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Outcome 1

Science Practical and Investigation Skills (J3RF 44)

Learners are required to record observations and measurements from scientific apparatus.

In doing so they must:

The observations or measurements must be taken on four different types of apparatus. It would therefore not be permissible to credit a learner more than once for measuring volumes with different sizes of graduated pipettes.

For a minimum of two of the apparatus types, the observations must involve the taking of numerical readings.

Examples of appropriate measuring instruments are burette, pipette, measuring cylinder, melting point apparatus, thermometer, syringe, balance, Bourdon gauge, ammeter, voltmeter, ohmmeter, multi-meter, count rate meter, barometer, Newton balance, light meter, meter rule, pH meter, oxygen meter, humidity meter, compass, clinometer, calliper. Gilson Pipette, slide micrometer (measuring size of microscopic samples), haemocytometer, stopwatch, colorimeter, sphygmomanometer, spirometer.

Measurement tasks should be related to a range of variables. For example, mass, length, volume, pressure, time, temperature, light intensity, resistance, voltage, pH, area, velocity, gradient, humidity.

Learners should also experience the taking and recording of non-numerical observations. Examples of appropriate observations could include appearance of reaction product (ie crystal shape, size and colour), colour of universal indicator, qualitative test results (eg for carbohydrates), shape and colour of bacterial colonies, presence or absence of zone of inhibition, colour of pigment extract, presence or absence of cloudiness in bacterial liquid culture, etc.

Whatever observation or measurement is taken, it must involve the learner setting up and using the apparatus. It would not be permissible, for example, for learners to be credited with a simple observation of pre-prepared samples.

There are two possible approaches to generating evidence for outcome 1. The first option is to assess it directly using standalone activities. The second option is to award achievement by mapping against learner performance in the assessed practicals and reports from outcomes 2 and 3. Further details of the two approaches are given below.

Option 1: Standalone assessment

In this approach, learners are observed using the apparatus and making observations or measurements. Learners should record their observations or measurements in a pro forma, laboratory diary or a laboratory report.

To achieve this, a stations approach may be used where several different activities are carried out simultaneously. The assessed activities should only be set once the learner has had the chance to practice their skills.

As outcome 1 requires the learner to demonstrate individual accuracy in the taking of measurements or observations, the tasks must be performed individually. Paired or group work is not permissible.

Assessors should take steps to ensure that the observations or measurements recorded by the learners are correct and accurate representations of what they encountered. This could be, for example, by:

Assessors should complete a checklist for each learner for each task:

Examples of completed checklists for numerical and non-numerical activities are provided below:

Option 2: Mapping achievement against outcomes 2 and 3

In this approach, learners are credited with achievement of the evidence requirements for outcome 1 through their assessed performance in outcomes 2 and 3.

This may be a useful approach for those learners who already have a degree of practical skills prior to commencing the unit and would already be suitably experienced in the taking of observations or measurements. For these learners, it may be more appropriate to progress directly to the full practical experiments which constitute outcomes 2 and 3.

It should however be noted that paired working is not permissible for outcome 1, regardless of whether it is being assessed directly or by mapping. Learners must demonstrate that they are able to take accurate observations or measurements, and this can only be assessed as an individual skill.

There are practical activities for which paired working may be appropriate for outcome 2. If these are undertaken, they cannot be used to map achievement of outcome 1.

Assessors should complete a mapping checklist for each learner to include each task that is being mapped:

An example of a completed checklist incorporating numerical and non-numerical activities may be found here:

It would also be acceptable to use a combination of the two options for assessing outcome 1. Centres could assess directly the ability to record observations or measurements from scientific apparatus on 2 occasions, and map a further 2 occasions. In such a scenario, assessor checklists and a mapping document should be completed for each of the relevant items.