CSEC Biology study guide
CSEC Biology · Work through your exam, one topic at a time.
The Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate (CSEC) is a regional certification offered by the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC®). CSEC subjects are examined for certification at the General and Technical Proficiencies, and the qualification provides students with the foundation for further studies and entry to the workplace. Biology sits within the Mathematics and Science subject group and is examined at the General Proficiency. The examination is offered in January for re-sit and private candidates and in May/June for in-school candidates and private candidates, so both school candidates and private entrants can plan a sitting. CXC® offers 33 subjects in total, 28 at General Proficiency and 5 at Technical Proficiency, and Biology is one of the General Proficiency options. Assessment combines a School-Based Assessment (SBA) component with the external written examination; CXC® publishes SBA guidance, syllabuses and specimen papers, and offers CSEC® study guides for a range of subjects. Topics on this exam: Biology. The CSEC Biology study guide has 1 section and about 446 words.
01Biology
CSEC Biology rewards precise vocabulary and the ability to move between a diagram, a data table and a written explanation. The syllabus covers cells and transport, nutrition, respiration, excretion, coordination, reproduction, genetics, ecology and human impact. Paper 1 checks recall and quick interpretation; Paper 2 asks structured and extended answers; Paper 3 assesses practical skills such as drawing, food tests and experimental design. Cells: organelles and their functions; plant versus animal cells; specialised cells and surface area to volume ratio.
446 words, about 2 minMore study resources for CSEC Biology
- Practice questionsWhich organelle is the main site of ATP synthesis by oxidative phosphorylation in a eukaryotic cell?
- FlashcardsCell membrane. A partially permeable phospholipid bilayer surrounding the cell that controls the movement of substances into and out of the cell and contains proteins for transport and recognition.
- Cheat sheetCell theory: all living things are made of cells; the cell is the basic unit of structure and function; new cells arise from pre-existing cells by division.
- Key termsCell. The smallest unit of life that can carry out all the basic activities of living things.
- Study planMap the CSEC Biology syllabus sections against your current confidence, rating each section 1-5 in a written audit.
- Common mistakesThese three transport processes are learned together and share vocabulary (particles, concentration, membrane), so under time pressure candidates retrieve the shared description and stop as soon as the sentence sounds familiar instead of checking which distinguishing features the mark scheme rewards.
- Exam-day guidePrint or download the entry document sent by the examination body.