AS 91601 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, 1.6 MB]

TKI Biology assessment resources (external link)

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

This involves:

• justifying the choices made throughout the investigation by evaluating either the validity of the method or the reliability of the data
• the biological ideas relevant to the investigation and either the findings of others, scientific principles, theories, or models.

This student has explained and discussed biological ideas based on the student’s own findings (1) and findings from other source(s) (2).

Some choices made throughout the investigation are justified by evaluating the validity of the method (3).

For a more secure Excellence, the student could provide further justification of the choices made in the investigation by giving more reasons for the steps carried out to reduce bias and sources of error.

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

This involves:

• using a valid method that describes a valid collection of data
• collecting, recording, and processing reliable data to enable a trend or pattern (or absence) to be determined
• stating a valid conclusion based on the processed data related to the purpose
• explaining biological ideas based on both the findings from the investigation and those from other source(s).

This student has used a valid method to collect, record and process reliable data to enable a pattern to be determined (1).

A valid conclusion is stated based on the processed data and relates to the hypothesis (2).

The biological ideas relating to the investigation are explained based on the student’s own findings (3) and the findings from other source(s) (4).

An attempt is made to justify some choices made during the investigation by evaluating the validity of the method (5).

To reach Excellence, the student could:

• state a conclusion that discusses biological ideas relevant to the investigation and either the findings of others, scientific principles, theories or models
• justify the choices made throughout the investigation more thoroughly by evaluating the validity of the method or the reliability of the data.

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

This involves:

• using a valid method that describes a valid collection of data
• collecting, recording, and processing reliable data to enable a trend or pattern (or absence) to be determined
• stating a valid conclusion based on the processed data
• explaining biological ideas based on both the findings from the investigation and those from other source(s).

This student has used a valid method to collect, record and process reliable data to enable a pattern to be determined (1).

A valid conclusion is stated that is based on the processed data and that relates to the hypothesis (2).

Some biological ideas relating to the investigation that are based on the student’s findings (3) and those from other sources (4) are described and explained.

For a more secure Merit, the student could elaborate further on the biological ideas based on the findings by explaining them and those from the other source(s) in more depth.

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

This involves:

• stating the purpose, linked to a scientific concept or idea and written as a hypothesis
• using a method that describes the data that will be collected (pattern seeking activity), range of data/samples, and consideration of some other key factors
• collecting, recording, and processing data relevant to the purpose of the investigation
• interpreting the processed data and reporting on the findings of the investigation
• identifying relevant findings from another source
• stating a conclusion based on interpretation of the processed data which is relevant to the purpose of the investigation.

This student has developed a hypothesis that is linked to a scientific concept (1). 

A valid method for a pattern seeking investigation is used to collect, record and accurately process data to enable a pattern to be determined (2).

A conclusion is stated that is based on interpretation of the processed data and relevant to the purpose of the investigation (3).

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

To reach Merit, the student could:

• state a valid conclusion based on the processed data in relation to the purpose
• give a more in-depth explanation of biological ideas based on both the findings from the investigation and those from other source(s).

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

This involves:

• stating the purpose, linked to a scientific concept or idea and written as a hypothesis
• using a method that describes the data that will be collected (pattern seeking activity), range of data/samples, and consideration of some other key factors
• collecting, recording, and processing data relevant to the purpose of the investigation
• interpreting the processed data and reporting on the findings of the investigation
• identifying relevant findings from another source
• stating a conclusion based on interpretation of the processed data which is relevant to the purpose of the investigation.

This student has written a hypothesis that is linked to a scientific concept (1). 

A method for a pattern seeking investigation is used to collect, record and process data relevant to the purpose (2).

The student has made an attempt to interpret the processed data to report on the findings of the investigation (3).

A conclusion is stated that is based on interpretation of the processed data and relevant to the purpose of the investigation (4).

Some relevant findings from another source are identified (5).

For a more secure Achieved, the student could include more detail to:

• interpret the processed data and report on the findings of the investigation
• identify and describe relevant findings from another source.

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

This involves:

• stating the purpose, linked to a scientific concept or idea and written as a hypothesis
• using a method that describes the data that will be collected (pattern seeking activity), range of data/samples, and consideration of some other key factors
• collecting, recording, and processing data relevant to the purpose of the investigation
• interpreting the processed data and reporting on the findings of the investigation
• identifying relevant findings from another source
• stating a conclusion based on interpretation of the processed data which is relevant to the purpose of the investigation.

This student has written a hypothesis linked to a scientific concept (1). 

A method for a pattern seeking investigation is used to collect, record and process data relevant to the purpose (2).

The student has attempted to interpret the processed data to report on the findings of the investigation (3).

A conclusion is briefly considered that is based on interpretation of the processed data and relevant to the purpose of the investigation (4).

Some relevant findings from another source are identified (5).

To reach Achieved, the student could provide more detailed evidence to:

• interpret the processed data to report on the findings of the investigation
• identify and describe relevant findings from another source
• state a conclusion based on interpretation of the processed data, relevant to the purpose of the investigation.