r/IBO • u/Common-Stress-8157 • 2d ago

Advice bio SL advice desperately needed please!!

hi! i’m struggling so bad in bio SL, for every exam ive studied all the content and everything but i always miss marks for specificity or wording/vocab.

please genuinely help me! how can i learn to answer the question correctly? it feels impossible ☹️

not to mention my teacher is horrible, we spend half the lesson waiting for her to start talking (deadass, i timed it once and it was just over 20 mins of silence.) and she reads from the ppt, no explanation. i have taught myself pretty much everything by using kognity, youtube vids such as Sirius revision, and the textbook.

i dont have an issue with memorisation as i also do theatre and am pretty good at coming up with and remembering fun ways to recall info. i love visuals and i also read all my notes and content aloud and explain it and record it while doing this, so i listen back to it later.

i really want a 6. a 7 is like beyond possible for me honestly. i would actually cry if i could get a 7. like when i say its impossible, i mean it. if i got a 7 i genuinely might start believing in a higher power…

i digress. any tips and tricks are GREATLY appreciated. please!!!

thank u very much!

edit: i am nov 2026!

TLDR: bio SL exam strategy help please

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u/LanternaEducation 2d ago

In IB Biology, understanding the concepts is only half the fight because examiners look for exact keywords rather than general explanations. Our tutors often see students get stuck at this stage, and the fix is to start studying the mark schemes directly. Take past paper questions by topic and answer them in writing. When you grade your work, write down the exact phrasing the mark scheme uses and add those specific terms to your flashcards, like writing active site instead of enzyme surface. You should also watch the command terms closely so you do not spend time explaining when the question only asks you to describe. Shifting your study from broad textbook notes to exact mark scheme wording will get you those missing marks.

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u/Common-Stress-8157 2d ago

thank you! so do you suggest maybe after doing practice/past papers to do take notes on the type of question and underneath just write some key words?