Science That appears to be a very common question among students.

Very often, they are puzzled why their friends are able to score 2 marks for a question, while they score only 1 or half mark, for what appears to be very similar answers given. To understand how a student scores or loses marks, you must understand exactly what the examiner looks for, when he or she is marking the exam paper. Since most marks are lost in Section B, in this post, we will touch on Section B type questions only. An examiner looks for two things in an answer, when he or she marks Section B questions. They are: 1. Key word(s) 2. Key concept(s) Key word is the word that forms the main answer. This word tells the examiner if the student knows his or her work. If the key word is missing in the answer, the examiner will doubt that the student knows his or her work. Key concept is the explanation of the concept that has been applied in the answer. It tells the examiner if the student understands the theory, concept and its application. If the key concept is missing in the answer, the examiner will believe that although the student has the answer, he or she does not have a full understanding of the concept(s) involved. Below, is a Sample Question, followed by a Sample Answer. ========================== Question - Raju put some ice into a glass of water. After a while, he noticed that water droplets started to appear on the outside of the glass. What caused the droplets of water to form? (2 marks)

Sample Answer When the water vapour in the air comes in contact with the cold surface of the glass, condensation takes place and water droplets are formed on the outside of the glass. ========================= In the sample answer above, the key word is in red, while the key concept is in blue. The above answer is sufficient to score the 2 full marks. The key word here is condensation. Without this word, it makes it very difficult for the examiner to give the student any mark, let alone full marks. This is because if condensation is missing, it tells the examiner that the student does not know what has been asked. The key concept on the other hand, tells the examiner that the student knows that condensation has taken place, and more importantly, tells the examiner that the student knows under what conditions condensation takes place. Hence, this question tests on knowledge (what is condensation) and understanding (how condensation changes the state of water and under what circumstances these changes will take place). If the student simply answers condensation without further explanation, he/she will get less than 2 marks. If the student explains the process of condensation, without mentioning the word condensation, then it all depends how convinced the examiner(s) is/are, that the student has understood the concept of condensation, by studying the answer given. However, more often than not, examiners will not be convinced. Having mentioned that, even if the student does manage to convince the examiner(s), he/she will still not get the 2 full marks. The student must give both, the key word and the key concept, to score full marks.
Science : Consequence Question The challenge, and it is often a difficult one, is for the question setter to pose the question in such a way that pupils with widely different background experiences will

all build a sufficiently common mental picture and that mental picture is the same as the question setters mental picture Associate Prof Boo Hong Kwen, NIE (Straits Times Forum, 15 Oct 2004), commenting on the difficulty level of the PSLE 2004 Science Paper. Question for students is, do you have a mental picture that is the same as the question setters mental picture? -------------------------------------------THE CONSEQUENTIAL QUESTION TRAP Why you should know what is in the question setters mind behind that Science question

Some students are puzzled, why they are marked wrong for certain Science questions, when the answer they give is right. This usually occurs when a set of questions is tied to a certain understanding of a theory. A typical question (like the one illustrated below), is subdivided into Part (a) and Part (b). In this particular example, Part (a) tests on application of a theory, while Part (b) tests on knowledge of the theory itself. In such an instance, if Part (a) is answered wrongly, Part (b) will also be marked wrong, regardless if the answer in Part (b) is answered correctly or not. The reason is because if the student gets Part (a) wrong, it tells the examiner that he/she does not understand the topic at all. As such, even if Part (b) is answered correctly, it simply gives the examiner the impression that the student has probably just memorised the answer by heart, without understanding the theory involved. Such a question is dubbed, The Consequential Question Trap". It is considered a trap because students who learn science by heart, will usually fall for this kind of trap questions. Below is an example of a typical consequential question, where Part (b) is dependent on Part (a). This example is a question taken from Primary 5 syllabus. The topic is Electricity. -------------------------Question

The diagram below shows four objects A, B, C and D connected to an electric circuit.

a) Which bulb(s) will light up? b) What conclusion can you give regarding objects A, B, C and D? Answer: a) Bulbs 1, 2 and 4 only. b) Steel rod and metal rulers are conductors of electricity, while rubber and plastic rods are not. ------------------------Part (a) tests the students application of theory, as to what are the consequences if you place a conductor or an insulator in an electrical circuit. Part (b) tests on students knowledge on the characteristics of conductors and insulators. To be able to answer Part (b) correctly, you must be able to identify which bulbs light up in Part (a). If the student gets Part (a) wrong, it gives examiners the idea that he/she does not understand that the conductors will form a closed electrical circuit, resulting Bulbs 1, 2 and 4 to light up - while insulators will break the circuit, causing Bulb 3 to remain unlit. From here, we can see that if Part (a) is answered wrongly, and if the student proceeds to answer Part (b) correctly, the impression given to examiners is that, the student has probably learnt by heart that metals are conductors of electricity while plastic and rubber are not in Part (b) - without understanding the theory that conductors conduct electricity, while insulators break the electrical circuit. The above being the case, examiners will be highly suspicious as to how the student answered Part (b) correctly, when Part (a) has been answered wrongly!

A consequential question hence, has to be answered correctly from the start. If the initial part is answered wrongly, the subsequent answer(s) will be marked wrong, regardless how they have been answered. The only way to get all parts right, is to study and understand its theory. Learning by heart will not help! Science : Section A

In the post made on 8 Nov 2007, "Why do I keep losing marks for my Science?", we discussed how students can reduce loss of marks in Section B. In this post, tips on how to minimise loss of marks in Section A will be discussed. To get an A* for any subject at P5/P6, you will have to have to score above 90% of the maximum mark. To get a Band 1 for any subject at P3/P4, you will have to score at least 85% of the maximum mark. Science is no different. The good news about science is that 60% (Section A) of your total score is based on Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). The bad news is that this gives students (and parents) the false impression that Science is an easy subject. What needs to be noted is that MCQ works both ways. You score the 2 full marks if you get the answer right, but get zero, if you get it wrong. There is no partial mark like 1 mark or half a mark. This means that if you get 5 MCQs wrong, you will lose 10% of your marks, making it impossible for you to get that A*, no matter how well you did for your Section B. A common question structure you will find, is like the example below. --------Question Which of the following statements about water are false? (A) It has mass (B) It has a definite shape

(C) It has no definite volume (D) It can change from one state to another. (1) A and D only (2) B and C only (3) C and D only (4) A and B only ---------Firstly, read the question properly. The question asks Which of the following statements about water are false? Many students tend to rush when they answer the question. They do not pay attention to the fact that the question is asking which statements in A,B,C,D are false and not which are true. Secondly, make a list against the statements by placing a tick against the statement that is true, and placing a cross against the statements that are false. This way you will not be confused so easily. Illustration

The question asks which of the above are false. By making a list, you have identified that B and C are false. Therefore, the correct choice is (2) B and C only. By placing a tick or a cross to identify which statement is true or false, you minimise your chances of making mistakes. This means you will do better for your MCQs in Section A, resulting in higher marks for your overall Science score. Do not underestimate Section A Science. It may be the key to whether you score an A or an A*. Remember, 5 MCQs wrong, and that A* will be out of your reach

English : Open Ended Comprehension

Comprehension (Open Ended) Section accounts for 20 marks out of a total 200 in the English PSLE Paper. That makes up 10% of the whole paper. Unfortunately, this section is where students lose most marks in English Paper 2. As such, it is important to pay close attention to this very important section. There are many ways to approach Comprehension (Open Ended) Section. However, I find that the most effective way is to read the questions before reading the passage. By reading the questions first, you focus on what is asked, rather than what is in the passage itself. Hence, with your focus on what is asked even before reading the passage, you will be able to pinpoint the answer when you start reading the passage a clear advantage over those who read the passage before reading the questions. Here is an example. Let us read the questions and see if we understand the story even before reading the passage itself. Questions from the Comprehension Open Ended Section of Ai Tong School P5 English SA1 2004. Q1. How were the men feeling while they were on the landing craft? The key phrase that gives us a good hint is landing craft. Landing crafts are not civilian vehicles. These vehicles are used by the military and/or rescue mission parties. As such, we can tell that the men may be from the military or some rescue team either on a mission or under going training. The above demonstrates that even without reading the passage, simply by reading the questions first, we already have an idea of what the passage is about. Q2. Explain in your own words the phrase betraying of inner feelings in the first paragraph. Q3. What was the relationship between Vince and Eddie? We are introduced to 2 men. Vince and Eddie. Again, without even reading the passage yet, we know that there are 2 characters at least, in this passage. Q4. How did the British differentiate their planes from those of the enemies?

The words enemies and British are dead giveaways. This is the first conclusive piece of information that tells us that this story may be about a war scenario. For students who have read widely, they may even be able to relate this background to World War 2 or the Falklands War, where the British made contact with enemy planes. Q5. What does the word them in the fourth paragraph refer to? Q6. Do you think that Vince and Eddie were proud to be part of the British army? Question number 6 confirms that the 2 men are serving the British military during a war period. Q7. Which word in paragraph 7 tells you that the soldiers moved in a group in the water? The key words moved in a group in the water suggest that the soldiers are infantry men. Again, students who read widely will know that infantry men move in groups in such terrain. Q8. Why did the soldiers believe they had seen their last day? (third last paragraph) A hint that this may be a life and death situation, which aptly fits a war scenario. Q9. What do you think happened to Eddie in the end of the passage? Q10. Who helped Eddie when he lost his balance? Why do you think so? By reading all the ten questions, we can reasonably conclude that: 1. This is a war scenario. 2. The story is seen from the British perspective. 3. It could be about World War 2 or the Falklands War. 4. While the story is about the British at war, it centres on two individual soldiers, Vince and Eddie, their relationship and their fate. It can be seen very clearly that if you were to read the questions before

reading the passage, you would have collected some very important information. You are now be in a better position to spot the answers in the passage because you will be on the lookout for the information you have already gathered from the questions. Now compare the passage below and see if the information we have gathered from the questions tallies with the passage itself. The Comprehension Passage The mass of helmets lurched backwards as the landing craft plunged into the dark water. Sea spray glistened on the surface of everything it touched, catching the light of the artillery fire. Private Eddie Hagen glanced at the faces of the men around him. Some were praying, while others held pictures or mementos of sweethearts and family before carefully tucking them away inside their pockets. The rest stared into the unknown, their faces expressionless, betraying no inner feelings. This is it, Buddy! Eddie managed a smile in return for the hearty slap on his shoulder and twisted around to acknowledge a friend. Were finally going to get the Japanese! Vince grinned down at Eddie. Remember, buddy, stick with me. Well both do just fine. Besides, your sister never will never marry me if I let anything happen to you. At this moment, both men were distracted by an explosion which sent more spray into the craft. The roar of airplanes filled the sky. As the planes passed overhead, the black and white invasion stripes painted on them could be seen. The marking let the British know that these were their own, for protection against their anti-aircraft guns. The soldiers watched them as they made their way over the cliffs. Eddie recalled the time when Vince and him signed up for the British army at the same time. After basic training, the two strutted like peacocks before family and friends. As full-fledged fighting men, they would now join in the fight against the Japanese. Suddenly, the barking of orders from the platoon leader interrupted Eddies thoughts. The back wall of the craft crashed into the water and the throng of men moved forward. Plunging into the icy water, the British soldiers gasped as the cold wetness penetrated their clothing. The dark, green depths

caused many to stumble, already weighted down with excess gear. This, combined with the mortar fire aimed at them from the top of the cliffs, caused many to believe they had seen the last day. As Eddie struggled toward the shore, a bullet pierced through the man in front of him, causing him to fall backward. He looked into the lifeless eyes before the sea covered the soldiers face and claimed his spirit. A second later, Eddie felt a sharp pain in his side. Before losing his balance, he felt a strong arm lifting him up. So was the information collected from the questions, before we read the passage accurate? Did you have the feeling that you have "read this passage before"? That's because you have read the questions first, giving you some very important clues as to what the passage is about. The trick here is that while you are reading the passage, take note of the "familiar" pieces of information you gathered earlier. Those pieces of information hold the key to your answers to the comprehension questions. For example, for Q1, How were the men feeling while they were on the landing craft? Have you noticed that in the passage, you noticed a familiar scenario when you read this part of the passage? The mass of helmets lurched backwards as the landing craft plunged into the dark water. Sea spray glistened on the surface of everything it touched, catching the light of the artillery fire. Private Eddie Hagen glanced at the faces of the men around him. Some were praying, while others held pictures or mementos of sweethearts and family before carefully tucking them away inside their pockets. The rest stared into the unknown, their faces expressionless, betraying no inner feelings. The question asks, "How were the men feeling...." That means you are expected to describe the men's feelings and emotions. So now in your own words, you have to answer Q1, based on the information above. When people pray, hold mementos of loved ones and "stare into the unknown", what do these actions tell you? Are they happy? Sad? Aniticipative? Worried? Enthusiatic? Anxious? Repeat the above process for the rest of the Comprehension Questions. In this way, you can improve your Comprehension Open Ended Section scores

English Cloze

Many students and parents find it baffling when it comes to Cloze Comprehension Passages. Quite a fair amount of marks is lost in this section, making it one of the most worrisome sections in English Paper 2. So what does a student need to do, in order to minimize loss of marks? Cloze Passages test the students vocabulary, as well as his/her comprehension. Most teachers advise students to read the passage in full, before attempting to answer the questions. This gives the students an idea what the theme of the passage is about. Hence, if the theme of the passage is about hospital, we can expect words like nurses, "doctors", or perhaps, patients, ward, wheelchair and emergency to be used. However, not all passages have clear themes. This may present problems to students who lack a strong vocabulary. The trick is to look at the background and context of the passage. That is why it is important to read the passage in full, before attempting to answer. Below, is a sample passage. Try it out. This passage has been written such that the opening paragraph gives the reader the background. Do not expect this kind of help in actual exams. In real exams, the blanks start in the very first paragraph. This sample is just to help readers to see the link between the answers and the background theme. Hence, a full first paragraph without blanks is given below. Sample Passage -------------------Jake continued his trek in the mountainous forest. He considered himself lucky to be alive. Just days ago, he lost his co-pilot in a horrific crash, when their light aircraft malfunctioned in mid-air. Jake thought he saw death in the face, when their plane came hurtling down. Miraculously, he sustained

only a deep gash on his forehead. But he knew the co-pilot was dead when he saw his body pinned under a heap of twisted metal, motionless. Jake has been _______ (1) in the forest for about a week. He has crossed many streams, but there appears to be no village or settlements around for miles. He knew he was lost and had to find help fast. As he approached a river, he noticed a very tall tree. Jake climbed the tree to _______ (2) for signs of human life or activity. There was none. -----------------Suggested Answers: Q(1) - wandering (highly recommended) - walking, staying, living, sleeping (unacceptable) Why wandering is preferred The passage indicates that Jake was on the move. Words like trek and crossed many streams suggest that Jake was not stationary. Hence, answers that indicate non-movement like staying will be considered unacceptable. Living suggests that Jake has made the forest as his place of residence, while sleeping is out of context, because the theme is about Jakes survival and his concerted effort to seek help. Walking too, is unacceptable because walking infers moving to a place in a purposeful manner, with a specific destination in mind. Example I walk to school. Jake has no specific destination, other than to seek help. Furthermore, has been walking may infer Jake has been walking non-stop, for one week. Wandering gives the reader the idea that the person is lost and has covered a wide area, without any specific destination. Example We saw the little lost girl wandering in the city. Q(2) - look (highly recommended) - search (acceptable) - find (unacceptable) Why look is preferred Look suggests a small area. Example I have

dropped my pen. I need to look for it under the table. Search suggests a much wider area. Example Rescue workers searched for survivors from the capsized ship. Although the passage appears to tell readers that the area is wide (forest), look is preferred, because Jake climbed a tree, restricting his mobility and thus reducing the area. Hence, look for signs is preferred over search. However, search is also acceptable because contextually, Jake was searching for signs of human life even before he climbed the tree, and continued to do so when he climbed that tree. Find is unacceptable because, (1) you need to lose something, before you can find it. Example: Help me find my pen; or (2) you make what you wish to find an objective or mission. Example I need to find the truth. Furthermore, find for is an unacceptable expression. You find something, not find for something