OCR AS Biology Student Book and Exam Cafe CD-ROM Paperback – Illustrated, 21 Feb. 2008

This book is based for the OCR Biology AS exams, if you are on that board and doing the exams this book is all you will ever need (plus a little lecturer tuition). The book is simple to read well laid out, has great looking pictures (real and simulated) and also has some great tips in the CD for anyone looking to push through the A/A* barrier and struggling.There are a few mistakes in this book as there often are but since this is the first edition and has only been running for three years it really is tops. The mistakes don't make a massive problem for students rather than making some simpler topics a little more ambiguous than they really are (nothing too much to worry about since any lecturer worth his/her salt should be able to right it again for you).This book was my bible for Biology when I did my AS-Levels two years ago. The only reason I bought this book this time was because I sold the ones I had to my cousin since he was starting his A-Level Biology course as I finished mine, but after several months of not having this book at my disposal for checking certain facts I missed it enough to fork out for the AS and A2 books a second time despite the overall loss I made. I am very glad that I did since it has rekindled some of the happiest times in my education, cutting up lung in the labs and doing some tricky theory work in classes with my friends.If you are not on the OCR board or are looking for some reading to do to jump start a lost education, I would say there are better books for the job. This book is very select in that it is for A-Levels and I'm sorry for anyone doing A-Levels now but this book doesn't break any records in terms of cutting edge science. I always felt A-Levels are like GCSEs on steroids, there is more to A-Levels but there is nothing there that is really really top end. Then again the only level of education you think is the best is the one you are on in the moment (degrees look harder than A-Levels because they are and A-Levels will look like a walk in the park after a masters degree in Biology is in your hand, right?). So if you are looking to push your knowledge of backtrack through your past then it is your choice, but for any OCR Biology AS Student this book is a 100% must.

Great revision

This is really an outstanding A-Level text. Points from the specification head every page so you can see what is absolutely vital to learn. Also, the whole book is very colourful and filled with pictures which makes revising more interesting than it can be. I find everything well explained and all key definitions appear in little boxes on the side of the page. If you want a book that explains everything very clearly and that keeps everything interesting this is the book for you!

Content seems fine. Not a grammar nazi, so no faults here.However, some binding issue has left a page half an inch wider than the rest. A Person unknown had crudely folded the edge inwards. Not really a problem, except for when i'm going to re-sell it.Would I recommend it? Yes!

Unlike with my other subjects (geo and chem in particular) I found that this one text book was all I needed get through the year, it contains every thing you need;mind maps diagrams exam questions etc.. the CD also contains lots of useful advise and revision resources which where vital in my exam preparation! I definitely recommend this book for all ocr AS biology students

The book is so detailed, it is written exactly to the specification. There are lots of accurate key definitions clearly mentioned on the side of each page and also in the glossary which makes life so much easier.I'd recommend this product to everyone who is studying AS Biology (OCR)

This book has been written by the chief examiner and keeps very close to the specimen topics, at the start of each page (or spread as the book calls it) there are several specimen points that that particular page is going to cover. I have to say there is some really good information in it however there are some areas that are extremely confusing (owed to the fact that it has been very poorly written and in an illogical manner). On balance however it is a good book to aid you in your knowledge. There are practice question that are useful for revision (although some not relevent to the specimen).To sum up,The good points:- written by the chief examiner- keeps closely to the specimen with some really goo contentThe bad points:- sometimes very hard to understand- written in a confusing manner and not consistently explaining points- layout is sometimes illogical and confusing

I highly reccomend this book. It contains vital information covered by the course. I have found it extremely useful for both completing homework, as well as to use as revision material for exams. It is great for catching up on notes. You get a lot for your money, 5 stars! :)