NESA Biology Performance

Overall average 71.3%54,694 questions answered2026 data

Score by Unit & Topic

Full syllabus

Heredity

70.4%

Reproduction

78.7%

Cell Replication

76.2%

DNA and Polypeptide Synthesis

67.2%

Genetic Variation

69.7%

Inheritance Patterns in a Population

72.4%

Genetic Change

73.4%

Mutation

68.8%

Biotechnology

72.4%

Genetic Technologies

77.9%

Infectious Disease

71.4%

Causes of Infectious Disease

73.7%

Responses to Pathogens

60.2%

Immunity

72.5%

Prevention, Treatment and Control

70.2%

Non-infectious Disease and Disorders

67.9%

67.3%

69.3%

69.5%

71.7%

Technologies and Disorders

51.7%

Working Scientifically Skills

72.2%

Questioning and Predicting

72%

Planning Investigations

72.7%

Conducting Investigations

64.9%

Processing Data and Information

66.5%

Analysing Data and Information

73.5%

Problem Solving

73.4%

Communicating

74.6%

Score by Past Paper

2026 data

2025

74%

2024

72.1%

2023

74.2%

Score by Question Type

2026 data

Extended Response

54.7%

Multiple Choice

72.6%

Short Answer

68.6%

Cognitive Verb Performance

2026 data

Analyse

70.3%

Annotate

83.3%

Assess

68.2%

Calculate

55.5%

Compare

63.1%

Construct

71.9%

Contrast

69.1%

Define

76.3%

Describe

70.4%

Design

52.4%

Determine

67%

Discuss

71.2%

Distinguish

64.2%

Draw

65.9%

Estimate

Evaluate

66.2%

Explain

64.8%

Identify

68.8%

Infer

83.9%

Justify

70.5%

Label

66.2%

Name

73%

Outline

66.7%

Predict

67.1%

Present

53.2%

Propose

86.8%

Provide

38.4%

Recommend

100%

Select

88.2%

State

74.4%

Write

25%

Study Guides

HSC Biology Hardest Topics: Where Students Lose the Most MarksAverage scores in HSC Biology by past paper, topic, question type and command verb, plus the high-weight low-score revision list.HSC Biology Most Tested Topics: What the NESA Exams CoverMarks by topic and dot point across 3 NESA Biology external papers, 2023 to 2025, plus the question type and cognitive verb mix.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the hardest NESA Biology topics?

Based on student performance on AusGrader in 2026, the hardest NESA Biology topics are Technologies and Disorders (51.7%), Responses to Pathogens (60.2%), Conducting Investigations (64.9%). Focus your revision on these areas for the biggest score improvement.

What are the easiest NESA Biology topics?

Based on student performance on AusGrader in 2026, the highest-scoring NESA Biology topics are Reproduction (78.7%), Genetic Technologies (77.9%), Cell Replication (76.2%).

What are the most common command words in NESA Biology exams?

The most frequently tested command words in NESA Biology are Explain, Describe, Identify, Outline, Justify. Practising responses to these verbs is a high-impact study strategy.

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