A Chemistry mark allocation

Okazaki

30 Sep 11, 21:07

Something I am curious about.Why does the papers in A level chemistry, they doesn't state mark allocate bit by bit but just a whole chunk of maybe 11 marks for an whole, maybe a ionic eqm question.It is rather ambiguous as we don't know how much to write and explain our points(esp Chemical bonding qns).Is there a purpose behind this type of allocation?

UltimaOnline

30 Sep 11, 21:42

Originally posted by Okazaki:

Something I am curious about.Why does the papers in A level chemistry, they doesn’t state mark allocate bit by bit but just a whole chunk of maybe 11 marks for an whole, maybe a ionic eqm question.It is rather ambiguous as we don’t know how much to write and explain our points(esp Chemical bonding qns).Is there a purpose behind this type of allocation?

This is to allow for a small measure of flexibility to obtain the allocated marks whether you have the required points stated in part (a) or in part (b). Don't worry about it.

Okazaki

30 Sep 11, 22:48

May I ask if A level UK Paper is generally harder or easier than Singapore A level?Because maybe I can find some challenging questions from there.

Okazaki

30 Sep 11, 22:54

Oh ya btw may I know where to get markers' report for each year?

UltimaOnline

30 Sep 11, 23:45

Originally posted by Okazaki:

May I ask if A level UK Paper is generally harder or easier than Singapore A level?Because maybe I can find some challenging questions from there.

Different syllabus content. Neither easier or harder.

The examiners' reports for the Singapore H2 papers are not available to students or members of the public.

The examiners' reports for the UK papers can be purchased from the Cambridge websites with a credit card.

Kahynickel

2 Oct 11, 04:06

Majority of the A-level students refer to their teachers' notes since teachers provide them ample explanation of questions. All possible answers that are a part of mark scheme are told to students so students don't need to refer to mark schemes published by CIE. Sometimes teachers discourage the use of mark schemes. I call Examiners' reports as "an extension of mark schemes". An examiner's report will not only tell you about how students performed but it also inform you about the use of particular answers explaining which answers are wrong and which are accepted by CIE. It means that teachers will be aware of all the possible answers. I always give a copy of both mark scheme and examiners' reports to my students. But I want them to read in my presence so that they may get a complete sense of what should be implied from a given explanation. For example in June 2007 paper 4, with the help of absorption spectra the question was asked: devise a suitable experimental technique for studying the rate of reaction using the [Zn2+]. Now marking scheme provided with the possible answers such as colorimetry, conductivity method, spectrophotometric method and then gave a step-by-step points of the process. Examiner's report, on the other hand, revealed that why other method such as titration would not work. Therefore, I don't think that examiners' report should be treated as a tool to help students identify their loop holes rather than restricted it to just teachers. Now it is other matter that examiners' reports in Singapore contain some other material that must not be shown to students and public at large.