Common Mistakes (part 1)

There is a very useful guide from the AQA exam board highlighting common misconceptions that cause students to lose marks in Trilogy papers: the full document is available here. The advice given below is based on the exam board’s document combined with my own observations of ways in which students often lose marks carelessly. I will offer more advice in the second part of this summary, which will be published next week.

1. READ THE QUESTION CAREFULLY… If the question asks you to tick the answer that is NOT true and you aren’t sure which one it is, at least make sure that you don’t accidentally tick one that you know IS true! If you are asked to complete a sentence using words from a list, then use ONLY the supplied words. If you are asked to tick two boxes then don’t tick just one if you only know one right answer. You can guess at the second answer as the marks are separate and you will still get one mark for your correct answer. But don’t tick three boxes as that will always lose you a mark, so you could end up with nothing.

2. AVOID REPEATING INFORMATION… In foreign language exams you might be encouraged to build your answer using words that are given in the question but that doesn’t work in science exams. There are no marks for repeating information given in the question so don’t waste space (and time) doing that. However, there is a useful trick that involves reading the information given in the question AND looking at any accompanying diagram: anything that is shown in the diagram but NOT mentioned in the question could be something for you to explain in your answer. For example, if there is a question about the purpose of each pin in a three-pin plug and there is also a fuse shown in the diagram then don’t forget to include it in your answer. In this case, you would need to say that the live pin, which provides the electricity supply, connects to the live wire through the fuse. In a question like this, next part might ask you to explain the purpose of the fuse, which is to act as a safety device, breaking the circuit by melting if the current goes too high.

3. USE NOUNS IN FULL SENTENCES… Please don’t write something like “it gets hotter”. You must be clear and write “the water gets hotter” (if that is the case). Definitely don’t write single word answers – except when the question asks you to name or state something. If you are asked to compare two things, make sure that both things are named. For example, when comparing the penetrating power of ionising radiation, write something like “alpha particles cannot travel as far as beta particles, and beta particles cannot travel as far as gamma waves”. Avoid using general words for quantities. For example, don’t talk about an “amount” of water; in this case you should use volume or mass, whichever is the most appropriate. And instead of writing “gamma waves can go through the most metal” make your answer more exact by using the word thickness: “gamma waves can go through a greater thickness of metal than either beta particles or alpha particles”.

4. ONLY ELECTRONS MOVE… If something has a negative charge then it has gained electrons: that should be obvious. But if an object has a positive charge then it has LOST electrons (it does not gain protons). Only electrons are able to move!

5. MAKE SURE YOU EXPLAIN PROPERLY… If a question contains the word explain then a good answer will almost always include the word because. This is a rare case where repeating information in the question can be helpful for composing a good answer even though it won’t get you any marks on its own (the marks come from what follows the word “because”). Try to list as many facts as there are marks available. Sometimes you will be shown a graph or two pie charts and asked to interpret their information in a certain context, such as global warming. Make sure that your answer includes the required context rather than just describing the diagram in isolation: in this case, make sure the words “global warming” appear in your answer!

6. WHAT DOES EVALUATE MEAN?… A good tactic for answering evaluation questions is to start with a comparison, if that is appropriate. Afterwards, you should say why the differences between those things are important, probably by applying some background knowledge. You can normally get a few marks just by doing the initial comparison, so do that first before adding extra information from your memory. If you are being asked to evaluate which of two things is better for a certain purpose then make sure you finish your answer by stating your choice with an appropriate reason based on the comparison points that you have already made. You may be able to get a mark for stating a choice with a reason even if the reason isn’t strictly correct. So if all else fails, state a choice and find something meaningful to write in support of your decision.