Exemplar for internal assessment resource Biology for Achievement Standard 90713

Exemplar for Internal Assessment Resource

Biology Level 3

Resource title: Biology

This exemplar supports assessment against:

Achievement Standard 90713

Carry out a practical investigation into an aspect of an organisms
ecological niche with guidance.
Student and grade boundary specific exemplar
The material has been gathered from student material specific to an A or B assessment
resource.

Date version published by

Ministry of Education

Crown 2010

December 2011
To support internal assessment from 2012

Exemplar for internal assessment resource Biology for Achievement Standard 90713

Grade Boundary: Low Excellence

1.

The link between the ecological niche and the investigation is weak because,
although the introduction describes the effect of salt on germination and
osmosis, and the discussion provides a full explanation of these factors, the
discussion does not describe where salt may be found in the natural
environment of the red clover and therefore has not made a strong link between
the significance of salt and the ecological niche. The report meets the criteria for
E in all other aspects (except possibly misinterpreting the trend as linear when
in fact it may be parabolic, in the biomass graph). Because the issue with the
link to the ecological niche is the only factor detracting from the quality of the
rest of the report and a link is attempted, although tenuous, the report remains
at E, but is at the lower end of E as a result. In this example the student may
have been able to research and/or make observations of red clover growing in
marshy or briny areas, or made a link to the salt concentrations in fertilisers
used on farms, for example, and then used this cultivated niche as the basis for
the investigation.

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Exemplar for internal assessment resource Biology for Achievement Standard 90713

Grade Boundary: High Merit

2.

The report is a High M because overall it fulfils the requirements for valid
method (EN 7) but in the method did not explain how temperature was
controlled (although it is in evaluation and the information before the method)
and the sample size is small. The processing of the results is valid, although the
data interpretation could be strengthened. The discussion makes links to
ecological niche but refers to slaters as having lungs, rather than pseudo-lungs.
The evaluation is sufficient in that the first paragraph and third paragraph
provide a discussion of the validity of the investigation (EN 10, bp 3). The
second paragraph however can be disregarded because it explains the
limitations of the investigation, which is not required. Overall the investigation is
sufficient for quality as required for M and E (EN 7) but is not sufficient for E
because it does not meet the requirement for a comprehensive discussion as
required for E in terms of the investigation as a whole due to the issues
mentioned above in the method, data interpretation and the discussion. Overall
therefore the investigation is a high M.

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Exemplar for internal assessment resource Biology for Achievement Standard 90713

Grade Boundary: Low Merit

3.

The investigation uses a valid range of temperatures but the method is minimal
for sufficiency for quality, as required for M, because it lacks details eg the
positioning of the glass tube, the control of light. The data recording and
processing is sufficient for quality. Discussion of the results in relation to the
significance to the ecological niche of the organism is sufficient for M/E (EN 9).
The evaluation is not sufficient for E since it focuses mainly on the limitations of
the investigation rather the validity of the conclusion or the reliability of the data
(EN 10, bp 3). More explanation in relation to the meaning of the statistical
analysis would have been one way to strengthen the evaluation.

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Exemplar for internal assessment resource Biology for Achievement Standard 90713

Grade Boundary: High Achieved

4.

The introduction to this investigation refers mainly to the aspects of ecological

niche that are not being investigated. Therefore the link between the
investigation and the ecological niche is weak here, but is made more fully later
in the discussion. The lux values rather that bulb wattage should be featured in
the aim/hypothesis and in the graph. The method indicates that the student is
aware of the temperature factor but no effort to control it is indicated in the
method. It is indicated in the evaluation however. These issues detract from the
validity of the investigation as required for Merit and Excellence (see EN 7, bp
2). Overall the investigation is at the upper end of A because it provides a full
and clear method, appropriate data recording and processing allowing a trend
or pattern to be determined (a requirement for M and E), and an attempt at
statistical analysis and explanation of the results of this. (Note the data table
and graph are missing from the exemplar, but were present in the original
sample of work. The processed data in the table and graph were accurate and
fully labelled, sufficient to show a trend or pattern as required for quality. EN 7,
bp 3). The conclusion, although convoluted at first, is stated and linked to the
hypothesis and the results are interpreted and findings reported on in the
discussion.

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Exemplar for internal assessment resource Biology for Achievement Standard 90713

Grade Boundary: Low Achieved

5.

The link between the investigation and the ecological niche of the organism is
weak. The method is complex, parts are difficult to follow and the control of
other significant factors that may effect the outcome of the investigation eg
temperature, are not integrated into the final method, as would be expected for
a quality investigation for M and E (EN 7). In the graph the light intensity should
be recorded in lux rather than number of sheets of shade cloth used, as this
would give a better indication of the trend in relation to light intensity. The
investigation does not therefore meet the requirements for a quality
investigation for the above reasons. The investigation is at the lower end of A
because the interpretation of the findings is confused (see Discussion
paragraph 3). The link between the ecological niche and the investigation is
weak and the report lacks the use of the biological terminology required at Level
8 of the curriculum (EN 1).

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Exemplar for internal assessment resource Biology for Achievement Standard 90713

Grade Boundary: High Not Achieved

6.

The investigation has made a link to the ecological niche of the organism but it
is tenuous. The method requires further clarification in order for it to be followed
and it does not specify the range for the independent variable as required for A
(EN 6, bp 2). The report does not always use the biology terminology as
required at Level 8 of the curriculum (EN 1) and uses various anthropomorphic
statements eg .. as it may be uncomfortable for the slater in relation to
increased temperature, .. to keep them from getting tired. in relation to the
repeated use of individual slaters. The interpretation and reporting on the
findings and the conclusion (EN 6, bp 4) are limited, with some parts not making
sense. These factors make the investigation insufficient for A, but because the
student has followed the investigative process to completion with some aspects
at A level, overall the investigation is close to Achieved.

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