| Doing well on the NYS Biology Regents Exam | | | | Questions based on diagrams that require your |
| requires memorization. But, most people find | | | | memorization of facts that frequently appear on the |
| memorization tedious and difficult. Additionally, | | | | Exam include the structure of animal cells, the |
| memorization can actually confuse you. If you assign | | | | structure of plant cells, asexual reproduction by |
| equal importance to every fact in the Regents | | | | budding, human male & female reproductive |
| Review Book, the sheer volume of data will drown | | | | systems, the organization of organisms into cells and |
| out key facts and areas that you should concentrate | | | | tissues. |
| on. The critical question in planning your preparation is: | | | | Favorite Regents topics for questions based on |
| How do you decide what to focus on? Fortunately, | | | | diagrams based on your understanding of processes |
| the Regents gives you direction in the form of past | | | | include photosynthesis, respiration, DNA replication, |
| Regents Exams. A number of questions and subject | | | | the "lock and key" model of receptor-hormone |
| areas tend to frequently repeat. Of course, the | | | | synthesis, energy pyramids, food webs, fertilization |
| precise question may vary slightly from one year to | | | | at the cellular level, and osmosis. |
| another. The key is to master the subject area and | | | | A careful reading of the material in these areas |
| to familiarize yourself with the style of the question. | | | | followed by familiarization with questions the Regents |
| Additionally, you can focus your preparation even | | | | has asked in the past with special attention to the |
| more precisely because the questions on the Exam | | | | diagrams the Exam has utilized, will maximize your |
| can be divided into several basic formats and | | | | chance to perform well on the Exam. Instead of |
| questions which repeat, usually do so in the same | | | | walking into a testing situation where you have little |
| format. Below are two formats in which questions | | | | ability to predict what will be asked, you will open an |
| are frequently repeated:o Questions based on | | | | Exam in which you recognize a number of questions |
| diagrams that call, either on your knowledge of facts | | | | together with their accompanying diagrams. If you |
| or processes. Of the 75 questions on the Regents | | | | have prepared in this manner, not only will you get |
| exam, every year, about 15 are based on an | | | | these questions correct, but you will gain confidence |
| accompanying diagram.o Questions accompanied by a | | | | in approaching the rest of the Exam, knowing that |
| chart. Every year, about 10 questions are based on | | | | your preparation for the Exam has been the correct |
| any accompanying chart. | | | | one. |