✍️ Exam tech
,Main tips
- Highlighter, read q TWICE & only draw on graphs with a pencil and a ruler
- Command word !
- Bullet point answers
- Focus on the specific question demand = ao2 = key q = WHAT CHANGED
- Ao2 = unfamiliar context = figure out the topic + treat like a textbook
- Ao2 = clear chains of cause - and effect = flow diagrams help to understand
- Be specific = attachment protein of what? LOCATION? Who’s DNA?
- Show cause and effect
- Count marking points + 1 insurance point
- Annotate the AO_ next to each question
- List rule = right + wrong answer = wrong, so make sure you don’t fumble too many
points
NEVER ABBRIEVIATE
- GP / TP / RuBp
- Hb - haemoglobin
- Acetyl CoA - acetyl coenzyme A
- DCT + PCT - distal + proximal convoluted tubule
- AVN + SAN - atrioventricular node + sinoatrial node
- AV + SL valve - atrioventricular + semilunar valve
AO1
- Recall, key terms + specific A level vocab, logical, clear sequence
- Compare & contrast = ‘all statements must be clearly linked & comparative with and /
whereas/ but, no inference (clear distinct sentences) = count them
AO2
- Explain =
- 1 - Identify the topic
- 2 - RECALL the magic marking phrases
- 3 - Now figure out the chain of c → e
- WHAT CHANGED / the cause → explain / effect → link to question
- Many / A large number of
- So / As / Causes / Therefore
- more / less / greater / lesser / higher / lower / reduced /
prevents / high rate of / lower rate of / more, less likely to /
faster, slower than /
- Clear cause - and effect
- State the cause (temperature increases)
- Explain the mechanism (AS higher kinetic energy, SO more e-s complexes)
- Link to the question + the effect (SO rate of reaction increases)
AO3 - Analysis, interpretation & evaluation
- Use the DV to compare, not the wording of the conclusion (ie - not ‘more effective’,
but ‘greater reduction in mean __ so shows ___’)
- Again, with hypotheses - use the DV, not the conclusion like in psych
- REJECTS = ‘Results’ due to chance (must say difference / increase / decrease / fall /
rise)
, Evaluate…conclusion
DCE
- Compare (what does the data show?)
- Conclude (increase / decrease / greater / lower / higher __ in x than y / relationship
- Evaluate (use the conclusion to guide - pros, cons, validity)
- Tailor the evaluation points to the question’s context + add a justification for safety
- Make a claim + so _____
- If data has probability / SD = ‘significant’ & ‘chance’ must be integrated into answer
C - compare
Comparative point using the DV NOT from the question stem, but from the data
- ___ increased for both groups
- All conditions compared to (control) show ___
- ___ reduces __ and ___ movement
- Greater (proportional) effect on ___
- For the control an increase in ___ increases ____;
- For ___ an increase in ___ reduces ___;
- 2 reduces ____ (compared to control);
- 1 and 3 increases _____ (compared to control);
C - what can you conclude
Based on data comparison → link to the conclusion / context = effects, what does it mean)
- SO ____ / so shows ____
E - evaluation
Tailor the rote learned ones to the question context
If it isn’t written = it never happened.
- Graph shows correlation but doesn’t prove _____ due to __ / could be due to other
factors
- Maths models may be inaccurate
- Unknown effects of x exposure
- Different age / sex
- No stats test to prove they are significant
- Sample size → large enough to be representative
- Duration → unknown / long enough to know the long-term effects
- Tested on animals → would have a different effect on humans
- Stats → to see if there is a significant difference / correlation
- Tested on male/females only → didn’t know effect on the other sex
- Tested on a particular age → don’t know effect on other ages
- Tested on 1 species → don’t know if it applies to all species
- Control → comparison
- Double blind / placebo → reduce bias
- Sample size mark - give a back up point
- Cost
- SD overlap → difference not significant
- Less than ___ probability that the result is due to chance → so not / significant
- Side effects
Evaluate the ethics (1)
- IDEA FOR & AGAINST
- Harmful BUT stops human suffering
- Animal abuse BUT prevents human deaths
Variables
- Sex
,Main tips
- Highlighter, read q TWICE & only draw on graphs with a pencil and a ruler
- Command word !
- Bullet point answers
- Focus on the specific question demand = ao2 = key q = WHAT CHANGED
- Ao2 = unfamiliar context = figure out the topic + treat like a textbook
- Ao2 = clear chains of cause - and effect = flow diagrams help to understand
- Be specific = attachment protein of what? LOCATION? Who’s DNA?
- Show cause and effect
- Count marking points + 1 insurance point
- Annotate the AO_ next to each question
- List rule = right + wrong answer = wrong, so make sure you don’t fumble too many
points
NEVER ABBRIEVIATE
- GP / TP / RuBp
- Hb - haemoglobin
- Acetyl CoA - acetyl coenzyme A
- DCT + PCT - distal + proximal convoluted tubule
- AVN + SAN - atrioventricular node + sinoatrial node
- AV + SL valve - atrioventricular + semilunar valve
AO1
- Recall, key terms + specific A level vocab, logical, clear sequence
- Compare & contrast = ‘all statements must be clearly linked & comparative with and /
whereas/ but, no inference (clear distinct sentences) = count them
AO2
- Explain =
- 1 - Identify the topic
- 2 - RECALL the magic marking phrases
- 3 - Now figure out the chain of c → e
- WHAT CHANGED / the cause → explain / effect → link to question
- Many / A large number of
- So / As / Causes / Therefore
- more / less / greater / lesser / higher / lower / reduced /
prevents / high rate of / lower rate of / more, less likely to /
faster, slower than /
- Clear cause - and effect
- State the cause (temperature increases)
- Explain the mechanism (AS higher kinetic energy, SO more e-s complexes)
- Link to the question + the effect (SO rate of reaction increases)
AO3 - Analysis, interpretation & evaluation
- Use the DV to compare, not the wording of the conclusion (ie - not ‘more effective’,
but ‘greater reduction in mean __ so shows ___’)
- Again, with hypotheses - use the DV, not the conclusion like in psych
- REJECTS = ‘Results’ due to chance (must say difference / increase / decrease / fall /
rise)
, Evaluate…conclusion
DCE
- Compare (what does the data show?)
- Conclude (increase / decrease / greater / lower / higher __ in x than y / relationship
- Evaluate (use the conclusion to guide - pros, cons, validity)
- Tailor the evaluation points to the question’s context + add a justification for safety
- Make a claim + so _____
- If data has probability / SD = ‘significant’ & ‘chance’ must be integrated into answer
C - compare
Comparative point using the DV NOT from the question stem, but from the data
- ___ increased for both groups
- All conditions compared to (control) show ___
- ___ reduces __ and ___ movement
- Greater (proportional) effect on ___
- For the control an increase in ___ increases ____;
- For ___ an increase in ___ reduces ___;
- 2 reduces ____ (compared to control);
- 1 and 3 increases _____ (compared to control);
C - what can you conclude
Based on data comparison → link to the conclusion / context = effects, what does it mean)
- SO ____ / so shows ____
E - evaluation
Tailor the rote learned ones to the question context
If it isn’t written = it never happened.
- Graph shows correlation but doesn’t prove _____ due to __ / could be due to other
factors
- Maths models may be inaccurate
- Unknown effects of x exposure
- Different age / sex
- No stats test to prove they are significant
- Sample size → large enough to be representative
- Duration → unknown / long enough to know the long-term effects
- Tested on animals → would have a different effect on humans
- Stats → to see if there is a significant difference / correlation
- Tested on male/females only → didn’t know effect on the other sex
- Tested on a particular age → don’t know effect on other ages
- Tested on 1 species → don’t know if it applies to all species
- Control → comparison
- Double blind / placebo → reduce bias
- Sample size mark - give a back up point
- Cost
- SD overlap → difference not significant
- Less than ___ probability that the result is due to chance → so not / significant
- Side effects
Evaluate the ethics (1)
- IDEA FOR & AGAINST
- Harmful BUT stops human suffering
- Animal abuse BUT prevents human deaths
Variables
- Sex
