***2015 LC Biology - All levels - June 9th***

Noire

If a question asks for one point and you cross your answer out, is it still counted?

libra33

fin709 wrote: »

All looks pretty good, annoyed i put nucleic acid for virus question part (iii)

I put nucleic acid down too but I think it is protein hence the reason I changed the answer above

katebrady97

It seemed like they had ran out of questions to ask from the biology course so for me it was like drawing blood from a stone. For the year long effort I put in I pretty much got no question where they asked just normal straightforward questions. They used different sex chromosomes in the genetic questions to throw us off, the tadpole experiment was never similiarly asked before, the question about the tooth was so pointless and all the short questions were way too picky it felt like every question was trying to trick you. It feels like such a waste of effort studying for it like not once did I know oh I know this I've learned this it was just maybe I'm right the whole way thru so p****d off wow thank u state examinations comissions that was the only subject I didnt mind

It was just wasn't really a biology exam to be honest

Dianabluex

katebrady97 wrote: »

It seemed like they had ran out of questions to ask from the biology course so for me it was like drawing blood from a stone. For the year long effort I put in I pretty much got no question where they asked just normal straightforward questions. They used different sex chromosomes in the genetic questions to throw us off, the tadpole experiment was never similiarly asked before, the question about the tooth was so pointless and all the short questions were way too picky it felt like every question was trying to trick you. It feels like such a waste of effort studying for it like not once did I know oh I know this I've learned this it was just maybe I'm right the whole way thru so p****d off wow thank u state examinations comissions that was the only subject I didnt mind

It was just wasn't really a biology exam to be honest

i certainly agree with you , u could guess lots of the question and still get it correct, i put so much time in biology ,oh well its over now :rolleyes:

LordKingJimmy

Spent to much time on biology. Now i just felt let down. Only 3 of us were doing HL and one guy dropped down... I probably should have followed him. Looked at the OL paper and one of the questions was about an Owl that was yellow, first question was what colour is the owl. Why is there such a jump from OL to HL compared to other subjects? Since 2nd year i've been getting over 70% on every biology exam and i just felt really let down. The kicker is the other HL student who failed the mocks and rarely gets above 40% came out saying that the paper was so easy for him, and that he was sooo happy with it.

I was doing biology papers all last week and they looked nothing like the one we were handed in the exam. So angry.

Jammysticks

Doctorhopeful wrote: »

Why A? Meiosis means that two haploid cells fuse at zygote formation which means more variation as the genetic makeup is different to both of the parents ie variation.

Yeah that's probably right:(

Does nobody else feel that despite being difficult, that exam was actually quite good? We had to apply our knowledge rather than just parrot stuff off. And I don't see why it is unfair that the questions were posed differently than in previous years. We are meant to study the material itself, not the past examinations. It's not like we were asked anything that wasn't on our course, perhaps apart from that question about the 2 organs specific to the immune system. If you had a good knowledge of the material and were able to think on the spot, you would've done well in this exam.

Leitrim96

Jammysticks wrote: »

Does nobody else feel that despite being difficult, that exam was actually quite good? We had to apply our knowledge rather than just parrot stuff off. And I don't see why it is unfair that the questions were posed differently than in previous years. We are meant to study the material itself, not the past examinations. It's not like we were asked anything that wasn't on our course, perhaps apart from that question about the 2 organs specific to the immune system. If you had a good knowledge of the material and were able to think on the spot, you would've done well in this exam.

I can see where you're coming from, however I feel as if the way the exam was and is laid out does not reward the student who has spent weekend after weekend learning that course in such detail. We were handed an extensive notes folder made by our teacher and told on the first day of fifth year "if you learn this whole folder you will get an A". It's not the case at all. The exam is full with what seems like trick questions that are just unfair. Take for example that 4th short question the true or false one. I could have spent 3 hours on that question alone trying to find out what they want.
What sickens me is that the boy I sat beside in class for the past two years never did homework or learned the material the teacher asked. He gambled the night before and learned 5 topics and came out beaming that her 5 had come up. Guess I'm just butthurt and not getting the B2 or B1 I've been dreaming of.

Tractorman321

Does anyone know if there's a Spanish discussion page?

Kermin

Leitrim96 wrote: »

I can see where you're coming from, however I feel as if the way the exam was and is laid out does not reward the student who has spent weekend after weekend learning that course in such detail. We were handed an extensive notes folder made by our teacher and told on the first day of fifth year "if you learn this whole folder you will get an A". It's not the case at all. The exam is full with what seems like trick questions that are just unfair. Take for example that 4th short question the true or false one. I could have spent 3 hours on that question alone trying to find out what they want.
What sickens me is that the boy I sat beside in class for the past two years never did homework or learned the material the teacher asked. He gambled the night before and learned 5 topics and came out beaming that her 5 had come up. Guess I'm just butthurt and not getting the B2 or B1 I've been dreaming of.

Look at the bright side you didnt go over question 10c at the end and think " you idiot XY is male why I have XX as a male" go off and change all your answers to be wrong from being right. There goes my A2 hello B2.....

Jammysticks

Leitrim96 wrote: »

I can see where you're coming from, however I feel as if the way the exam was and is laid out does not reward the student who has spent weekend after weekend learning that course in such detail. We were handed an extensive notes folder made by our teacher and told on the first day of fifth year "if you learn this whole folder you will get an A". It's not the case at all. The exam is full with what seems like trick questions that are just unfair. Take for example that 4th short question the true or false one. I could have spent 3 hours on that question alone trying to find out what they want.
What sickens me is that the boy I sat beside in class for the past two years never did homework or learned the material the teacher asked. He gambled the night before and learned 5 topics and came out beaming that her 5 had come up. Guess I'm just butthurt and not getting the B2 or B1 I've been dreaming of.

Ah yea, I know what you mean, that must be such a disappointment. I don't really think there were trick questions though. You just had to apply the knowledge you had. If there was a trick question it was the genetics one. I really don't see what changing the sex chromosomes responsible for maleness/femaleness did to test our knowledge. It was just a test of seeing if you read the question, and if you could pay close attention to the answers you give, neither of which are things that are supposed to be examined . It wasn't a particularly difficult question in any case, but changing the sex chromosomes was pointless.

By the sounds of it, teachers really need to change the way they teach biology. It's no longer something you can rote-learn.

Dianabluex

Tractorman321 wrote: »

Does anyone know if there's a Spanish discussion page?

i don't think so , u can make one if u want , need some spanish predictions which is like impossible

kelly8249

For 2 functions of the large intestine I said:
1. Reabsorbs water
2. Storage of semi-solid waste prior to egestion

I went with the second one assuming the rectum is part of the large intestine.. Any thoughts?

Leitrim96

Jammysticks wrote: »

Ah yea, I know what you mean, that must be such a disappointment. I don't really think there were trick questions though. You just had to apply the knowledge you had. If there was a trick question it was the genetics one. I really don't see what changing the sex chromosomes responsible for maleness/femaleness did to test our knowledge. It was just a test of seeing if you read the question, and if you could pay close attention to the answers you give, neither of which are things that are supposed to be examined . It wasn't a particularly difficult question in any case, but changing the sex chromosomes was pointless.

By the sounds of it, teachers really need to change the way they teach biology. It's no longer something you can rote-learn.

You're exactly right, different way needed

What did people say about how to introduce the yeast to the agar?

Leitrim96

Also would the correct answer to the difference between grey matter and white matter be that grey matter has interneurones

yoyojc

Leitrim96 wrote: »

Also would the correct answer to the difference between grey matter and white matter be that grey matter has interneurones

I think it's grey matter has Cell Bodies
but white matter has Axons?

But I stand open to correction

Talking to everyone I know, they found biology very hard. I'd say we'll get a lovely marking scheme as even the very bright people in my year found it hard.

ronivek

Personally speaking I think the whole "here is how you maximise your points" approach to teaching in this country is awful. The mere fact it's possible to get an A1 in an exam by rote learning without any real understanding is a travesty.

Unfortunately teachers don't have much choice however; that's how the syllabi and examinations are implemented. The fact there seems to be more project work coming into the equation might help things a little; but I doubt much will change in the near future.

As far as Biology goes I was sitting it as a mature student. I just got myself one of the books and worked my way through it (Biology Plus by Michael O'Callaghan); with a little help from the syllabus and the internet from time to time. The closest I ever got to Biology was my Junior Certificate Science which was nigh on 20 years ago at this stage.

From my perspective the paper wasn't too bad. The only thing in the paper that wasn't in the book was the True/False question about when the cell plate appears during mitosis. I suspect however that the people who write the school books take cues from the exam papers in terms of what detail they go into.

I did find a number of the questions "difficult" in the sense there was no obvious right answers based on the syllabus; they were more along the lines of "suggest some reasons for" or "suggest how". Looking through the past papers I would suggest the marking schemes for these will be very flexible; and any reasonable attempts that contain anything coherent should get you some marks.

TL;DR: Don't worry too much about your answers to the less obvious questions such as the animal teeth or the tadpoles; anything you attempted will surely get you a decent number of marks. Try and focus on your next exams as best you can; hopefully you'll be happier with some of the other papers.

Dianabluex

Leitrim96 wrote: »

What did people say about how to introduce the yeast to the agar?

i wrote using a sterile cork borer cut 5 dics from the leaf and place into the agar plate , i think its right

Peg14

Dianabluex wrote: »

i wrote using a sterile cork borer cut 5 dics from the leaf and place into the agar plate , i think its right

I just outlined the experiment. Using sterile forceps.

Bah_Humbug

Last bit on Q10 - genotypes of the gametes of bird D? Was it just "gl" or did you have to do something with the X/Y?

Jammysticks

Bah_Humbug wrote: »

Last bit on Q10 - genotypes of the gametes of bird D? Was it just "gl" or did you have to do something with the X/Y?

As far as I know the correct answer was X-gl and Y-gl. I wrote that, but without the hyphen. Hopefully still correct.

uzpuz

I made several errors and my diagrams were terrible but had its right labels.
I was happy with my short questions I say I got 80/100 in them. My experiment qs were decent enough I say I got 50/60.
My long qs were dreadful in parts I couldn't remember the dental formula....my alimentary diagram was awful.
I don't do biology in school but I studied it myself and it was the first time I was tested on it....... leaving cert higher level biology. I seeked an A1 before this but now I surely got a B2.

randylonghorn

Leitrim96 wrote: »

We were handed an extensive notes folder made by our teacher and told on the first day of fifth year "if you learn this whole folder you will get an A". It's not the case at all.

Should it be that way though?

Or should the LC papers challenge you (at least to an extent) to think and apply your knowledge and understanding, rather than just rewarding rote memory?

It's only really in the last decade or two that the emphasis has shifted from studying the curriculum to "teaching (and studying) to the exams" with its concomitant emphasis on sheaves of notes and rote learning. The points race would be a factor; so would the advent of grind schools who tend to take that approach, and the resulting pressure from parents and students on mainstream schools to follow that approach too.

The SEC would acknowledge, I think, that they have contributed somewhat to the problem by exams which were too predictable, and have, over the last few years, flagged their intention to gradually make exams which were less predictable and tended to reward critical thinking more ... which tbh is the way it should be, and a far better preparation for third level and indeed for life generally.

That said, Leitrim, don't get me wrong; I have nothing but sympathy for a student who has worked hard and feels that they have under-performed in the exam. Don't get too down about it though; students often obsess about the bits they got wrong or couldn't do, and find in August that their actual results, while maybe not matching their most optimistic hopes during the year, are in fact better than they feared after the exam itself.

Kermin

randylonghorn wrote: »

Should it be that way though?

Or should the LC papers challenge you (at least to an extent) to think and apply your knowledge and understanding, rather than just rewarding rote memory?

It's only really in the last decade or two that the emphasis has shifted from studying the curriculum to "teaching (and studying) to the exams" with its concomitant emphasis on sheaves of notes and rote learning. The points race would be a factor; so would the advent of grind schools who tend to take that approach, and the resulting pressure from parents and students on mainstream schools to follow that approach too.

The SEC would acknowledge, I think, that they have contributed somewhat to the problem by exams which were too predictable, and have, over the last few years, flagged their intention to gradually make exams which were less predictable and tended to reward critical thinking more ... which tbh is the way it should be, and a far better preparation for third level and indeed for life generally.

That said, Leitrim, don't get me wrong; I have nothing but sympathy for a student who has worked hard and feels that they have under-performed in the exam. Don't get too down about it though; students often obsess about the bits they got wrong or couldn't do, and find in August that their actual results, while maybe not matching their most optimistic hopes during the year, are in fact better than they feared after the exam itself.

Weird im used to teachers shouting at us and being well mean sometimes.
But here you are empathising with us. Are you even a teacher? That or most should I aspire to have your outlook.

randylonghorn

Kermin wrote: »

Weird im used to teachers shouting at us and being well mean sometimes.
But here you are empathising with us. Are you even a teacher? That or most should I aspire to have your outlook.

Well, thank you, Kermin, that's a very nice comment to read!

I'm not a teacher, no; not as you mean it, anyway, though I do work in education, but at third level.

I think you're being a bit hard on teachers though: they deal with gangs of up to 30 teenagers at a time, and sometimes it can be hard to let the human side show through, as it can be interpreted as "weakness" by the less co-operative students and taken advantage of.

I would have to agree that some find it harder than others to find a balance and to build up a good relationship with students without discipline flying completely out the window though; it's a skill, and can be learned to an extent, but it does come far more naturally to some than to others because of their personalities, and that's something that's less easy to change.

I find that the vast majority of teachers are genuinely concerned that their students do well though, and often the "You wrote what?!!" barks come more out of frustration on your behalf (and they know that they covered it, AND that you knew it at the time).

I've seen teachers in tears because their students had come out of the exam inconsolable because it had gone badly, or because their results in August were disappointing and they were upset.

You won't generally get to see that bit though, because they'll keep up a 'professional' face while the students are around.

Kermin

randylonghorn wrote: »

Well, thank you, Kermin, that's a very nice comment to read!

I'm not a teacher, no; not as you mean it, anyway, though I do work in education, but at third level.

I think you're being a bit hard on teachers though: they deal with gangs of up to 30 teenagers at a time, and sometimes it can be hard to let the human side show through, as it can be interpreted as "weakness" by the less co-operative students and taken advantage of.

I would have to agree that some find it harder than others to find a balance and to build up a good relationship with students without discipline flying completely out the window though; it's a skill, and can be learned to an extent, but it does come far more naturally to some than to others because of their personalities, and that's something that's less easy to change.

I find that the vast majority of teachers are genuinely concerned that their students do well though, and often the "You wrote what?!!" barks come more out of frustration on your behalf (and they know that they covered it, AND that you knew it at the time).

I've seen teachers in tears because their students had come out of the exam inconsolable because it had gone badly, or because their results in August were disappointing and they were upset.

You won't generally get to see that bit though, because they'll keep up a 'professional' face while the students are around.

I had my doubts with a name like that :P

I wasn't saying all teachers are cruel, but I've had a fair share of teachers say I'm going to end up on the dole because I didn't know some French Verb, or yes I'm human and tuned out for a few minutes in class. Its hard for anyone to maintain concentration on one specific thing. Then there are teachers that treat us like babies, despite the fact yes some us are children were but we're not stupid. But yeah they're are some genuine teachers who seem to care most certainly. One of my teachers cried after our mock results blaming herself for being a bad teacher. When in reality it was our fault for not studying. Despite the fact we told her it was us no her she still blamed herself.

But you sir (Y)

randylonghorn

Kermin wrote: »

I had my doubts with a name like that :P

I'll have you know I was dubbed with this by an ex-gf!! :cool:

(Ok, she was in the middle of a joking rant about something and she was less than sober, but still!! ... :cool:)

ThatsTheShtuff

thought the respiration question was a bit dodgy...
compound D at the end?
I said water...
But then what use was that to yeast cells?!

SteveZissou

ThatsTheShtuff wrote: »

thought the respiration question was a bit dodgy...
compound D at the end?
I said water...
But then what use was that to yeast cells?!

I said water as well, I think it wanted you to refer to the functions of water from the food chapter (mode of transport for biomolecules, medium for metabolic reactions to take place in etc)... That's what I thought anyway!

otoolej2

ThatsTheShtuff wrote: »

thought the respiration question was a bit dodgy...
compound D at the end?
I said water...
But then what use was that to yeast cells?!

ye, i think water was correct. i stupidly said ATP. But since it is a compound produced in the electron transport system i might get some marks. Not sure doe.
I don't understand why they related the second stage of respiration to yeast cells, since they generally only undergo anaerobic respiration in their fermentation reactions(which only consists of stage 1 respiration). It just seems a bit counter intuitive.

uzpuz

otoolej2 wrote: »

ye, i think water was correct. i stupidly said ATP. But since it is a compound produced in the electron transport system i might get some marks. Not sure doe.
I don't understand why they related the second stage of respiration to yeast cells, since they generally only undergo anaerobic respiration in their fermentation reactions(which only consists of stage 1 respiration). It just seems a bit counter intuitive.

I wrote water as well but some of my friends claimed it was ATP. If water was the compound then what was Gas Y?

otoolej2 wrote: »

ye, i think water was correct. i stupidly said ATP. But since it is a compound produced in the electron transport system i might get some marks. Not sure doe.
I don't understand why they related the second stage of respiration to yeast cells, since they generally only undergo anaerobic respiration in their fermentation reactions(which only consists of stage 1 respiration). It just seems a bit counter intuitive.

I wrote water as well but some of my friends claimed it was ATP. If water was the compound then what was Gas Y?