‭SCIENCE‬‭NOTES‬

‭Question Analysis Notes‬

‭Question Interpretation‬

‭Scan‬

‭●‬ ‭Before starting to answer the first part of a question, do a‬‭scan‬‭of the entire question to have a‬
‭better sense of what the separate parts are asking.‬

‭○‬ ‭Draw links between previous and subsequent parts of the questions. There is a high‬
‭chance that some or most parts within the same question are focused on the same‬
‭topic.‬
‭○‬ ‭Examples:‬
‭■‬ ‭A relationship established from the results of an experiment can be‬
‭used to support an observation made in a subsequent question.‬
‭■‬ ‭Testing on the function of a particular cell part/organ in an earlier‬
‭part can indicate that you should focus on that function being‬
‭demonstrated in a subsequent part.‬
‭○‬ ‭This reduces the chances of you repeating yourself and rewriting similar answers‬
‭in different parts.‬
 ‭○‬ ‭Take note of the different types of information available such as diagrams and‬
‭graphs, which can be more thoroughly analysed.‬
‭○‬ ‭During this quick read-through of the entire question, identify the‬‭topic‬‭and‬
‭concept‬‭tested if possible‬

‭Command‬

‭●‬ ‭The terms or‬‭command words‬‭used in questions indicate‬‭how they should be answered and give‬
‭clues as to how long or how detailed the answer should be.‬
‭●‬ ‭Other clues on how long the answer should be include the mark allocation and number of lines‬
‭provided for answering.‬
‭●‬ ‭Do not assume you know what the question is always asking based on past work, always read the‬
‭question thoroughly.‬
‭For example:‬
‭○‬ ‭Some experiment-based questions ask for the results rather than the inferred‬
‭variable being investigated‬
‭○‬ ‭Some questions do not require a‬‭comparison‬‭between‬‭two set-ups but are asking‬
‭for an observation shown in both.‬
‭●‬ ‭Take a look through the list of commonly-used terms and command words in the next section‬
‭to familiarise yourself with how to answer the questions.‬
‭●‬ ‭The question can also have‬‭restrictors‬‭that further‬‭define the scope of analysis.‬
‭Commonly-used Terms and Command Words‬

‭Terms / Command words‬ ‭How should you answer the question?‬

‭used‬

‭●‬ ‭Simply write down the answer.‬

‭State…‬
‭●‬ ‭No explanations are needed.‬
‭Name…‬
‭Give…‬

‭●‬ ‭Study the diagrams or data provided to come up with the‬

‭Identify…‬
‭answer.‬
‭●‬ ‭Write down the answer briefly.‬

‭●‬ ‭Answer the question based only on what you can see in the‬
‭Based only on the pictures‬
‭pictures.‬
‭provided…‬
‭●‬ ‭Your answer should be based on physical characteristics of the‬
‭object or organism.‬
 ‭●‬ ‭Study the data or experiment in the question.‬
‭Based on the information‬
‭●‬ ‭Give your answer based only on the results of the experiment.‬
‭above…‬

‭●‬ ‭Give a detailed description of the object or event.‬

‭Describe…‬
‭●‬ ‭No explanations are needed.‬

‭●‬ ‭You may write down your answer in point form (or if you are‬
‭List…‬
‭required to list the steps in an experiment, number them).‬
‭●‬ ‭No explanations are needed.‬

‭●‬ ‭Briefly state what you think will happen.‬

‭Predict…‬
‭●‬ ‭No explanations are needed.‬

‭●‬ ‭Find out the similarities and differences between two objects‬
‭Compare…‬
‭or set-ups.‬

‭●‬ ‭Write a detailed answer, giving the reason for why‬

‭Explain…‬
‭something happened.‬
‭Why…‬
‭●‬ ‭Your answer should include keywords that reflect your‬
‭Give a reason…‬
‭understanding of the concept.‬
‭Restrictors‬

‭Terms / Restrictors used‬ ‭How should you answer the question?‬

‭●‬ ‭Answer the question based only on what you can see in the‬
‭Based only on the‬
‭pictures/diagrams.‬
‭pictures/diagrams provided…‬
‭●‬ ‭Your answer should be based on physical characteristics of the‬
‭object or organism.‬

‭●‬ ‭Study the information provided (e.g. data or experiment) in‬

‭Based on the information‬
‭the question.‬
‭above…‬
‭●‬ ‭Give your answer based only on what you can tell from the‬
‭information (e.g. the results of the experiment).‬

‭●‬ ‭Study the apparatus given in the question.‬

‭Without changing/using any‬
‭●‬ ‭Give your answer using the same apparatus in a different way‬
‭other apparatus…‬
‭to achieve the aim of the experiment.‬
‭Detailed analysis‬

‭Information‬

‭●‬ ‭Based on your the earlier steps of‬‭Scan‬‭and‬‭Command,‬‭perform a more detailed analysis of the‬
‭question by zooming in on the relevant‬‭Information‬‭provided‬
‭●‬ ‭Types of information to analyse can include:‬
‭○‬ ‭Text, diagrams and labels‬
‭○‬ ‭Experimental variables‬
‭○‬ ‭Tables, graphs and observations‬
‭●‬ ‭You might wish to underline or‬‭highlight‬‭parts of‬‭the question information to help you focus‬
‭and jot down quick notes.‬
 ‭Answer Phrasing Notes‬

‭Using ICC in "Explain"-type Questions‬

‭●‬ F‭ or questions which require you to explain an observation or prediction, we can employ the‬
‭Information – Concept – Conclude (ICC) Framework to craft a comprehensive answer.‬
‭●‬ ‭Other structures such as Claim – Evidence – Reasoning (CER) can be used to guide phrasing as‬
‭well.‬

‭Part‬ ‭Description‬

‭Information‬ K‭ ey information from the question which can be written directly in the‬
‭passage/question or observed from the diagrams provided. This part can‬
‭sometimes require an inference from the information provided.‬

‭Concept‬ T‭ his part of the answer applies your understanding of the relevant Science‬
‭concept to the information/inference you have made in the first part.‬
‭Where necessary, this is where comparisons should be made to justify your‬
‭choice.‬
‭Conclude‬ T‭ o end off, link the answer back to what the question is asking. This can‬
‭involve a simple restatement of the observation in question, or justifying‬
‭the choice made by showing how the characteristics of the choice fits the‬
‭concepts explained in the earlier parts of the answer.‬

‭Common Pitfalls and How to Avoid Them‬

‭●‬ ‭Incomplete answers‬

R‭ evise past work to familiarise yourself with the phrasing or points needed for a complete‬
‭answer.‬
‭●‬ ‭Not answering in context of question‬
C‭ heck your answer to ensure that references have been made to the items or experimental‬
‭set-up in the question.‬
‭●‬ ‭No comparison shown‬
‭Check your answer to ensure comparative or superlative terms have been used.‬
‭●‬ ‭Inaccurate phrasing / no keywords / lack of keywords‬
‭Jot down relevant keywords based on the concept tested in the question.‬