The 3-step active recall method

Re-reading notes is a futile process when your aim is to remember the information and successfully apply it in exam settings. Active recall is the method you use to ensure the information sticks for a long period of time.

But even active recall can be futile unless you have a structured way of implementing it. This is where the 3-step active recall method comes in, a structured method that is signature to the Levo Learning guides.

1. Step 1

   Answer up to 10 questions cold, closed book, even if you are unsure on the topic.

2. Step 2

   Answer the same questions again, but open book. Write the correct answer down even if it seems pointless.

3. Step 3

   Repeat as step 1 and answer the questions closed book again.

Worked across the Edexcel A-Level Biology B specification, one subtopic at a time.

The subject, and what is assessed

Edexcel A-Level Biology B (specification 9BI0) is assessed by three written papers at the end of the two-year course.

Paper 1 covers advanced biochemistry, microbiology and genetics, and Paper 2 covers advanced physiology, evolution and ecology, each lasting 1 hour 45 minutes and carrying 90 marks.

Paper 3 lasts 2 hours 30 minutes and carries 120 marks, drawing on the whole specification alongside the core practicals.

Paper 3 is worth 40% and can ask about any topic, so content met early in the first year is still examinable in the final paper.

Memorisation, then application

Marks are given for applying content to the question that has been set, which cannot happen while the content is still being looked up. Step 1 shows what is actually held.

Step 2 puts the correct wording in front of you while the gap is still fresh. Step 3 repeats the cold test, and the difference between the first and third attempt is the part that has moved.

Every question in the guide is paired with its answer in the same document, so step 2 is done from the guide itself rather than from a separate set of notes.

What is inside the guide

Questions are grouped by topic and then by subtopic, following the Edexcel specification. Open a topic to see its subtopics.

Sample questions

Taken from the Edexcel A-Level Biology B guide. Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.

1. Biological Molecules

   How many carbon atoms does glucose contain, and what type of sugar is it classified as?

   Show the answer

   Six carbon atoms; it is a hexose sugar.

2. Cells, Viruses and Reproduction of Living Things

   What does cell theory state about the role of cells in living organisms?

   Show the answer

   That every living organism is built from cells, that the cell is the smallest unit capable of carrying out life processes, and that all cells arise from existing cells.

3. Classification and Biodiversity

   How is a species traditionally defined?

   Show the answer

   A group of organisms with similar characteristics that can interbreed to produce fertile offspring.

4. Exchange and Transport

   Why does the surface area to volume ratio decrease as an organism grows larger?

   Show the answer

   Volume increases as the cube of linear dimensions while surface area only increases as the square, so volume grows faster than surface area.

5. Energy for Biological Processes

   Why does cellular respiration generate heat as well as ATP?

   Show the answer

   Not all the energy released from the oxidation of respiratory substrates is captured in ATP; some is lost as heat due to the inefficiency of energy transfer in metabolic reactions.

6. Microbiology and Pathogens

   Why is an inoculating loop heated until red hot before and after use?

   Show the answer

   To sterilise the loop by killing all microorganisms, preventing contamination of cultures and cross-contamination between samples.

7. Modern Genetics

   What is PCR and what is its purpose?

   Show the answer

   PCR (polymerase chain reaction) is a technique used to amplify small samples of DNA to produce many copies.

8. Origins of Genetic Variation

   What is the ultimate source of new genetic variation in a population?

   Show the answer

   Mutations are the ultimate source of new genetic variation, creating new alleles that did not previously exist in a population.

Questions about this guide

Other Edexcel A-Level guides

All Edexcel A-Level guides · All A-Level guides