For me I feel that there are 4 parts to study:
-MCQ
-Structured Question
-Structured Essay
-Practical/SPA
And each way of studying is different.
MCQFor MCQ, try exposing yourself to the maximum possibilities of questions which will come out in exam. Try out different TYS or assignment book. Do and do until you understand and get correct for each and every question.
Time management is also very important! One must reach a level when he sees the question at first sight, and the next moment answer is pop up in the mind. This will save precious time in the exam and allow you to double/triple check.
Structured QuestionRead the question carefully. Try to recall if you have seen any of the question in TYS or during your revision. Do they look familiar? Seriously speaking, Cambridge have run out of ideas already. Those questions you see in your O exam are probably taken from past year. Their creativity juice has run out.
It's best to read and understand the content of your text book and make note for it. Have you heard of the
80/20 Rule? It states that out of the whole chunk of information you have, 80% are non content words, while the another 20% is the information that you really need. If you were to make note, you'll save A LOT of time on your later revision.
Keep doing the Past Year Papers, Prelim papers, Mid Year Paper and TYS. Where there is a source of question, just do it. Expose yourself to more question, and it will really help you in exam.
Do the easier question first. Then revisit back the question again and ponder for an answer.
Structured EssayThis is the part where you need to memorize a lot of essay. At what I have said, Make Key-Point Notes! Key-Point Notes are those notes with just the key point of the content. Then in your mind, link these points together to show it's relevancy.
No doubt you'll have to memorize quite a lot for this part. Be glad, There's only a few essay to study per chapter.
Well, it all boils down to your understand. After memorizing, you should be able to tell if you can understand the content or not.
Practical/SPAProbably the lab are closed now for preparation. Revise the notes your teacher gave you. Also read up your textbook for more information. Remember Biology practical is one of the most easier component out of the four.
You must be able to do tests. Like Food Test which consist of four test. You
MUST follow the instructions . If you missed any steps or do anything wrongly, the overall result will be different. Usually this will apply to Plants, where they'll ask you to do something to it.
Drawing. Try practice drawing all the fruits LS and TS. You must know where is the line of axis(growth direction). You'll be also required to draw things which you'll never draw before. Weird stuff can range from ginger to longgag, from chilli to mangosteen. Aww.. Drawing will be an unfair advantage to art students
Your drawing lines must be clear and concise. No shading! Don't add 3-D effects
