Find a quiet place to read, away from distractions such as the television, computer, video games and people. Turn off your phone so that you will be able to focus your attention on reading your biology notes and book.
Skim the chapter or assigned pages of biology readings. Look at all illustrations, read the captions and figure out what the chapter is about. Underline words you are familiar with that give you a greater understanding of the entire focus of the reading.
Read the entire chapter or assigned pages. Read very slowly so that you don't overlook the main ideas. Highlight words you are unfamiliar with, and look up the definitions in the glossary or a dictionary.
Write the key points of the reading in a notebook; this will help ensure that you completely understand the subject. Answer the study questions at the end of the chapter or lesson. If you can't answer the questions easily, read the biology material again.
Understand specialized biology words by making notecards. Use a biology dictionary to write the definitions, or find an online website such as Quizlet that has pre-made cards available. Group the cards together based on chapter or subject matter, such as cell part, animals or the body. Study the cards every day to become familiar with the vocabulary.
Ask a friend or family member to quiz you over the reading and vocabulary words. Use your notecards to learn the words. Explain what you learned in detail; this will help you remember the material. Draw pictures to help you visualize what you learned, if necessary.