Why am I doing so poorly with my work even though I am trying my best?

Question

I have to do summer work for my AP classes. One of them is AP Biology. And I have to do about 6 chapters for it.

Well on one chapter, I got lazy and didn't even read it, I just did the work (it's all online). Obviously I did really bad on the work. Getting 30-50%.

So on the next chapter, I read it VERY thoroughly and I took notes. I took my time to understand everything. But I still got very bad grades on the quizzes and test at the end, ranging 30-70%.

Why would this happen even though I spent so much time trying to do good? I'm usually a very good A-B student.

Answer 1

Listen, first of all don't be so hard on yourself.  Ok, you blew off the first chapter.  As far as the next, well, this may be harder than you anticipated.  That doesn't mean you can't do it, it just means you may have to try to find the right way to study for this course.  This one may require you to do some things a little differently.  Or, maybe you are just having trouble getting started with this.  You say you are usually a good student so give yourself some slack, try not to focus on this on just keep applying yourself.  You're going to do fine.  

good luck:)

Answer 2

did you read the first chapter that you hadn't read?  usually concepts build up from chapter to chapter, and so you need the first to understand fully the next chapter.  and even if you think you understood it you may have failed to see how it related to the chapter you didn't read and then you didn't do well on the test, quizzes because they depended on understanding the first chapter.  

so, always make sure you understand the basics (which are usually kind of boring) or you won't understand the concepts.