Acids and bases, and their reactions are used extensively in everyday life and in the human body.

The
chemistry of acids and bases contributes to industrial contexts and the environment. Therefore, it is
essential that the degree of acidity in these situations is continually monitored. Students investigated the
qualitative and quantitative properties of acids and bases reactions and understand the significance of pH
and indicators to find and compare the strength of acids in a given solution.

Task number: 2 Weighting:30% Timing: 2 hours

Outcomes:
 designs and evaluates investigations in order to obtain primary and secondary data and
information CH11/12-2
 conducts investigations to collect valid and reliable primary and secondary data and
information CH11/12-3
 analyses and evaluates primary and secondary data and information CH11/12-5
 describes, explains and quantitatively analyses acids and bases using contemporary models
CH12-13

Nature of the task: Titration – practical

Students will carry out titration to investigate the strength of a citric acid in freshly prepared lemon
juice and bottled lemon juice. Students gather data, compare the strength of an acid in lemon juices,
calculate the error and report on the data. Students relate how this data can be used to formulate
public health awareness. The class hour of 2 hour is provided to this task.

1
Marking criteria:

 CH11/12-2 designs and evaluates investigations in order to obtain primary and

secondary data and information.
Students:

 design a dilution and titration to collect valid data and information to compare the acidic
content of the lemon juices.
 Plan a method of efficient way of measurement, observation, and recording of the result and
repeat the trials as required.
 Conduct risk assessment to minimize hazard, wastage of resources and maintain safe work
practice.

 CH11/12-3 conducts investigations to collect valid and reliable primary and secondary
data and information
Students:
 Prepare accurate dilutions of lemon juice to a specified concentration.
 Conduct investigation systematically and safely.
 determine the citric acid content in the freshly prepared lemon juice and bottled juice by
titration and enter the numerical data in the tabular column with the appropriate units.

 CH11/12-5 Analyses and evaluates primary and secondary data and information.

Students:
 Analyse the data by applying concepts and mathematical formulae.
 Compare the citric acid content in the freshly prepared lemon juice and bottled juice from
experimental data.
 Evaluate the data and calculate the experimental error in determining the citric acid content
in bottled lemon juice using the formula and information from the bottled juice.
 Critique the method of investigation and suggest the method of improvement of conducting
titration to increase the accuracy.
.
 CH12-13 describes, explains and quantitatively analyses acids and bases using
contemporary models.
Students:
 describe the method for conducting titration.
 express the relationship using accurate symbols and formula and use appropriate units for
physical quantity.

Application:
 Relate how the data of the citric acid content in lemon juices can be used to formulate public
health awareness.

Feedback is provided in the form of:

 Annotations on submitted work

 Limited guidelines during the investigation.
 Student and teacher feedback sheet

2
Student information

Aim: Volumetrically analyse both freshly prepared lemon juice and bottled lemon juice by titration
and compare their citric acid contents.

List of Apparatus provided:

 Two 20 mL beaker.
 50 mL burette.
 200mL volumetric flask.
 250 mL conical flask
 25 mL pipette.
 Glass funnel.
 Resort stand and clamp.
 Electronic Scales.
 Lemons
 Bottled supermarket lemon juice.
 Lemon squeezer
 Straining gauze
 Sodium hydroxide of 1 mol/L
 Sodium hydrogen sulfate powder.
 Phenolphthalein indicator.
 Distilled water.
Note: Additional equipment will be provided upon request.

Student instruction:

 Prepare freshly squeezed lemon juice using the required apparatus from the list.
 Prepare a 1 in 10 dilutions of lemon juices by using the equipment that listed.
 Titrate the diluted solution of lemon juice with sodium hydroxide solution and determine the
concentration of the citric acid in moles/ litre as accurately as possible.
 Carry out the titration of bottled lemon juice with sodium hydroxide solution by following the
procedure.
 Record the results in the tabular columns.
 You need to complete all sections in the report pages.

3
 Briefly describe the method of dilution of lemon juices.

 Outline the method used in titration.

4
 Evaluate the risk and explain how you can improve the method of
investigation to limit the risk.

 Explain the method of conducting titration.

5
 All results must be entered in the tabular column with the appropriate
units.

6
 Show all calculations of measurements using the formulae.

 Calculate citric acid content in fresh and bottled lemon juice using the
formula.

 Compare the results of citric acid content in gram and percentage of citric
acid content in gram per 100mL

7
 Calculate the experimental error in the determination of citric acid content
in bottled juice using the citric acid content information from the bottled
juice.

 Relate how the data of the citric acid content in lemon juices can be used
to formulate public health awareness.

8
 Feedback sheet

Student feedback:
Two things that I found interesting and challenging in the investigation.

The area that I need to focus on in the investigation.

What went wrong during the investigation and how I fixed the problem.

Teacher feedback:
The area that you showed proficiency in the assessment:

The area that you need to focus on the assessment to improve for future assessment:

Some ideas that support you to improve your area of weakness in the assessment:

9
 Rubric
Outcomes Grade E Grade D Grade C Grade B Grade A

CH11/12-2  design a dilution and  design a dilution and  design a dilution and  design a dilution and  design a dilution
designs and evaluates titration under titration under some titration titration and evaluate and titration, and
investigations in order guidance. guidance. Some risk independently and the risk and modify evaluate the risk
to obtain primary and is identified. identify risk and some of the and modify the
secondary data and attempts have made methods to limit the method to limit
information to modify the risk. the risk.
method to limit at
least one the risk.

Max Marks 6 Mark 1 Mark 2-3 Mark 4 Mark 5 Mark 6

CH11/12-3 conducts  attempts to  recounts  investigates  investigates  investigates

investigations to recount information information systematically systematically
collect valid and information. and safely. and safely.
 Attempts have  Prepare
reliable primary and
 Prepare a made to prepare dilutions of  Prepare an  Prepare an
secondary data and dilutions of accurate lemon juice accurate accurate
information lemon juice dilutions of nearly to a dilutions of dilutions of
nearly to lemon juice specified lemon juice to a lemon juice to a
specified nearly to a concentration. specified specified
concentration specified concentration. concentration.
under guidance. concentration.
 Numerical data  Numerical data
 Numerical data  Numerical data with with accuracy  Numerical data
with limited with some considerable are entered in with high
accuracy are accuracy are accuracy are the tabular accuracy are
entered in the entered in the entered in the column and with entered in the
tabular column tabular column tabular column the most of them tabular column
without the with some with the most of in appropriate with the
appropriate appropriate them in units. appropriate
units. units. appropriate units units.

Max Marks 6 Mark1-2 Marks 3 Marks 4 Mark 5 Mark6

10
CH11/12-5  Expresses  Recounts the  Compares the  Compare and  comprehensively
analyses and opinions information data contrast the compares and
evaluates primary and data. evaluates the
secondary data and  Applies a limited  Applies a  Applies a sound  Applies a data by
information knowledge to generalised way level of critical competent level calculating the
improve the to improve the thinking to of critical error.
accuracy. accuracy. improve the thinking to Applies a high
accuracy. improve the level of critical
accuracy. thinking to
improve the
Max Marks 6 Marks 1-2 Marks 4 Marks 5 accuracy.
Marks 3 Marks 6

CH12-13
describes, explains  Identify the steps
and quantitatively
analyses acids and
bases using
contemporary models
 The table has no
 Demonstrates
Max Marks 12
 Identify the steps
of conducting
titration in a
simplistic way.
 The table has
appropriate
heading and data
are not entered in
the particular
column. More than
one titre and no
concord value.
awareness of and
attempts to recall  demonstrates
knowledge to use the
result to formulate
health awareness.
Marks 2-3
describe the method of explain in detail the explain extensively the
titration including the method of titration method of titration
of conducting use of the indicator, including the use of the including correct steps
titration in a rinsing of burette with a indicator, rinsing of the outlining the indicator
generalistic way. standard solution and burette, the correct used. Includes the
the reaction is between volumes, and terms of rinsing of the burette
a strong base and a glassware. The reaction with a standard solution,
some appropriate weak acid. is between a strong the correct volumes, and
headings, some  The table has base and the week acid. terms for glassware.
data in the table, appropriate The table has Explains that the
some units are headings, most appropriate headings, experiment is repeated
missing in the data in the table, all data in the table, until consistent titres are
headings of each some units are units are in the headings achieved.
column, more than missing in the of each column, more The table has
one titres. headings of than two titres, two appropriate headings, all
each column, concordant titres, an data in the table, units
more than two average of concordant are in the headings of
titres, two titres shown and each column, more than
basic knowledge concordant organised well in the three titres, three
titres, an tabular column. concordant titres, an
and skills to
formulate health average of  Competently average of concordant
awareness using concordant titres analyse the result titres shown, organised
the result. shown. and formulate health and well set out allowing
 Investigate result awareness. easy access of data.
and use the result  Successfully analyse
to formulate health the results and
awareness. formulate health
Marks 4-5 awareness.
Marks 6-8 Marks 9-10 Marks 11-12

11
Assessment is a part of ongoing learning process where progress is monitored overtime during the

course. In addition, assessment is an activity or tool that enables teachers and students to assess

themselves that helps them to modify their teaching and learning process (Scott, Harvey,

Saenz & Hayes, 2005). Assessments as part of classroom activities required to promote students

learning and achievement. The main purpose of the assessment is to measure the extent of student

achievements in relation to syllabus outcomes of the unit or course as well as it provide feedback

for teachers about the success of their teaching ( Upahi, Issa, & Oyelekan, 2015) and students’

needs that help them to modify their future teaching and learning process.

Depending on the purpose of the assessments, assessments can be diagnostic, formative and

summative. Diagnostic assessments are used to classify the students based on the performance.

This enables the teacher to diagnose the learning difficulties and its causes (Upahi, Issa, &

Oyelekan,2015). The diagnostic test used to test prior knowledge of the students to modify the

teaching and learning process in accordance with students’ need (Scott, Harvey, Saenz & Hayes,

2005 ). Klenowski (as cited in Boyle & Charles, 2010 ) suggest that formative assessments promote

the use of assessments to support learning rather than measuring it. In addition, students’ active

involvement in the learning process takes place in formative assessments that facilitate the

students to take responsibility for their own learning (Boyle & Charles, 2010). Furthermore, the

research in the UK by Black and William (as cited in Boyle & Charles, 2010) suggested that the

substantial gain of learning is possible when the teacher uses the formative assessments. Thus

formative assessments are extensively used by the teacher to promote students learning and modify

teaching and learning process for future students (Keeley, Eberle & Tugel, 2007). Summative

assessments are used by teachers to gain evidence of students’ learning against outcomes and

standard (NESA, 2017). Summative assessments are conducted at the end of the unit or course to

12
measure the extent of students’ learning achievement and issues a valid certificate of completion

of the course which enables students to apply for further studies or employment ( Boud

&Falchikov, 2006).

All these assessment practices are based on syllabus outcomes, the content of the course and the

teacher’s perception of the student (Gathercoal,1995). The teacher needs to demonstrate the

understanding of assessment strategies to meet the Australian Institute for Teaching and School

Leadership (AITSL) standard 5.1 to assess students learning (AITSL,2018). The effective

assessments are designed using syllabus outcomes. The assessment task should be valid and is

designed to assess whether the learning outcomes have met and the learning opportunity is

provided to the students in order to successfully complete the task (Rust,2002) and achieve

syllabus outcomes in different ways(NESA,2017). In addition, the task needs to be reliable,

measure what intend to assess and provide accurate information about students’ achievements

(NESA,2017).

All assessments need to have explicit marking criteria to clarify for students to focus on learning

aspects that are being assessed in the assessment task before they undertake the assessment work

(NESSA,2017). However, providing explicit criteria in the task alone is not enough for students to

do better work in the task, instead involve students in the marking sample of work by applying

criteria is found to be more effective in improving student performance in the task than the teacher

spent time in discussing the criteria with the students (Rust, 2002). Furthermore, Klenowski (as

cited in Shepard, 2009) found that in case studies of student self-evaluation practices in Australian

and England, the students participating in self-evaluation become more interested in criteria and

substantive feedback than the grade (Shepard, 2009). Klenowski’s data support Wiggins’s earlier

statement that the students involved in analysing their own work gain ownership of the evaluation

13
process and that may be possible to hold students to higher standards as they understand the criteria

clearly (Shepard, 2009).

The self-assessment of students in terms of reflection is one of the good feedback practice in

effective assessment (Nicol, & Macfarlane‐Dick, 2006). In addition, the educators need to provide

effective feedback on the strength and weakness of the students in the assessment task which help

students to improve their future performance in the assessment task ( Rust, 2002 ). The effective

feedback of educators may include the start with a positive comment on students work, relate

feedback specifically to the learning outcomes and criteria and suggesting specific way to improve

the assessment work by providing follow up work and references (Rust, 2002). However, Friz et

al ( as cited in Rust,2002) a study reveals that the emotional and psychological investment of

students in producing a sample of work for assessment has more effective than the passive receipt

of feedback. Rust (2002) suggested that the result implies, similar to marking exercise the students

need to actively engage in the feedback process. Rust (2002) believes that developing feedback

exercise and made students to redraft their work in the guidelines of feedback will improve student

performance significantly.

According to Lepper, Drake, and O’Donnell-Johnson (as cited in Shepard, 2009) the effective

teacher will not directly correct students’ errors, instead, they give hints or ask leading questions

that lead students to correct their errors. If the student fails to correct their errors then teacher

intervene with a direct question to guide the student through the solution process (Shepard, 2009).

According to Lepper, Drake and O’Donnell-Johnson analysis, the effective teachers use indirect

feedback to maintain student motivation and self-confidence without ignoring the student errors.

Furthermore, Lepper, Drake, and O’Donnell-Johnson suggested that new teachers must learn such

a balancing act to perform as well. The teachers ‘demonstrate the understanding of the purpose of

14
providing timely and appropriate feedback to students about their learning’ and meet the AITSL

standard 5.2 (AITSL,2017). Thus, the effective feedback approaches of teachers’ and students’

reflection of their own work support students to guide through the solutions and improve their

performance (Shepard, 2009).

Furthermore, the assessment task needs to provide students authentic, relevant and approximate

skill required for their future employment and to solve real-life problems. Bloom ( as cited in

Upahi, Issa, & Oyelekan,2015) suggested that such assessment task demands cognitive skills of

the students to demonstrate application, analysis, synthesis, evaluation and not just the

demonstration of knowledge and comprehension in tests of memory (Upahi, Issa, & Oyelekan,

2015). The students will be intrinsically motivated and take a deep approach to complete the task

if they know the relevance and importance of the task beyond passing the assessment (Rust, 2002).

However, students will more likely to take a surface approach and even justify plagiarism or

another form of cheating in completing the task, if they found the task is not relevance and

importance to them in the real world (Rust, 2002). As a result, the real world tasks are more likely

appear to be relevant for the students as they can understand the reason for undertaking such task

in the real world and there is a real audience who might want to receive the resulting product (Rust,

2002). For example, an assessment task where students find and compare the concentration of

citric acid in freshly squeezed lemon juice and bottled juice, and discuss how this results can be

used to formulate public health awareness. Thus, the assessment task should be authentic and

relevance for the students to understand the importance of learning and acquiring scientific skills

to solve real-world problems (Upahi, Issa, & Oyelekan, 2015).

The students’ assessment of academic achievement plays a significant role in developing the

curriculum of the course (Gathercoal, 1995). The teacher has a professional, ethical, and legal

15
responsibility to record students’ achievements accurately and truthfully. The accuracy and truth

in such students’ academic achievement depend on the intrinsic link between assessment,

evaluation, and reporting (Gathercoal, 1995). Information gathered from student assessments is

used in the evaluation process to determine the effectiveness of teaching and learning strategies.

teacher, unit, or course (Gathercoal, 1995). The teaching and learning strategies are improved to

meet the students’ need at each level of education system. The new chemistry syllabus for year 11

and year 12 is a skill-based syllabus focused on developing students’ skill that will help students

to solve real-world problems in future life (NESA,2017). As a result, the percentage of weighting

in knowledge and understanding and working scientifically skills in the assessment task is found

to be forty and sixty percent respectively(NESA,2017). Hence, assessment and evaluation play a

significant role in the development of curriculum (Gathercoal, 1995). In addition, reporting also

intrinsically connected to assessment and evaluation where the officials judge the effectiveness of

teacher and the course. The report considers the overall performance of the school and across the

nation, and determine the need for the improvement of the curriculum of the course to meet the

student's needs. Thus, assessment, evaluation, and reporting play a significant role in determining

the effectiveness of an educator, curriculum, and students’ academic achievement (Gathercoal,

1995).

References

1. Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership (2018).

Teacher Standards. Retrieved from https://www.aitsl.edu.au/teach/standards

2. Boud, D., & Falchikov, N. (2006). Aligning assessment with long‐term learning.
Assessment & Evaluation in Higher Education, 31(4), 399-413.

3. Boyle, W., & Charles, M. (2010). Leading learning through Assessment for Learning?
School Leadership & Management, 30(3), 285-300.

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4. Scott, L., Harvey, J., Saenz, O.,& Hayes, N. (2005).Assessment toolkit. Retrieved from
https://www.dit.ie/media/ditlttc/documents/assessment_toolkitv_07_04_2008.pdf

5. Gathercoal, P. (1995). Principles of Assessment. The Clearing House, 69(1), 59-61.

Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/30185862

6. Keeley, P., F., Eberle, and J. Tugel. 2007. Uncovering Student Ideas in Science: 25
More Formative Assessment Probes, Volume 2. Arlington, VA: NSTA Press.

7. Nicol, D., & Macfarlane‐Dick, D. (2006). Formative assessment and self‐regulated

learning: A model and seven principles of good feedback practice. Studies in Higher
Education, 31(2), 199-218.

8. Rust, C. (2002). The Impact of Assessment on Student Learning. Active Learning in

Higher Education, 3(2), 145-158.

9. Shepard, L. (2009). The Role of Assessment in a Learning Culture. Journal of

Education, 189(1-2), 95-106.
10. Upahi, J., E., Issa, G., B., & Oyelekan, O., S. (2015). Analysis of senior school
certificate examination chemistry questions for higher-order cognitive skills. Cypriot
Journal of Educational Sciences, 10(3), 218-227.

11. NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). (2017). The principle of effective
assessment in Chemistry Stage 6. Retrieved from
https://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/support-materials/principles-of-effective-assessment/

12. NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). (2017). Chemistry Stage 6 Syllabus.

Retrieved from https://syllabus.nesa.nsw.edu.au/assets/chemistry/chemistry-stage-6-

syllabus- 2017.pdf

13. NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA). (2017). Purpose of assessment in

Chemistry Stage 6. Retrieved from
http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/Understanding-the-

curriculum/assessment/assessment-in-practice/purpose-of-assessment

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