science

• Command words in exams

  • Balance
  • Calculate
  • Choose
  • Compare
  • Define
  • Describe
  • Design
  • Determine
  • Draw
  • Estimate
• Command words in exams

  • Explain
  • Identify
  • Justify
  • Label
  • List
  • Measure
  • Name
  • Outline
  • Predict
  • Suggest
• Command words in exams

  • Summarise
  • Support
  • Use
  • Write
• Command words are the words and phrases used in exams that tell students how they should answer a question
• Balance: Students need to balance a chemical equation
• Calculate: Students should use numbers given in the question to work out the answer
• Choose: Select from a range of alternatives
• Compare: This requires the student to describe the similarities and/or differences between things, not just write about one
• Define: Specify the meaning of something
• Describe: Students may be asked to recall some facts, events or process in an accurate way
• Design: Set out how something will be done
• Determine: Use given data or information to obtain an answer
• Draw: To produce, or add to, a diagram
• Estimate: Assi
• Identifying variables in experiments

  1. INDEPENDENT VARIABLE: what is changed/tested variable

  2. DEPENDENT VARIABLE: what is measured

  3. CONTROL VARIABLES: variables that could affect the results and must be kept the same
• Using / keeping the same equipment is quite important but do not assume that having a different person or using measuring device would make a significant difference
• To identify the control variables, think about what you could do to mess up the results or cheat – this will show you what needs to be kept the same/controlled
• With experiments, scientists look at cause and effect and then analyse the results – these are the final marks in an experiment
• Command words


  • Balance
  • Calculate
  • Choose
  • Compare
  • Define
  • Describe
  • Design
  • Determine
  • Draw
  • Estimate
• Command words are the words and phrases used in exams that tell students how they should answer a question
• Balance: Students need to balance a chemical equation
• Calculate: Students should use numbers given in the question to work out the answer
• Choose: Select from a range of alternatives
• Compare: This requires the student to describe the similarities and/or differences between things, not just write about one
• Define: Specify the meaning of something
• Describe: Students may be asked to recall some facts, events or process in an accurate way
• Design: Set out how something will be done
• Determine: Use given data or information to obtain an answer
• Draw: To produce, or add to, a diagram
• Estimate: Assi
• Write a method


  This should include all the steps you would carry out to run an experiment. Your answer should also include some explanation about what you would learn from the results – eg the best temperature would make a yeast and flour mixture rise the most as the yeast will produce more carbon dioxide as it ferments
• FAIR TEST and VARIABLES
• Independent Variable


  The changed / tested variable
• Dependent Variable


  What is measured
• Control Variables


  All the variables that could affect the results and must be kept the same
• To identify the control variables


  Think about what you could do to mess up the results or cheat – this will show you what needs to be kept the same / controlled
• With experiments, scientists look at cause and effect and then analyse the results – these are the final marks in an experiment
• Identifying control variables


  Think about what could mess up the results or cheat to determine what needs to be kept the same/controlled
• Analysing results in experiments

  Scientists look at cause and effect, analyse the results, and interpret them to learn from the experiment
• Improving accuracy of experiments


  Repeat tests, use averages, use larger sample sizes to lessen human error, repeat or ignore wrong readings