Level 3 Biology
NCEA Exam: L3 Biology
2 papers to sit:
Paper 1: Animal and Plant Responses
Paper 2: Speciation and Evolution
Scholarship Exam: 2022
2 papers to sit:
Paper 1: Animal and Plant Responses
Paper 2: Speciation and Evolution
Scholarship Exam: 2022
NCEA Exam hints
AS9160: The focus of this achievement standard is on evolutionary patterns and processes that lead to speciation and not relationships between plants and animals.
Evolutionary relationships are likely to relate to co-evolution, divergence, convergence and natural selection. Answers should be based on evolutionary principles and the ability to analyse, evaluate, compare and contrast outcomes based on the information provided.
Allopatric and sympatric speciation
Reproductive isolation
Understand the concepts of genetic drift and gene flow, which by association includes founder effect and bottlenecks. Candidates should be using these concepts within their responses. Some candidates display a lack of basic geographical awareness of New Zealand and the South Pacific. As many New Zealand examples are used as resources in this achievement standard, it is advantageous to spend a small amount of time focusing on candidates' basic awareness of the geography of the area, especially for those who are less familiar with New Zealand.
- Know and understand the key concepts
- Quantity of answers takes away from quality: be succinct, plan you answers
- Candidates who wrote less but put their time into considering what the question asked for, and then planning their responses, achieved higher grades.
- Answer all the questions
- Answer all the bullet points
- Spot trends and patterns in data and information; quote data to support your answer
- Be prepared for questions that are set in a context. (Examples) – this may not be familiar to you, so use the resource material – there will be hints!!! Use general the concepts you know about
AS9160: The focus of this achievement standard is on evolutionary patterns and processes that lead to speciation and not relationships between plants and animals.
Evolutionary relationships are likely to relate to co-evolution, divergence, convergence and natural selection. Answers should be based on evolutionary principles and the ability to analyse, evaluate, compare and contrast outcomes based on the information provided.
Allopatric and sympatric speciation
Reproductive isolation
Understand the concepts of genetic drift and gene flow, which by association includes founder effect and bottlenecks. Candidates should be using these concepts within their responses. Some candidates display a lack of basic geographical awareness of New Zealand and the South Pacific. As many New Zealand examples are used as resources in this achievement standard, it is advantageous to spend a small amount of time focusing on candidates' basic awareness of the geography of the area, especially for those who are less familiar with New Zealand.