Like all A-level subjects, biology has its own subject-specific terminology. It includes terms with precise meanings that may be different from their meaning in everyday speech. For example, in molecular biology the meaning of the word probe is different from the standard meaning of a blunt-ended surgical instrument. To be successful, you must learn these terms, be able to recall them and be able to use them correctly to answer free-response questions.
Box 1 shows two types of question that test simple recall of terminology (a test of assessment objective 1 or AO1). Question 1 asks for a definition of a given term. Question 2 gives a definition and asks for the term to which the definition applies. Questions like these always have a low mark tariff. They are often placed at the start of a longer structured question, providing an uncomplicated guide to help students identify the topic area that the rest of the question covers.
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