Skills for Science

1. Skills for Science with a focus on Biology

2. What Skills?

3. Selecting Information

4. Selecting information from different sources.

5. Written passages • Remember you are not being tested on knowledge in this type of question. • Read the question carefully. It should give you a clue. • Your answer must refer to key words in the question. • Remember to give full answers. • You may need to explain something in the passages. You need to say why something happens or may happen.

6. Tables • Read the question carefully. • Be clear what the question is asking you. • Pay attention to the headings in the table. • Remember to use all the information that is available when you answer the question. This means you give as much detail as possible.

7. Charts and graphs • Pie Charts • Work out how much each division on chart equals. • Use this to work out which segment of pie chart refers to each factor.

8. Charts and Graphs • Line graphs and bar charts. • Calculate the scale on each axis. • i.e what value does each small division equal. • You can write it on the paper ( so you do not need to keep working it out) • At credit level you may need to take information from more than one source. e.g. a table and a graph

9. Presenting Information

10. Ways you may be asked to present information

11. Completing a table of results • Use the information in the question to make sure your column headings are correct. (don’t change it from the information that is given) • Units must be included in the heading (if appropriate.)

12. Graphs and charts • You must use a ruler to draw any lines. • Make sure any line you draw is in the correct place. • Read the question!! Draw the type of graph or chart asked.

13. Graphs and charts • Label axes. Take label from table exactly. Remember to include units. • Choose a suitable scale. • A scale that makes it easy to plot points. • A scale that uses at least half the graph paper. • Scale must go past the last value to be plotted. • Scale must increase in regular divisions. • Plot points carefully. • Use ruler to complete. • Only plot data values given. • Do not plot to zero on x axis unless you have been given a value for that point.

14. Graphs and charts Line Graphs • Put a value for the origin of both axes if not already there. (This is usually 0 but not always) • Join plots with a ruler. • Make sure your line goes through the plots. • Bar Charts/Graphs • Values (usually this will be a word) on x axes should be below the column. • Take care. Use a ruler to draw the bars. Be really careful with the tops of the bars. • Be careful any shading does not go over the lines. • Bar chart has space between the bars. • Histogram : The bars touch and the values will be numbers

15. Calculations

16. Averages • Total the numbers in the set • Divide by the number in the set.

18. Averages • You may be asked to calculate a daily increase or a weekly increase or a yearly increase. • Find the total increase ( subtract the initial number from the final number then divide by number of days/weeks/years in the study) • Final number – initial number number in study

19. Ratios • Read question carefully • Use the same units for all quantities. • Keep the order of the quantities the same as it appears in the question • Answers must be in whole numbers. • You should not be able to divide the numbers any more.

20. Ratios • Start by trying to divide both sides by the smallest number. • If that does not produce a whole number look at ending of the figures. • If they all end in 0 divide by 10 • If they all end in 0 or 5 divide by 5 • If they all end in an even number divide by 2

21. Percentages

22. Percentages

23. Express a number as a percentage • Percent means per 100 • If you are asked to calculate a percentage you are working out how many there would be per 100. • Eg in a science class there are 6 boys and 14 girls. What percentage of boys are in the class? • 6 out of 20 are boys. • Divide 6 by 20 • Then multiply by 100 • 6/20 x100

24. Express a percentage as a number. To convert a percentage to a number • Take the percentage you want to convert • Divide it by 100 • Then multiply be the number. • E.g in a group of 20 girls 16% like chocolate ice cream. How many girls like chocolate ice cream? • Divide 16 by 100 • Then multiply by 20 (the total number of girls) • 16/100 x 20

25. Calculate a percentage change • First calculate the change • Divide by initial value • Multiply by 100 • Eg in 2010, 92 LHS pupils were presented for standard grade biology. In 2011 115 pupils were presented. • Increase = 115-92 = 23 • Divide 23 by original 23/92 • Multiply by 100

26. Conclusions and experimental procedures

27. Experimental procedures

28. Validity of an investigation. • Has the result been caused by the factor you are investigating? • You make in investigation valid by setting up a control to prove it was the factor you were investigating which caused the change.

29. Control experiments • A control experiment checks the validity of an experiment. • A control experiment is identical to the original experiment except for the factor you are investigating. • Read the question carefully. Do you need a general definition of a control or do you require a control specific to the investigation in the question?

30. Reliability of an investigation. • Repeating an experiment will make it more reliable because it will minimise the effect of an atypical result. • Be careful that your answer says ‘it increases the reliability….’ or ‘it makes the experiment more reliable’. • It is a good idea to add ‘because it will minimise the effect of an atypical result.’

31. Drawing conclusions • Think about the information that is given. • What can be learned from this information. • Look back at the aim to help with wording.

32. Describing a relationship • Usually refers to information in a graph but it could be from a table. • Need to describe relationship between two factors. • Both factors should be in your answer. • Good idea to start ‘As factor x increases factor y…….’ • Make sure you look carefully at data provided and describe all phases of the relationship. • You need to support with actual data (including units) to get the full marks.