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A2 Biology – Paper 3
Paper 5 is a written paper focused on the following higher-order experimental skills:
• planning;
• analysis and evaluation
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You will be tested on the following aspects of planning:
• to plan an experiment;
• to perform the experiment according to their plan;
• to evaluate what they have done
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Candidates will be required to design an experimental investigation of a given problem
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Candidates may be asked to express a prediction in the form of a written hypothesis linking
independent and dependent variables, or in the form of a graph showing the expected outcome
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These questions also will not be highly structured: candidates will be expected to decide for
themselves the means that should be used to analyse, evaluate and conclude
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No question will require knowledge of theory or equipment that is beyond the AS and A2
syllabus
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The amount of information will be limited to ensure that
there is ample time for candidates to read and consider the information
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The expectations for
each mark category are listed in the sections that follow the table
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Planning
A
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
Candidates will be provided with a scenario and background information to set the context
within which they are expected to define the problem
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Candidates should be able to make a hypothesis
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Candidates may be asked to express their hypothesis in the form of a sketch graph showing the
expected outcome
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g
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g
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B
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The overall arrangement should be workable
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Words and labelled diagrams should be used for describing the apparatus and how to use it
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Control experiments may be of the type where all factors are identical to the
experimental treatment, except that the value of the independent variable is zero, or they
may be of the type used to confirm that, for example, it is an enzyme that is causing a
particular effect, where the enzyme is omitted or denatured
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g
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Precautions
Candidates should be able to carry out a simple risk assessment of their plan, identifying the
areas where accident or injury is most likely and areas where it would be most serious
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g
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Candidates should be able to describe the main steps that they would use in order to get to
the point of being able to draw conclusions, including, as appropriate, preparation of results
tables, proposed graphs to plot, key points to consider in any evaluation of the method and
results, and reference back to the hypothesis
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Analysis, conclusions and evaluation
A
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Candidates should know how to choose and carry out calculations required for simplifying
data and to make it comparable
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Candidates should know how to choose and construct appropriate data tables, including
columns for calculated values, and headings including quantity and unit where appropriate
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Candidates should know how to select and carry out the key steps of statistical methods
designed to assess variability in data including:
 range,
 inter-quartile range,
 standard deviation (page 356-359),
 standard error (page 356, 359-360)
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
NOTE:
 t-tests are valuable for testing for the significance of differences between samples
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 Standard deviation is useful for expressing the variation from the mean
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Candidates are NOT expected to remember the equations and symbols
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Evaluation
Candidates should be able to:
 Identify anomalous values in provided data and suggest appropriate means of dealing
with such anomalies
 Within familiar contexts, suggest possible explanations for anomalous readings;
 Identify the extent to which provided readings have been adequately replicated, and
describe the adequacy of the range of data provided;
 Use provided information to assess the extent to which selected variables have been
effectively controlled;
 Use these evaluations and provided information to make informed judgements on the
confidence with which conclusions may be drawn;
In a table or graph of data, candidates should be able to identify values which are clearly
anomalous, and suggest strategies for dealing with such anomalies, including repeating the
experiment or omitting the affected replicate
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Candidates will be expected to have a knowledge of the advantages of replication of data,
and the practical limitations
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g
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Candidates may be provided with information that will permit them to assess the extent to
which a particular variable have been effectively controlled (e
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the temperature recorded
within each of a number of samples in which it is supposed to be the same)
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C
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Detailed scientific explanations form a part of such conclusions and therefore form a part of
this higher-order practical skill assessment
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Where appropriate, candidates may be given the opportunity to ask questions based on their
conclusions and thus to derive further predictions and hypotheses
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