VCAA Examiner Report 2016

Multiple Choice

Short Answer VCAA Examiner Report 2016

 OTHER TIPS
• Highlight/Underling Keywords in question:
• Including prompts
• The number of concepts (i.e. identify two processes…) – also use numbering in
response to clearly show this.
• 1.
• 2.
• The prompt words (there may be more than one)
• Keywords that help you identify the concept being tested
 Keywords that help you identify the concept

Example 1.
herbivore, digestive system. Once you have these think about the scientific keywords
you can use in your response to show your understanding – i.e. caecum, intestines,
cellulose

Example 2.
Plant, Vascular tissue, sugar transport
Keywords – phloem, translocation, sieve cells
 OTHER TIPS
• Check the marks - you should be able to identify where the marks are going using the prompt words. Do you
have enough details/ responded to prompts?
Example:
State if the right side of the heart carries oxygenated or deoxygenated blood and explain why this is the case.
(2marks)
1 mark – right side carries deoxygenated blood
1 mark – under less pressure, therefore less muscular carrying deoxygenated blood to lungs

• If you get stuck- mark the question and move on. Don’t waste time. When you come back to it, if you are still
not sure. Look for the keywords and brainstorm concepts and others keywords that relate to this.
• Check your answers:
• Check you have answered the question
• Make sure it is readable
• You have used key words to show your understanding
• Check you haven’t contradicted yourself
Some Common Types of Questions
Prompt Words
 Distinguish, Compare & Contrast
• Must refer to both concepts in response!

• Both distinguish and contrast – mean to you need to find the differences
between the two concepts.

• Compare – mention similarities and differences

 Identify / State
• Recognise and name

Define
You need to write one sentence that states the meaning of a concept.
 Describe, explain, outline

• When you’re asked a question with these words, you need to tell the
examiner what you know about a certain principle or process.

• Describe - Provide characteristics and features

• Explain - Relate cause and effect; make the relationships between things
evident; provide why and/or how
• Outline - Sketch in general terms; indicate the main features of
 Predict
• Suggest what may happen based on available information

Interpret
• Draw meaning from (graph, diagram, information provided)