So, you know your way in Biology, diligently studied, and you feel pretty confident before your exam. You are fully prepared and hope to get the sought-after 7. But don’t you know there are stumbling stones during the exam itself that may hinder your IB Biology exam success?
We have talked with TutorsPlus IB Biology tutors and examiners to find out what makes the biggest difference on exam day.
Understand the Questions on Biology IB Exam
Our IB Biology examiners say that many students fail to understand exam questions exactly. As a result, they are missing out on key points.
Often students clearly know IB Biology exam topics. However, an examiner cannot award full marks because of the way they have answered the question. They may give a detailed answer when it is not needed. Or even worse, they answer high-value questions too concisely and cannot cover all the important points.
Sometimes, it is not because students don’t know the material. The reason is that they don’t understand the command terms.
Command terms are specific instructions in exam questions that show the expected depth and format of the answers. The right interpretation of these terms is important to show your knowledge and maximise your IB Biology success.
You have probably faced command terms during various Biology assignments. There is even a command term glossary in your IB Biology syllabus. But do you really remember and understand them all?
Luckily, you don’t have to sit and learn them by heart. You can commit them to memory through practice using past papers.
Past papers show you how the questions actually look in exams. What you should do is answer these questions, mark command terms, and analyse your answers with the corresponding mark schemes. This way, you will learn what kind of answer is best for each command term.
Command Terms to Remember
Now it is time to look at each command term in more detail and explain what kind of answers you should give.
DEFINE
Typically, this term implies straightforward questions for one mark only, such as ‘Define photosynthesis’. To get the mark, you need to provide a preside definition of this phenomenon word for word.
This means you must learn all the definitions by heart as they always come up. You will find these definitions in the course outline under the “Understandings” for each topic.
DRAW
This command term asks you to draw a diagram or graph with a pencil. Always label your drawings unless told not to. The scale and proportion must be correct and the points precisely plotted.
An example of this command term is ‘Draw a diagram of the heart, labelling the chambers, valves, and blood vessels.’
You can find more information about drawing under the section “Skills” in each topic.
LABEL
This term means adding labels to a diagram.
For example, a question can read: ‘A diagram of the human respiratory system is provided below. Label the following structures: trachea, bronchi, alveoli, diaphragm.’
LIST
With this command term, an examiner wants a list of names or very brief answers. There is no explanation needed and it doesn’t require full sentences. ‘List three functions of the liver in the human body.’ – this is what such questions may look like.
MEASURE
Exam questions that feature ‘Measure’ ask you to find the value for a quantity.
For instance, you may get a data table showing the distance travelled by a plant shoot over a period of days. The question may ask: Measure the rate of growth of the plant shoot on day 4’.
STATE
Here, a question requires a brief, usually one-word, answer. No need for an explanation or calculation. This means any extra information included will gain no marks and be a waste of precious time.
An example of such a question is ‘State the molecule used for storing genetic information in a cell’.
ANNOTATE
‘Annotate’ means you should put brief notes on a graph or diagram. The difference with ‘Label’ is that you need a brief description, i.e. more than one word. In Biology, this often involves a description of the function of the named part. e.g., Ribosome: site of protein synthesis (translation of mRNA).
CALCULATE
‘Calculate’ questions ask you to provide a numerical answer. You shouldn’t forget to show your workings (unless otherwise stated). Units are almost always required for completeness.
For example: ‘During photosynthesis, a plant absorbs 600 g of CO2 and releases 450 g of O2. Calculate the ratio of CO2 absorbed to O2 released.’
DESCRIBE
Here, you need to give a detailed summary or account of something such as a biological process. But be careful! Our examiners often note that there is a temptation to provide long answers. However, you should first look at the marks on offer and make sure your response addresses each mark.
Your exam question may ask: ‘Describe the process of cellular respiration’. You need to provide a concise yet detailed answer that covers the key steps of cellular respiration.
DISTINGUISH
With this command term, you are asked to compare two (sometimes, more) items or concepts. As a result, your language should focus on comparing AND contrasting. Make sure these differences are clear to an examiner.
You may find the following question on your exam: ‘Distinguish between mitosis and meiosis, highlighting their key similarities and differences.’
ESTIMATE
‘Estimate’ requires you to find an approximate value that is not stated or known. Again, it is important to show your workings.
For example, you might need to ‘Estimate the surface area of a single leaf on a plant.’ Based on your knowledge of leaf shapes and sizes, you should provide an approximate number and your calculations.
IDENTIFY
Select the answer from the number of possibilities given. For example:
‘Identify the primary function of the liver in the human body.
- Muscle contraction
- Oxygen transport
- Detoxification
- Energy storage
OUTLINE
This command term requires a summary or a brief account. Its meaning is close to ‘Describe’ but the answers it implies are quite short. For example, when a question asks ‘Outline the process of protein synthesis’, your answer should feature approximately 50 words.
Again, it is important to look at the number of potential marks. A pitfall here is to provide too much detail – it isn’t necessary and you will just waste your time.
You may use a graph in your answer that features a correct curve with appropriately labelled axes. Your attempt to show patterns or trends can gain valuable marks whilst taking less time than writing.
ANALYSE
Used in data questions, this command term requires students to interpret data to arrive at a valid conclusion.
You may also be asked to analyse the Biological concepts your papers have previously mentioned in other questions.
Here is an example of what you might encounter:
‘The graph below shows the rate of photosynthesis in a plant at different light intensities. Interpret the data in the graph and explain the relationship between light intensity and the rate of photosynthesis.’
COMMENT
Questions using ‘Comment’ ask for your opinion or judgment. They could be about a statement you are given or a calculation you have made.
You may find a similar question in your papers:
‘A student calculates the rate of enzyme activity in an experiment and obtains a value that is significantly lower than expected. Comment on possible reasons why the student’s result might be below the expectations.’
COMPARE
Similar to ‘Distinguish’, this command term wants you to compare (usually) two things. The key here is to use your language to focus on comparing AND contrasting throughout your answer. Typically, questions seek 2 similarities and 2 differences from students.
The example is: ‘Compare aerobic respiration and anaerobic respiration. Discuss the similarities and differences in their processes and energy yield.’
CONSTRUCT
This requires you to represent data in the form of a graph. You can expect something like the following question:
‘An experiment investigates the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis in a plant. The following table shows the results. Construct a graph to show the relationship between light intensity and the rate of photosynthesis.’
DEDUCE
This term typically asks students to state their conclusion on information or data extracted from graphical information (or other data representation) on the exam paper.
Here is how such questions may sound like: ‘The graph below shows the population growth of a bacterial culture over time. The experiment started with 100 bacteria. Deduce the growth phases of the bacterial culture based on the graph.’
DESIGN
With IB Biology questions featuring ‘Design’, you are asked to provide a simulation, plan, or model. Overall, such questions replicate, to a certain extent, a form of practical investigation.
To illustrate this term further, let’s look at an example question ‘Scientists believe that a specific plant hormone might influence the rate of seed germination. Design an experiment to investigate the effect of this plant hormone on seed germination rate.’
DETERMINE
The command term “determine” in IB Biology means that you need to find a single, definitive answer based on the information provided in the question.
Here is an example of how “determine” may be used in IB Biology questions: ‘A DNA molecule has a guanine (G) content of 30%. Determine the percentage of adenine (A) in this DNA molecule.’
DISCUSS
You can frequently meet this term in higher-mark questions in IB Biology HL exams. An answer must be quite detailed. IB Biology examiners want an account of several arguments for and against various factors or comparisons of alternative hypotheses. Often you will need to support claims by specific reference to the data in the question.
Here is an example of such questions: ‘Discuss the potential benefits and drawbacks of using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in food production.’
EVALUATE
This command term is similar to discuss but implies a weighing of potentially conflicting evidence. Here, you need to present the pros and cons, as well as the implications and limitations. At the same time, more emphasis is placed on your final opinion or conclusion.
To see how ‘Evaluate’ translates to actual exam questions, consider the following example: ‘A new drug is being developed to target a specific enzyme involved in the growth of cancer cells. Evaluate the potential benefits and limitations of this approach to cancer treatment.’
EXPLAIN
Students often misunderstood ‘Explain’ questions. They write long and vague descriptions. However, the requirement for these questions is quite specific. You must make an observation and explain the rationale behind it. The sufficiently detailed answer should include the causes, reasons, or mechanisms.
These IB Biology exam questions usually award high numbers of marks and require one clear supporting idea per mark.
An example question is the following: ‘Explain why the rate of photosynthesis typically increases with increasing light intensity, up to a certain point.’
PREDICT
The command term “Predict” asks you to use your knowledge of biological concepts and trends to anticipate what might happen in a given scenario. It’s about making a well-informed guess based on scientific principles.
For example, ‘A scientist treats a group of plants with a growth hormone. Predict the effect of this hormone on the rate of plant growth compared to a control group that does not receive the hormone.’
SKETCH
Such questions imply creating a simple graph to visually represent a relationship between variables. It’s not about a perfectly scaled and detailed graph, but rather a clear depiction of the overall trend with key features highlighted.
You might get the following question: ‘The following table shows the results of an experiment investigating the effect of temperature on the rate of enzyme activity. Sketch a graph to show the relationship between temperature and enzyme activity.’
SUGGEST
Here you need to propose hypotheses, theories, solutions, or approaches in a certain scenario. You need to use your knowledge and understanding of IB Biology to come up with creative and well-reasoned ideas.
To better understand this term, let’s take a look at an example: ‘A new disease has emerged, affecting a specific plant species. Suggest some possible approaches scientists could take to identify the cause of this plant disease.’
Tips for Preparing for the Biology IB Exam
Your road to IB Biology success won’t be without challenges. However, with the right revision strategy, you can get your desired grade. This is what our IB Biology tutors suggest.
First things first, you should know the IB Biology syllabus (SL and HL) inside and out. Not only does it list all the important topics you need to be an expert on, but also provides detailed information on exam structure, command terms, and other useful information.
Your textbook provides all the necessary information you need to ace your IB Biology exam. But don’t just passively read. Instead, you should take notes, underline key ideas, sketch out diagrams, create mind maps, and use other active learning techniques. They allow your brain to absorb information like a sponge and simply make the revision process more fun.
Want to make sure you REALLY know your stuff? Practice exams and past papers are your best friends. Doing these will show you what the exam is actually like in terms of duration, question types, topics, etc.
Besides, they can help reveal gaps in your knowledge. Did some practice questions leave you stumped? This means that you need to spend some extra time studying that topic. The more gaps in your knowledge you are able to bridge, the stronger you’ll become.
Are you stuck on something or confused about a concept? Your teacher, classmates, or even an IB Biology tutor can help. Getting IB Biology material from a different perspective can give you a stronger chance of IB Biology exam success.
Want to know more about IB Biology revision strategies? We have prepared our tips for specific Biology papers:
IB Biology Success with TutorsPlus
The most important thing to ensure your IB Biology success is your motivation and willingness to get out of a study rut. Don’t be afraid to try something new, whether it is visual learning, studying in a group, or professional assistance.
Speaking of that, our tutors would be happy to lend you a helping hand. From personalised guidance to explaining challenging concepts, we can do so much to maximise your IB Biology exam performance.
With TutorsPlus, you can expect:
- Experienced tutors who are experts in the IB Biology curriculum;
- Custom learning plans that take into account your strengths, weaknesses, as well as specific needs;
- Targeted support when you need to understand complex concepts better or refine your exam techniques.
We are passionate about helping students like you achieve their academic goals. You can contact us at 022 731 8148 or info@tutorsplus.com to get a consultation and hire a knowledgeable and experienced IB Biology tutor.
By Sara Lloyd
Sara has been an education consultant for TutorsPlus for 15 years, and is an expert on international IB education. She is also a parent of two lively children.
