How to get your best mark in HSC Biology

Biology can unfold like a captivating story for students. Each biological process has a starting point leading to an end point, making it easy to follow and relevant.

Marijke Verschuuren, Coffs Harbour High School, Science teacher and HSC marker

Top dos and don’ts for biology

• Use the specific information or data directly from the stimulus material provided to support your response to the question. This might be the text, diagram, flow chart, table, or graph.
• Respond to the key term/s included in each question, taking time to understand the requirement and intent of each question.
• Use specific scientific terminology and biological terms. Clearly link your answer to the scenario in the question rather than only providing general or restated information from the question.
• Don’t respond to questions by merely stating a pre-prepared definition or explanation of a term or process. Instead, you should apply the appropriate definition, term, or process relevant to the specific question to formulate your response.
• Avoid using informal language or colloquial terms.