Free topical revision checklist for IB DP Biology SL & HL. Track confidence (1–5), last reviewed and next review. Detailed coverage aligned to 2026 IB DP expectations. Rate your confidence (1–5), track review dates, then export as CSV or print.
| Topic | Sub-topic | Resources | Confidence (1–5) | Last reviewed | Next review |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. Cells & molecular biology | Cell theory; prokaryotes vs eukaryotes | Topic resources | |||
| A. Cells & molecular biology | Organelles and their functions (incl. ultrastructure where needed) | Topic resources | |||
| A. Cells & molecular biology | Membrane structure (fluid mosaic) and transport (diffusion, osmosis, active transport) | Topic resources | |||
| A. Cells & molecular biology | Cell communication: receptors, signalling pathways (as taught) | Topic resources | |||
| A. Cells & molecular biology | Cell division: mitosis (and meiosis overview where relevant) | Topic resources | |||
| A. Cells & molecular biology | Biomolecules: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids | Topic resources | |||
| A. Cells & molecular biology | Enzymes: active site, factors affecting rate, inhibition | Topic resources | |||
| A. Cells & molecular biology | DNA structure, replication and transcription/translation (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| A. Cells & molecular biology | Gene expression regulation basics — (HL) | Topic resources | |||
| B. Genetics, evolution & biodiversity | Mendelian inheritance; monohybrid/dihybrid crosses (as taught) | Topic resources | |||
| B. Genetics, evolution & biodiversity | Linkage, gene mapping basics — (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| B. Genetics, evolution & biodiversity | Mutations, variation and selection pressures | Topic resources | |||
| B. Genetics, evolution & biodiversity | Evolution evidence; speciation; adaptive radiation | Topic resources | |||
| B. Genetics, evolution & biodiversity | Classification systems; phylogenetic trees and cladistics | Topic resources | |||
| B. Genetics, evolution & biodiversity | Biodiversity measures and conservation strategies | Topic resources | |||
| B. Genetics, evolution & biodiversity | Biotechnology: PCR, gel electrophoresis, recombinant DNA basics — (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| C. Ecology & ecosystems | Ecosystem structure; producers/consumers/decomposers | Topic resources | |||
| C. Ecology & ecosystems | Energy flow; trophic levels; productivity and pyramids | Topic resources | |||
| C. Ecology & ecosystems | Nutrient cycles (carbon, nitrogen) and human impacts | Topic resources | |||
| C. Ecology & ecosystems | Population dynamics; carrying capacity; limiting factors | Topic resources | |||
| C. Ecology & ecosystems | Community interactions: competition, predation, symbiosis | Topic resources | |||
| C. Ecology & ecosystems | Succession and disturbance; resilience | Topic resources | |||
| C. Ecology & ecosystems | Sampling methods: quadrats, transects, mark-release-recapture | Topic resources | |||
| C. Ecology & ecosystems | Conservation, sustainability and management strategies | Topic resources | |||
| D. Human physiology (and plant physiology where applicable) | Transport: heart structure, cardiac cycle, blood vessels | Topic resources | |||
| D. Human physiology (and plant physiology where applicable) | Blood components; oxygen transport; clotting and immunity basics | Topic resources | |||
| D. Human physiology (and plant physiology where applicable) | Gas exchange: ventilation, alveoli, transport of gases | Topic resources | |||
| D. Human physiology (and plant physiology where applicable) | Digestion and absorption; enzymes; gut adaptations | Topic resources | |||
| D. Human physiology (and plant physiology where applicable) | Homeostasis: thermoregulation, glucose regulation (endocrine) | Topic resources | |||
| D. Human physiology (and plant physiology where applicable) | Nervous system basics; synapses; action potentials — (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| D. Human physiology (and plant physiology where applicable) | Immune response: innate vs adaptive; antibodies; vaccination — (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| D. Human physiology (and plant physiology where applicable) | Reproduction: hormones, menstrual cycle; development basics — (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| D. Human physiology (and plant physiology where applicable) | Plant physiology: transport in xylem/phloem; transpiration — (HL emphasis) | Topic resources | |||
| E. Practical skills, data processing & IA | Experimental design: variables, controls, repeats and sampling | Topic resources | |||
| E. Practical skills, data processing & IA | Processing biological data: graphs, statistics (as required) and uncertainty | Topic resources | |||
| E. Practical skills, data processing & IA | Ethics and safety in biological investigations | Topic resources | |||
| E. Practical skills, data processing & IA | IA: question quality, methodology, analysis, evaluation and communication | Topic resources |
Tip: Pair this checklist with past paper practice and spaced repetition. Always confirm exact assessment components (SL/HL, options) with your school’s IB DP route for the 2026 exam session.
Quick answers about this free revision checklist, how to use it for exam prep, and how it relates to the official syllabus.
This revision checklist mirrors the official IB DP Biology syllabus for the 2026 examination series. Every topic and sub-topic on the page is taken from the published syllabus document, so working through the list in order gives you full coverage of what your exam can assess. It covers both Standard Level (SL) and Higher Level (HL) topic expectations. For the authoritative version, always cross-check with the latest syllabus PDF on your exam board's website before your final revision push.
The number of top-level topic groups varies by subject, but you can see the exact count on this page — each major heading in the checklist corresponds to one syllabus topic group, and each row below it is a syllabus-level sub-topic. Use the confidence column (1–5) to flag which sub-topics need more work, and re-score yourself weekly to track real progress instead of guessing.
16–20 weeks of consistent revision is realistic for IB DP — work through one topic per week alongside ongoing past-paper practice and Internal Assessment polish. Use this checklist to plan your weeks: filter by topics you have rated 1–3 and spend your first revision block there. Subjects with heavy practical or extended-writing components (e.g. sciences, English) need more past-paper time in the final block than the topic-by-topic phase.
Revise in roughly the order the syllabus lists the topics — exam boards build later topics on earlier ones, so taking them in syllabus order avoids gaps. Once you have rated every topic, switch to weakest-first: filter the checklist by confidence ≤ 2 and prioritise those topics in your next study block. This is more effective than re-revising topics you already score 4–5 on.
You can find past papers and mark schemes via Tutopiya's Past Paper Finder and on your exam board's official site. Once you have rated each sub-topic on this checklist, attempt past-paper questions on your weakest topics first — practising under timed conditions is the single best predictor of exam performance, more so than re-reading notes.
Use the Download CSV or Print PDF button at the bottom of the checklist. CSV opens in Excel, Numbers or Google Sheets so you can sort by confidence and re-arrange revision order. The PDF is print-ready for offline use. A free Tutopiya account is required for download — this also unlocks the matching topic resources, notes and worked examples on the Learning Portal.
Yes, the checklist itself is free — you can view, score and re-score every topic on this page without an account. The CSV / PDF downloads and access to matching Tutopiya Learning Portal resources require a free account. There is no payment required at any point; teachers and parents can also use this checklist freely with their students.
Yes. The topics and sub-topics on this page are drawn from the current 2026 IB DP Biology specification published by your exam board. Exam boards occasionally tweak weighting or assessment structure mid-cycle, so do a quick sanity-check against the official syllabus PDF when you start your revision and again 4 weeks before the exam.