IGCSE PAPER 6
BIOLOGY
IGCSE
Arshiya Tanveer
OUTLINE
• Marks & Percentage
• Assessment Objective (AO3)
• Structure
• Terminology
• List of experiments
Paper Pattern
- Q1 on INV. Skills
- Drawing a Diagram
- Plotting a Graph
- Design an Investigation
IGCSE BIOLOGY PAPER 6 –
3
ALTERNATIVE TO PRACTICAL
Paper: 40 marks
Time: 1 hr Weightage:
20%
AO3 EXPERIMENTAL SKILLS Tests assessment
objective AO3
AND INVESTIGATIONS Assesses grades A*
to G
Candidates not
required to do
experiments
Candidates should be able to:
• demonstrate knowledge of how to safely
use techniques, apparatus and materials
• plan experiments and investigations
• make and record observations, measurements
and estimates
• interpret and evaluate experimental
observations and data
• evaluate methods and suggest possible
improvements.
PAPER 6
STRUCTURE
EXP. TERMINOLOGY 6
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IV? DV?
Testable Question: How does the volume of water affect the number
of days it takes for a tomato plant to flower?
S TESTABLE QUESTION
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M
Testable questions often begin with question starters such as
A How…? What…? If ...? Does…? and have a style such as:
R If we change _______ how does it affect _______?
T What happens to _____ if we change _____?
How does changing ______ affect ______?
SPECIFIC… How does ______ affect ________?
Measurable…
Attainable…
Relevant … The question follows a testable question style
Timely… (e.g., How does changing ___ affect ___?)
The question is specific (is clear what is being
changed).
The question can be answered through observation
and measurements.
EXPERIMENTAL CONTEXTS
• simple quantitative experiments, including the measurement of:
– volumes of gases and liquids
– masses
– temperatures
– times
– lengths
• diffusion • osmosis
• food tests
• rates of enzyme-catalysed reactions, including judging end-points, e.g.
colour changes
• pH and the use of hydrogencarbonate indicator, litmus and universal
• transpiration
• heart rate and breathing rate
• respiration
• tropic responses
• observation and dissection of seeds and flowers
• germination
• continuous and discontinuous variation
• use methods of sampling that are representative and avoid bias, e.g.
consideration of sample size and simple random sampling
• observe, record and measure images of familiar and unfamiliar biological
specimens
ATP – EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN 11
EXAMPLE EXPERIMENT 6.1
Use hydrogencarbonate indicator solution to investigate the effect of gas exchange 12
of
an aquatic plant kept in the light and in the dark
Presentation title 13
Q1 EXAMPLE – EXPERIMENT 14
Q1 - EXAMPLE
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ENZYME EXPERIMENT 16
DRAWING
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EXAMPLE Q2 DRAWING
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BIOLOGICAL DRAWING GUIDANCE
Mark scheme Good Biological Diagrams Bad Biological Diagrams
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Draw only what the question has asked you to You draw everything or what you
draw e.g. Draw the head of the insect in Fig 1 want to draw.
OUTLINE (O) Use thin, clear continuous lines to draw outline Sketchy or incomplete outline
Use a sharp pencil, Uses a pen or blunt pencil
No shading Shading like an art lesson
DETAIL (D) Detailed diagram Rough sketch lacking detail.
e.g. drawn the hairs on an insect legs or Difficult to identify different
different tissue layers in an artery parts of the diagram
PROPORTION Drawing is at least the same size or larger than Drawing is smaller than the
or SCALE (S) the photograph; photograph
Reasonable proportions of parts of the organism Drawing is the wrong proportion
E.g. The proportion of the tissues is the same as Eg. The thumb is drawn bigger
in the photograph or The head is not drawn than the head!
bigger than the thumb!
LABELS (L) Label with a ruler at least 2 identifiable parts of No labels or incorrect labels
the diagram
E.g. Antennae on insect head, Thick elastic wall
on an artery
NUMBER (N) Correct number of legs or segments drawn; e.g. Segments on Incorrect number or guessed number
a Annelida ( earthworm) or legs on an insect
EXAMPLE Q2 – MAGNIFICATION CALCULATION
Presentation title 20
DESIGN AN EXPERIMENT
USE POINT SYSTEM…. BULLET POINTS
EXPERIMENTAL ACCURACY & IMPROVEMENTS 22
IMPROVE ACCURACY
• Increasing SAMPLE SIZE (Use larger number of sample)
• Use electronic balance instead of spatula
• Use lid and polystyrene cup in heating experiment
• Use data logger instead of timer and stopwatch
• Keep factors same and constant
• Use burette/Pipette instead of measuring cylinder - measure an exact volume using
syringe in cm3 NOT drops or bubbles
• Same apparatus and instruments
SUGGESTED IMPROVEMENTS
- Repeat experiment to improve reliability
- Calculate an average /mean
- Use more
precise instruments like syringes, burette or colorimeter etc.
- describe a better method for controlling
variables or
- identify more variables to control
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TABLE DRAWING
TABLE DRAWING GUIDANCE
- Always use a pencil and a ruler to draw a table
- The independent variable should be in the
first column.
– The trials of the dependent variable
should be in the middle columns
- The final column should
be an average of the dependent variable trials
- Add correct titles
and units to each column e.g. time taken (s) for
solution to turn blue.
GRAPH 25
GRAPH DRAWING GUIDANCE
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Good Graphs Bad Graphs
AXIS - Both axes clearly labeled with the correct Incorrect labels or missing
LABELED + units. E.g. Temperature oC units
UNITS
ORIENTATI Independent variable on x axis and dependent Variables on incorrect axis
ON variable on the y axis.
SCALE/SIZE Suitable whole number scale, e.g. 1 square = 2 Unsuitable scale
units or 1 square =10 units 1 unit =1.5 units or 10
units = 0.555
plots to fill half to over half the graph paper Plots fill less than half the
graph paper
LINE Neat smooth line passing through the points Messy sketchy line
PLOTS Data points plotted correctly with a clear cross Data points plotted
incorrectly with a large
dot (blob)
TITLE Include a title if the questions asks you to Instructions not followed,
no title
Mnemonic: A’OPSL
ANSWERING “EXPERIMENTAL PLANNING” QUESTIONS GUIDANCE 27
1. Variables - Identify Independent, Dependent and at least 3 Control
Variables. - State and
describe how you will change the independent variable.
- State and describe how you will measure the dependent
variable. - State and
describe how will control at least 3 control variables.
- State the Range of the Independent variable you will
change eg. pH- ,1, 3, 7, 10. 13
2. Procedure - Steps or Method taken to test
the hypothesis.
3. Control group – Explain its purpose – acts as a baseline or point of
comparison
(Ensures there’s only ‘ONE’ IV
4.Improve ACURACY – Increasing sample size (more samples/Trials for a range
of IV)
VALIDITY OF RESULTS:
5. State that you will Repeat the experiment 3 times to make it reliable
And Averaging results. Mnemonic: VM
CARSO gloves, hair
6. Always mention at least 1 Safety precaution eg. Wear goggles,
SAMPLE PLANNING
QUESTIONS
1. Describe an investigation to show the effect of pH on the activity of
the enzyme that is used to extract apple juice.
2. Describe how you would safely test samples of green leaves and
meat to find out which has more fat.
3. Suggest an investigation to find out if fruit flies are more likely to
feed on banana or plantain
4. Suggest how you could plan an investigation to find the
concentration of salt solution which would produce no change from
that shown in the original dandelion stem.
REFERENCES
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HTTPS://WWW.CAMBRIDGEINTERNATIONAL.ORG/IMAGES/414443-2020-2021-SYLLABUS.PDF
HTTPS://WWW.SAVEMYEXAMS.CO.UK/IGCSE/BIOLOGY/CIE/23/REVISION-NOTES/6-PLANT-
NUTRITION/6-1-PHOTOSYNTHESIS-AND-LEAF-STRUCTURE/6-1-7-INVESTIGATING-GAS-
EXCHANGE/HTTPS://WWW.PHYSICSANDMATHSTUTOR.COM/BIOLOGY-REVISION/IGCSE-CIE/
PRACTICAL-SKILLS/
HTTPS://ZNOTES.ORG/FOR/STUDENTS/
HTTP://WWW.BIOLOGY-RESOURCES.COM/BIOLOGY-EXPERIMENTS2.HTML
DRAWING GRAPHS
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DESIGNING AN EXPERIMENT
ENZYME ACTIVITY
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CHEMICAL TESTS
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FACTORS AFFFECTING
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
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FACTORS AFFFECTING
PHOTOSYNTHESIS
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INVESTIGATING TRANSPIRATION
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INVESTIGATING RESPIRATION
GOOD PROCEDURES
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GERMINATION
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GEOTROPISM
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PHOTOTROPISM
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