Paper 2
Always questions
Sometimes questions
Always in paper 2
Hand in your charts or graphs. You will be awarded up to 4
marks for your chart or graph.
A graph of your results:
• Clearly labelled axis
• Suitable scale
• Plotted correctly
• Line of best fit
You should get full marks on this. Draw a practice graph
first, before completing your real graph under high
control.
4 marks gained
Always in paper 2
What were the variables in the experiment you did?
Independent variable – what did you change?
Dependent variable – what did you measure?
Control variable – what did you keep the same?
You should get full marks on this. Make sure you know
the answers for your experiment!
3 marks gained
Always in paper 2
Do your results support the hypothesis that you
investigated? You should use any pattern that you see in
your results to support your answer. You should include
examples from your results.
• Start with “The results did/did not support the
hypothesis”
• Because the trend of the graph is… or there is no
pattern in the results
• Quote some of your data – e.g. at 20oC… but at
60oC…
You must include all 3 points to get full marks
3 marks gained
Always in paper 2
Draw a sketch graph of the results from Case study 1
• Label the axis
• Draw the shape of the graph
• just the shape – no numbers needed – does it go up or
down? Straight line (linear) or a curve (non-linear)?
You will get nothing if you don’t label the axis!
2 marks gained
Always in paper 2
Draw a sketch graph of the results from Case study 1
• Try these for practice
Light intensity
(lumens)
Amount Oxygen
produced by plant per
hour (ml)
100
10
200
18
300
25
400
28
500
29
Mass added (g)
Extension of spring
(cm)
100
2
200
4
300
6.5
400
8
500
10
Always in paper 2
Draw a sketch graph of the results from Case study 1
• Try these for practice
Temperature (oC)
Time taken for reaction
(s)
Number of
people in house
Time a toilet roll lasts
(days)
20
120
1
10
40
80
2
8
60
60
3
6
80
50
4
4
100
45
5
2
Always in paper 2
Explain whether or not the results in Case studies 1, 2 and 3 support the
hypothesis. To gain full marks, your explanation should include appropriate
examples from the results in Case studies 1, 2 and 3.
•
•
•
•
Write about each case study separately. Include example data to support
your ideas. E.g. case study 1 supports the hypothesis because the higher
the temperature, the higher the bounce. It bounced 50cm at 60oC, but
only 20 at 25oC.
Look carefully at the results – mention any anomalous results! Check that
the experiment is valid – i.e. are they changing the right variable?
Have they calculated the mean correctly – discard anomalous results and
record the mean to the same level of accuracy as the results
Linear or non-linear?
You won’t know what the Case studies are, but you should make sure
that you know what to do!
3 marks gained
Always in paper 2
Hypothesis: Paint dries faster at higher temperatures
• Try these for practice
Case study A
Case study B
Case study C
mean
Paint
Drying time
(min)
8
8
A
220
7
7
7.3
B
180
6
4
5
5
C
160
40
4
3
3
3.3
D
18
50
2
1
2
1.6
E
64
Temperature
(oC)
Drying time
(min)
Temp.
(oC)
Drying time
(hours)
20
120
10
10
9
40
100
20
8
60
58
30
80
60
100
40
Always in paper 2
A question about case study 4.
• You are given a statement.
• You need to use the data for case study 4 to answer the
question.
• Check – does the data support the statement? Or not?
Explain your answer carefully, quoting data to support
your argument.
You won’t know what the statement or data will be, but
apply your skills and don’t panic!
3 marks gained
Always in paper 2
How could the results from your investigation be useful in
the context you have researched? (use your candidate
research notes)
• What was your context?
• How could you apply what you have found out to this
situation?
• Include enough detail!
Prepare your answer – you know this question is coming!
3 marks gained
Always in paper 2
Up to 26 marks!!!!!
You can do really well in paper 2 if you get prepared. Make
sure that you can score as many marks as possible in the
questions that are on every ISA.
26 marks on the whole paper would put you on target
for an A* grade
Sometimes in paper 2
Most investigations contain uncertainties. Suggest
one cause of uncertainty in your experiment. How
could you reduce the size of this uncertainty if you
were to repeat the experiment?
• Think about what you couldn’t control fully or
measure carefully enough
• How could you improve the method next time?
Plan for this question!
3 marks gained
Sometimes in paper 2
You have been given results from other people. Do
these other results show the investigation to be
reproducible?
• Show that you know what reproducable means!
• Yes – similar trend in results or no, different
trend
• Quote data from their results and yours
Prepare for this question! Do you have an
answer?
3 marks gained
Sometimes in paper 2
You have been given results from other people. Do
these other results show the investigation to be
reproducible?
• Show that you know what reproducable means!
• Yes – similar trend in results or no, different
trend
• Quote data from their results and yours
Prepare for this question! Do you have an
answer?
3 marks gained
Sometimes in paper 2
Did you get any anomalous results?
• Show that you know what anomalous means!
• Yes – not close to line of best fit or a very
different repeated value
• No – all repeats similar or close to line of best fit
Prepare for this question! Do you have an
answer?
3 marks gained
Sometimes in paper 2
What was the range of the independent variable?
Was this a suitable range?
• From… to…
• Yes – obvious difference between lowest and
highest values or no, difference too small
• Quote from your data!
Prepare for this question! Do you have an
answer?
3 marks gained
Sometimes in paper 2
Other people trying to repeat your investigation
might get results that are different to yours.
Suggest one reason and explain why they would get
different results.
• What might they have done that was different?
• How would their results be different as a result
Prepare for this question! Do you have an
answer?
3 marks gained
Sometimes in paper 2
If you were to repeat your investigation would you
make any changes to your method?
• No – results had clear trend, data repeatable,
test was fair.
• Yes – how would you improve it? E.g. repeat data,
larger range, change to practical
Prepare for this question! Do you have an
answer?
3 marks gained
Sometimes in paper 2
What was the resolution of one piece of
equipment that you used to make a
measurement in your experiment? Do you
think that this resolution was appropriate?
• Resolution : measured to the nearest…
• No – results not clearly different, may
overlap
• Yes – clear trend in results, don’t overlap
Prepare for this question! Do you have an
answer?
3 marks gained
Keywords
Key word
Hypothesis
What does it mean?
A statement that can be tested
Accurate
The more accurate a result is, the closer to the correct answer it is
Precise
When you get almost the same answer again and again. The answer
may be accurate or not
Repeatable
Reproducible
When you do an experiment again and get similar results
When the experiment is done again using different equipment or
methods, or done by another person and you get similar results
Keywords
Key word
Objectivity
Variable
What does it mean?
A experiment is objective when the people doing it are not trying to get a certain result
Things that can change in an experiment
Independent
variable
The thing that you change in an experiment
Dependent
variable
The result that you measure in an experiment
Control variable
Something that you keep the same to make sure that your experiment is fair
Keywords
Key word
What does it mean?
Categoric
variables
Continuous
variables
These kinds of variables are best described by labels, e.g. eye colour, where each
eye colour is one category
These kinds of variables are best described using numbers, e.g. number of pupils
in each classroom.
Resolution
How accurate you can measure with a piece of equipment
i.e. Measuring to the nearest…
Range
The highest and lowest values you test
Values
What actual measurements you test
e.g. 10oC, 20oC etc.