NOMINATING FOR THE NATIONAL QUALIFYING EXAMINATIONS (NQEs)

To sit the NQE, you must be nominated by your teacher. Most teachers in Australian Schools have received information about the NQEs. If your teacher doesn't know about the Science Olympiads, please show them this website and ask them to contact Australian Science Innovations.

Based on the results of the NQEs, around 20 students will be invited to become an ASO Scholar in each of the Australian Science Olympiad Programs in Biology, Chemistry and Physics.

If you become an ASO Scholar, you will undergo an accelerated program of learning with top university tutors and the ASO's own academic staff (including some of Australia's own medal-winning past science Olympians).

The focus of this training is an intensive Summer School held at Momash University during January. Students who qualify will be contacted around the end of October.

After the Summer School, students sit the Final Selection Exams in March - and compete for a place in the Australian Science Olympiad teams. The formal ASO Team announcement takes place in May/June, and the Australian Olympiad Teams compete overseas in the International Olympiads each July.

I am sure you are a budding biologist already and your knowledge of Biology goes beyond your normal school curriculum. You are probably already interested in the developments taking place in modern biological research - from molecular work on stem cells and genetic manipulation to global studies on ecology, conservation and evolution. Biology is the most exciting science of the 21st century, with promises of solutions to salination, disease and after all, that is why you want to try out for the Olympiad program this year. But wherever you are, you will want to prepare yourself as best you can for the NQE in Biology. Use resources you have at home and from school, textbooks and your teachers.

To help you prepare for the NQE this year, you could look at the ASI
Website where you can find past exam papers and suggested answers. There are some great websites to start your revision as well – try
http://www.s-cool.co.uk/topic_index.asp?subject_id=3 and
http://www.sciencepages.co.uk/keystage5/ASA2Biology/ASA2Biology.php for questions, animations and structured revision material.
http://serendip.brynmawr.edu/sci_edu/biosites.html hosts a range of different interactive modules and pages and http://www.biology.arizona.edu/ has traditional but college level pages of biology. In fact, if you google "interactive + biology" then you should come up with some great sites yourself.

As you look at the past papers, you will probably notice that the questions will be easy ... OK, tough depending on the school year and course you have been studying. The curriculum varies considerably across Australia, so we emphasise questions that test your thinking as well as your understanding of biology. To prepare for these 'thinking-type' questions, one of the best preparations is to flip through a science textbook until you come to a graph or diagram and see if you could explain the shape of the graph, or predict what the graph will be doing in if there is more data.

At the January summer school, we use Campbell's Biology, 6th edition and if you can look over this sort of book, it will give you some idea of the standard of the program. It isn't necessary to study this before the NQE - come with your love of biology, curiosity of natural phenomenon and readiness to think.

We hope you enjoy the preparation for this year's NQE and email if you have any questions.

Mary Oliver (Program Director)
mary.oliver@asi.edu.au

The NQEs measure your knowledge and comprehension and your ability to apply your knowledge to solve challenging problems. It may be quite different from any exam you have attempted before!

There is no pass or fail - you should aim to complete as much of the paper as you can. Results and selection are based on ranking, not on the number of marks you achieve.

Time allowed:

• 15 minutes to read the paper and complete the Cover Sheet and
• 120 minutes to complete all sections of the Examination.

Take careful note of the instructions on the exam paper, especially about the answer format, choices and advised timings.

The paper must be completed under strict examination conditions. You and your supervising teacher must sign the cover sheet before returning the exams to ASI.

• 2B Pencil
  
• Black or blue pens
• Scrap paper
• Writing paper for your answers (for Biology and Physics only - Chemistry have answer booklets provided)

The only aid for ANY of the NQEs is a non-programmable, non-graphical calculator.

On the examination cover sheet (and for Biology and Physics students, also on the multiple choice answer sheets), you will be asked for your name and your School ID Number.

Each School is given an ASO School ID Number for administrative purposes. Your teacher will provide you with the number at the time of the Examination.

All NQEs are marked by ASO staff. Everyone who takes up the challenge will be acknowledged with a certificate of achievement: High Distinction, Distinction, Credit or Participation awards will be sent to your school by the end of October.

The ASO program is supported by Merck Sharp & Dohme and the Department of Innovation, Industry, Science and Research. The ASO program also has the full support of professional science and education organisations in Australia.

Australia's medal winning Science Olympians all started by sitting an NQE. Regardless of your result, you will have attempted one of the most challenging examinations for secondary students in Australia.

We wish you the very best in the NQEs and for your future studies.