TOK Essay Titles

The deadline to TOK essay submission is coming up very soon. For those who left it to the last minute (and we hope there are not that many of you), here's a reminder of the question titles once again:

1. Consider the extent to which knowledge issues in ethics are similar to those in at least one other area of knowledge.
2. How important are the opinions of experts in the search for knowledge?
3. “Doubt is the key to knowledge” (Persian Proverb). To what extent is this true in two areas of knowledge?
4. To what extent do we need evidence to support our beliefs in different areas of knowledge?
5. To what extent are the various areas of knowledge defined by their methodologies rather than their content?
6. “There are no absolute distinctions between what is true and what is false”. Discuss this claim.
7. How can we recognise when we have made progress in the search for knowledge? Consider two contrasting areas of knowledge.
8. “Art is a lie that brings us nearer to the truth” (Pablo Picasso). Evaluate this claim in relation to a specific art form (for example, visual arts, literature, theatre).
9. Discuss the roles of language and reason in history.
10. A model is a simplified representation of some aspect of the world. In what ways may models help or hinder the search for knowledge?

Your essay will be marked according to the assessment criteria. Remember to centre your essay on knowledge issues and, where appropriate, refer to other parts of your IB programme and to your experiences as a knower. Always justify your statements and provide relevant examples to illustrate your arguments. Pay attention to the implications of your arguments, and remember to consider what can be said against them. Include a word count and your list of references using the same citation method.

Examiners mark essays against the title as set, using the TOK essay criteria. Please make sure you are familiar with the criteria before starting your essay. Respond to the title exactly as given; do not alter it in any way. Your essay must be between 1200 and 1600 words in length. Remember also that your TOK presentation and essay must be submitted in the same language.


Good luck! (even though by now you don't deserve it) 


Are you struggling with your TOK studies? Just can't make head or tail of what TOK is all about? Worried sick about ever being able to write that essay or stand up in front of the whole group and do a presentation?

We are here to help all you IB students out there with your TOK essays and presentations and other related issues regarding your IB studies.


This is what this site is about, so feel free to make comments etc.

Note of clarification

This is the updated version of our Wordpress blog with the same name. We've chosen to move our site to blogger for many reasons, but as a note of gratitude to all those who follow our site, here is a sample TOK essay for you from the May 2011 list of questions. Enjoy!

Question 6: “There are no absolute distinctions between what is true and what is false’. Discuss this claim.

True and false are binary opposites, two notions that are constantly used to differentiate statements or theories that are believed to be correct from those that are incorrect. Their definitions already seem to suggest that there is a fundamental distinction between truth and falseness. Nonetheless, I plan to consider the implications of determining something as true or false, and whether distinctions between these two notions are objective or subjective. The differences between true and false in several areas of knowledge – natural sciences, ethics and history – will also be evaluated, taking into account the ways of knowing utilized. I intend to argue that there are no discernable absolute distinctions between what is true and what is false, because they are notions that are relative to a person.

In natural sciences, theories are investigated so that they can be deemed true or false. This is accomplished through the scientific method, which relies on experimenting and analyzing results. Since this is a structured process, a theory can be proven multiple times by different people to consolidate its validity. The use of sense perception in this case is quite reliable, as the experiment is repeated. Another important way of knowing applied is reasoning, through induction and deduction. Deduction involves applying general rules to a specific situation. On the other hand, induction involves moving from specific examples to a general rule; for example, in physics I completed an experiment during which I investigated the correlation between the height a ball bounced and the temperature the ball was at. Since everybody in the class got the same trend, we concluded that in general, the hotter a ball is, the higher it would bounce. Because this rule was proven by the entire class, it is difficult to argue that this is not an absolutely true theory, distinctive from a false theory, such as ‘the hotter a ball is, the lower it would bounce’. Therefore, it appears that in natural sciences, because an objective truth exists, there are absolute distinctions between what is true and what is false.

However, the flaws in the methodology of science must be noted. Many problems may occur as a result of using inductive reasoning. Twenty students in the same room using the same apparatus proved the aforementioned correlation between temperature and height reached; this is a very limited sample. Similarly, since it is impossible to test every possible situation, scientific theories are only true to some extent. Furthermore, confirmation bias may also influence people to ignore anomalies, as the desire to prove a theory may affect one’s rationality. The way of knowing used to collect data, sense perception, is also flawed. Though people must rely on their senses for everyday life in order to function, what each individual perceives may not be reality. Phenomenalists would argue that what we observe is an interpretation of the truth and never the truth itself. Hence, in terms of our own knowledge, we can never be certain about anything that we perceive. For example, my red is different from the red of a red-green colour blind person. In fact, there might not be an absolute colour at all, since how can we know if our perception is the same as another person’s? Hence, even if there are actually absolute distinctions, it is impossible to be sure if the distinctions we perceive are real or altered by our perception.

In history, the truth is determined through collecting myriad sources which prove that a certain event happened in a particular way. Thus, the absolute distinction between what is true and what is false appears to be obvious – what actually occurred is true and all other accounts are false. The methodology of history is very thorough, taking into account the reliability of sources and using a wide variety of evidence to support a theory. Hence, historical claims are generally viewed as accurate. Though some may argue that historical claims are vague since not every detail of an event can be determined, it is indeed difficult to assert that certain events occurred. For example, how can anyone say that nuclear bombs didn’t fall on Hiroshima and Nagasaki when there is radioactive residue in those areas, American and Japanese eye witnesses and written accounts of what happened? Additionally, the conditions that a historical argument must fulfill, such as those set out by C. Behan McCullagh, assures that it would be the most plausible hypothesis that fits in with the majority of sources, and is ‘implied less strongly’ than other possible hypotheses.

However, the logic used to determine how an event occurred is problematic as it can be influenced by one’s nationality or culture. A clear example of this is the recent debate over whether the Diaoyutai, or Sentaku, Islands belong to Taiwan or Japan. Whilst some would argue that there should be an absolute truth underlying the issue, I believe that both sides have valid reasons to believe that the islands belong to them. The Japanese government declared that the islands are intrinsically part of Japan, as the islands have been historically used by the Japanese. On the other hand, the Chinese government argues that when the Japanese signed the Potsdam Declaration, the ownership reverts back to Taiwan. Both are correct in their own ways, since the nations are simply interpreting events from different perspectives. Depending on the individual, and which side he or she supports, a viewpoint would be distinctively true; hence, in general there is no absolute truth. Moreover, even the conditions set out for historical reasoning are redundant, since it still allows a person to think that a claim is more plausible than another because of bias. Thus, the existence of absolute distinctions between true and false historical claims is questionable.

The concepts of truth and falsity are also present in ethics, as different ethical theories attempt to define when a statement regarding morality is true or false. The divine command theory states that God dictates morality; in other words, what God commands is good, and what he prohibits is bad. This is usually based on the teachings of the Bible, such as the Ten Commandments. Since God’s will is objective, there must thus be absolute distinctions between true statements and false statements regarding morality. Another ethical theory that can be considered is utilitarianism, in which happiness is the indicator of morality, aiming for the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people. Consider the statement ‘nuclear bombs are beneficial for the world’; this could be determined as true because the existence of nuclear weapons has been a factor that has prevented nations from raging war on each other. Since people are happy as there is stability, according to utilitarianism this would be a truthful statement. Again, there appears to be an absolute truth that is distinguished from falseness.

Divine command theory has been criticized heavily, and is opposed by the Euthyphro dilemma. Essentially, this dilemma is a question: ‘Are morally good acts willed by God because they are morally good, or are they morally good because they are willed by God?’. If the answer is the first part, then morality would be independent of God; since God is the creator of the Universe, surely he should be responsible for creating morality as well? Thus, the answer must be the second part. Yet, if the second part is the answer, does that mean if God commanded murder, it would be a morally righteous act? These questions are difficult, if not impossible, to answer, suggesting that divine command theory is flawed and cannot be used. Utilitarianism has similar problems: since happiness is an emotion, which is subjective, moral statements can only be deemed true or false by an individual. The opposite of the aforementioned statement, ‘nuclear bombs are not beneficial for the world’, can also be logically said to be true according to utilitarianism. I could argue that since there is a risk of accidental detonation, people’s lives are at risk. Hence, they are unhappy with the existence of nuclear bombs, which renders the statement true. If this is the case, utilitarianism does not provide an absolute truth, which means that there are no absolute distinctions either.

In order to be functional, anything that has sufficient evidence to prove it correct is deemed true, and is distinguished from false notions. This occurs in the natural science, as scientific theories are proven to be true through extensive experimentation. Although this suggests that there should be absolute distinctions between what is true and what is false, the flaws in sense perception and reasoning reflect the limited accuracy of scientific theories. On the other hand, historical claims, especially statements simply declaring that an event had happened, are much harder to debunk. Yet, the validity of such claims is also questionable because of the effect of emotion, such as bias, on logic. Finally, though divine command theory and utilitarianism seem to be objective in determining what moral statements are truths, true and false in ethics is actually dependent on subjective judgment. I believe that though an individual may perceive there to be absolute distinctions between what is true and what is false, these distinctions cannot be translated into reality. 

Thanks for following this site once again!

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EXAM TIME

During the Exam





Taking the exam:

• Once you have taken all the materials you need out of your bag, you have received your exam paper, put your name on it, read over it quickly and planned your time (as explained on the previous page), you are ready to start!


• Pick up your pen and jump ahead to all the questions that you know the answers to right away - the ones you find easy and the ones you can answer quickly. If you hesitate on a question, skip ahead to find another one you can answer quickly. Then when all the easy questions are answered, go back and try to answer the ones you hesitated on.


• If you are answering on a separate sheet, be sure to mark the number of the question clearly on your answer sheet.



• Read the questions carefully.  Only answer what the question is asking for.  Do not waste your time writing superfluous information.


• Make sure you answer all the parts of all the questions.  Some questions will have several sub-questions in them.


• Be sure to write your text in ink but any drawing, tables or graphs must be done in pencil.

Behavior during the exam:

• No talking. You may not ask any questions, you may not talk to your classmates or to the teacher at any time once the exam begins.  Do not even ask what time it is (that's why you are supposed to bring a watch!)  There is no communication of any kind during the exam. The only things you can raise your hand for are 1) to ask for more paper or 2) to go to the toilet (but this is only granted exceptionally).


• No passing papers, pencils, erasers, calculators or anything between students.  You must come prepared.  If you forgot something, you may not have people passing things to you during the exam.  The only time you may borrow something is before the exam begins.  Whatever you borrowed, give it back only at the end when you are being dismissed.



• Keep your eyes on your own paper. Even if you are not cheating but simply "checking" what your neighbor is doing, your paper can be confiscated.  If there is reason to believe that you were getting answers from your neighbor, the maximum sanction is a zero for the exam and an avertissement for cheating.

Q:  Who is at fault in this picture?
A:  Both students are doing something wrong:  he's looking at
her paper and she's not hiding her answers.



Completing and handing in the exam:

• When you are done, proof read your exam.  Take the time to read over what you have written.  Try to imagine that you are the teacher reading it.  Is it easy to read?  Do the sentences and paragraphs make sense?  Are all the questions answered completely?  If you planned your time correctly, you should have time to do this at the end.  It should not take any more than 5 or 7 minutes.


• Before you hand in your paper, make sure your name is on it.  If there are several pages, number them and put your name on all of them just in case they get separated.


• Good students walk a way with a pretty good impression of how they did.  You should know your limits, your strong points and the things you need to work on.  When you get the grade back, it should not be a big surprise.

This student did not know
his strengths and weaknesses.
To summarize: come prepared (mentally, physically and material-wise), plan your time, take good care of your body and your brain, express yourself clearly, work independently, proof read your work and, in general, do the best you can!  Good luck! If you put your mind to it, you can do it!

//

The last few minutes before you enter

In the Last Few Minutes Before the Exam:



When you sit down for the exam:

• Being good at taking an exam is a real art. You have to master your knowledge of the subject, your ability to express yourself clearly and your mental anxiety all in the restricted time frame you are given. It is something which takes practice.


• Before you receive the exam paper, sit down and take out anything you might need for the exam. It will be difficult to convince the teacher later that you need to open your bag in the middle of the exam to get your ruler or calculator or pencil.



• Put your bag at the front of the room.  You will not have access to it during the exam.

When you receive the exam paper:

• Put your name on it but then put down your pen for the first 5 minutes.


• Carefully read the instructions for each part of the exam.


• Quickly read over the entire exam from start to finish so you have an idea of what the questions are asking and you know what to expect.

Plan your time. Look at the parts of the exam which you will probably spend the most time on (essays or maps or graphs) and figure out how many minutes you will spend making an outline or rough draft and then how much time you will spend actually doing the final copy.

 

The day before each exam

Several weeks before the exams...

Don't relax and bury your head under a pile of sand thinking that its still in the distant future; this is the time to start getting organised!



Get organized:

 

1. Organize your TIME - look at your weekly time table.  Planning your time now will reduce stress in the future.  Look at the number of hours of homework you do each day (6 days a week - leave one day to relax!).  Make a new schedule just for revision.
   
   
   
   • To start with, add 1 hour per evening just for exam revision.  This hour is in addition to the normal homework you do.  Pick a subject which you will study for that hour that day.  For example Monday - Math, Tuesday - History, etc.
   
   
   • A week or two before the exam, increase it to 2 hours of revision each day.
   
   
   • DO NOT plan to study all weekend or during vacation time.  Neurobiological experiments show that the human brain does not work like that.  The brain works better (and you feel less stressed) if you study information a little bit at a time over several weeks rather than asking your brain to 'cram' information in during marathon study sessions a few days before the exam.  It's like not eating anything for 3 weeks and then suddenly eating 30 kilos of food in one day!   Your stomach, like your brain, likes things in reasonable quantities.
   
   
   • Where will you find the time?  The revision hours will probably have to come out of hours you spend playing video games, watching TV, talking on the phone or going to the movies.  This having been said, though, planning your time means that you plan not only the time to work but also the time to have fun.  And when you are having fun you can really enjoy yourself knowing that you did the studying you said you would do and you don't have to worry about it!
   
   
   • Why not make up your schedule with a friend?  Pick the same hours and the same subjects for each night.  That will not only push you do stick to the schedule, it will also mean that if you have a question about history, you can call your friend knowing that s/he is studying the same thing.  Also plan to go out and have fun on the same night with that friend.  That way, one of you won't say "Let's go to the movies tonight!" while the other one says "Oh, sorry, I planned to study French tonight."
   
   
   
   


2. Organize your PAPERS - get your folders and notebooks in order.  Make sure they are complete.  Put the homework assignments, tests and quizzes, worksheets and notes together by chapter or topic.  If you realize the day before the exam that you missed a chapter of notes or you do not have a copy of your last homework to study from, it will be too late to ask the teacher or go find it in your locker.  Start now to avoid problems later.  When you are leaving school, look at the revision schedule you made to see which books or folders you need for that night's revision.

What to study:

Ask each of your teachers what you should study and write down what they say. Start asking several weeks in advance so that if you find something which you do not understand, you have time to ask the teacher about it.

Some teachers just say "study everything since the beginning of the year" or later in the year they might say "everything since the last exam."  If that is the case, make a list by yourself and show the teacher what he or she thinks.  There might be some things on the list the teacher will say, "spend more time on this part here" or "don't worry about this section - that's not important."  Or you could show the teacher your folder, notebook or textbook and flip through the pages asking which things had more importance.  Other things which could give you hints about what is important is to look back at the homework or quizzes and tests.  Were there certain themes which came up frequently?  Can you see a pattern?



How to study:

First of all, studying is a solitary act.  You must choose a place where you can concentrate and where you will not be interrupted by family, friends or pets.  There is no such thing as 'studying' with a friend.  Yes, you can work with a friend helping each other to explain things or you can quiz each other but revision or learning is not something you can do with someone else.

Only you have access to your brain, no one else can do the learning  for you.

What about techniques for learning?  There is no one method which is 'right' or 'wrong' because each person's brain works a little differently.  Some people are visual and need to see a diagram or a graph to understand ideas.  Other people are more number-oriented and things need to be logical in order to be clear.  Other people are better at remembering things which they hear rather than see.  Some people need to write something down before it really sinks into their memory.  Knowing which method is best for you means trying different techniques and seeing which one works best.

You need to find what works for you.  Here are some ideas:

• Flashcards help to remember both by writing and by seeing.  Just making them helps to get ideas into your brain.  Using them frequently helps you to remember.


• Outlines ("des fiches") - are a good way to summarize what you have been learning and helps you concentrate on only the most important bits of information.  Making them takes a long time but in the process of writing and thinking about what is important to write helps you to remember.


• Audio recordings - read your notes or chapters aloud into an audio recorder and then put on your headphones and listen.  This is a good way to study while walking to school, waiting for a bus or just giving your eyes a rest during those study sessions.  Don't spend all your time making the recordings and when you listen, really listen - don't daydream!


• Mnemonics - little "tricks" to help you remember things.  For example, in biology, "KingPhilip Came Over For Good Soup" is one way to remember the classification system ofKingdom, Phylum, Class, Order, Family, Genus and species. You can invent your own. For example, to remember numbers, you could associate each number with a letter A=1, B=2, C=3, etc.  Sometimes there are little rhymes to help you remember a date:  "In 1492, Columbus sailed the ocean blue."  Doctors often say that mnemonics were the only way to remember the hundreds of names of muscles, nerves and bones in anatomy class at medical school!

Whichever method you use, make sure that you stick to your list of what to study.  As you progress, check off what you have done and make sure you have planned enough hours to be able to study everything for that subject.

To find out if your studying is productive and useful, test yourself.  Cover up words and dates and names and see if you know them without looking.  Use flashcards to see if you know the information without turning each one over.  Ask a friend or family member to give you a quiz.  Make it fun.  Keep score for yourself.  When you get tired and nothing makes sense, take a 10 minute break - have a glass of milk - open the window and get some fresh air.  Look at your favorite cartoon book and have a good laugh - then get back to the studying.  All the hard work will pay off and you'll feel better about yourself.  Exam week will be over soon and you'll be able to relax again!

Don't Stress Out!

Exam time is often thought of as stress time.  The definition of stress is asking your body to do things above and beyond its normal capacities.  Stress can be good - pushing you to perform better and increasing your abilities.  Like the muscles in your body, sometimes your brain has to hurt a little to grow and become more powerful.  But stress can be managed.  The best way to manage stress is to get organized (that's why I put it first in this section).  Prepare your time so that you don't run into endless hours of worry and panic.  Plan your weeks so that you know when you will be studying hard and when you will be rollerblading or going to the movies. Another way to reduce stress is to make sure that your body is operating at 100% potential:

• Did you ever wonder why your parents made you eat your vegetables?  One reason is that they help reduce stress by helping your body to operate at optimum levels.  Take a look at the table below showing different ways of eating and of spending your time.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

  	Tired / stressed-out / poor results	Energetic / optimum performance
  Snacks	junk food: potato chips, chocolate bars	real food:  bananas, apples, carrots
  Free Time Activities	time wasters:  watching TV, surfing the web	energy-boosters:  rollerblading, walking the dog, laughing with a friend
  Habits	bad habits: smoking, alcohol, all-nighters (staying up all night)	good habits:  reasonable sleep patterns,  read the newspaper, drink lots of water

  
  


• It should be clear that if you want your brain to do its best, you have to treat it well.  Taking care of your body, too, means that the brain will focus better.


• Just as a mobile phone won't work unless you recharge the battery, you need to recharge your body by eating well, sleeping well and getting some exercise.  Stay away from the things that drain your batteries.


• Screen time (time in front of a TV, a video game or Internet) is fine for a little while - helping you to escape and relax after a busy day.  After more than about half an hour, though, these activities numb you into a state of total breakdown of creativity and interaction.  You become a zombie drained of motivation and inspiration.   Turn it off, get up, go for a walk, get some air.  Get your blood flowing and wake up your brain.  (Well, finish reading this page, first, then get up).


• Do you smoke?  Smoking introduces carbon monoxide into your blood.  This molecule takes the place of oxygen in your body.  As a result, your cells (including the ones which make your brain work) are literally gasping for air - they are suffocating.  Brain cells which are not getting enough oxygen cannot process information correctly.  Also, if all you can think about during the exam is when you are going to get out of there and be able to light up a cigarette, it is clear that your brain is wasting a lot of neurons on that thought rather than on thinking about the exam.  Personally, I never understood why people say "Cigarettes help me to relax," because the main active ingredient in them is nicotine, which is a stimulant, a type of drug which actually makes you more stressed-out and nervous.

Life is kind of like an exam.  Every day.  Those who have developed strong positive habits have rewarding, successful lives.  They never seem to run out of energy because they are constantly recharging their batteries.  And then there are those who always waited until the last minute to study.  They may still have those bad habits today in their adult lives - paying their bills after the deadlines - always running late - always stressed out.  Look around.  Do you know anyone in each of these categories?  Among your friends?  Your family?  Your teachers?

 

IB Science - Free response question strategies

Quality points are awarded for

Clarity of expression:

clearly written responses- the examiner can read the answer once and get the meaning.  It is not the handwriting that counts, it is the clarity of your answer and ideas.  Be sure to write a logical progression of ideas by  planning your answers so that you write in a clear logical order in each section.  Avoid jumping back and forth in sequences.  Drawings should not have label lines that cross, tables of comparison should be constructed with comparative feature is shown with each item to be compared.

full and complete attempts- all three sections are addressed and clearly indicated ie. 4a, 4b, 4c.  DO NOT MIX SECTIONS FROM DIFFERENT QUESTIONS!

Structure of answer:

logical linking of ideas within at least 2 sections of the question- this is usually seen in the higher point value sections, not in drawings or lists.  These links should be clear ideas, using additional material supporting your explanations or  discussions so you really need to know the meaty details of the syllabus.

 

IB Science - Multiple choice questions

Multiple choice questions come up on practically every Group 4 IB subject - be it physics, chemistry, biology, ecosystems, sports sciences and so on....... Hence thats a lot of marks given as a gift - if you know the right techniques ;)!

Firstly, get familiar with the several types of questions:

Sequence type questions

Sequences are best addressed by reading down the first item in the sequence to eliminate the choices and then proceeding across the sequences until you have only one choice remaining.

For example:

What is the correct order of taxonomic categories from largest to smallest?

1. kingdom--> order--> class--> phylum --> species


2. species--> order--> phylum--> kingdom--> class


3. kingdom--> phylum--> class--> order--> species


4. species--> order--> class--> phylum--> kingdom

Now you have only to choose between the two.  Next look down the second item of the sequence to eliminate the false choice.

1. kingdom--> order--> class--> phylum --> species


2. 
   


3. kingdom--> phylum--> class--> order--> species


4. 
   

Finally you have the answer!

1. 
   


2. kingdom--> phylum--> class--> order--> species


3. 
   

Table type questions

Frequently, it is easier to read down one of the columns and eliminate the items that are not correct.

The questions usually are comparative of structures or functions.

Which of the following shows the correct features of arteries and veins?

artery vein a thick elastic wall thin inelastic wall b thin elastic wall thick inelastic wall c thin inelastic wall thick elastic wall d thick inelastic wall thin elastic wall
so if you read down you can eliminate: artery vein a thick elastic wall thin inelastic wall b thin elastic wall thick inelastic wall c
d and finally:
artery vein
a thick elastic wall thin inelastic wall

Genetics questions

Various type of genetic crosses, pedigrees will be shown here.  How to identify genotypes and inheritance patterns will be illustrated.

• Crosses


• Monohybrid ( single trait)


• Dihybrid (two traits)


• Non-Mendelian crosses


• Sex-linked


• blood types


• codominant- dihybrid


• Polygenic ( multiple genes)

Data based question strategies

See the more detailed post on data response questions.

Graphical presentation questions

See the more detailed post on how to interpret graphs.

I, II, III- type

These questions give you  a combination of three or four options.  The best way to attack is to eliminate the options (I, II, III, IV) you know (feel) are incorrect and then eliminate any answers with those options.  Be ready to accept all the options!

Which of the following are required for proper blood clotting?
I.       Release of thrombokinase from platelets and damaged tissues
II.     Damage to leucocytes
III.   Prothrombin in the plasma
IV.    Fibrinogen in the plasma
A. I only
B. III and IV only
C. I, III and IVonly
D. I, II, III and IV

Since leucocytes are not involved in blood clotting, this option is not required so any answer choice with II is wrong- eliminate D.

Since thrombokinase, prothrombin and fibrinogen are all needed, then C is correct answer.

Image interpretation

The IB will present diagrams, drawings and electronmicrographs in questions.  You will be asked to interpret the image for knowledge about specific details:

-- structure and function of organelles

-mitochondria

-- structure and function of  cells- acini, epithelial (microvilli)

-- prokaryotic vs eukaryotic cells

-- plant vs animal cells

You should be able to accurately measure and calculate the magnification or actual size given relevant information.

Other images to interpret:

-- organs or systems- structure and function

-- food chains, pyramids, cycles

-- metabolic pathways and processes

-- DNA profiles, karyotypes, pedigrees

 

IB Biology - Quick Study Tips

A brief glossary to trigger your memory

-A-

-ASE = enzymes (lactase acts on lactose, lipase acts on lipids)

Axons carry impulse Away from the cell body.

Arteries carry blood Away from the heart.

Active TransPort needs ATP,

Active transport goes  Against the grAdient

Alpha cells in pancreas produce glucAgon to increAse blood sugar levels

"Animals are made of cells" said T Schwann (swans are animals)

Anion is A Negative Ion

-B-

B lymphocytes clone to make plasma cells which make antiBodies against specific antigens


-C-

Cations - Ca is a + ion

Constriction by Circular muscles Contracting - in the arteries when in the Cold, in the iris when in the dark

C and G always have 3 (cytosine and guanine pair up with 3 H bonds in DNA and RNA)

-D-

Diffusion is always Down a concentration graDient

-G-

GA for Gene HbA, GAG in DNA sense strand, GAG in mRNA,  Glutamic Acid in Haemoglobin - for Sickle Cell anaemia.  (see STUV)

-Gen = creation of  (glycogen, fibrinongen, oestrogen)

GlucagON turns sugar ON (increase blood sugar levels by breaking down glycogen to glucose)

-H-

sHort day plants are inHibited by active Pfar-red


-I-



I D-  Insulin Dependent is Diabetes type I

I I- Insulin Immune causes Diabetes type II


-In = proteins (insulin, haemoglobin, pepsin)


INsulin makes glucose go IN to cells (liver and muscles to be stored as glycogen or to be used in respiration)-

Insulin made by Beta cells- (think IB!)

 

-L-

Ligaments hold bones to bones in joints- think about knee injuries

Lagging strand has 3 G's, is 3 prime to 5 prime strand,  has 3 DNA enzymes (DNA polymerase I and  III,  DNA ligase + RNA primase) and replicates DNA in fragments

-M-

Matrix in the Mitochondrion- (see S for stroma)

-O-

-ONE = steroid hormones (progesterone, oestrogen, testosterone)

-OSE = sugars (glucose, sucrose, amylose or starch, cellulose)

Oval window in ear is shaped like a stirrup

Oxygen is made early in phOtosynthesis- photolysis of water in early in LDR and is used late in respiratiOn- electron acceptor at end of electron transport chain

-P-

Photosynthate in the Phloem

Photosynthesis uses NADP/ NAPH+H         (not NAD / NADH+H)

Progesterone : Pro = in favour of , gester = pregnancy, -one = steroid hormone

-R-

Ringer - characteristics of living things (Reproduction, Irritibilty, Nutrition, Growth, Excretion, Respiration)

BohR shift- low pH curves shifts to the Right

-S-

SenSe strand is like the meSSage used to make the  the rubber stamp which is like the antisense strand that is replicated to make the SenSe strand which is the meSSage used to make the rubber stamp to make the meSSage......

STUV- for Sickle Cell anaemia

Gene Hb S, GTG in DNA sense strand, GUG in mRNA, Valine in         Haemoglobin S  (seeGA)

STroma in a chloroplaST- (see M for matrix)

-T-

Tendons hold muscles to bone- think Achilles tendon in ankle.

Transcripition of the anTisense strand of DNA

anTicodon is on t- RNA- same order as anTisense strand of DNA

-V-

Veins have Valves

-W-

WXYZ-

Water in the XYlem (sounds like Zylem)

-Y-

thYmine and cYtosine are pYrimidines (so is uracil)

-2-

2  genetically identical cells made by Mitosis (mi two  sis)  

-3-

3 H bonds between cytosine and guanine (3 rhymes with C and G)

3 g's in LAGGING strand, 3 DNA enzymes work on the 3 prime to 5 prime of lagging strand in  DNA replication making Okazaki fragments

-5-

5 prime to 3 prime direction for replication of new DNA strand and transcription of RNA andtranslation of mRNA to polypeptide.  This is because the 5 prime carbon ( 5 like fingers on your hand) of nucleotides has  phosphates  which bond to the 3 prime carbon of next nucleotide (3 like the 3 bumps on your elbow)

-23-

23 is haploid number of HUMAN gametes (sperm and ovum have one set of chromosomes)


-46-

46 is diploid number of HUMAN cells (somatic cells have two sets of chromsomes)- other organisms have different numbers of chromosomes

IB Biology - Data based question strategies

Data-based questions come up on Paper 2 and 3 all the time. Make sure you study the graph or information given at the start of the question.

Interpretation of graphs & Relationships

Being able to interpret graphs is a skill that you will need for the exams.

The first step is to identify the scales and axes, looking at the units.  Are the scales linear or log scales?    You must show the units in your answers.

After this, pay attention to the lines and relationship of the data:

Are the lines linear (straight?) what is the slope (gradient)?  Positive or negative?  Do the lines cross?  At what point?

Are the lines non-linear?  What is the relationship-  exponential, plateau, inverse, S cureve, hyperbolic, root function?

If you're finding difficulties in doing this, check out how to establish a relationship from a graph.

Sometimes the data does not show a simple relationship.  For example, here are a collection of past paper data base questions.

Calculations

Be sure to give the units in your answers as shown in the graphs and tables.  This may seem complicated but just copy everything after the "/" on the axes or in the heading of tables.  You will lose 1 mark for omitting the units! No reason to throw away a mark when PhewStressit is given to you!

Group 4 Project

Regarding some questions about how the Group 4 Project is assessed, here are some details about what teachers/ supervisors are looking for, and a copy of the assessment criteria.

Assessment.

The Group 4 Project assesses the 'Personal Skills' criterion only. You cannot use it for any other assessment. 6 marks are available in total as shown in the table.

• You and your teams will be observed throughout the project by at least one member of staff.


• They will be making notes about how well you apply the three aspects below.


• You will be interviewed at some point during the project about how you have addressed each aspect, be prepared.


• They will expect to see evidence of these aspects being covered in the exposition.


• Every member of the team will be expected to contribute to the exposition's preparation and delivery.

Your Group 4 Project team will be watched by a supervisor throughout the project who makes judgments about your personal skills (great..). You will all be formally interviewed as a team at some point during the two days. Be prepared for this. They expect to see real evidence of the following things:

• Approaches the project with self-motivation and follows it through to completion.


• Collaborates and communicates in a group situation and integrates the views of others.


• Shows a thorough awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses and gives thoughtful consideration to their learning experience.

A typical Group 4 Assessment Sheet is attached here. Note that the focus of the Group 4 Projects may vary from school to school, but the project fundamentally aims to just 'grade' you on how well you work in a team and tackle a problem independently.
These marks will be determined by the teacher and added to your IA marks for your group 4 subject.

Levels/marks	Aspect 1	Aspect 2	Aspect 3
	Self-motivation and perseverance	Working within a team	Self-reflection
Complete/2	Approaches the project with self-motivation and follows it through to completion.	Collaborates and communicates in a group situation and integrates the views of others.	Shows a thorough awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses and gives thoughtful consideration to their learning experience.
Partial/1	Completes the project but sometimes lacks self-motivation.	Exchanges some views but requires guidance to collaborate with others.	Shows limited awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses and gives some consideration to their learning experience.
Not at all/0	Lacks perseverance and motivation.	Makes little or no attempt to collaborate in a group situation.	Shows no awareness of their own strengths and weaknesses and gives no consideration to their learning experience.

Survival Tips for Freshers' week

Moving in and meeting new people

• It’s likely you’ll be pretty busy during your first week, so get there a few days early so you have time to unpack and settle into your new digs.

• Leave your door open while you unpack your stuff – this is a welcoming gesture and people are more likely to stop by and say hello.

• Get something to use as a doorstop to help with the above - a sign with your name on the door is also good, too.

• As soon as you have met one person, go around with them and knock on everyone else’s door in your block. Hopefully you will be less nervous in a pair and then you can meet quite a few people by going around together.

• Make up your bed as soon as you arrive – this means you can take a rest when you get tired of unpacking and introducing yourself to lots of people.

• Make your room more homey by putting up some posters on the walls.

• Bringing a tin of cakes, cookies or chocolate bars will attract people to knocking on your door instantly!

• Don’t be afraid to start up random conversations with people you just happen to be standing next to while waiting for something – that is how you make your new friends. Chances are, they're just as nervous as you and will welcome the chance to have a conversation without having to start it themselves!

• Get your computer set up so you can put some music on – people will hear it, and talking about favourite songs and bands is always an ice breaker!

• Smiling a lot will make you seem more approachable!

• Try not to worry if everyone isn’t as friendly as you are – it’s likely you won’t get on with everyone you live with. You’re bound to make lots of friends outside of halls so you don’t have to feel like a social outcast!

• Try to go to as many social events as possible. It may be a little tiring, and you're unlikely to remember everyone later, but the more people you meet now, the more you will bump into other people you will recognise and can chat with later on.

• Don't stop talking to random people after freshers' week - keep it up and that way you will carry on meeting new people. As people settle in to the university, they will become more relaxed and not so concerned about keeping up their 'friend-making' behaviour.

Finding out more about your university

• Many universities publish Freshers' Week schedules on their websites or on the Students' Union website. Finding out what’s happening in advance might give you a heads up on what you’ll need for partying the night away!

Socialising

• Make sure you take some cash with you when you first go to the bar - there may not be a cash point nearby.

• Save a few taxi company numbers to your mobile, in case you have no other way of getting back to campus.

• Going out is always a daunting experience for a fresher, as it’s the first time you’ll be going out with different people and meeting more new ones. Hopefully you’ll feel more comfortable once you’ve been out to the bar a few times, and downing a few drinks is certain to help the situation!

• Students in their 2nd and 3rd years will be able to help popint you in the right direction of the best places to hang out. They are also usually the people who are selling tickets for the evening events.

• You will be able to find out about events at your Student Union or you may be able to sign up for email alerts about what's happening around the university.

• Get your tickets early for popular events, as they will sell out quickly and you don’t want to be disappointed!

• For the girls – it’s a good idea to take a pair flat shoes with you whenever you go out. If your high heels start killing your feet (or you are too drunk to walk properly in them!), you will be glad of them.

• If you're off to London, or your Uni is in London, make sure you've got enough credit on your Oyster card before you set off. You don’t want to be queuing for ages at the machine during your night out!

Budgeting

• Don’t sign up for everything at the Freshers’ Fair if they want you to pay up straight away. Put your name down, but think about it first before making any payment.

• Draw up a budget for Freshers’ week. A lot of new students spend too much on alcohol, which means they don't have much cash left over for other activities or for further on in the year. You will find planning ahead will help you in the long term!

• Put on an extra layer of clothes or two during cold days and nights, so you don't need to crank the heating up too high. A hot water bottle is a worthy investment!

Food

• Club together with your roommates so you can buy in staple food such as rice, pasta and noodles in bulk or large quantities at least.

• It’s also worth buying a selection of store cupboard essentials like salt, pepper, herbs, spices, cuppa soups, and other dried foods you use on a regular basis.

• Try to keep some tins of beans, tomatoes, soup and similar foods in case you run out of everything else.

• Eating together as a group can be useful too. For example, if you have a curry or pizza evening, and take turns with your roommates to host it. This means you can rely on at least one of your friends providing dinner at some point during the week!

• During the winter months, you can take it in turns to spend the evening in each others rooms so that you're not heating rooms for just one or two people. You can take turns to have a TV or movie evening in. Even if it’s only once or twice a week and you keep a rota for it, the savings on food and fuel could be quite big.

• Cook more than you need and freeze some for another day – this saves on the fuel you use for cooking.

• Invest in a decent set of sauce pans – cheap ones will only last you so long!

• If your home is quite close to your university, and you're worried about your standard of cooking, you could ask your parents nicely to cook something, then store it in a suitable container(s) and freeze back at uni. You can then defrost it when you feel you need a decent, wholesome meal!

• Doing your grocery shopping online will help you save both time and money. You are more likely to just buy what you need and are subsequently less likely to buy every item or special offer that catches your eye. The delivery cost is usually quite reasonable these days, and you can always order with another roommate if you are concerned about the cost. You’ll be surprised at the amount of money you will save. Shopping online also means you don’t have to cart heavy shopping bags back from the supermarket!

Staying safe

• Always let people know where you are going and who with.

• Ask a friend call you at a certain time to check you're all right if you are out alone or with someone you don't know very well.

• Put at least one person on speed dial in case of emergencies.

• Never, ever leave your drinks unattended at any time.

• If you expect you might have a bit of a wild night, be sure to carry a condom or two 'just in case' anything happens – this applies to both boys and girls! You can get them for free from many health centres and Brook clinics.

• Register with a GP and dentist as soon as you can.

• Make sure to keep both your GP and dentist phone number handy so you can easily find it in case you become unwell or get toothache.

Don’t forget...

• Wear a pair of comfy shoes for the registration meetings, as it’s likely you will be queuing for quite a while.

• Remember to take things like pens and your diary with you to registration, as well as the Freshers' Fair if there is one - it'll help you to keep track of what you've signed up for, and you’ll be able to jot down email addresses, websites and any other useful information.

• Be prepared to queue all day in order give a piece of paper to someone and then get your photo taken!

• Always make sure you carry the correct paperwork and identification to all the registration events, and always make sure you are in the right queue – it will save you time later!

 

The Top 10 Skills That'll Get You a Job

With so many graduates now on the market, employers will look for evidence of skills and work experience which will make you stand out from the crowd. Start gathering them now, so you are ready to impress recruiters.

 

Graduate employers place a lot of emphasis on finding candidates with the right skills and competences for their organisations. Depending on the sector and profession you choose to work in, there could be very specific skills, abilities and knowledge needed to do the job. However, complementing these are general competences and behaviours that are essential for successful working. These are often overlooked by candidates, but they are the things recruitment professionals want to see evidence of.

1. Commercial awareness (or business acumen): This is about knowing how a business or industry works and what makes a company tick. Showing that you have an understanding of what the organisation wants to achieve through its products and services, and how it competes in its marketplace.


2. Communication: This covers verbal and written communication, and listening. It's about being clear, concise and focused; being able to tailor your message for the audience and listening to the views of others.


3. Teamwork: You'll need to prove that you're a team player but also have the ability to manage and delegate to others and take on responsibility. It's about building positive working relationships that help everyone to achieve postive goals and business objectives.


4. Negotiation and persuasion: This is about being able to put forward your way, but also being able to understand where the other person is coming from so that you can both get what you want or need and feel positive about it.


5. Problem solving: You need to display an ability to take a logical and analytical approach to solving problems and resolving issues. It's also good to show that you can approach problems from different angles.


6. Leadership: You may not be a manager straight away, but graduates need to show potential to motivate teams and other colleagues that may work for them. It's about assigning and delegating tasks well, setting deadlines and leading by good example.


7. Organisation: This is about showing that you can prioritise, work efficiently and productively, and manage your time well. It's also good to be able to show employers how you decide what is important to focus on and get done, and how you go about meeting deadlines.


8. Perseverance and motivation: Employers want people to have a bit of get-up-and-go. Working life presents many challenges and you need to show employers that you're the kind of person who will find a way through, even when the going gets tough... and stay cheerful-ish.


9. Ability to work under pressure: This is about keeping calm in a crisis and not becoming too overwhelmed or stressed.


10. Confidence: In the workplace you need to strike the balance of being confident in yourself but not arrogant, but also have confidence in your colleagues and the company you work for.

There are certain words which are key to catching an employer's interest. Mention them in your CV and at interviews and see how impressed they are with your business-speak (but don't go overboard or you'll sound daft).

• initiative


• dynamic


• teamplayer


• proactive


• self-motivated

You can also talk in terms of actions that you achieve through your skills by using good, strong verbs in applications and interviews:

• led


• achieved


• completed


• co-ordinated


• delegated


• delivered


• identified


• presented


• promoted


• reported


• resolved


• organised

• Make the most of university life and extra-curricular activities to develop your general skills.


• Plan early to get relevant work experience and voluntary work which will give you transferables that will make you work ready: have something lined up for each vacation, and get ready for formal placement and internship applications at the beginning of your second year.


• Religiously record the skills you gain and work experience activities you do so that you can pull out good examples on applications and in interviews.


• Network! Use family, friends and contacts to get work experience and to find out more about career areas that interest you.


• Visit your university's careers service: find out whether it runs any employability skills sessions; sign up for relevant courses and workshops; get help from a careers adviser to write a CV that really showcases your competences and abilities.


• Take advantage of careers fairs and employer presentations: talk direct to recruiters to find out what they look for.


• Always do your homework before applying for jobs. Employer research will help you identify the skills and competences a particular organisation places most emphasis on. In turn, you can tailor your application so that it stands out

 

IB in 6 points

As written on the homepage of IB, this is a quick summary of what IB is.

Summing up the IB in 6 points:

1. Every student studies 6 subjects: a first language, a second language, mathematics, a natural science, a human science and an elective which can (but doesn’t have to be) an arts/creative subject. 3 of these are done at Higher Level (equivilant to a full A-level in the UK), and 3 of them are done at Standard (equivilant to an AS level in the UK).


2. Each subject is scored out of 7 (but don’t estimate the effort and achievement of achieving this).


3. In addition, every student studies a course on Theory of Knowledge (TOK) and writes an extended essay (EE). Together, these can add 3 bonus points to your score.


4. Hence, the maxium possible score is is 45. (6 subjects at 7 points each, plus 3 bonus points from ToK/Extended Essay.) This is scored by 0.2% of the world. A typical Oxbridge offer is 40 points. The average score worldwide is 30 points.


5. ToK is a course of applied philosophy. It is designed to give students an insight into the problems of knowledge in their life, and some of the limitations of their ability to know something. The Extended Essay is a 4,000 word research essay, written over the two years of the course, on a subject chosen by the student. Both are compulsory. Failing either results in failing the diploma.


6. As a “counterbalance” to the academic rigour of the course, every student completes around 150 hours of community service, known as CAS (Community, Action, Service).

 

11 Ways of Making Quick Cash @ University

Ideas to help you seek out opportunities to earn money quickly, whether you need yo fund a cheap night out, or you're saving to fund a holiday, gap year or accommodation deposit.

With deposits for accommodation and travel costs for trips home in the holidays taking their toll on bank balances, many students end up strapped for cash at different points in the year.

Sure, summer jobs and internships can provide a solid source of income, but here are some options and ideas for earning some ready money, fast – and you'll add some extra work experience oomph to your CV at the same time.

Shop for jobs locally

First of all, check out your university jobshop. These invaluable resources are usually attached to the careers service (or sometimes, the Students' Union) and offer a whole host of temporary, ad hoc or part-time work, typically with local employers.

Most jobshops have a website where you can search for vacancies and they may also have a regular newsletter that you can sign up to, to keep you informed about the latest vacancies. Even if you’re not in the market for work now, find out where your university's jobshop is in case money gets tight in future. Also, although job vacancies advertised here would expect you to have very little work experience, its always helpful to brush up on job interview skills in case competition is stiff from other cash-strapped students.

Even if you’re not in the market for work now, find out where your university's jobshop is in case money gets tight in future.

If you have more time to spare and can make a regular commitment, check local pubs, clubs and shops for spare shifts. Nursing homes and residential centres are often in need of staff too, which is excellent experience for those looking to go into careers in social care or the healthcare professions.

Find work on campus - take part in research studies or help out with admin duties

Keep your eyes open as you wander around campus too. Notice boards in corridors can hide a whole host of job opportunities.

Psychology departments often look for human 'guinea pigs' to help test out theories and experiments. You might have to commit a bit of time and make a return visit or two but it's often easy money for little effort – particularly if you have a department that runs sleep experiments! Similarly, other science departments such as food or sports may be on the lookout for volunteers.

The admin department of your university could be a good bet. Jobs can come up at times when they’re stretched, involving tasks such as data entry, envelope filling and mailing out of prospectuses. The alumni association is also worth a try as they sometimes require current students to make calls to graduates to solicit donations to the university. These are great opportunities to develop your office admin and telephone skills, which are employer-friendly additions to your CV.

You could approach the Student Union. They may take on students to help with promoting events at the union, posting flyers and sticking up posters around campus. Sometimes these roles will be paid; at other times you’ll be offered free tickets, which, if you were planning to go along anyway, can save you a fair bit of cash.

Sell your knowledge and English skills: try tutoring

If your English skills are up to par, you could always offer your services proofreading essays for international students for a small fee. On a similar note, you could consider tutoring your degree subject to GCSE and A level students. This can also help you in revising and explaining the basics of your subject area: handy if exams are fast approaching, and also good for graduate jobs interviews where a good understanding of the fundamentals of your subject can go a long way.

Market research and sales

Participate in market research. You may come across the occasional opportunity on campus but the internet is the place to go to find opportunities. As with anything online, take some care to make sure it’s genuine. A quick internet search can prevent you from getting burned – there are plenty of forums and discussion boards where you can find out if the opportunity really is too good to be true.

For something longer term, you could always consider becoming a sales rep for a catalogue company, running ‘parties’ for Avon, Virgin Vie or even Ann Summers! However, these often require initial outlay and you should bear in mind that if you’re hard up it’s likely that your friends and peers will be too and they won’t fork out for your merchandise.

If you’re artistic or crafty you could always try selling your wares; either on campus (get permission first!), at local markets, or via online trading sites such as ebay or etsy.com. Check out our article on making money from the comfort of your home or tips for budding entrepreneurs. If you’re not so blessed with talent, flogging some of your unwanted possessions could be a good stop-gap measure.

15 Amazing Moments in Life;

Once in a while, you need a pick-me-up. Heres the perfect list to of little moments that pull on our heartstrings. Sometimes we don't know what we have til we've lost them.

1. Falling in love.
2. Laughing so hard your face hurts.
3. A hot shower.
4. No lines at the supermarket
5. A special glance.
6. Getting mail
7. Taking a drive on a pretty road.
8. Hearing your favorite song on the radio.
9. Lying in bed listening to the rain outside.
10. Hot towels fresh out of the dryer.
11. Chocolate milkshake.. (or vanilla or strawberry!)
12. A bubble bath.
13. Giggling.
14. A good conversation.
15. The beach.
16. Finding a 20 dollar bill in your coat from last winter.
17. Laughing at yourself.
19. Midnight phone calls that last for hours.
20. Running through sprinklers.
21. Laughing for absolutely no reason at all.
22. Having someone tell you that you're beautiful.
23. Laughing at an inside joke.
24. Friends.
25. Accidentally overhearing someone say something nice about you.
26. Waking up and realizing you still have a few hours left to sleep.
27. Your first kiss (either the very first or with a new partner).
28. Making new friends or spending time with old ones.
29. Playing with a new puppy.
30. Having someone play with your hair.
31. Sweet dreams.
32. Hot chocolate.
33. Road trips with friends.
34. Swinging on swings.
35. Making eye contact with a cute stranger.
36. Making chocolate chip cookies.
37. Having your friends send you homemade cookies.
38. Holding hands with someone you care about.
39. Running into an old friend and realizing that some things (good or bad) never change.
40. Feeling as though you finally belong somewhere.
41. Watching the ___ expression on someone's face as they open a much desired present from you.
42. Buying amazing clothes that you found on sale.
43. Watching the sunrise.
44. Getting out of bed every morning and being grateful for another beautiful day.
45. Unexpected moments that become your favourite memory.
46. Knowing that somebody misses you.
47. Getting a hug from someone you care about deeply.
48. Knowing you've done the right thing.
49. Deciding what you want to do with your life.
50. Meeting people that happen to change your life
51. Realizing that everything is going to be okay.



Between two realities.
You have two choices.

One: You go on with life. You take minor moments for granted, and you live out to old age in a long-verse of nonchalance.

Two: You acknowledge your existence is limited, and that you should do something great with it. Be brilliant. Mark yourself on the timeline.

Report: How would you use $5Million to improve your school?

Applying concepts from Business Studies to write a report on how to improve your school. This kind of application of theory to better some aspect of the world you live is a major goal for the IB (after all that's what CAS programmes and the Group Four project is targeted towards).

You have been allocated $5m to improve the quality of teaching and learning at your school: write a report on how you would invest the money

In less than 500, please identify specific areas in which funding would help better the school.

A way to improve the quality of teaching and learning at XXXX  could be to use investment into technology to improve interaction. Investment into clicker technology improves the interaction of teachers and students. Clicker systems are systems that give the student remotes that allow them to respond to questions projected onto the screen. It allows the teachers to ensure understanding of the topic, and if questions are answered wrongly then the concepts can be taught in more thorough detail to ensure all students understand. This can eliminate problems caused by large class sizes where teacher to student communication is limited and also human dynamics where some students are more proactive in answering questions than others. If certain questions are misunderstood then these problems can be identified and addressed. It also allows class quizzes to occur in a more environmentally friendly way where the marks are directly connected to a Microsoft excel mark book.

Smaller class sizes can maximize the attention given to each student, thereby allowing the student’s queries and problems to be properly addressed, which potentially improve the quality of learning. Perhaps this can be adapted into only classes of the upper years, for GCSE or for IB so that the students can address the problems properly before the public exams where quality can be checked. The money will be used for the administration costs and also the costs of implementing smaller class sizes. This is good because more attention given to students, therefore more opportunities of quality teaching and learning. Also there is improved quality assurance as quality can be consistently checked. Teaching can be tailored to a small number of students rather than a large group in ways that are beneficial to the specific students in the class to ensure better quality of learning. Better communication channels between teacher and student where problems can be communicated more efficiently.

The quality of learning can also be improved by using communication channels that students are familiar with. A prominent number of students at school use youtube, where discussion can take place on the youtube videos. It allows students to communicate on a less formal level, taking away the pressure in the classroom. Perhaps assigning tasks that allow the students to use videos to present their understanding could help ensure the quality of teaching but also ensure understanding of the content. The money can be invested in the training of teachers in methods that involve interaction over the internet, and these skills learnt can be implemented into the development of communication channels through youtube.

Word count: 424 :)

& just touched upon 3 different concepts - investment into technology, improving the quality of education/training (and hence the quality of human capital in school), and widening methods communication to include more of the student population. Yays.

A Parent's Guide to IB

A decision to do the IB is not one that should be taken lightly. A lot of people will have a variety of views on whether it is a good thing for your child. Ultimately, you have to make the decision with your child. You know more than any outside about what is best for your child, and whether the IB is suitable for them.

I firmly believe that the IB was right for me. I also believe that the IB has the potential to be a very good thing for a lot- but not every- 16-18 year old.  What I aim to do is to provide information about why you should consider the IB. I do not claim to know what is best for your child, but to give you some things that I think are worth considering.

• The IB offers breadth. More so than the current A-level system, the IB creates rounded and balanced academics.  Students are required to study a wide range of subjects (including a compulsory MFL and mathematics). The upshot is students who are more ‘knowledgable’  in the best sense of the word. There is an attendent disadvantage: that your score in one subject affects the overal diploma score.  If you score badly, in say, maths, your overal score will be lower. More on the mechanics of that here.


• Time. To do the IB well takes a lot of it.  The myths of IB students having no social life at all is a myth. Most of us are human, or were at one stage in our lives.  However, you are doing 7 subjects, some of which you don’t get to choose.  In order to get the very best marks, you will  be working a 60-70 hour week. (10 hours a day every day is about what I did during most of Year 2) CAS requirements also force a not-so-outgoing teen to get involved in at least one activity related to creativity, action and service. It is very hard, and do not underestimate just how much work is involved.


• Grade Inflation. This is the big plus of the IB when considered in the British system. There is none. The same percentage of people get full marks (45) today as they did when the IB started. Likewise, the mean score is always 30 points (+/- 1 point. You can be certain that the IB you do today is worth the same as the ones sat 30 years ago. I don’t have that faith in the A-levels.


• Uni Preparation. No other qualifcation at pre-University level makes doing a 4,000 wd essay and a course in ToK compulsory. This is precisely what universities love: it shows that you have some experience of writing university essays and makes you stand out from the crowd. Doing a CAS project might seem intimidating for your child at first, but the opportunity and experience of planning and organising an entire event/activity stands out for most universities that want pro-active and interesting student body.

 

 

IB: Business Management: Marketing Product (Unit 4.3~the product)

THE PRODUCT - notes

• A product is something that the company seeks to sell to satisfy customer needs and wants


• The product was ‘add value’ meaning that the value of the finishing product needs to be higher than when it first went into the factory, meaning that the company is actually able to make a profit from it


• There are different classifications for products:


• Fast moving- products that are necessary for daily use, like toilet paper and it is something that consumers need to buy. Something that is bought for a short period of time, meaning quick and rapid resales. Usually a large volume is sold with a low profit margin due to the low prices. There is small customer loyalty, and therefore a high elasticity of demand( consumers are more sensitive to price changes)


• Perishables- products that easily and quickly are out of use, for example flowers or food, that have a certain time period where the product is useful. They are usually priced very high during peak times like valentines day for flowers, however due to the temporary nature of the products, it means that it is therefore costly to get rid of excess stock.


• Durables- products that are used for a long period of time, like a phone or electronics in general. This means that there is usually a high profit margin due to the high prices, it takes up a large portion of the consumer’s income but it also means that they wont be buying very rapidly.


• Specialty- these products have a high profit margin due to their high prices, they are very exclusive products like the iPod for apple, these cannot be sold from any other brand meaning that they have a low elasticity of demand  and the consumers are less price sensitive. This is also applied to the Porsche and the Ferrari.


• Product range- This is all the range of products in the product mix of a company, meaning all the products that it sells.


• Product mix- The different types of products that your company offers, like a phone or television. It doesn’t necessarily mean specifically touch screen phone and non-touch screen phone, but just a phone.


• Product line- the different types of product within your product mix, like different sized television screens. They are essentially the same product(product mix) but they are different variations of the same product.


• New product design and development


• Must have market research to support design and development to ensure that what you produce is what the consumer wants reducing sales


• Product life cycle


• This is looking at the way a product behaves throughout time on the axis of sales revenue and time

• Research and development is the stage before introduction, and this is the stage where new products are being test marketed and tested before it is launched to minimize risk


• The research and development stage is very costly due to the high rejection rate of products and also the industrial espionage risk, as many car products are publicized during testing periods


• High investment with no return, very risky for business


• Introduction is the stage where the product is launched and pubicised to the general public, a lot of intense marketing is used here like launch campaigns, below the line promotion to enhance consumer awareness of the product


• Little growth and little market share and little profit due to the lack of consumer awareness to begin with


• Objective is to get to growth as quickly as possible as that is when they start making profit


• Growth is the stage where consumer attention has been yielded, and also sales revenue begins to increase quite rapidly


• There is still low market share as the product is still being noticed by the consumers


• Starts facing competition


• Many companies wish to stay in growth for as long as possible because of the fast growing market share and fast growing profits of the product


• More product differentiation occurs here, the product is distinguished amongst other products causing it to increase in sales


• Increase in distribution areas- place


• Maturity is the stage where the growth slows down, with a high market share but low growth quite equivalent to the cash cow on the boston matrix


• This is the stage where a lot of promotion and above the line promotion is used because of the high and intense level of competition, making it crucial for a distinguishing advertising campaign to work.


• Highly reliant on promotion to differentiate itself


• Products like coca cola and mars bar stay at this level for a long period of time


• High level of Economies of scale in terms of production and marketing


• Unsuccessful competitors then drop out


• Decline is when the product grows old, and many replacements appear, making it not worthwhile for the business to continue investing in that product


• For example cathode ray televisions have now been replaced by LCD screens in televisions


• Equivalent of the dog in the boston matrix


• Sales fall and prices decrease as there is no longer a demand for the product


• Extension strategies, are strategies that a company uses to prevent their product from entering the final stage of the product life cycle(decline) for example

-          Re-advertising, with a completely new image to provoke a different impression of the product, like Hello Kitty advertising towards teenage girls rather than young girls

-          Below the line promotion, like discounts and coupons to encourage sales in the short term and to stimulate consumer interest in the product

-          Creating new variations of the product, like a fun sized chocolate bar to arouse consumer interest and also to prevent the product from entering decline

-          Target towards different market segment, aim it towards a different set of people with a different marketing strategy to maximize sales to a larger group of people

-          Redesigning and repackaging, different types of packaging to change the image of the product

Branding

• Branding is referring to the identity that is usually given to a product to improve customer loyalty and brand recognition, it represents the product and the company in a shape or a word


• This is a key product differentiator, allows the product to be separated from others.


• Intangible asset in the way that it is not something that you can achieve just by buying it, it is something that is built over time


• Trademarks are legal rights to protect the brand, to allow the business to enjoy the benefits of a good and established brand

Brand development

• Build the awareness of the brand, which is crucial for a successful brand and successful product, because even if the product is good, it doesn’t mean that it will sell very much because of the lack of awareness and recognition of the brand


• This is a long term investment, and it is very expensive


• But to build a strong brand is the aim of every marketing department

Brand Loyalty

• Very important to business to encourage customer resales, and it ensures that consumers will buy from them rather than from a competitor, hence ensuring that their product is differentiated from that of another company’s because of the strong and established brand

Loyalty programs

• This is to encourage the loyalty of consumers, for example with the use of membership cards, or certain below the line promotion schemes that encourage buyers to buy from that certain brand, hence building a good brand recognition and brand loyalty

Why should firms develop a brand?

-          Reduces risk, so if they try to expand into different product markets, it means that there will be less risk as there is an increased brand recognition, which means that people will buy it because they recognize the brand. For example, Mars advancing into ice cream products, because of the well known and established brand of Mars, it means that consumers are more willing to try their new ice cream products due to their already established impressions of the mars bar.

-          Foster extension strategies, it means that the extension strategies of that successful brand is likely to work, for example by re-advertising a product with a different image or changing the product to appeal to different target markets, it is likely to be more successful because of the brand loyalty and brand recognition

-          Distribution advantages, it means that the business will not have to look especially for a distributor to sell the product, if the product is well known and it sells it means that all the distributors will be fighting for the most recognized products as they have a highest chance of selling. 

-          Competitive advantage, with a more successful brand it means that it can potentially generate a large volume of sales, this is due to the fact that consumers trust the product and are willing to spend money on it as they associate the quality of the product with the price

-          Premium pricing, the business or firm is able to use premium pricing and get away with it because their products are associated wth a higher quality, and because of the brand recognition and customer loyalty it usually entails that there will be a high elasticity of demand, and customers will be less sensitive to price changes if they are loyal to that brand

• Barriers to entry,it means that with a lot of well established brands in the industry it prevents any small business from wanting to establish themselves in that market. This is because of the high economies of scale for the businesses with big brands, for example Mcdonalds has a very high economies of scale due to it’s size, purchasing and also because of it’s well known brand, which makes it hard for a new unknown business to establish themselves. This is because of the relatively high startup costs, and also they cannot compete with the low prices of these successfully branded companies.


• Types of branding


• Family branding- many products under the same brand, like virgin has a wide variety or a wide product range all under the same brand name


• Company branding- meaning that the branding follows after the name of the company like adidas or nike, this is useful for marketing economies of scale


• Own brand- many retailers like park’n shop have their own brands, that are set at lower than the prices of the big brands. Appealing to consumers who are more price sensitive, and also this is possible due to the high purchasing economies of scale


• Product branding- under the same brand name like coca cola there can be many different individual brands. For example coca cola with sprite and fanta, these are all separate brands but under the same company, this may be used to allow consumers to not associate the products together by creating a different brand image for both. Also shown in Lexus in Toyota


• Manufacturer’s brand- this is branding that is from the company in itself, the company is responsible for manufacturing and selling. For example dell is able to directly sell to the customer.


• Branding in a global market: this makes it important for a business to have an established brand, which allows it to be easily recognizable across nations. For examples Mcdonalds has a very recognizable brand, which allows the consumer to recognize the brand


• Some brands are ‘glocalized’ meaning that they are adapted to certain areas to suit the demands of the local customer, for example a brand name that may seem suitable in one nation may not be the same in another, to cater for different target markets


• A globalized brand also allows the firm to have global marketing economies of scale, as one advertisement can be used worldwide, rather than repeatedly creating new ones for each brand name in each different nation


• It encourages customer loyalty

Product differentiation

• Companies need to differentiate their product in order to survive in the competitive market


• In terms of


• Design(also includes durability and quality)


• Appearance


• After sales service


• Loyalty programs


• Availability, abundance of their product in terms of distributors.

Benefits of differentiation

• More competitive advantage


• Increased customer loyalty and recognition of the brand as you are differentiated from other competitors


• Allows premium pricing, because your product is not something that other businesses can offer


• Distribution advantages, more people want to sell your product in their store

Boston Matrix

• A measure of market share against growth


• Used to analyze the product portfolio of a business and to assess whether they are worth investment or not


• Good to have a large range of products, this is because risk is spread, if your business is declining in one market but expanding in another it means that your business is at less risk as compared if you had a less diversified product range


• This is because different products do well in different economic climates, for example certain airlines under virgin will do well in economic recessions but not so well in other times.


• It is also good because it means that larger revenues can be generated due to the diversity of the products


• Boston matrix analyzes different products and assesses where they lie within the matrix and is used to judge whether or not a product is worth investment


• CASH COWS: are products that are in the maturity section of the product life cycle, they are the bread and butter of the company’s profits, and they generate a lot of sales revenue. High profits, low growth, high market share.


• STARS: Relative to the growth section, high growth, high market share but still need investment to go onto being cash cows


• QUESTION MARKS: They have a high growth but a low market share, this is a product that could be a dog or a star, it depends on the nature of the product and the availability of resources within the business, the fate of the question marks usually is the outcome of market research on the demand of such a product-requires a lot of investment


• Low revenues


• DOGS: lack of demand, equivalent of the decline stage of the product, there are many substitutes and they gradually become out of fashion and out of production. Low market share, low growth they are considered an opportunity cost as that money could be used elsewhere for example in training.


• However there are limitations to the Boston matrix as the boston matrix highly focuses on the sales revenue, when indeed a lot of sales revenue does not necessarily equate to a high profit because it depends on the management of costs within the business