropriate table with correct headings gives you one mark out of a total of five. The second mark is given if you use comparative statements, which means your statements in the table are indicating that you are comparing or contrasting the features on both images (you may want to see the 2008 marking scheme for clarification). That's two marks already. The other three marks are given to correct contents in the table.

That is basically all I can say on this question...

Last Tips and Final Overview Briefing:

These are things I forgot to say, or things that I've just discovered along the way.
In all drawings, you should use more than half the space provided, no matter how large it is, this is just in case that the marking scheme requires you to do so. Oh and by the way, in the new 2008 practical, I think that you will be asked to draw twice, first is the unlabelled drawing, in which you will be asked to draw a section of the image in the slide (you need to draw more than half of the page), and the second one is the labelled drawing (eventhough the question does not ask you to label it, you should, and for this one, the marking scheme does not say anything about drawing for more than half the space, but just in case, if you want to...).

Next, there is also the calibration part. You should all be familliar with the calculations (if not, immediately ask assistance from your teacher or Ms.Yanti, in our current case). In the calibration part, they will tell you to look for a certain part (not necessarily a cell) from the image of the slide, record the value of the divisions blablabla, and simply measure it. Dont forget to write the units, and show a clear working. In the end of the calibration question, they may ask you to identify a source of error in the measurement.

Turn back to question one..

In the experiment question or the test-tube practicals, after the table question, you will be asked do describe and explain on your experiment, which means that you must explain on the theory behind the experiment given. This question worth three marks. After this should be the error and improvements, see my Biology P3 Tips 02 for this. (And I suggest you remember all the 'Common Errors' that I listed)

In the beginning of Graph questions,you will be given a printed table containing the values that you will plot in the graph. Now, some of the values may be obviously missing, this means extra mark for everyone, so don''t fail to notice it. And yet, thankfully, another extra mark follows; there will be a question like: "Explain why that guy discarded the funny value, and repeated the experiment balblalblalbla". Simply answer that the value does not fit the pattern, or the result was an error and it is incorrect, so it is proper to discard and repeat balblabl.

Next is the graph. Plot all the points and use, if possible, all of the space provided. Label the axis properly with correct units. After the graph, there is this funny question that give you a hypothesis/statement. You will be asked to judge whether the hypothesis is supported by the experiment or not, and give a correct hypothesis if the answer is NO. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, this leads to another one of extra mark. Because the question is worth two marks, the answer will obviously be NO. Just say why the experiment does not support that guy's hypothesis and give a new one.

Oh and one or two (usually one) extra pesky question(s) may pop out anywhere in this practical. What I mean by extra pesky question(s) is like those "Suggest why this is like that." These question(s) may give you another extra mark, but that also depends on your knowledge and creativity, of course.

Yay, that's it for my tips and suggestion, I hope it helps. Sorry because I did not put the questions in order. One last thing to say is a quote from Vika's chemistry P3 tips:

"Last but not least doa. Biarpun udah disiapin seperfect mungkin, tapi selalu ada uncertainty. By conducting our experiment accurately and precisely, we should reduce those uncertainty by a great amount. But still, it is always good to have faith."

Woohoo, good luck on your biology practicals. I may be back for P2 and P1 tips (or even A2 biology if Vika forces me to do so (again)).
(Please note that my tips are based on past year papers of 2007 and May/June 2008, so if anything goes mismatch, don't be blame this blog.)