Otago HSFY chat - archive

[Deleted member 4350]

Thanks man!
And cheers for the advice everyone! im just going to make sure I understand every slide I guess.

How did your terms test for MICR go btw koochkooch? If you dont mind me asking.

MICR test was much better than expected. Here's hoping a 100% is coming my way (fingers crossed!).

Oh, advice for CELS Term's Test:

1. Synthesise the lecture audio and slides into one set of notes then memorise the HELL out of those notes. But remember not to only memorise, but (more importantly) to understand what is trying to be conveyed and to relate it to the 'bigger picture'.

2. As greenglacier pointed out, it's a good idea to have a look at the lecture objectives as the lecturers tend to write their questions based on these.

3. Only use the text book if you're still unable to understand a concept after listening to the audio, reading the slides AND asking someone.

4. Never, and I mean NEVER underestimate the difficulty of this test. The questions can be very tricky at times.

5. Do the past exam papers! Page 13 of the 2007 CELS Final exam was copy pasted in the 2009 Term's Test - it could potentially happen again!

6. Don't neglect the second module - you have NO idea how dodgy that genetics lecturer's questions can be. I remember a question last year about sweat glands in females being X-linked or something. It was a multi-choice question. Learn that concept if you know what I'm referring to

7. Again, as Dr. greenglacier rightly said, use the study questions! They give them to you for a reason: because the questions there are likely to be similar to your Term's test/Final exam questions!!

Questions/concepts I remember from last year:
-Electron Transport Chain
-Label a diagram of the nucleus
-Origins of life - Panspermia Theory and Terrestrial origins
-The 4 reasons why we believe chloroplasts/mitochondria came from somewhere else
-I remember writing the name of the carbonaceous chondrite (AL8001 or something...i forgot the name...but remember it!!)
-Properties of Ribozymes
-Microscopes (easy MCQ questions)
-Differences between mitochondria and chloroplasts
-4 main steps of forming cells (origin of self-replicating molecules was the last of the 4 steps...)
-Functions of proteins (not 100% sure if this one came up or not, but i vaguely remember something about it in the test...maybe i'm just hallucinating....either way LEARN IT!)
-Nuclear pore complex
-Euchromatin vs. Heterochromatin
-X-inactivation and barr bodies (hard questions...for me anyways - I remember I didn't understand this concept very well)

Good luck guys n gals! ^_^

 

[SASOL]

Great advice koochkooch. I agree about the genetics part, I neglected that because I found it pretty easy/didnt think much would be asked on it, then some dodgy questions were asked

 

[ChickenPie]

I thought you guys weren't supposed to be posting those sort of details.

And cripes, lecture audio... This is going to be interesting. One of those concepts i don't believe has been mentioned; ribozymes- i know what they are, but can't recall that word being used!

 

[SASOL]

I think lecture audio should be used for clarification, rather than learning new concepts mentioned in them that arent on the slides. Stick to the concepts on the slides and you should be right, use audio for further explanation of a concept

 

[Deleted member 4350]

Good points SASOL - use the audio for extra details of a concept on the slides.

I thought you guys weren't supposed to be posting those sort of details.

Really? =/ Gosh, what ever happened to freedom of speech. xD

Should I edit my post or what?

Edit: I doubt they will repeat the same questions anyway. I guarantee you at least 50 other people know this information from other 2nd years. Word spreads.

 

[greenglacier]

Yeah we probably shouldn't be telling you the questions. I remember the short answer section of that exam almost word-for-word, along with some of the MCQs, so I will at least say though that koochkooch has hit pretty close to the mark with what he has said. I don't mind confirming that question 4 in the short answer section was page 13 in the 2007 final exam with a couple of minor changes (and the total marks reduced to 6), because I reckon CELS are at fault for so blatantly repeating a question.

 

[SASOL]

Yeah all they say is dont listen to 2nd years etc, cos they talk crap. Seriously though we are just offering advice, no different to a tutor or lecturer really

 

[Deleted member 4350]

Agreed ^^

 

[greenglacier]

OK, so just reading back again, koochkooch and SASOL have rightly hinted that the genetics questions (NOT the inheritance questions - our mid-semester only had stuff from the first 4 lecturers) caught a few people out. I'm not going to reveal too much, but I think it'd help you first years if I go over a couple of places where I know people got caught out (I could be wrong, but I got 33/35 for the exam and I know for a fact that one of those 2 lost marks wasn't in genetics), so at least you are prepared for the type of thinking required, and so that you can guide your study accordingly.

The short answer question:

There was a diagram of two chromosomes of equal size joined together at several points. One question asked when such a structure would be seen (heaps of people put metaphase I - wrong), another asked in what tissue such a structure would be seen if it involved the human X chromosome (you won't get full marks here for writing "gonads" - consider why), another question asked the name of the structure and how many you would find per cell in a human male (this is where it gets a bit contentious - do you put 22 or 23? I'm still not 100% sure on this one).

The multiple choice questions:

The one that koochkooch has alluded to is

(Removed - probably shouldn't be posted here)

 

[I'mOnABoat]

We have such hard outs here. I feel inadequate.

 

[SASOL]

Ha same, I would still do shit in the CELS exam even now

 

[ChickenPie]

Bahaha, thanks for the tips greenglacier. I wasn't seriously considering lecture audio, it's an insanely inefficient use of time.

Concerning posting exam questions, I just remember you all editing them out last year. Seems odd to renege on that!

The sweat glands question was covered fully in the lecture, but the short answer given is a tough one!

 

[greenglacier]

Concerning posting exam questions, I just remember you all editing them out last year. Seems odd to renege on that!

Hmm... CELS is a bit of a different deal to HUBS - they don't have a policy of repeating questions, and although they sometimes do, they make all the past final exams (which are essentially equivalent to the mid-semesters) freely available so I dunno... Maybe I'll reconsider tomorrow.

 

[SASOL]

Lol GG being a doctor is about helping people out, that shouldnt exclude health scis

 

[greenglacier]

It's also about preserving the integrity of the profession by not undermining the admissions process

I dunno, this is a grey area, and one I'm still thinking about.

 

[ChickenPie]

Haha, we're not complaining!

You guys know a lot more than you think that is helpful... ie a few MCQs here and there can mean serious % points. Personally I'm not bothered either way because I've read this entire thread and I don't think, say, skyglow's help last year, was significant past the role of a mentor or tutor.

We all know that it really comes down to hard, smart work and UMAT.

 

[SASOL]

UMAT= death:lols:

 

[greenglacier]

UMAT= death:lols:

But don't get freaked out about it - you want to sit that exam with a clear mind. At Otago it's not worth as much as it's made out - SASOL managed to get in with 30th percentile (and he would have still gotten in through general non-rural entry).

 

[ChickenPie]

SASOL did have what sounds like a high average - I sure hope so anyway!

 

[SASOL]

mmhmm, just caused some unnecessary stress
When do you guys have chem and physics tests?