Skip to content Skip to main navigation Skip to sub navigation Skip to Accessibility Page
Main navigation:
Breadcrumb navigation:
Sub navigation:

In this section

Practical Activities

Experimental Procedures: Science (HN8D 46)

Selection of assessed practical activities

Prior to undertaking assessed practicals, it is expected that learners will have been exposed to and have undertaken experiments in other practical activities at SCQF level 6 and below.

The assessed practical activities chosen must be commensurate with SCQF level 6. Aspects which assessors should consider in considering the suitability of a practical activity are:

The nature of the laboratory equipment to be used:

Examples of equipment which if used in suitable activities would be commensurate with SCQF Level 6:

Examples of equipment which if used in suitable activities would be commensurate with SCQF Level 6:

The above list is not exhaustive.

Examples of equipment that would not be commensurate with SCQF level 6:

The achievement of the experimental aim can be confirmed

The evidence requirements for the unit specification state that learners are required to carry out six experimental procedures correctly and safely. It is therefore essential that all experiments should have an aim, the achievement of which is presented to the assessor, thus providing evidence that the learner has completed the procedure correctly.

Suitable practical activities might involve:

The accuracy and tolerance of the expected result

It is essential that at least some experiments are chosen with a quantitative outcome, the value of which is known to the assessor, such that the learner’s result will illustrate that they have performed the activity to appropriate levels of accuracy and tolerance.

Suitable practical activities might involve:

In each case the actual value should be known to the assessor and an allowable tolerance should be set. The tolerance will be dependent on the equipment used and the exact design of the experiment, but as an approximate guide +/- 10% should generally be reasonable.

It is not required that all six experiments undertaken require a known quantitative outcome. For example, an experiment might involve analysis of foods and beverages (e.g. for vitamin C or fat etc) where the final outcome is not known to a degree of precision. Such activities are of merit as they illustrate the relevance and application of techniques to learners and their deployment is to be encouraged. However, for such activities it is still expected that experimental results will lie within a reasonable range, and this should be set by the assessor.

It is also expected that some experiments would not have a targeted quantitative outcome e.g. chemical synthesis (non-quantitative), reaction kinetics, cell staining and examination.

However, it is important that at least some of the chosen practicals will have an expected and known outcome as described above, thus requiring learners to demonstrate accuracy achieved through application of correct technique.

Regardless of the nature of the experiment, it is always a requirement that correct procedure will be monitored by use of assessor observation and checklist.

The range of practical skills required across the unit

Learners should be required to demonstrate competency in a range of practical skills and in use of different types of equipment across the unit.

It would not be appropriate, for example, for multiple titration practicals to be used. It is recommended that a particular technique should not be used as the main procedure in any more than two of the assessed practicals. It would also be not appropriate to undertake two practicals, with the same technique, where the overall aim and nature of the practicals are highly comparable. For example, if an acid-alkali titration was used to determine concentration of an unknown laboratory acid then it would not be appropriate for a second practical to cover similar. A second titration practical could be used. For example, for analysis of consumer products (vinegars, vitamin C etc) or a back titration for aspirin etc.

The requirements for analysis/interpretation of the experimental results

Experiments chosen should require learners to demonstrate an analysis and interpretation of the experimental results which is commensurate with SCQF level 6. The specific requirements set in Outcome 2 (graphical analysis and 3-step calculation) should be met at least once.

It is not required that all six experiments undertaken will require an extensive analysis and interpretation of the raw data, but at least some of them should. In all cases the learner should be required to provide at least some degree of analysis and interpretation e.g. comparing to literature value and drawing conclusion.

It should be noted that the nature of analysis/interpretation by itself does not make a practical activity suitable – the other requirements as detailed above should also be met. For example, measuring pH values of substances and using these to calculate H+ concentration would not represent a suitable activity, even though the level of results analysis is appropriate.

The duration of the activity

There are no set requirements on the expected duration of practical activities. It is to be expected that practical activities covering different aspects of practical science will take different lengths of time to complete.

However, it should be borne in mind that overall workload, including formative practical activities and projects, required of learners should be commensurate with the recommended unit duration of 40 hours class contact. All six of the assessed practicals should require significant activity on the part of the learner.

Whether pair/group work is appropriate

For practicals where individual skill and accuracy is important, then pair/group working is not appropriate. Examples of practical activities which should always be undertaken individually are:

The following are examples of practical activities where pair working could be appropriate:

For pair/group working the assessor must ensure that all learners are fully engaged and participating in the activity. In most cases group sizes larger than pairs would not be appropriate. However, it may be appropriate for learners to work individually or as pairs and then pool results with a larger group.