How to Study Biology

by Jessica Lee '08 and Chensi Ouyang '08

Lectures

Go to all lectures. If you miss any, get notes from a friend or find the PowerPoints online.
Be an active listener.
It is important to be alert and concentrate on what is said in lecture.
Take full and comprehensive notes.
Ask the instructor questions before, after, or during class.
Do not allow yourself to miss classes and fall behind or the entire course will become an effort and a struggle for you.
Review lecture material that night to solidify the concepts in your brain.

Do all pre-reading for a lecture. This being MIT, many students don't. If you miss a reading, make sure to play catch up as soon as possible. DON'T save all your reading for the day before a test.
Reading is often your best bet to get confusing concepts in lecture clarified. Don't hesitate to Wiki/Google things either: these are great sources for students.
Highlight/take notes/be an active reader. Tabbing the book with Post-Its® is also extremely helpful.

Find a GOOD TA! Shop, shop, shop for the best one. It can make all the difference.
You want a TA that explains concepts well, uses the blackboard/educational media well, challenges you with good test-like questions, and makes him-/herself available for office hours.
Attend all recitations. These may even be more helpful than lectures as they usually summarize all the week's material and then offer practice problems (similar to the test, which is what the bulk of your grade depends on!)
Attend office hours!
TAs can be the best help for completing a tricky Pset (you'll learn so much more than from copying from a friend), or studying for a test (they often have seen the test already).

Don't be intimidated about not being able to do a Problem Set. The questions are usually similar to but harder than test questions.
Don't start your Pset late at night, start about two days before, so you'll have ample time to ask TA, peers for help).
Do all the Psets and don't hand them in late
This way you make sure you're on track with class material and you won't be super overwhelmed when the test rolls around.
Use the book/other resources to help you with Pset questions.
To be frank, the internet holds a lot of answers, and if you can find a good explanation to a similar problem online you can learn a lot. (I'd use the internet as a last resort, though).
If you're really stuck, check MIT OpenCourseWare for previous years' problems and solutions, or go ask a knowledgeable upperclass student.
Remember, Problem Sets exist to help you learn and are pretty much worth nothing to your grade, so do the best you can and don't stress about not knowing every answer.

Start studying at least 3–4 days before the exam.
Biology ALWAYS contains a lot of material!
Study biology when you are most alert and fresh. Make sure to take 5- or 10-minute breaks every 20 to 40 minutes in order to clear your mind.
Read and study all your textbook explanations of important concepts/biological techniques.
Whenever possible explain aloud to another person what you are learning. Work with a classmate and explain terminology and concepts to each other (this is super helpful!)
Write up summary sheets of biology terminology and concepts and review often.
Visualizing is a powerful technique for remembering terms.
Making up mnemonics (memory techniques) may be fun as well as beneficial.
Do at least one practice test before the real test to get an idea of what problems they can ask you. Time yourself.
Review the types of errors you make and types of questions that cause you difficulty. Give yourself more practice in these areas of difficulty.
If possible, have a friend or family member quiz you on your notes and text information. Done regularly this commits more information to long-term memory.

So it's 10 pm on the night before your morning test. What should you do?

Go through class notes quickly to get a grasp of things, read the book to clarify if needed. (1-2 hours)
Go over all Problem Sets: read the solutions/do over the harder problems. (1-2 hours)
Do as many practice tests as you can to get an idea of what you'll be facing. (2 hours)
And if you're allowed to bring a cheat sheet(s) for your test, compile it quickly, writing only the most necessary information. Now would be a good time to ask a friend about what they wrote on their cheat sheet. (1 hour)