Essay writing tips

Laura Armstrong & Joe Wolfensohn

Teachers

Laura Armstrong Joe Wolfensohn

Topic Explainer Video 1

Topic Explainer Video 2

If you want another explainer of @LauraDoesBiology, check out this video from essay writing tips and once you've gone through the whole note, try out the practice questions!

Topic Explainer Video 3

If you want another explainer of @LauraDoesBiology, check out this video from essay writing tips and once you've gone through the whole note, try out the practice questions!

Essay writing tips

  • Spend 5- 10 minutes planning the essay.
  • Spend around 40 minutes writing the essay.
  • Write about 4-5 different topics (from different parts of the specification). Examiners say a minimum of 4 topics are required but try to do 5 topics!
  • Link each topic to the title/ theme of the essay.
  • Examiners are looking for in depth explanations- your explanations must demonstrate 2 years of A-level studies and not be simply GCSE explanations.
  • An introduction is not required- you’ll end up just repeating the question and wasting time!
  • A conclusion is not required- examiners are not looking for your judgement on a topic!
  • Any diagrams will only get marks if they are heavily annotated and relevant. Drawings alone are a waste of time.
  • This is a biology essay and not an English essay, so spelling, punctuation and grammar are not a big concern UNLESS they impact on the examiners ability to understand your writing OR you spell important scientific terms incorrectly.
  • Irrelevant material- not linked to the theme of the essay will lose you marks.
  • Significant biological errors (incorrect biology!) will lose you marks.
  • Material from beyond the specification must be included and relevant to get 24 or 25 marks

Aiming for 21-25 marks?

Examiners say…

  • Response shows a holistic approach to the question with a fully integrated answer which makes clear links between several different topics and the theme of the question.
  • Biology is detailed and comprehensive A-level content, uses appropriate terminology, and is very well written and always clearly explained.
  • No significant errors or irrelevant material.
  • For top marks in the band, the answer shows evidence of reading beyond specification requirements.

In simple terms…

  • Minimum of 4 topics from different parts of the spec. May be better to write about 5 topics.
  • Topics are linked to the theme of the question and are all relevant.
  • No significant errors or irrelevant material.
  • Biology is detailed and of A-level standard.

AQA A-level Biology Paper 3 Essay Titles (2016–2023)

2016

  • "The importance of movement in living organisms."
  • "The importance of proteins in the control of processes and responses in organisms."

2017

  • "The importance of ATP in living organisms."
  • "How bacteria can affect the lives of humans and other organisms."

2018

  • "The importance of specific shapes fitting together in cells and organisms."
  • "The importance to humans of the control of growth, reproduction, and development of organisms, including themselves."

2019

  • "The importance of nitrogen-containing substances in biological systems."
  • "The adaptations of organisms to their environments."

2020

  • Covid- no exams sat!

2021

  • "The importance of the movement of substances across cell membranes."
  • "The importance of responses to changes in the internal and external environment of an organism."

2022

  • "The importance of proteins and peptides in living organisms."
  • "The importance of the ability to respond to changes in the environment."

2023

  • "The importance of cycles in biology."
  • "The importance of enzymes in the control of biological processes."

2024

  • "Phosphorus-containing substances and their importance in biological systems."
  • "The mechanisms and importance of transport within organisms."

Remember, you have a choice of two titles.

Titles link across multiple topics, hopefully making it easy for you to choose relevant material and write in depth about topics you are more confident with.

What is the minimum number of relevant paragraphs AQA say you should write in your essay?

a) 6

b) 4

c) 5

d) 7

b) 4

What is the ideal amount of time to spend on your essay?

a) 45- 50 minutes

b) 50-55 minutes

c) 35-40 minutes

d) 1 hour

a) 45- 50 minutes

Should you write an introduction and a conclusion in your essay?

a) Yes, it is necessary to get high marks

b) Yes ideally, but only if I’ve got time

c) No, it’s a waste of time and not needed

c) No, it’s a waste of time and not needed

What is THE MOST important thing about the essay?

a) There are no spelling mistakes

b) Each paragraph links to the next paragraph

c) Each paragraph links to the question title

d) There is no irrelevant material included

c) Each paragraph links to the question title

Should I do a plan before writing the essay?

a) No, it wastes time that I could use for writing the actual essay

b) Yes, it should take 10-15 minutes

c) No, it will not get any extra marks

d) Yes, but it should only take 5 minutes

d) Yes, but it should only take 5 minutes

Essay Question Preparation