Biology of How Science Works (As & A2)

Resource Title GCE AS & A2 Biology How does Science Work?
Description Teacher pack

Starters & Progress: Key Terms
5 minutes Give each student a term, definition or example. They find there matches and then work in
that group of three.
10-15 minutes Cut out all the key words cards into one pile. Give groups or individual students a pile
to rearrange them into correct order.
10-15 minutes Cut out all the key words cards into one pile. Play snap: any term, definition or
Shuffle and divide pile amongst that group. example goes together.
10-15 minutes Give each group of students cards from one page. Student reads description or example and
One student with term, others with description other students match it with their key
or example. term or example. Then rotate these roles,
then give students new cards.
10-15 minutes Students also complete the ‘New learning’ sheet Terms on the sheet can be rag rated
to show progress. before and after its completion.
5–10 minutes Students complete the above activities against Keep a record of timings/number of
the clock or recorded wrong answers. wrong answers , until learning
established.
boostprogress@hotmail.co.uk
RAG KEY TERM NEW LEARNING….. RAG
Validity
True value
Accuracy
Precision
Measurement Error
Random Error
Calibration
Systematic Error
Variable
Control Test
Control Variable
Range
Standard Error
Intervals
Significance
Anomaly
Replicates
Correlation
Standard Deviation
Causal Relationship
Bias
A measurement is
Water temperature
‘valid’ if it measures
Validity was measured using a
what it is supposed to
probe and units of oC.
be measuring.
A value that would be

The speed of sound at
True value obtained in an ideal
12oC is 339 m/s.
measurement.
A measurement result is The speed of sound at

considered accurate if it 12oC is 339 m/s. The
Accuracy
is judged to be close to students calculation
the true value. at12oC is 400m/s.
A quality denoting similar
numerical values Using microtitration to
obtained from repeated
inoculate agar plates
Precision measurements. These
values give no indication with a bacterial
of how close results are culture.
to the true value.
The difference between a The difference in

measured value and the
colorimeter values
true value of a physical
Measurement Error from repeated
quantity being measured,
where a true value is measurements of
thought to exist. calibration solutions.
Component of
measurement error due Variations in light
to measurement results readings collected
Random Error varying in an from a room not
unpredictable way from completely blacked
one measurement to the out.
next.
A process of corrections Use the tare function
Calibration used to reduce the to re-set a balance to
measurement error. zero.
A component of
measurement error due A human observer
to measurement results
inaccurately judging
Systematic Error differing from the true
value by a consistent the distances of a
amount each time a moving object.
measurement is made.
A quantity that may be

expressed in categories,
Variable Mass (grams).
values or units of
measurements.
A test used for
A placebo tablet given
comparison purposes and
Control Test one group of people.
to provide evidence of
causation.
Monitored in a study to An enzyme

ensure it remain constant investigation carried
Control Variable
and have limited affect out at a constant
on validity. temperature.
An indication of the
variation in data 30cm is the difference
expressed as the between the tallest
Range
difference between (125cm) and shortest
lowest and highest pupil (95cm)
values.
A method of Data from several
measurement of standard sample studies was
Standard Error deviation from all the combined to reduce
data collected from a the standard error of
population. the mean.
The scale for

The difference between dependent variable of
Intervals
measured values. height was set out in
10cm intervals.
A statistical term used There difference

when the probability of between the test and
Significance
actual results occurring is control group was not
less than 5%. due to chance.
A result that does not Three replicates of 66g
Anomaly
follow the normal pattern were obtained from
(or Outlier)
of data, and is not close the test and then a
to other values. final replicate of 85g.
The process of repeating

Water loss at 20oC
experiments in the same
Replicates from the shoot was
way to determine the
accuracy of results. measured three times.
An apparent association Increased temperature

Correlation or evident pattern increases ventilation
between variables. rate in Daphnia.
The low standard
deviation value
The spread of data
Standard Deviation indicated that data
around the mean value.
was close to the mean
value.
A suggestion of a link
between a cause Tar increase the
Causal Relationship (dependent variable) and likelihood of some
an effect (dependent forms of cancer.
variable).
‘Alcopop’ producers
An external influence
paid researchers to
Bias that influences the
collection of the data. look at the drinking
patterns of teenagers.
Tasks & Assessment
5–10 minutes Refer students to the Assessment Objectives (AO) Ensure they note the importance of AO2
for your specification and the balance of AO2 & & A03. They should highlight or identify
A03 on each examination paper/unit. the differences.
5 –10 minutes Refer students to the grade descriptors) for your Identify the How Science Works
specification. descriptors for grade A and Grade C. They
should highlight or identify the
differences.
180-240 minutes Students work independently through the Students use traffic lights on each page
resource pack and check their own responses. to reflect on their success on each
question. Teacher provides bespoke
support for the red ‘lights’.
180-240 minutes Students work in pairs or groups through the Students use traffic lights on each page
resource pack and check their range of groups to reflect on their individual success on
responses. each question. Teacher provides bespoke
support for the red answers.
180-240 minutes Students are the teacher and take it in turns to Students given preparation time to
deliver one of the questions and answers to the ensure full understanding of question and
rest of the group. answers. Their teaching may be recorded
for further use or feedback.
Cells
a) Express the relationship between m, mm, µm
and nm.
b) Measure the widest dimension of each cell in

mm.
c) What is the magnification used to produce

these images?
Cells
a) 1000 is the connection between each measurements: 1000mm in a m, 1000 µm in a mm,
1000nm in a nm.
Test students understanding by giving them a few examples to convert e.g. 2.5mm into µm and nm.
b) Differences in what they have measured. Cell A 43 - 44mm, Cell B 37– 38mm & Cell C 48 –
49mm.
Encourage students to mark these lines on the cells to ensure they found the widest dimensions (see
previous page): many students think they cannot write on diagrams and graphs. Then explore range of
measurements provided by the students, encourage them to recheck and reduce the class range. Stress
importance of accuracy.
c) Using the scale bar the actual length is 3.5 µm and the image length of this scale bar is 25mm
which students should convert this 25mm into 25,000 µm. Then do the following calculation:
Magnification = Image size ÷ Actual size

= 25,000 µm ÷ 3.5 µm
= x 7143.86
Some students will have the formula the wrong way round. This will give them a magnification of
x0.00014. Make them think about the error of this value and what it means – basically almost no
magnification.
Mitochondrion
a) Estimate the maximum width and length of
this mitochondrion in mm.
b) Complete this diagram to show how the

mitochondrion might appear if sectioned at
right angles to the diagram(T.S.)
Mitochondrion
a) Maximum length is 96 – 98mm, Maximum width is 34 – 35mm.
Encourage students to mark these lines on the mitochondrion and then explore class ranges again:
looking for progress.
b) As below:
Diagram should have double plasma membrane, internal membrane with cristae. Remind pupils nucleus
and chloroplast also have double plasma membrane.
Demonstrate idea of different sections, maybe give out some plasticine for modelling.
Caffeine
a) What is the independent variable?
b) What is the dependent variable?
c) Name a control variable?
d) Is caffeine content measured precisely?
Caffeine
a) Type of drink.
b) Caffeine content.
c) Volume of the drink.
d) No. Unclear what volume is in a serving? These drinks rarely served in same measures. Refer to
student’s experiences in coffee shops.
Plant Statins
a) What is a possible hypothesis for this trial?
b) What is the independent variable(s)?
c) What is the dependent variable(s)?
d) Name 3 control variables?
Plant Statins
a) Establish an hypothesis is an idea to be tested: so “Drug S reduces CVD”, “Drug S makes strokes
less common”…
b) Drug or placebo
What do they think a placebo would look like?
c) Events or Death/CVD/Stroke.
d) Similar age group=55-60 year olds, same gender=males or females, same diet=no vegetarians, or
same ethnicity.
Remind students of definition of control variables and they should specify what they are keeping
constant. Don’t just single words as an answer.
Plant Statins
e) What is the purpose of the giving some
people the placebo?
f) How did the researchers ensure reliability in

this study?
g) How did the duration (length) of the study

influence the validity of the findings?
Plant Statins
e) To see if the drug S has an effect and to provide evidence for causation.
Discuss the data at this point as it shows very little evidence of Drug S performing better that the
placebo – Death only 1.8% lower with Drug S. The small percentage difference equates to just 1.8
people better off in every 100 people. Most people therefore not better off.
e) Large sample size of 20,000 people.
f) [5 years] adds to the validity. This was necessary as the events are progressive disorders. Their
effects only become evident after many years.
Question whether-or-not 5 years is sufficient for CVD symptoms to become evident?
Many people take 20+ years to develop CVD to point of stroke or death. This study may sample the
population every 5 years and we only have one years data?
Maybe the results are not valid at all until many more years added.
Too much information not known , particularly the age of the people studied – if older they may already
have CVD before study started?
My new thinking…
Beetroot Pigment
a) What is the independent variable?
b) What is the dependent variable?
c) Name a control variable?
d) What precautions were followed before

placing the beetroot in the heated water?
Beetroot Pigment
a) Temperature.
b) % Transmission.
c) Beetroot has same size/shape [SA:Vol ratio]/same volume of water/same type of potato
d) Remove skin for Beetroot/Rinse Beetroot before immersion in water/use electric water bath to
maintain temperature/one potato used for pieces.
Clarify with students the difference between control variables and precautions. Use definition card
(above) and link precaution to reducing random error in the results.
Beetroot Pigment
e) Why was the choice of temperatures not
suitable for this experiment?
f) Why are the results collected not reliable?
g) How did the use of the colorimeter affect the

precision of the results collected?
Beetroot Pigment
e) Irregular intervals. Temperatures should also have been chosen around denaturing point e.g.
25oC, 30oC, 35oC, 40oC, 45oC, 50oC, and 55oC.
Make sure students appreciate why regular intervals are used to avoid missing changes [trends] in the
data.
e) No evidence of replicate tests/Mean result not given.
f) Quantitative measure allows precision to be evaluated. Alternative to the colorimeter would be a

simple visual comparison of different [Beetroot] colours – a qualitative measure.
Maybe use a drink like Ribeana to show this principle – different glasses with different dilutions and
estimating which has most Ribeana or exactly how much Ribeana?
Maybe a refreshment break?
My new thinking…
Cocaine
a) Why were both the independent variables: factor and
fibrinogen measured in the same units?
b) How would you describe the dependent variable?
c) Why might the independent variable invalidate the

conclusions of this study?
d) What is one major criticism of the graph presented

and how would you address this criticism?
Cocaine
a) People used in the study have different masses/different blood volumes (see
images below)
Discuss variation in body fluids between males and females: later having
proportionally less fluid and more fat than males.
a) Continuous.
b) Grey area of the difference between ‘occasional’ and ‘frequent’.

This is qualitative and would have been better to have a quantitative measure from
the people’s blood. Users may misinterpret the difference.
a) Different intervals used of the graphs. People may make errors in comparison
because of this, if they do not read the independent scale.
My new thinking…
Transect
Quadrat
Sand Dune
% Cover
Transect
a) What is wrong with the way data is presented in
the table?
b) Why was percentage cover chosen to measure

abundance?
c) How and why would Simpson’s Diversity Index

be used to analyse this data?
d) How would you improve the reliability of this

study both spatially and temporally?
Transect
a) % should be in the header. Metre (M) should also be in the header.
b) Quantitative measure. Allows comparisons of different species that may be different sizes, so
have different coverage.
Idea that for one species it may have a single large plant may have same percentage coverage as
another smaller plant with many individuals. Maybe show diagrammatically.
c) Calculate the index as: S = 620, so S(S-1) = 383780. Sum of all s(s-1) = 36052. ANSWER
383780/36052 = 10.6. The index allows comparisons of different species with different
percentage coverage vales/includes low percentage coverage figures.
d) Spatially: carry out more transects in the sample area and possibly then calculate a mean for the
diversity index. Temporally: sample at different times e.g. each season to see changes in the
species/community.
Relate these ideas to previous ones e.g. CHD and its 5 year interval, maybe repeated every 5 years.
Transect
e) Add the data for Ling to graph above.
f) Look at the kite diagram below. Is it a better

representation of the data? Give a reason for
your choice.
g) Name three other independent variables

could have been measured to further explain
any patterns observed along the slope?
Transect
e) Check accuracy of the graph (rough example below) and ‘Ling’ labelled.
Encourage some peer-checking here.
f) Look at the kite diagram below. Is it a better representation of the data? Give a reason for your
choice.
g) Name three other independent variables could have been measured to further explain any
patterns observed along the slope?
Ling
Transect
Kite Diagram
My new thinking…
Giardiasis
a) Calculate the percentage change between
January to April, May to August and September
to December.
b) Do these different percentage change values

accurately reflect the data?
c) Why is percentage change a useful measure

when used in this way?
Difference
_________ x 100 =
Original
Giardiasis
a) January to April, Difference: 1800 – 2100 = 3000. So 300/1800 = 16.7%
May to August, Difference 2500 – 5800 = 3300. So 3300/2500 = 132.0%
September to December, Difference 4400 – 2400 = -2000. So -2000/4400 = -45.5%
The last calculation is a negative value showing the decrease. The two others are positive.
b) Yes by by crudely representing the increases and decreases. However, No because they miss out
some of the peaks and troughs in the data e.g. Feb/Mar/June.
c) Comparison of the trends from different months. Maybe useful for projections or predictions if
assuming the trends continue into the future.
Giardiasis may always peak in summer months and fall in winter months – so these type of percentages
may predict potential epidemics.
Difference
_________ x 100 =
Original
CHD
a) What is the advantage of representing data as a Venn
diagram?
b) What further information would you want to know

about the population sampled in this study?
c) There is a fundamental flaw in the data presented.

What is it?
d) How might cigarette produces use this data for their

marketing campaign?
CHD
a) Visually easy to determine proportions. Allows overlap of categories.
There will be individuals with two contributory factors and these are shown by the overlap.
b) Examples such as: age, gender, ethnicity, health…
c) Other contributing factors to CHD are not shown.
d) Examples: Smoking is one of the lowest contributing factors, less than lack of exercise. Smoking
does solely cause CHD.
Allow humour in any marketing campaigns! “Lies, Damn Lies and Statistics….”?
Weight
a) Who might make use of this sort of chart?
b) What are the main advantages of using this type

of chart?
c) Why might it be inappropriate to classify

patients based on this table?
d) Where do you think the designers of this table

obtained their raw data and what further
questions would you ask them?
Weight
a) Anybody diagnosis their ‘weight’ …doctors, nurses, sports scientists, people themselves.
b) Quick ‘diagnosis’ and it uses two key determinants of height and mass.
c) Patient health and well-being not linked directly to these classifications: patient may be ‘heavy-
boned’, ‘slim built’ either of which may be very healthy e.g. rugby players. Not contingency for
something like a high proportion of body protein (muscle). There is also variation in proportions
of bone, muscle, fat and water as people age and between the genders. Classifying a patient may
influence their [eating/lifestyle] behaviours positively or negatively and so influence their health.
d) Unclear origin – presume (or hope) sampling a large population containing a range of individuals,
and probably a developing country. Need information on gender, age, fitness, health, ethnicity…
Dairy Fat
a) Why is a line of best fit justified for representing
the correlation of this data?
b) Why is the number of deaths expressed at per

100,000…?
c) Is there any evidence of reliability in this study?
d) What further questions might you ask to fully

assess reliability?
Dairy Fat
a) Data is scattered but showing a general positive correlation.
b) Each country has a different sized population.

Students should think about comparing England and Wales or Scotland in terms of raw totals or per
1000 people and how this would skew the data.
c) Yes as a number of countries are included so yes and per 1000 people so suggesting it was drawn
from a much larger samples of populations.
d) Names of countries to look at their distribution and compare them for GDP (developed or
developing economies). Maybe how the data was gathered, particularly the very difficult task of
measuring [mean] Dairy fat eaten per day [per person]. Possibly some of the other control variables.
Hydrostatic Pressure
a) Plot a line (curve) of best fit on the graph?
b) As an alternative a student may draw on this

graph a (straight) line of best fit or possibly
connect the points with a straight lines. What
guidance would you give them?
Hydrostatic Pressure
a) Mark the graph for accuracy (see below).
b) We assume the data is from same capillary so joining points with straight lines is possible. The
scatter is however, a curve rather than a straight line but a straight line is useful to show the
curvature (see below) and scatter of points from this straight line.
Haemoglobin
a) Is a line of best fit justified with this data?
Explain your answer.
b) Show how the graph could be used to show or

prove a difference between children and adults?
c) Why is a comparison between children and

adults in this way the wrong approach for
proving any causation?
d) Is there another approach?

Haemoglobin
a) No. Too much scatter. Also two sets of data so two different lines would be needed.
b) Maybe draw a line on the graph (see below) and look at dispersion of adults and children above
and below it.
c) There should be also be separate analysis of each one with a control group e.g. children with the
iron tablet and children without iron tablet (placebo). these could then be compared for a
significant difference. Possibly a longer timeframe needed for the study. Gender and age is also a
factor e.g. women may have lower Haemoglobin levels during menstruation.
d) More restrictions over control variables e.g. just children 8 – 10 years old, just females, just
European ethnicity, all with no other medical conditions, all eating normal (non-vegetarian diet)
etc… and using a control group. Also decide if same children studied or different children as
Haemoglobin levels in one child will vary with time, so more variability in many children.
Norfloxacin
a) Why is it appropriate that a line of best fit was
not used for the Norfloxacin data?
b) What is the scientists thinking behind how they

measured the dependent variable?
c) Why have examiners not included a scale for the

dependent variable? Is this appropriate and
might they accused of manipulating the pattern
shown by this graph?
Norfloxacin
a) Data recorded continuously from the same experiment/bacterial population
b) 50% of bacterial population retained to allow it to continuously multiply/50% killed sufficient to

show the antibiotic action/mirrors resistance pattern of many real cases where antibiotic courses
not followed.
c) Maybe the scale in units with several numerals below zero e.g. 0.000mg
Probably removed by examiners from the original graph.
Carrot
a) Plot a graph of the data.
b) Validate you choice of graph and how the points

on the graph are manipulated to show a trend?
c) Does the chart prove that sucrose

concentrations affects carrot length? Give
reasons for your answer.
d) How could you use a control to prove that

sucrose concentrations affects carrot length
Carrot
a) See below.
b) Line graph to show changes in trend from students experiment/correlation between two
variables. Curve of best fit used as some scatter/not linear correlation/variation in data collected.
c) No. Suggests correlational link indicated between the variables for 0.4 to 0.8 mol dm-3 sucrose
concentrations. Correlation is not causation (proof of a cause and effect relationship between the
variables).
d) Carrot cylinders placed in distilled water/0.0 0.4 to 0.8 mol dm-3 sucrose concentrations.
My thinking is that using other vegetables is not a control but only adds to the reliability of the
correlation link.
I have learnt…
Mammals
a) Why is a logarithmic scale used for the Body
mass scale.
b) Why did the zoologist measure oxygen uptake in

per gram of body mass.
c) How could this type of graph be easily

misinterpreted, for example, the gradient of
correlation?
Mammals
a) Huge differences/range in body sizes.
Ensure students think about this range and how long the x-axis would be if drawn to scale!
a) Mammals are different masses so using this measure allows comparison.

Discuss different metabolic regimes of the Shrew and Elephant - a great reference book is ‘Why
Elephants have dig ears’.
c) Reading the graph somebody may fail to realise the x-axis is logarithmic and the masses not
increasing at regular intervals., especially as the y-axis has regular intervals.
BMI
a) Calculate the BMI for the example above?
b) What are the advantages of using BMI in these

types of studies?
c) What are the disadvantages of using BMI in

these types of studies?
d) In what way are the descriptions possibly

flawed?
BMI
a) Mass in kilogrammes = 83, height in metres is 1.8, height in metres2 = 3.24. So 83/3.24 = 25.6(2)
Stress the importance of showing working out/ 1 mark for process even if the answer is wrong.
b) Quick/easy diagnosis of the persons description.
c) Too simplistic/qualitative /categorical classification of what are quantitative variables. Individuals

may be on the boundary or move between boundaries.
d) Ultimate aim of calculation is to link to health but the classifications: have no contingency for
people who may be ‘heavy-boned’, ‘slim built’ either of which may be very healthy e.g. rugby
players. Not contingency for a person with a high proportion of body protein (muscle). There is also
variation in proportions of bone, muscle, fat and water as people age and between the genders..
One calculation of BMI appears to fit all?
BMI
a) What is the // symbol on the x-axis? Why is it useful?
b) Describe the trends from the graph? (3)
c) How could the graph be used to estimate the relative

mortality of two patients with BMI’s of 23 and 32.
d) What is relative mortality and how might it be

calculated?
e) Does the graph prove that BMI affects mortality? Give

reasons for your answer.
BMI
a) Missed out/includes the 5,10 and 15 BMI values: makes the graph clearer/easier to interpret.
b) Initial decrease in Relative Mortality] [to 21 BMI], then slow increase (to 25BMI), then faster
increase to 40 BMI/Pattern for men and women similar/more similar at start, some divergence
towards the end.
The trends are less important that getting students to describe general and detailed trends, and ensure
they cover all deviations in the trends: many questions like this have two or three obvious deviations.
Encourage students to mark these deviations clearly on the graph and quote values from the x-axis and
y-axis.
c) At 23 BMI both men and women are 0.95 Relatve Mortality. At 32 BMI both women are 1.22 and
men 1.35 Relative Mortality.
Explore the range of values in the group and ensure students use some quality control e.g. drawing on
the graph (as below).
d) Mortality compared to something else (but we don’t know what that is, for example, it might all
causes of death and so it becomes a propertion, similar in a way to a percentage).
e) No. As before these graphs only show a correlational relationship between the two variations and
provide no evidence of cause and effect.
PABA
a) What is meant by arbitrary units?
b) Why is it sometimes useful to use arbitrary

units?
c) Compare the patterns shown by graph?

(Don’t explain them!!!!)
PABA
a) These are not measured by S.I units.
b) They may be used for comparison purposes.
c) Graph A fast initial increase, then constant . Graph B slower initial increase (than Graph A) , then
becoming constant later than Graph A.
The trends are less important that getting students to describe general and detailed trends, and ensure
they cover all deviations in the trends: many questions like this have two or three obvious deviations.
Encourage students to mark these deviations clearly on the graph .
Amoeba
a) What is happening to the concentration of
substance B between 2 and 5 hours.
b) How would you describe the pattern shown

by substance A?
c) Why is the patterns of substances A and B

unusual?
Amoeba
a) Staying constant.
b) Linear relationship showing a positive correlation.
c) Same Amoeba used but very different patterns of uptake into their cytoplasm/Indicates some
aspect of selectivity by Amoeba.
Obviously diffusion for B and active uptake for A.
Barley
a) Work out the ratio of original to final
concentrations for each of the three ions.
b) Why are ratios useful and how might a

scientist use them?
Barley
a) Nitrate 7:2 or 3.5:1, Potassium 3:0.2 or 15:1 and Calcium 5:5.75 or 1:1.15
Best students should go for the conversion to 1 to allow an easier comparison. Examiners likely to
accept either answer.
b) Using the ratios for predictions of the rate of uptake, so for example if a Nitrate solution of 21 mol
dm-3 given then it is predicted that 15 (21-6) mol dm-3 could be taken up by the Barley. Also using
ratios to work out proportions of these minerals in barley fertiliser.
Ask students to predict how much potassium would be left in a solution of 45 mol dm-3?
Heart Rate
a) What is the duration of the atrial systole?
b) What is the duration of the ventricular

diastole?
c) Calculate the heart rate in beats per minute.
d) Is it accurate to use this chart to work out

heart rate?
Heart Rate
a) 0.8 to 0.9 = 0.1s or 0.0 to 0.1 = 0.1s.
b) 0.4 to 0.9 = 0.5s.
c) 0.1 to 0.9 = 0.8s, then 0.8/60 = 75 beats per minute.
d) Yes for that person at that particular time. However, no reliability in this measure and
measurements for diagnosis need repeating and collecting over a longer time period.
Hospitals would normally measure over 24hours/48 hours any patients with heart disorders.
Amylose
a) How were the standard error bars calculated?
b) Which of the three species had the most

variable amylose content? How do you know
this?
c) Describe the main pattern in the results for each

species.
d) Why was percentage of amylose used to

measure the amylose content?
Amylose
a) From the standard deviation of the sample mean based on the population mean.
Look at this example: Data of…
1 ,3, 5, 7 and 9 has Standard Error of 1.62 so Mean of 5 ± 1.62. ± meaning plus or minus that 68% of
the values should occur between 3.38 to 6.62. But…….
-100, -50, 5, 50 and 100 has Standard Error of 31.64 so Mean of 5 ± 31.64. As above 68% of the values
should now occur between -26.64 to 36.64.
The first set of numbers (data) are better represented by the mean value and hence the smaller
Standard Error.
b) C as it has largest standard error.
c) Both A and C show a decrease as there is a clear gap between the standard error bars. B cannot be
describes as showing a decrease as the standard error bars overlap (see below).
d) Rice grains were different sizes/had different masses so percentage allows comparison between
them.
Stents
a) The procedure shown above were initially
trialled on living chimpanzees. Describe one
argument for and against this practice.
b) Stents were then trialled with CHD patients.

Describe one argument for and against this
practice.
c) Describe how would you use a control group

in either of the above trials?
Stents
a) FOR: Reduces risk to humans in procedure works in Primates/Primates die instead of
humans./develops treatments for humans. AGAINST: Harm to Primates/May die from the
surgery/Primates still not human so should be tested just on humans.
b) FOR: They are the target group and the stents must be tested with these patients./develop
research on from primates. AGAINST: when first trialled (not done before) there are only
predictions about the outcome and this means unknown risks/some patients may have been
controls without treatment/maybe selective who joins the trial. Maybe expensive and a waste of
money of unsuccessful.
c) Group of patients not receiving a stent from a similar age, gender, ethnicity, health to the
patients receiving the stent.
Maybe patients get better without the stent. Must show causation/impact of the stent and therefore
both groups needed for comparison.
Tumours
a) It is ethically right to induce brain tumours in
rats for the purpose of this trial? Describe
your thinking.
b) Why are gene therapy trials not allowed with

human volunteers?
c) Why do researchers undertake this type of

research and are they morally right to do so?
Tumours
a) For: yes, otherwise research cannot be carried out and human diseases not cured/This research
applicable to many diseases once the technique proven. AGAINST: Ultimately the rats die and
suffer pain from the procedures/rats are also not human so we should test only humans.
b) Techniques still in development and therefore unknown risks/if patient dies in a trial there may
be legal repercussions for the scientists/could inflict more suffering on volunteers/volunteers
affected by vectors.
c) FOR: Advance scientific techniques and procedures and find cures for human diseases and
disorders/many of these untreatable by conventional methods/Financial gain for the
companies/reduce financial burden on health care systems which alleviate symptoms of sufferers
in many costly ways./better quality of life for sufferers ,and family AGAINST: new research may
be misused e.g. plastic surgery/issues around ownership or accessibility or patents of the
techniques and procedures. Some countries and religious groups will not use the techniques and
procedures
Rats
a) Do the results of this study change your
thinking about the value of this type of
research?
b) Would it now be safe to start trials with

human volunteers?
c) What could be the next step for the

researchers to prove their results are not
biased and increase its reliability?
Rats
a) May suggest this case of Gene Therapy is effective, when compared to the control.
b) No. Only done with rats so techniques still in development and therefore unknown risks/if patient
dies in a trial there may be legal repercussions for the scientists/could inflict more suffering on
volunteers/volunteers affected by vectors.
c) Possibly, more reliability from further rat studies. Then tested on primates, then on human
volunteers. Also publish results from each phase of study for the scientific community to question
and explore.
Blood
a) What is the thinking behind the comment
from the hospital spokesman?
b) Was the rights of everybody connected with

this accident taken into consideration and
should they have been?
c) Are religious beliefs out-dated by ignoring

the emerging benefits made by medical
science?
Blood
a) Political: maybe the right of everybody to make decisions for themselves and their children.
b) ‘Hot potato’….. Discuss….maybe… Unclear….was Joshua involved in the decision making to save
his own life? Doctors take the oath to preserve life and then stopped from saving his life.
Emergency services strived to place Joshua in a position where his life was saveable without
ultimately achieving this goal.
c) ‘Hot potato’….. Discuss….
Resource Title GCE AS & A2 Biology How does Science Work?
Description Teacher pack

Biology of How Science Works (As & A2)

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Resource Title GCE AS & A2 Biology How does Science Work?

Description Teacher pack

A value that would be

A measurement result is The speed of sound at

The difference between a The difference in

A quantity that may be

Monitored in a study to An enzyme

The scale for

A statistical term used There difference

The process of repeating

An apparent association Increased temperature

b) Measure the widest dimension of each cell in

c) What is the magnification used to produce

Magnification = Image size ÷ Actual size

b) Complete this diagram to show how the

b) What is the dependent variable?

c) Name a control variable?

d) Is caffeine content measured precisely?

c) Volume of the drink.

b) What is the independent variable(s)?

c) What is the dependent variable(s)?

d) Name 3 control variables?

f) How did the researchers ensure reliability in

g) How did the duration (length) of the study

e) Large sample size of 20,000 people.

b) What is the dependent variable?

c) Name a control variable?

d) What precautions were followed before

f) Why are the results collected not reliable?

g) How did the use of the colorimeter affect the

e) No evidence of replicate tests/Mean result not given.

f) Quantitative measure allows precision to be evaluated. Alternative to the colorimeter would be a

Maybe a refreshment break?

b) How would you describe the dependent variable?

c) Why might the independent variable invalidate the

d) What is one major criticism of the graph presented

b) Grey area of the difference between ‘occasional’ and ‘frequent’.

b) Why was percentage cover chosen to measure

c) How and why would Simpson’s Diversity Index

d) How would you improve the reliability of this

f) Look at the kite diagram below. Is it a better

g) Name three other independent variables

b) Do these different percentage change values

c) Why is percentage change a useful measure

b) What further information would you want to know

c) There is a fundamental flaw in the data presented.

d) How might cigarette produces use this data for their

b) Examples such as: age, gender, ethnicity, health…

c) Other contributing factors to CHD are not shown.

b) What are the main advantages of using this type

c) Why might it be inappropriate to classify

d) Where do you think the designers of this table

b) Why is the number of deaths expressed at per

c) Is there any evidence of reliability in this study?

d) What further questions might you ask to fully

b) Each country has a different sized population.

b) As an alternative a student may draw on this

b) Show how the graph could be used to show or

c) Why is a comparison between children and

d) Is there another approach?

b) What is the scientists thinking behind how they

c) Why have examiners not included a scale for the