6BI06

A2 Coursework
2011

Purpose

Tests understanding of HOW SCIENCE

WORKS: ie how do real biologists do
real biological investigations?
Builds on the skills developed from
the Core Practicals

Whats it Worth?

20%
ie half a written paper

Marking Criteria

Research & Rationale

(11)
Planning
Observing & Recording
Interpreting & Evaluating
Communicating

(11)
(8)
(9)
(6)
45

Marking

Each of the strands is broken down into

either 2, 3 or 4 sub-criteria (a,b,c & d),
so keep the mark scheme in front of
you at all times!
Each strand is marked in ranges (eg 02; 3-6; 7-9; 10-11). All points in a range
must be satisfied before you can move
to the next range: its hierarchical

Marks > Grades

MARKS OUT OF 45

0-11
12-22
23-32
33+

represents a WEAK performance

represents an AVERAGE performance
represents a GOOD performance
represents a VERY GOOD performance

2010 Grade Boundaries

A* 39
A 34
B 29
C 24
D 20
E 16
N 12

R&R

( Research & Rationale )

Needs research from textbooks* and

(importantly) journals
Research sources must be used both to
explain the biological context here and also
to explain the results in I&E
Rationale: why do the investigation? What
would you put on an application for funding?

*Use the SNAB textbook to check facts etc, but dont quote: its not
really research!

( Planning)

Trial: design a trial to test your data

collection method and use the results to
inform your plan for the main method
Control of variables
Make sure that your method provides good
enough data for statistical analysis
Assess the risks and describe the controls

O&R

( Observing & Recording)

Tables of results: all of them

Identify any anomalies and investigate
them if necessary: explain them; leave
them in; take them out; repeat.
How do you know that your data is
good?
Running means

I&E

( Interpreting & Evaluating)

Statistical test: this shows whether your data is valid (and

therefore whether any conclusions youve drawn are valid!),
or could just have happened by chance. (This is easy)
Explain your results using biological principles of A2
standard (look in the textbook!)
Use the research sources from R&R to explain and analyse
your results (VITAL)
Look at your data and method: how confident can you be of
your conclusions?
Are there any limitations in your method which may affect
the data? If so, can you suggest and justify any
improvements/modifications?

(Communicating)

Does your report look like a paper in a scientific journal?

Are tables/graphs properly labelled, with the correct
units?
There should be NO spelling mistakes and grammar
should be perfect
Bibliography must be complete and refer readily to
points in the text
Each source should be evaluated for its
reliability/accuracy. This is best done in two stages:
Who made the claim/provided the information, and
what credibility do they have?
The claim itself: find another source to back it up