1. Higher Questions Help Sheet

2. What is the question asking of me? It is important to consider the verb ‘command word’ at the start of each question; this word gives you an indication (along with the marks allocated) as to how much detail is required in your answer. Possible command words include: Describe, Explain and Discuss.

3. Describe questions "Describe" or "How did you." means you have to give a full detailed account of what exactly you did. Questions may also ask to "describe in detail", or "describe briefly".

4. Describe examples a)Describe how to get from the school to the M8 motorway A bad answer would be…. “Get in the car and drive on the road following the signposts for the motor way”. A satisfactory answer would be….. “Come out of the school car park, take a right at the first 2 roundabouts, at the third and fourth roundabouts go straight on, once you get to St James Inter Change take a left onto the motorway”. PTO

5. Describe examples A good answer would be….. “When you come out of the school car park take a right at the mini round about. You will then approach a second round about, you want to be in the right hand lane as your are going to take the third exit at this roundabout. Follow the road for about 1/2 a mile then you will come to a mini round which you will go straight across taking the second exit. At the next round about you want to be in the middle lane, taking the second exit; this road will take you around the outside of Glasgow Airport. Follow this road for about 1.2 mile until you get to St James Interchange. At St James Interchange roundabout be in the left hand lane taking the first exit onto the M8 motorway”.

6. Explain questions "Explain": means you have to account for why you did what you did. In other words describe how you did it and then give reasons why you did it.

7. Explain Examples b) Explain why you were late for school this morning A bad answer would be ….. “This morning I did not get the bus until 8.45am, the bus reached the school at 9.10am. This meant that I did not arrive at my first class until 9.15am, and was 25 minutes late”. A good answer would be….. “This morning I was not able to get a bus into school until 8.45am, this was because the 8.20am bus which I normally get had a punctured tyre. We had to stand and wait nearly 20 minutes until another bus came to take us. Then once I arrived at school I realised I had forgotten to pick up my house keys on the way out the house so I rushed to the office to ask if they could phone my mum and let her know. By the time everything was sorted out I didn’t arrive at my first period class until 9.15am”.

8. Discuss questions "Discuss" or "justify": means give a critical discussion for what you did or decided. You describe how you did it, explain why you did it and then you reinforce or dispute (justify) the reasons you gave for why.

9. Discuss Examples c)Discuss whether you think you should be sitting Int 2 or Higher PE this year. A bad answer would be….. “I think I should be sitting Higher PE this year because I am a very good at a number of different sports. The written exam for Higher PE however is a lot harder than the Int 2 exam. Firstly at Higher you need to write a lot more for each answer, and give a lot more detail, in order to be awarded the full amount of marks. Also when answering Structures and Strategies questions I must demonstrate that I have a thorough understanding of the rotational setter and specialist setter strategies to be able to achieve a pass in the Higher exam”. PTO

10. Discuss Examples A good answer would be….. “I think I should be sitting Higher PE this year firstly because I am a skilled performer in Volleyball and Basketball and this will allow me to achieve a Higher performance grade in these activities. There is no doubt that the written exam at Higher is a lot harder than Int 2 because you are required longer and more detailed answers in order to be awarded the marks. Over the last few months however I have completed a number of past paper questions for Mr Corr both in class, and as homework, and on average I have scored over half marks for these questions. My marks suggest that my answers are of a fairly good standard, and that I have a relatively good understanding of the rotational setter and specialist setter strategies in volleyball, based on this I think if I continue to work hard in class I will be more than capable of achieving a good pass in Higher PE”.