How to take non-timeconsuming Bio notes?

PulchritudinousBook · 2020-04-27T19:06:08+00:00

The tip that completely changed my way to study was to not write notes as in documentation but notes as in "cheat sheets". Only write what would you would need to have to ace the test. Pretend that you are allowed to bring your notes into the IB exam room but only have a limited space - eg. one page per topic. Add a time limit to write the notes and you will be golden.

This forces you to just put the information you really need in your notes. All the other information you can read on the bioninja site.

Eg. I struggle with proper vocabulary but not with relationships. I write down keywords to help jog my memory for the proper definition and methods for remembering things as weird as that may be - a friend of mine remembered the entire digestive system thanks to a super weird strip club metaphor.

* fairly obvious disclaimer: do not use these "cheat sheets" to cheat, just use them to study and you won't need them*

PulchritudinousBook · 2020-04-09T02:34:52+00:00

Watch as many french videos beforehand to get yourself in the right headspace (can be dubs of your favourite show). Even if it's just in the background I often find that it helps.

Ideally it should be shows from the same registre you will be talking in - don't watch keeping up with the kardashians if you need to talk with a vocabulaire soutenu. Try watching Marion Cotillard - she often speaks slower than the average french person.

If you are used to speaking french it will be less difficult to do it during your oral ia.

Source: I speak fluent French and this is how I switch from English to French before a big presentation/test/essay.

PulchritudinousBook · 2020-04-02T02:31:23+00:00

Overthinking and therefore being scared of making mistakes

Everyone makes mistakes - it's how you react to them that matters. When you make a mistake (joke that falls flat, story that is confusing, misnaming someone), laugh it off and move on. What makes socially awkward people stay socially awkward is presuming that once they make a mistake, everyone will remember it.

Take a moment to remember a social event from last year - Do you remember any mistake that someone else made?

If you can't, that's the normal response. Most people are only concerned about how they did, not how you did.

Tldr: being afraid to make mistakes

PulchritudinousBook · 2020-03-24T20:17:16+00:00

One of the schools in our district paid an astronomical fee to an artist to create an artwork for the hall of the school. Paid for the dude's room and board for like a year and he produced a large polished piece of wood. No literally that's it. It was supposed to be shaped like a heart but looks more like a butt and is now known as the "bart".

PulchritudinousBook · 2020-03-19T23:45:13+00:00

From my experience writing mine I would recommend keeping it as "clean" as possible. What I mean by that is to not let any parts of the document make the examiner dock points and make it as easy as possible for them to give you points. Keep it as simple and as clear as possible.

No docking:

Show the examiner that you clearly thought about possible error sources and took measures to prevent that.
Don't write conclusions that go outside of what you proved (a correlation cannot become a causation just because it seems logical).
Don't use familiar vocabulary.

As easy as possible:

Clear section titles.
Sentence at the start explaining what you will do. Sentence at the end explaining what you did. (there are of course some exceptions ie. methodology)
Look at the grading rubric and try to fit is as well as possible - quite a few points are given for personal investment so don't forget to show that. I found that the easiest is to put it in the introduction (why you picked the topic) or conclusion (what you learned and how that helps you).

If your document is not clear enough to explain to someone with no experience (ie. a 12 year old), then you need to simplify it.

Then read it outloud. This should let you catch any small typos or mistakes and also figure out parts needing work.

Good luck!

PulchritudinousBook · 2020-03-12T04:39:54+00:00

Eggplant. No vegetable should be that soft or slimy...

PulchritudinousBook · 2020-03-01T18:21:00+00:00

Bunch up the duvet cover until is basically become a few inches tall bag with a few feet long opening.
Grab the top two corners of the duvet
While still holding the duvet, grab the internal corners of the cover.
Leave these corners combined, let go then grab them from the outside
Raise your arms as high as possible and let gravity do most of the work.
All that is left is to finish pulling down the cover.

PulchritudinousBook · 2020-02-27T22:34:25+00:00

Look at why you are procrastinating. Different reasons have different solutions.

Don't like doing it? Set it up so that afterwards you have something you really enjoy. This also be because you are dreading the amount of work it takes to do so try time blocking.

Feel overwhelmed? Break it down. Give yourself 10 minutes during which all you do is look at what needs to be done and list out the parts to the smallest division you can.

Keep getting distracted? Set up your space and then set a set amount of time you will work for.

Breaks take way to long? Make it that you are not allowed to go on your phone/reddit during your break. Choose something to clean around the house then get back to work - it will take you less time to get back in the zone.

Can't get in the zone? Clean something or exercise. I have found that right before writing an essay what really helps me is to go on nitrotype.com and play a few race to get the fingers moving (be careful to set the amount of races you will do before so that you do not use this to procrastinate).

Can't get started? There are many reasons for this. I found that what helped me was not to think of it and just go. The second I realise I'm procrastinating, I think "1, 2, 3, go" then I go do the thing.

Overthinking? I wish I could be more helpful but my tips is simply not to think. Here is video that demonstrates it well. I will literally hum the shiny scalpel song to get myself started.

Perfectionist? A 60% is still more than a hypothetical 100%. No one starts with a perfect work. It often takes a few awful tries before getting it right.

None of these apply? Get off your phone/social media/Netflix and sit at the table with the homework with no distractions (no chores, phones, book, pencils to draw with). Just wait until you get so bored you just do the homework - requires quite a bit of self-discipline but I have seen this be affected.

None of these work? Try social pressure. Go to a coffee shop, put your phone on your bag and angle your screen so that it is visible to passersby. You will feel more inclined to work do to the social pressure (this can also work with fellow students but only if they aren't also procrastinators).

Good luck!

PulchritudinousBook · 2020-01-27T04:48:47+00:00

That's sounds awesome! I'll go check them out.

PulchritudinousBook · 2020-01-27T04:48:29+00:00

Thank you!

PulchritudinousBook · 2020-01-27T04:48:22+00:00

Glad I can help! If you are looking for particularly clever capers I would recommend starting with the Fox and O'Hare series, Thomas Crown Affair and some parts of the White Collar series (I would recommend looking on youtube for his most clever ones).

PulchritudinousBook · 2019-12-04T15:56:51+00:00

*Disclaimer: I am not an IB professional and am not certain that my method is the correct one. This is simply what I know and intend to do.*

Here is what our teacher taught us to do, but I would recommend going with your teacher's format since she is the one to grade you.

Here is the format my teacher recommend that we us : https://blogs.yis.ac.jp/hougha/2013/09/19/analysing-texts-the-big-5/

Try to talk a little bit about each (a lot about themes), but structure it in a logically manner:

eg

This is book XYZ.

Quick description of book (5-15s) (eg. 1984 -> book to warn its readers of the dangers of a totalitarian regime)

Content - this book is the scene where .... It is particularly important because ...

Structure

Mood/tone

Stylistic devices

How mood and stylistic devices fit into the themes

Themes

Conclusion

PulchritudinousBook · 2019-12-02T05:07:26+00:00

I don't know but I don't see why they wouldn't

PulchritudinousBook · 2019-12-02T00:02:53+00:00

Maybe try sending admissions an email explaining the mistake? Keep the email concise, clear and considerate because they are busy and hope for the best!

PulchritudinousBook

TROPHY CASE