AS 91153 annotated exemplars

This annotated exemplar is intended for teacher use only. Annotated exemplars are extracts of student evidence, with commentary, that explain key parts of a standard. These help teachers make assessment judgements at the grade boundaries.

Download all exemplars and commentary [PDF, 1 MB]

TKI Biology assessment resources (external link)

For Excellence, the student needs to carry out a comprehensive practical investigation in a biology context, with supervision.

This involves justification of the choices made during the sound investigation by evaluating the validity of the method or reliability of the data, and explaining the conclusion in terms of the biology ideas relevant to the investigation.

This student has developed a hypothesis linked to a scientific concept (1), and used a valid method for a fair test to collect and record data, processing it (2) to enable a trend to be determined.

A valid conclusion based on the student’s processed data is relevant to the purpose of the sound investigation (3).

Biological ideas relating to the investigation, based on the student’s findings and those from other sources, are explained (4) and discussed (5).

Some choices, made during the investigation by evaluating the validity of the method or reliability of the data, were justified (6).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could develop the evidence justifying the choices made during the investigation by evaluating the validity of the method or reliability of the data more thoroughly. For example, by giving more reasons why the steps were taken to justify the choices made.

For Merit, the student needs to carry out an in-depth practical investigation in a biology context, with supervision.

This involves:

• using a valid method that describes the control of key variables and consideration of factors such as sampling bias and sources of errors
• collecting, recording, and processing data to enable a trend or pattern (or the absence of a trend or pattern) to be determined
• reaching a valid conclusion based on the student’s processed data which is relevant to the purpose
• a discussion of the biological ideas relating to the investigation based on the student’s findings and those from other source(s).

This student has developed a hypothesis linked to a scientific concept (1), and used a valid method to collect and record data, processing it (2) to enable a trend to be determined.

A valid conclusion based on the student’s processed data is relevant to the purpose (3).

Biological ideas relating to the investigation, based on the student’s findings and those from other sources, are explained (4) and discussed (5).

An attempt is made to justify some choices made during the investigation by evaluating the validity of the method and reliability of the data (6).

To reach Excellence, the student could justify in more depth the choices made during the investigation by evaluating the validity of the method or reliability of the data further. For example, a stronger evaluation could give reasons for what was done to justify the choices made during the investigation rather than limitations and/or future improvements (7).

For Merit, the student needs to carry out an in-depth practical investigation in a biology context, with supervision.

This involves:

• using a valid method that describes the control of key variables and consideration of factors such as sampling bias and sources of errors
• collecting, recording, and processing data to enable a trend or pattern (or the absence of a trend or pattern) to be determined
• reaching a valid conclusion based on the student’s processed data which is relevant to the purpose
• a discussion of the biological ideas relating to the investigation based on the student’s findings and those from other source(s).

This student has developed a hypothesis linked to a scientific concept (1), and used a valid method for a fair test to collect and record data, processing it (2) to enable a trend to be determined.

A valid conclusion based on the student’s processed data is relevant to the purpose of the investigation (3).

Some biological ideas relating to the investigation that are based on the student’s findings and those from other sources are explained (4) and discussed (5).

For a more secure Merit, the student could elaborate further on the biological ideas based on the findings and relating them more thoroughly to those from the other sources. For example, by using more information from the processed data and the findings to compare the results as evidence in the discussion.

For Achieved, the student needs to carry out a practical investigation in a biology context, with supervision.

This involves:

• developing a statement of the purpose written as a hypothesis linked to a scientific concept or idea
• using a method that describes in steps the data that will be collected:
  • a range for the independent variable (a fair test - at least four values), the measurement of the dependent variable, with units, and the control of some other key variables
  • or the range of data/samples (pattern seeking or modelling activity) and consideration of some other key factors
• collecting, recording, and processing data relevant to the purpose
• interpreting and reporting on the findings by reaching a conclusion based on the student’s processed data, which is relevant to the purpose of the investigation, and
• identifying and including relevant findings from another source.

This student has developed a hypothesis linked to a scientific concept (1), and used a valid method for a fair test to collect and record data, processing it (2) to enable a trend to be determined.

The conclusion reached (3) and findings from another source (4) are identified and included.

A description and some explanation of the biological ideas are given, relating to the investigation, based on the student’s findings and those from another source (4).

To reach Merit, the student could include more evidence showing discussion of the biological ideas relating to the investigation, based on the student’s findings and those from other source(s).

For Achieved, the student needs to carry out a practical investigation in a biology context, with supervision.

This involves:

• developing a statement of the purpose written as a hypothesis linked to a scientific concept or idea
• using a method that describes in steps the data that will be collected:
  • a range for the independent variable (a fair test - at least four values), the measurement of the dependent variable, with units, and the control of some other key variables
  • or the range of data/samples (pattern seeking or modelling activity) and consideration of some other key factors
• collecting, recording, and processing data relevant to the purpose
• interpreting and reporting on the findings by reaching a conclusion based on the student’s processed data, which is relevant to the purpose of the investigation, and
• identifying and including relevant findings from another source.

This student has developed a general hypothesis linked to a scientific concept (1), using a method for a fair test to collect and record data, and processing it (2) in a way that is relevant to the purpose of the investigation.

The conclusion reached (3) and findings from another source (4) are briefly considered.

For a more secure Achieved, the student could include more detail in the hypothesis, by linking the change of the potato chip in distilled water to a gain in mass. The student could also provide more detail to reach a conclusion based on the processed data that is more relevant to the purpose of the investigation, describing the trend shown.

For Achieved, the student needs to carry out a practical investigation in a biology context, with supervision.

This involves:

• developing a statement of the purpose written as a hypothesis linked to a scientific concept or idea
• using a method that describes in steps the data that will be collected:
  • a range for the independent variable (a fair test - at least four values), the measurement of the dependent variable, with units, and the control of some other key variables
  • or the range of data/samples (pattern seeking or modelling activity) and consideration of some other key factors
• collecting, recording, and processing data relevant to the purpose
• interpreting and reporting on the findings by reaching a conclusion based on the student’s processed data, which is relevant to the purpose of the investigation, and
• identifying and including relevant findings from another source.

This student has developed a general hypothesis linked to a scientific concept (1), using a method for a fair test to collect and record data, and processing it (2) in a way that is relevant to the purpose of the investigation.

The conclusion (3) reached and findings from another source (4) are briefly considered.

To reach Achieved, the student could include more detail in the hypothesis, by relating the change in physical properties of the potato chip to a change in mass.  

More detail could also be provided in describing the findings from the source provided. Further, more detail is also needed in order to reach a conclusion based on the processed data that is relevant to the purpose of the investigation.