Biologists need to be able to draw, but don’t confuse it with a colouring-in competition. If you look through the syllabus you will find many examples of assessment statements for draw, label or annotate, as well as others for which a diagram would be a great benefit.With limitations of time and using black pencil (no colours) in the exams, you will need to make them quick, clear and simple.

Draw the Core is a draft presentation for these syllabus items – for the Core content of the course only. This is a real work in progress and will be updated every now and then (when I get some free time). For now, you might find it useful. Later I plan to extend it for the AHL content too.

How could you use it in your revision?

• Flash up the command term slide and race to draw the diagram – then compare it with the next slide.
• Show up the diagrams and try to label them.
• Annotate the diagrams to explain or outline the processes in which they are involved.
• Think about ‘links across the curriculum’ for each of the diagrams.

You can find its permanent home on the Exam Skills page.The diagrams I have drawn in the presentation are Creative Commons, so use them if you will, but cite and link back to this site. Over time, I will add some of these to the Flickr page. I have used a simple USB graphics tablet for the diagrams and Powerpoint for the labels and annotations.

If you have a good, simple, home-made and clear diagram that you would like to donate to the presentation, please let me know in the comments.