Features of Quality - EEI

Key Features of Quality in support of student and teacher judgement for the Extended Experimental Investigation are described
here. The Features of Quality are the criteria used to assess the student work as best fitting one of the four Descriptors.
Exceptional Above Expectations In Line with Expectations Yet to Meet Expectations
• Forms a testable hypothesis or prediction with • Forms a testable hypothesis or prediction • With limited guidance, • Uses a given investigation
justification with justification forms a testable question
• Describes considerations related to reliability and • Identifies the variable to be measured and hypothesis/prediction • Is directed in using
fairness the variable to be changed • Describes a safe equipment to collect and
Investigating

• Outlines appropriate safety considerations, and • Outlines appropriate safety considerations, method used to collect record data
describes the method used to accurately collect and describes the method and equipment data – some of the • Data collection method
and record good quality, reliable data in a manner used to collect and record data steps are described is not
that could be easily repeated. • Records a sufficient amount of good quality understandable but repeatable
• Uses an innovative approach that truly enhances data lack some detail
the work • Records raw/primary data
• Records a sufficient amount of good quality data
• Presents data in the most appropriate way using • Displays data neatly and accurately, using • Displays data on simple • Displays data on
relevant scientific terminology and informative relevant scientific terminology and tables, charts or graphs, incomplete tables, charts
Communicating

representations; calculations, if any, are informative representations; calculations, allowing for some errors in or graphs, allowing for
performed to a high degree of accuracy if any, are performed to a high degree of scaling or plotting significant errors in
• Describes the relationships between the variables accuracy • States a relationship scaling or plotting
• Describes the relationships between the between the variables
variables

• Provides a justified conclusion supported by • Draws a conclusion consistent with the • Draws a conclusion based • Comments on the
Knowledge & Understanding

the data; identifies and explains any data and comments on whether the on data collected, investigation without
anomalous data conclusion supports the hypothesis identifies some features making a
• Uses relevant science knowledge to assess and • Identifies the strengths and weaknesses of of the investigation that conclusion/refinement to
describe whether the hypothesis has/has not been the investigation and suggests appropriate could be improved and the investigation.
supported improvements, or explains why the suggests improvements
• Describes in detail the strengths and weaknesses procedures were of sufficient quality
of their own investigations, including appropriate
improvements and or refinements, or explains
fully why no further improvements could
reasonably be achieved

Adapted from Junior Cycle Science Guidelines for the Classroom-Based Assessments and Assessment Task, For use with CBAs from October 2018, NCCA