Science Extension 2024 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• read the question carefully to ensure that they do not miss important components of the question
• have a clear understanding of key words in the question and recognise the intent of the question and its requirements
• use syllabus glossary definitions as a starting point to develop their responses
• plan the response to assist in the logical sequencing of information
• plan responses and monitor time, to allow for thorough critical analysis of each question
• communicate ideas and information using appropriate scientific terminology
• engage with the stimulus material provided and unpack it in their response
• present a logical and coherent response that addresses the question
• review their response to ensure that it addresses the question requirements
• review their response to ensure there are no contradictions.

Question 1

In better responses, students were able to:

• describe the value of various search criteria against the purpose of an initial literature search
• discuss the search criteria's effectiveness in accessing the most relevant literature
• discuss the search criteria's effectiveness in excluding unhelpful or irrelevant literature
• make an informed and supported judgement about the overall suitability of the literature search criteria.

Areas for students to improve include:

• determining the value of various search criteria rather than only commenting on positive or negative features
• referring to multiple elements of student’s search criteria.

Question 2

In better responses, students were able to:

• establish the criteria for falsifiability and apply them to the hypothesis (a)
• justify how the criteria are met with the hypothesis (a)
• analyse the inferential and descriptive data in both sources (b)
• draw an appropriate conclusion, integrating the source data with the stimulus (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• describing the criteria for falsifiability and how it applies to an hypothesis (a)
• interpreting data and information from charts, including the significance of trend lines and error bars, as well as regression and its application to datasets (b)
• integrating information from multiple sources to produce an informed judgement.

Question 3

In better responses, students were able to:

• use examples of ethical practices from the stimulus and evaluate the impacts on scientific research
• effectively integrate the stimulus into their response.

Areas for students to improve include:

• integrating examples from the timeline into relevant impacts on the scientific research process
• linking the judgment to the findings of the source analysis
• showing clear evidence of cause and effect in linking ideas.

Question 4

In better responses, students were able to:

• describe the difference between data and evidence (a)
• refer to the stimulus to support definitions for data and evidence (a)
• describe how qualitative analysis can be conducted to establish a conclusion (b)
• use inductive reasoning to draw suitable conclusions from qualitative data (b)
• provide a comprehensive evaluation with reference to supporting stimulus (c)
• describe the benefits and limitations of qualitative and quantitative data as evidence (c).

Areas for students to improve include:

• describing that evidence is used to support a conclusion
• linking the use of data and evidence (a)
• explaining thematic analysis as a method of data analysis for qualitative data (b)
• describing inductive reasoning (b)
• describing how qualitative data can be processed beyond turning it into quantitative data (b)
• ensuring that a clear connection is made between inductive reasoning, qualitative data and conclusions (b)
• providing a balanced argument of the merits of qualitative and quantitative data (c).

Question 5

In better responses, students were able to:

• explain various elements of the proposal to demonstrate the scientific research process
• support their assessment by providing accurate explanation of strengths and limitations of various components within the proposal with specific reference to the stimulus
• describe the role of aspects in scientific investigations, such as data collection, controls, repetition and validity, within the methodology.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating understanding of the purpose of a scientific proposal and its relationship to the scientific research
• explaining the function of including a rationale, aim, hypothesis, methodology, results and timeline within a research proposal
• explaining judgements made on the quality of the proposal and avoiding general statements that are unsupported by evidence from the stimulus
• demonstrating understanding of the independent, dependent and controlled variables, with clear links to the hypothesis and methodology.