Answering technique in Science Section B

TYPE OF QUESTIONS
First: We must try to understand the type of question first. There are 3 types of question. (i) DIRECT QUESTION (DQ) (ii) RELATIONSHIP QUESTION (RQ) (iii) BOTH TYPES QUESTION (BTQ). However, only DQ and RQ are always used to make question.

For DQ, the activities in the experiment are not same, for example plant A is watered while plant B is not. You see, the activities or the deeds are not same. One is watered and another one is not. So this is DQ. (remember this because this will be very useful when choosing what sentences to use for answers). For RQ, this one is very easy and very familiar to students. And it is easy to remember. Okay, for this type of question, the activities are same. The only things that different is maybe the amount, the number, the temperature, the distance and so on. Let's see the example below. Now, both the plants were given water. We put a glass of water in plant A and 2 glasses of water in plant B. You see, both were given water, but in different amount.

For BTQ, i will explain it later, because once you understand the DQ and RQ types, it will be easier for you to understand this BTQ.

VARIABLES
Second: Try to look for variables, i mean the constant variable (kept the same), the manipulated variable (being changed) and the responding variable (the things that you want to measure). Remember, these variables are very2 important because if you know them correctly, you can answer almost all the sub-questions given in a question. For example, ok let's use again the previous experiment where plant A is watered while plant B is not. In order for us to get the correct results or results that cannot be disputed, we must use the same type(species) of plants, same amount and type of soil, and so on. This is important to get a fair result. Actually there are many things that are same but we must choose the most important things. You know why? Because if you give answers which are correct but not important, you will still not entitle or will not given any mark for it. So, please choose 'important' answers. Remember, when we say about priority, when your answer is going down the priority lists, your chances of getting mark will be decreased or minimized. So, the things that are kept the same (constant variable) are the TYPE OF PLANTS, THE SPECIES OF PLANTS, THE TYPE OF SOIL, THE PERIOD OF THE EXPERIMENT, THE AMOUNT OF FERTILISER, etc. The most important answer is THE TYPE OF PLANTS (you cannot say 'using plants that are same'). The thing that is changed (manipulated variable) is THE PRESENCE OF WATER (you can't say 'one is watered while another one is not'). And the thing that being measured (responding variable) is THE CONDITION OF THE PLANTS (you cannot say 'plant A is growing healthily while plant B wilted/died').

THE PURPOSE (AIM) OF INVESTIGATION

Ok, to answer this question (the aim or the purpose of investigation/experiment), you need to recall back my explanation about the type of question above. Actually there are standard answers for RQ (relationship question). The standard answers are as below. Just write the sentence, you only need to change the words in the brackets. - To investigate the relationship between (thing that being change) and (thing that we want to measure). - To study the relationship between (thing that being change) and (thing that we want to measure). easy right.....

For DQ (direct type question), you need to answer the aim of investigation using direct answers. Ok, let's see the example that we used before. We know that plant A which is watered will still alive while plant B will die or wilted. Means, if the plant doesn't get water, it will die. So the aim of the investigation is: - To show that plants need water to stay alive. - To prove that plants need water to stay alive. so, by now, should you know and understand the type of questions that i already mentioned before, and you also know the variables, you actually can answer already the question about 'the purpose/aim of investigation...'

OBSERVATION
For observation, it's actually very easy. Use your senses to gather information about an object or event. It is a description of what was actually happened. There are 5 senses that we have (see, hear, touch, smell, taste). So, when observing objects or events, try to look for their characteristics, properties, differences, similarities, and changes, which are all the notice specific features. Look also the changes in conditions. For example (we still using the same experiment above), where plant A is watered while plant B is not, what we can observe is... - Plant A is still alive while plant B wilted. Remember, you don't have to tell why the event happened. You just tell what was happened but no need to tell why it was happened.

TREND...
There are several answers that u can use for this such as... - Increased, increasing, getting more, getting higher, the number is getting higher, etc... - Decreased, decreasing, getting less, getting lower, the number is getting lower, etc... - Stable, no change, constant (if there's no change) red colour, terms that are always being used...

INFERENCE
- Inference means you try to formulate assumptions, interpreting or explaining, or give reason based on your observations. You tell why an event or phenomenon happened. - More than one inference may be presented to explain an observation.

- you must distinguish between observations and inferences. Observation (tell what you see), while inference (tell why the thing that you see happened). for example... Observation : Plant A is still alive while plant B wilted/or died. Inference : Because plant A is watered, plant B is not watered. very easy, right... Now, you should be able to answer... - the aim of investigation - observation - variables (kept the same, changed & what is being measured). - trend - inference you can get at least 7 marks already in part B questions.

HYPOTHESES
Making hypotheses is actually very easy... ok, back to the type of questions which i already mentioned at the beginning of this thread... for RELATIONSHIP QUESTION (RQ), here are examples of the standard answers: 1. The more water the plant gets, the healthier the plant grows. 2. The plant will grow healthier when it gets more water. 3. If the plant gets more water, it will grow healthier. you see, different sentences but the meanings are still the same. The trick is once you use the word 'more', you must use it twice. Or sometimes you need to change it with ...er (example: higher, taller, louder, etc.), like the examples above. and for DIRECT QUESTION (DQ), use direct sentence, for example: 1. Plants need water to stay alive.

CONCLUSION
to make conclusion for an experiment or investigation, you need to recall back the type of questions that i've mentioned before/above. Tips for making conclusion for an investigation... 1. your conclusion must the answer for your aim/purpose of investigation. For example, if your aim is to know what is the answer for 1+1, then the conclusion is the answer for that, which is 2. If your investigation is to know what are all the basic

needs for animals, then your conclusion must stating all of the basic needs for animals. 2. If you really don't know the answer for conclusion, instead of just leaving it empty unanswered, you can write again your hypothesis for conclusion (same answers). However, this method is not always correct. 3. You also can answer it this way... manipulated variable (changed) + inference + responding variable (measured). For example, THE MORE THE NUMBER OF BATTERIES USED, THE HIGHER THE AMOUNT OF ELELCTRIC ENERGY, SO THE BRIGHTER THE BULB. Ok, let's say that we are using rabbits in an experiment, so in the answer for conclusion, its better if we change the word 'rabbits' to animals. Same thing also when we use any species of plant, such as balsam, we change it to plants when making the conclusion. Do you know why we need to change it? As we know, conclusion is something that we get through experiment & already been proven to be correct/true based on the experiment or investigation results that we got. It doesnt matter whether we are using cat or buffalo, as along as the experiments are similar, the conclusions are still the same. In other words, this conclusion should be able to be used (or applicable) in other experiments that are similar but using different variables. Remember, conclusion is a general statement (but proven true) that concludes all in its category. Look at the example below: - a cat in an experiment died when it didnt get air. - a buffalo in an experiment died when it didnt get air. Conclusion we may say Cat needs air to stay alive. Buffalo needs air to stay alive. Both conclusions are correct, but its better if we say Animals need air to stay alive. (the word animals conclude all species of animals). Same thing also for plants. Thank you for your attention! Information from: http://maribelajar.forumotion.com/index.htm