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Exam command words and extended responses

Practical, mathematical and exam skills · Lesson 5 of 5

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Lesson 5 of 5 · Practical, mathematical and exam skills

Exam command words and extended responses

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By the end you’ll be able to

apply the meaning of common command words such as define, state, name, identify, describe, explain, compare, calculate, evaluate, suggest, interpret and discuss when deciding what an answer must include
distinguish between command words that require recall, use of data, reasoning, comparison or judgement and tailor the depth of response accordingly

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construct extended responses that are logically sequenced, use accurate biological terminology, include relevant practical detail and avoid irrelevant material

use data, examples and scientific reasoning to support explanations and evaluations in six-mark or similar extended-response questions

show full mathematical working, quote units, and present final answers to a sensible degree of accuracy so that method marks can be awarded even if the final answer is incorrect

interpret unfamiliar practical scenarios, combine information from text, tables and diagrams, and select the biological knowledge needed to answer synoptic questions

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