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IB Diploma Programme (DP) Biology help — done properly
IB Biology has 11 topics across SL (135 hours) and HL (240 hours). HL adds molecular biology, neurobiology, plant biology, and animal physiology depth. The Internal Assessment (IA) — an individual experimental investigation — is worth 20% of your final grade.
Exam format you'll actually sit
SL: 2 papers (1.5h + 2.25h, 75 marks total). HL: 3 papers (1.25h + 2.25h + 1.25h, 95 marks total). All papers include data-based questions + section A short + section B long.
Highest-yield topics (the ones that show up year after year)
- Cell biology: structure, transport, division
- Molecular biology: enzymes, DNA, transcription, translation
- Genetics: meiosis, inheritance, biotechnology
- Ecology: communities, ecosystems, climate change
- Evolution and biodiversity (HL adds plant + animal phylogeny)
- Human physiology (HL goes deeper on nervous, muscles, kidneys)
- HL only: nucleic acids, metabolism, plant biology, neurobiology
Drill these first. If you can't do every one of these cold, work through them with /explain or /problem-variants.
Common mistakes that quietly cost marks
- Command terms: 'state' (no explanation) vs 'explain' (causation needed) vs 'discuss' (multiple sides)
- IA: poor controlled variables documentation
- Confusing similar processes (active vs facilitated transport)
- Data-based questions: not reading the axes carefully
- Hardy-Weinberg: not checking conditions before using
When you mark your past papers, tag each lost mark to one of these. The pattern reveals where to focus.
Where to get real past papers
- IB Resource Hub via your school
- BioNinja (the gold-standard free IB Biology site)
- RevisionDojo IB Biology
Realistic study plan
Year 1: cover SL core. Year 2: HL extensions + start IA. From March of Year 2: past papers only. IA draft due in early Year 2.
How Help in Study fits into your prep
Step-by-step working
Snap any textbook problem — the AI works through every step in IB Diploma Programme (DP) style with full justification.
Try math solver →Board-style practice quizzes
MCQs, short-answer, and true/false generated from any topic above — auto-graded with explanations.
Generate a quiz →Have your answer marked
Paste an answer to a past-paper question — get feedback like a IB Diploma Programme (DP) examiner would give.
Mark my answer →Personalised study plan
10-question diagnostic → AI builds a 7-day plan focused on your weakest topics from the list above.
Take diagnostic →Ready to start?
Set up your profile once — every reply from then on is tuned to your IB Diploma Programme (DP) Biology syllabus.
Get started — it's free