Specification

In each assessment unit, the students' skills and abilities are measured against a set of assessment objectives (AO).

The table below offers more details on each objective:


AO1 Knowledge and understanding Students must:
  • recognise, recall and show understanding of specific scientific facts, terminology, principles, concepts and practical techniques;
  • demonstrate understanding of the power and limitations of scientific ideas and factors affecting how these ideas develop;
  • draw on existing knowledge to show understanding of the benefits and drawbacks of applications of science; and
  • select, organise and present relevant information.
AO2 Application of knowledge and understanding, analysis and evaluation Students must:
  • describe, explain and interpret phenomena, effects and ideas in terms of scientific principles and concepts, presenting arguments and ideas clearly and logically;
  • interpret and translate, from one form into another, data presented as continuous prose or in tables, diagrams and graphs;
  • carry out relevant calculations;
  • apply principles and concepts to unfamiliar situations, including those related to applications of science in a range of domestic, industrial and environmental contexts; and
  • evaluate scientific information and make informed judgments from it.
AO3 Investigative skills Students must:
  • devise and plan investigations, drawing on scientific knowledge and understanding in selecting appropriate strategies;
  • demonstrate appropriate investigative methods, including safe and skilful practical techniques, obtaining data which are sufficient and of appropriate precision, recording these methodically;
  • interpret data to draw conclusions which are consistent with the evidence, using scientific knowledge and understanding, whenever possible, in explaining their findings; and
  • evaluate data and methods.

For more information on the assessment objectives, please view the full specification.