2011-12 Student Coursework Guide

SNAB Biology: Ringwood A2 Coursework Guide GJH Sunday, 10 July 2011

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How to do a brilliant A2 Biology Coursework Project

2011 2012

Name _______________________________________________

Candidate number __________________________________


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Writing up your A2 Biology coursework: a checklist

INTRODUCTION

This includes aim, rationale and hypothesis. Use subheadings if it clarifies your work, but note that further subheadings under ‘Introduction’ are not a specific requirement & can be decided by you.

Read a scientific paper, all SNAB coursework support and exemplar student introductions Ca Start by stating the AIM of your paper: include thequestion or problem you investigated You may prefer to put this at the start (here) but it can sometimes be better at the end of the rationale or hypothesis. Rationale is why you’re doing this: research AND your reasons.

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NOW your rationale: why did you choose this area of study. What interested you? Ra Develop your rationale: • What did you read about your chosen organism, ecosystem or habitat? Note how in

‘real’ scientific papers, (that you’ve already read) everything is built upon previous authors’ work, so relate somewhere to what you’ve seen or heard. Quote sources now See help sheet, “Writing a citation in Word”

• ‘A variety of sources’ means several books, papers & the Internet. Remember to include at least one scientific paper or journal. The more references the better. See FSC site for papers relevant to Dale Fort

• Note that name, author(s), publisher and date of publication for everything you use are needed here and must appear in your properly constructed bibliography. Reference at the point of writing. Again, see “Writing a citation in Word.”

• Show how the scientific knowledge and understanding you gained from your references threw light on your research question, informed the direction your project will take. Again, linking what you’ve read to your own project is all part of the rationale.

• Include some early relevant site or species observations in your rationale. Rationale means the reason(s) why you did this project. AGAIN…. your rationale should include what you observed (primary information) or heard as well as what you’ve read.

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• Use specialist vocabulary (see ‘The art of precis’ – a separate document) Cc

Hypothesis (could come at the end of rationale but a subheading is required)

Make a hypothesis (H1), a biological hypothesis, that is clear, simple and testable. It should show how the IV affects the DV.

I&Ea

Justify the hypothesis with reference to preliminary work (in the field) and the secondary source (background information). Give some BIOLOGY to explain the hypothesis.

Ra

MATERIALS AND METHODS This part of the booklet now considers the ‘planning’ part of the mark scheme but the word ‘planning’ does not actually appear as part of a scientific paper. You need an initial plan, trial and main plan.

• You will be given a Dale Fort planning sheet. Take two: one for an initial plan and the second for your amended plan. They are checked before you proceed.

• Imagine you have never done any fieldwork. For an initial plan, how might you set about this work? Propose method +sampling), organisms, numbers and replicates.

• When you write it up, the initial plan will scarcely feature, so when ready to write up, include summary statement about your initial plan. Write in past tense, preferably impersonal, eg “The initial plan was to…. but…..” (or words to that effect). Your project must be subject to change: this is your first opportunity to say you’ve done so. This reflection on initial plan may fit in better after the trial or in the main method

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Trial

• Identify something that requires a trial or pilot. (1, or 2 max).Keep it simple. • State the AIM of the trial (keep language tight and precise; no woffle – see

examples); give details of apparatus and methods. DETAIL is needed. • Although this is a mini investigation, a trial is NOT a ‘mini run’ of the main

investigation. Instead, you should be trialling whether a proposed sampling technique is correct, whether your proposed method suits the time available, whether you have the best height or shore, whether your actual site is good, whether a piece of apparatus is best suited for the job etc.

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• Your trial strategy should have some logical link to an area of underlying scientific knowledge and understanding from AS and A2.

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• Say what you learnt from the trial. How did the trial inform your plnning of the next phase of the investigation? Give full details of what you could accept from the trial and what you needed to modify. Attention to details is important!

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Risk assessment

• Borrow Dale’s excellent risk assessments.

• Provide your own risk assessment. There should be two sections, one of sitespecific risks, the other of general risks common to all marine fieldwork. (eg hypothermia is a risk on all shores). Try to make the site–specific risk personal. Eg You noted that algae covered sandstone is slippery when wet, so wore appropriate footwear.

• Risk assessment is best done as a chart in which you show HAZARD (column 1), RISK (column 2 – ask about this) and in detail, PRECAUTIONS you took (column 3), thus minimising risk.

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• Show how you minimised environmental damage and harm to living organisms Pb

Main Method

• In this section, ensure you refer to some references again… they have to be seen to have informed your planning, and the direction your project is taking.

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• You avoided choosing purposebuilt apparatus in your initial plan because you MUST modify or extend methods, materials and procedures. Hopefully, your initial plan included something imprecise, not a Vernier calliper!

• Now, list and justify your apparatus. Explain why you selected this apparatus and procedure. We expect lots of detail (eg what TYPE of quadrat, and what size; say what type of transect). Say why.

• Note, for the highest marks, any modifications to an existing piece of apparatus you made, or a piece of apparatus you subsequently chose. This is difficult and we rarely award marks for this. Don’t waste time on it. Likewise real ingenuity is rarely seen!

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• Describe how you took a suitable number and range of measurements & how you sampled. This needs detail eg why random sampling? Why systematic sampling? (ASK!) Why (say) 20 samples or 7 samples? Very important.

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• Describe what you did. Include clear, labelled diagrams and photos). Images, make or break your project. USE photos – referring to them in the text

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• SAY that you looked at the data as you collected it – and noticed patterns.. Say you continued according to plan or that you changed in some way eg did you sample more

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areas, sample fewer more thoroughly or take extra repeats?

• Ensure your method is clear and that you have used specialist vocabulary and not ‘everyday’ words. You’re marked on this. Seaweeds don’t have roots; they have holdfasts. Avoid general words, like ‘size’ and delete ‘amount’. Avoid anthropomorphisms – such as ‘sponges like the lower shore’.

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• Link your methods to underlying Alevel scientific knowledge and understanding. I &Eb

• Say why you chose your final equipment, with reference to the need to produce precise and reliable evidence (check those definitions from AS)

O&Ra

• Note: We have to mark you on precision, accuracy and reliability! We can’t award precision for simply counting. If you’re doing a ‘counting’ project, make sure you get your precision marks elsewhere eg in your trial.

O&Ra

Justification of method

• Have you said why you decided on each aspect of your method (including number of observations you recorded)?

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• Have you retrieved and used information from your trial and secondary sources? Pc

Variables

• Statethe dependent and independent variables. Pa • Identify the key factors/variables that you can control. Note that a list of controlled

variables isn’t enough. Say how you are going to control at least some variables to ensure a “fair test”. Say why it’s important eg it’s important to control aspect as this might affect temperature. Variations in temperature could affect enzymes.

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• Say that there are other variables you will monitor and take account of. Sometimes you can only monitor environmental variables (abiotic factors), and acknowledge that they may affect results (say why). Eg pH needs monitoring because it affects enzymes & therefore … . detail is needed.

• Don’t forget to measure these abiotic factors in the field. Not doing so pulls students down. You must do this in the field: take equipment with you.

• Remember when you measure your periwinkles: your results must show data for (eg.) height ACD, temperature, weather conditions, state of the tide, pH, salinity even if only to show that they did not change.

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RESULTS

Note that ‘results’, your next heading, don’t appear in the markscheme. Do it like this.

Observations in field notes

• Ensure your field notes show observations made at the time, and that you have been seen to PLAN for observations. Scan these as an image for the appendix.

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• Have you also described (&, if relevant, explained) the observations that are in your field notes? Again – note that you HAVE to do this while you’re out.

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• Have you noted problems that arose during measurement collection? Have you said how you adapted procedures? Make sure you meet problems!

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• Do your field notes show you’ve checked values, repeated & ID anomalies? O&Rb


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Results Charts / Spreadsheets (this is for the ‘neat’ section)

• Have you recorded your results in ‘appropriate format’ (tables & spreadsheets)? O&Ra • Have you made & somehow recorded adequate observations (from your field

notes). You justified the number of recordings you took in the method. O&Ra

• Are your observations recorded systematically and accurately? Full sentences aren’t needed. Check again – do they correlate with the record in your field notes?

O&Ra

• Have you recorded your observations to the degree of precision permitted by your method or apparatus. Beware again: you have to record such results to a high degree of precision for high marks. If you’ve only COUNTED organisms read previous advice. Use SI units.

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• Do your results tables show repeats, averages and sensible accuracy? Eg don’t refer to the average force needed to remove a dogwhelk as 4.2352788

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• Have you identified anomalies on the table/spreadsheet? • Have you investigated anomalies? Anomalies bring marks! You need them.

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Graphs

• Graphs must be carefully chosen. Everyone needs one. You may need several types (eg kite diagrams & line graphs). Choose wisely. Keep to graphing rules!

I&Ea Cb

• If a line graph, have you kept to the rules you were told at AS? (Join dots etc) • You can draw by hand but will need to scan it when the work is handed in. You

could equally graph from Excel. See ‘help’ sheet on drawing a graph in Excel.

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• Have you drawn error bars? If not, can you quantify error in any other way eg percentage error, standard error standard deviation. You should be building on AS ideas of random and systematic error here. Mention BOTH of these as well

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• Have you identified anomalies on the graph(s)? That means circling them! O&Rb

Statistical analysis

• Your stats test must be appropriate for the data and the hypothesis to be tested. Unless you refuse to talk to staff, you’re unlikely to get this wrong.

I&Ea

• Restate the Biological Hypothesis (H1) and Null Hypothesis (Ho). The latter should be neutral rather then the opposite of H1 for your stats.

I&Ea

• Have you set out the data clearly? Headings, in particular, should be unambiguous. ‘Periwinkles’ is not a heading! Note that for a few projects (especially ‘counting’ projects, this will serve to display your results as well. Do make sure that you have followed all the ‘results’ advice above.

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• Have you accepted or rejected your Null Hypothesis? I&Ea • Have you accepted or rejected your Alternative Hypothesis? I&Ea • Have you written a clear interpretation of your stats test result? I&Ea • Does this include an explanation of ‘critical value’ and ‘5% confidence level’? I&Ea • Can you be clever? Can you be more precise Eg can you accept at 1% – much ore

precise? If you’ve had to accept your Ho, can you reject it at 10%? If there are good reasons behind it, this can often turn out well (Salt marsh projects and biodiversity that both use correlation coefficients are prone to this!)

I&Ea

• Don’t attempt to evaluate the results in this section. Thisis stats only (part of I & E) Report only what you found; hold all discussion of the significance of the results for the discussion section that follows next


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DISCUSSION

This is your nonstatistical analysis and explanation of results, and evaluation.

Start with a good analysis of your results, referring to your stats test, using biological principles. This is the BIOLOGICAL explanation of your results in I & E – and you need to ensure that there’s LOTS and not merely a repeat of the rationale. You must discuss your ideas with your teacher here.

I&Eb

Do your results support your conclusions? I&Ec Ensure your biological principles include some synopticity – a reference to AS topics or wider aspects of Biology

I&Ec

Refer briefly to problems that arose during measurement collection. Have you said how you adapted procedures?

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Discuss the limitations & uncertainties of your results (especially unavoidable ones) Good examples are, “The two shores differed in aspect as well as in exposure”, or “The exposure difference between the two shores was small, a matter of two BES values”, or “whelks on the Sfacing shore may be warmed by the sun, respire faster & thus hold on tighter, but the trend still held for 10 that were in complete shade on this shore…” Saying ‘I needed to take more results/repeats’ is too weak at Alevel.

I&Ec

Evaluate these limitations in results. (Use ‘Evaluation’ as a subheading if you want). For each limitation, have you explained whether it would undermine the overall conclusion? Would the limitations just described lead to random or systematic error?

I&Ec

You need to work out how much difference a certain error or limitation would have made. If you can quantify this, that’s brilliant (few ever can). You could work out, for instance, percentage error as a result of missampling.

I&Ec

Have you discussed limitations of your procedure? You can’t afford to miss something that’s obvious to an examiner. If you’ve recognised limitations earlier and have modified procedures, say at this point.

I&Ec

For highest marks in I & E, suggest further modifications and/or extended work now. How would these modifications improve the quality of your investigation? Eg ‘By increasing my sample number to 60, I might have been able to reject my null hypothesis at the 5% level, allowing me to accept my alternative hypothesis

I&Ec

Have you discussed the credibility of sources in the wider scientific community? (This is new for 2009, and builds on the AS visit see separate help sheet)

I&Ed

GENERAL POINTS:

Read ALL of this booklet several times before you start any coursework, and before you visit Dale. Tick off everything when you’ve done it. Keep going to the end! Discussion and bibliography can be final mark losers. If you want to lose marks – just ignore the advice.

Your mentor teacher will not be your teacher assessor. There will be a short time on return from Dale when you can talk to us both. Liaise with your mentor teacher – talk or email. It is expected by the exam board & we’ll offer all feasible help. If you don’t talk, we can’t help. Remember we have other classes and other sommitments. You need to book in an agreed time, preferably after or before school.

Respect intermediate deadlines and meet the final deadline, so you maximise your chances. If you miss the deadlines you won’t be given time to improve. Edexcel are given our own school deadline times.

Remember: you need every marking point in the box for a given mark, eg 36, otherwise you drop to the level below. You MUST START WITH LOWEST MARKS FIRST. There is no point in making an adjustment to method as you’re working in the field (a high order skill) when you haven’t shown evidence of the earlier skills.


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General Points for Communication (C) skill This document cross references the skills on the Edexcel mark scheme (Research and rationale etc – codes shown in right hand column) with the style of scientific paper whose main headings are shown here in red capitals. You must write in the style of a paper: use these headings and NOT those from the mark scheme. Having used these (red), do use my (black) subheadings or make up your own useful short subheadings. Ensure you’ve read at least one scientific paper before Dale – ‘credible sources’.

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Cd Make a reference of every book or paper you use: you won’t remember when you get back home. Remember to use papers (from Dale or off the Internet) in particular – there’s little credit for ‘The Student Guide to the Seashore’.

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Choose a style and stick to it. Don’t mix and match, & avoid future tense (wastes words) PAST tense is advised. Keep ALL your raw data and put it in the appendix. (Which is included in word count. Ca Take photographs and use them wisely in your text (as AS Visit) if you want full marks! Ca Don’t forget you can draw diagrams, maps and graphs by hand (sharp pencils or thin black pen). They can be scanned in as an image. Ensure graphs and diagrams are appropriate for your data (eg kite diagrams, bar graphs, line graphs) Use SI units

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When you write the Latin name of an organism it should be in italics when typed. Eg Calluna vulgaris. (Genus with a capital; species in lower case)

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Images, charts & graphs must be saved in the text and not as separate documents Cb Teachers mark final work in paper format but the final version handed in to Edexcel may be electronic. It must be identical to the marked paper version. A Word 2003 proforma is set up to ensure your name, candidate number and current date appear on a header on every page of your coursework, and page numbers in a footer. If you don’t use Microsoft Office, it’s your responsibility to change your file format to Word 2003 at school and to save it to CD or memory stick. If you use ‘Works’ or ‘Word Perfect’ get Open Office (it’s free). Final submission must be as Word 2003 not 2007, or a pdf. i

http://classweb.gmu.edu/biologyresources/writingguide/Introduction.htm Good resources! http://www.colby.edu/biology/BI17x/writing_papers.html http://abacus.bates.edu/~ganderso/biology/resources/writing/HTWtoc.html

Front cover Do this, the first page and the abstract AT THE END.

Title of your investigation Your name, candidate number, Ringwood School’s centre number (58833) & total word count.

First Page Should show an index of contents

Abstract

State the aim and hypothesis Ca Introduce the chosen species (if relevant) Ca Say where the investigation was carried out & why exactly Ca State which sampling technique was used Ca State which statistical test was used Ca State the main findings & conclusion Ca Write your abstract in the past tense & don’t waste words. Ca Look at past students’ abstracts. Several are provided.


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BIBLIOGRAPHY 1. Referencing a book. Do exactly this! An example ….

Roberts M., Reiss M. and Monger G. (2000) Advanced biology. WaltononThames: Nelson. Stryer L. (1988) Biochemistry, 3rd edition. New York: WH Freeman & Co.

Note the accepted order and format for the information: • author(s) names (surname and then initials). If the book has an editor indicate this with ‘(ed.)’ after

their name • year of publication in brackets • full title of book written in italics, with the edition number if it is not a first edition • place of publication and publisher.

2. Referencing a chapter in a book. Do exactly this! An example ….

Johnson S. (2004) Learning science in a botanic garden. In: Braund M. and Reiss M. (eds.) Learning science outside the classroom, pp. 75–94. London: Routledge Falmer. Note the accepted order and format for the information:

• author(s) names (surname and then initials) • year of publication in brackets • full title of the chapter • editor(s) names if different from author • full title of book written in italics, with the edition number if it is not a first edition • the page number(s) for the relevant chapter • place of publication and publisher.

3. Referencing an article from a journal or paper An example …

Halford N. G. (2000) Genetically modified plants. Biological Sciences Review, 12(3), 2–7. This refers to an article on pages 2–7 in volume 12, issue number 3, of Biol. Sciences Review.

Note the accepted order and format for the information: • author of the article (surname and then initials) • year of publication in brackets • title of the article • full title of the journal in which the article appeared written in italics • the volume number of the journal in which the article was published followed by the issue number in

brackets • the page number(s) for the article.

4. Referencing a website. An example. Note that this needs MUCH more than the URL!

Nuffield Council on Bioethics (2001) ‘Our work’ section. Genetic screening: ethical issues – Genetic screening conclusions. http://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/go/browsablepublications/ geneticscreening/report_226.html [Accessed on 22.03.2005]

You should include: • Website name/article title (note: search engine names are inadequate) • If possible, the date when the information was published on the site • a short description of the location of the information within the website • The web address (URL) and the latest date you accessed the website.


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APPENDIX

Put in all your raw data and field notes with anything else relevant eg tide timetables. You are advised to SCAN raw data to a jpg as for the first time, materials in the appendix are included in the word count. Give the appendix (as well as the entire project) a contents page for clarity. All of it must be copied for electronic submission

SUBMITTING

SAVING YOUR WORK. Your coursework must be saved as Word 2003 or a pdf and labelled as follows: cswkcandidate nosurnameinitials. Eg cswk7879BloggsJ. If you change and resave the document, rename it as ‘V2’ or V3’ etc (’V’ for version). Coursework is sometimes handed in with identical file names ‘Eg Biology coursework’ or ‘Dale’. Heading and dating it correctly is your guarantee that we take your final piece of work. Hole punch it and hold it together with treasury tags (no plastic wallets). Check you’ve used images to illustrate points and to enhance the clarity of the report. This means referring to them in the text as much as possible. Ensure you label them ‘Fig 1’, Fig 2’ etc. By reading real scientific papers, you’ll get a ‘feel’ for this.

Ca

Have you put a word count at the foot of every page? Do this ONLY at the end and use the footer space. This is an exam board requirement. Is your name, candidate number, the page number and date on every page?

Have you written everything as a 3300 word( max) scientific report? …Abstract (at the start), introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, references.

Cc

A student demonstrates a simple adjustment of method and of apparatus for one of the higher level skills – and the photo provided evidence!

Well done! You’ve finished your A2 coursework!

Documents

2011-12 Student Coursework Guide