In-Service Teacher Training Assessment in IGCSE Biology 0610 Session 2: Question papers and mark schemes

Introductions Background Aim of training Welcome

Session 2 looks at: How question papers are set The construction of questions Grade descriptions Strategies for marking questions Analysis of candidates’ scripts and creating mark schemes

How question papers are set (1): Using Assessment Objectives Questions are set with reference to the three Assessment Objectives In Papers 1, 2 and 3 five eighths of the marks relate to AO1 and three eighths to AO2 Notice that overall 50% of the marks are for knowledge and understanding and 50% are for skills

How question papers are set (2): Levels of difficulty (1) Questions are written so that each follows a logical pattern Earlier parts of questions may give key information for use later on in a question Within a given question there is often a gradation of increasing difficulty towards the end of the question

How question papers are set (3): Levels of difficulty (2) Questions worth 3 or 4 marks often discriminate well between stronger and weaker candidates

How question papers are set (4): Levels of difficulty (3) Questions that require knowledge and understanding from more than one area of the syllabus usually prove to be more difficult than ones which test only one area

How question papers are set (5): Mark schemes Mark schemes are written at the same time as the questions They relate to the Assessment Objectives and to the syllabus content Marking is positive - that is, marks are given for correct responses rather than taken away for wrong ones However, if a candidate contradicts themselves or if errors make the context of the answer incorrect, then fewer marks may be awarded

How question papers are set (6): Setting questions in context Some questions are set in a context likely to be unfamiliar to candidates Contexts can make questions more interesting for candidates and help to draw them into the question Contexts can make questions more difficult because candidates must be able to apply their knowledge to a new situation

How question papers are set (7): Setting questions in context

The construction of questions (1): Command words Command words are key words used in questions Students should understand the meaning of the command words if they are to answer questions to the best of their ability The mark scheme will depend on the command word used

The construction of questions (2): Analysing command words Some command words require concise answers while others require extended answers Some command words require only single word or single figure answers Command words may require either recall or making logical connections between pieces of information

Grade descriptions (1): Why have grade descriptions? Make clear the level of performance required for different grades Help Examiners to set questions of the appropriate difficulty Help teachers assess the level of their students Form a basis for the descriptors for school based practical assessment

Grade descriptions (2): Reading grade descriptions Each grade description has six strands Each strand requires more linkage of facts progressing from grade F to A Each strand requires a greater extent of understanding and application of knowledge progressing from F to A

Strategies for marking questions (1): Levels of marking The marking of questions depends on the level of response required by the Examiners Initial mark schemes are modified when scripts have been seen, to take into account the range of candidate answers The initial mark scheme may be altered to allow a wider or narrower range of responses

Strategies for marking questions (2): Mark schemes for externally set and externally marked papers may differ from mark schemes you use for class work and homework

Strategies for marking questions (3): The purpose of a mark scheme for external examinations is to give appropriate marks to candidates according to how they achieve in the examination paper The IGCSE mark scheme should result in as wide a spread of marks as possible

Strategies for marking questions (3): The mark schemes you use for class work and homework may concentrate on providing feedback to students relating to their current level of achievement You might mark generously if you want to encourage weaker students

Strategies for marking questions (4): You might decide not to give full marks to a good student, even if they have answered the question quite well But the examination mark scheme will be fair to every student and may award full marks for a less than perfect answer

Strategies for marking questions (4): How a mark scheme works A mark scheme is made up of short statements Each marking point ends with ; Each marking point is worth one mark The answer either gets the mark or not – there are no half marks

Strategies for marking questions (5): General strategies Mark schemes must indicate to examiners how to deal with: unexpected answers which are correct answers where the candidates have contradicted themselves multiple answers to a single question limitations of incorrect spelling

Strategies for marking questions (6): Extended mark schemes Mark schemes may have more marking points than there are marks available Candidates can get full marks for any combination of these marking points They cannot be awarded ‘extra’ marks if they get more than the number of marks stated on the question paper

Strategies for marking questions (7): Extended mark schemes

Strategies for marking questions (8): Extended mark schemes

Strategies for marking questions: (9) Dependent answers One mistake should normally only mean the loss of one mark This may mean accepting ‘wrong’ answers where a correct method or correct thinking was based on a previous mistake This is often important in calculations or in genetics questions

Creating a mark scheme (1): General points Remember that the mark scheme should: Give concise answers in note form Show clearly (on separate lines where necessary) where the marks were awarded Show the range of acceptable answers Indicate unacceptable answers

Creating a mark scheme (2): Making a mark scheme In your own time construct a mark scheme for the question you have been given. For each part of the question: Think carefully about exactly what the candidate is being asked to do Write concise and clear marking points which are appropriate and which are easy to apply Decide whether or not to use extended schemes for any section

Creating a mark scheme (3): Reviewing the mark scheme Use the mark scheme you constructed to mark the candidates’ responses Were the number of marks given adequate for each part? After reading the candidate responses will you change or modify your mark scheme?

Creating a mark scheme (4): The final mark scheme (1) Compare your mark scheme with the one that was used by CIE examiners Use the CIE scheme to assess the candidates’ work once more Identify any significant differences between the marks awarded using your mark scheme and the CIE scheme

Creating a mark scheme (5): The final mark scheme (2) Notice that for (b)(i) the mark scheme states that ‘hair’ should be ignored, not marked wrong Several parts have numerous alternative answers (indicated with /) No parts have extended schemes Note that goblet cells can be credited in (b)(i) even though they are not in the syllabus

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