QCE Biology: the course and the exam

Four topics across Units 3 and 4, and an external examination worth 50% of the subject result: two papers, each with 5 minutes perusal and 90 minutes working.

Weeks before your biology exam

Hours a week for biology

Unit 3 Topic 1: Biodiversity and populations

Unit 3 Topic 2: Functioning ecosystems and succession

Unit 4 Topic 1: Genetics and heredity

Unit 4 Topic 2: Continuity of life on Earth

26 weeks, 104 hours in all

Start with Unit 4 Topic 1

Genetics and heredity: 33.6 of your hours. It is 7 of the 20 questions on our timed multiple-choice checks, 35%.

Hours per topic
Topic	Your hours	Share of the checks
Unit 4 Topic 1: Genetics and heredity	33.6	35%
Unit 3 Topic 2: Functioning ecosystems and succession	28.8	30%
Unit 3 Topic 1: Biodiversity and populations	19.2	20%
Unit 4 Topic 2: Continuity of life on Earth	14.4	15%

Week by week

Week 1Unit 4 Topic 1: Genetics and heredity
Week 2Unit 4 Topic 1: Genetics and heredity
Week 3Unit 4 Topic 1: Genetics and heredity
Week 4Unit 4 Topic 1: Genetics and heredity
Week 5Unit 4 Topic 1: Genetics and heredity
Week 6Unit 4 Topic 1: Genetics and heredity
Week 7Unit 4 Topic 1: Genetics and heredity
Week 8Unit 4 Topic 1: Genetics and heredity
Week 9Unit 4 Topic 1: Genetics and heredity, Unit 3 Topic 2: Functioning ecosystems and succession
Week 10Unit 3 Topic 2: Functioning ecosystems and succession
Week 11Unit 3 Topic 2: Functioning ecosystems and succession
Week 12Unit 3 Topic 2: Functioning ecosystems and succession
Week 13Unit 3 Topic 2: Functioning ecosystems and succession
Week 14Unit 3 Topic 2: Functioning ecosystems and succession
Week 15Unit 3 Topic 2: Functioning ecosystems and succession
Week 16Unit 3 Topic 2: Functioning ecosystems and succession, Unit 3 Topic 1: Biodiversity and populations
Week 17Unit 3 Topic 1: Biodiversity and populations
Week 18Unit 3 Topic 1: Biodiversity and populations
Week 19Unit 3 Topic 1: Biodiversity and populations
Week 20Unit 3 Topic 1: Biodiversity and populations
Week 21Unit 3 Topic 1: Biodiversity and populations, Unit 4 Topic 2: Continuity of life on Earth
Week 22Unit 4 Topic 2: Continuity of life on Earth
Week 23Unit 4 Topic 2: Continuity of life on Earth
Week 24Unit 4 Topic 2: Continuity of life on Earth
Week 25A timed multiple-choice check and a set of short response questions, then review every lost mark
Week 26A timed multiple-choice check and a set of short response questions, then review every lost mark

Check your topics with the free test

External examination	50% of the subject result, on Units 3 and 4
Papers	Two, each 5 minutes perusal and 90 minutes working
Question types	Multiple choice, single words, sentences or paragraphs, calculations
Unseen stimulus	Graphs, tables or diagrams
Calculator	QCAA-approved graphics or scientific

The four topics

Unit 3 Topic 1 Biodiversity and populations and Unit 3 Topic 2 Functioning ecosystems and succession; Unit 4 Topic 1 Genetics and heredity and Unit 4 Topic 2 Continuity of life on Earth. The syllabus gives them 20, 25, 30 and 15 hours, and Units 1 and 2 are assumed knowledge.

The external examination

Two papers, each 5 minutes perusal and 90 minutes working, set and marked by the QCAA and sat by every school on the same day.
Each paper mixes question types on Units 3 and 4: multiple choice, single words, sentences or paragraphs, calculations, and unseen graphs, tables or diagrams.
A QCAA-approved graphics or scientific calculator is allowed.

The internal assessments

The other 50% is internal: a data test (10%), a student experiment (20%) and a research investigation (20%), set by your school.

Try 2 questions

Question 1

Order, family, genus and species name of four plants W, X, Y and Z
Plant	Order	Family	Genus	Species name
W	Myrtales	Myrtaceae	Eucalyptus	Eucalyptus longifolia
X	Fabales	Fabaceae	Acacia	Acacia longifolia
Y	Myrtales	Myrtaceae	Eucalyptus	Eucalyptus tereticornis
Z	Myrtales	Myrtaceae	Corymbia	Corymbia citriodora

The table shows part of the classification of four Australian plants. Based on the table, which two plants are most closely related?

Question 2

The histogram shows the heights of 99 Year 12 students at a Townsville school. Which type of inheritance does the shape of this distribution suggest for height?

Next step

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Questions people ask

What is in the external examination?

Units 3 and 4: biodiversity and populations, functioning ecosystems and succession, genetics and heredity, and the continuity of life on Earth.

Are Units 1 and 2 in the exam?

The exam is set on Units 3 and 4, and Units 1 and 2 are assumed knowledge, so cells, exchange, homeostasis and infectious disease can appear inside questions on Units 3 and 4.

Can I use a calculator?

Yes, a QCAA-approved graphics or scientific calculator in both papers. Calculations include population estimates, diversity indices, energy efficiencies and allele frequencies.