In-Service Teacher Training

Assessment in IGCSE Biology 0610

Session 3: Mark schemes and Examiners
Reports
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Welcome
• Introductions
• Background
• Aim of training
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Session 3 looks at:

• Using the published mark scheme

• Using the Examiner Reports

• Additional resources for IGCSE Biology

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Using mark schemes (1):

The importance of mark schemes
Mark schemes:
• Give the allocation of marks
• Indicate the range of acceptable answers
• Give examples of unacceptable answers
• Give an indication of what Examiners are
looking for in an answer
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Using mark schemes (2):

Use with the Examiner Report
The mark scheme and Examiner Report:
• Both give information about each part of
each question
• Should be used side by side to analyse
students’ answers to questions
• Provide information which can be passed
on to students
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Using mark schemes (3):

Analysis of candidate scripts
Take each question in turn and do the following:
• Make yourself familiar with the mark scheme
• Mark the questions showing clearly where
you gave each mark
• Bear in mind the marking guidelines given in
Unit 2
• When you have finished, compare your marks
with those of the Examiner.
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Using Examiner Reports (1):

The importance of the reports
• The range of candidate misconceptions is
addressed
• Areas of weakness of the candidates as a
whole are highlighted
• Reasons are suggested for common
incorrect answers
• The range of acceptable answers are
commented on
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Using Examiner Reports(2):

Analysis of contents
• Misreading of questions
• Incorrect reference or lack of reference to
the stem of a question
• Incorrect extraction of information from a
table
• Advice for future candidates
• Careless use of words (which may result in
candidates being penalised)
• Poor quality of diagrams
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Using Examiner Reports (3):

Teaching aims and Examiner Reports
• It is useful to analyse the Examiner
Reports over a number of years
• There are a number of misconceptions that
regularly reappear
• There are a number of specific areas which
students find conceptually difficult
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Additional resources (1):

Schemes of work and tests
• The scheme of work has 10 units providing
ideas about how you might teach the
syllabus
• Each unit may also contain:
Questions
Online tests
Simulations and simulation notes
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Additional resources (2): Other

resources recommended by CIE
• Standards booklets
• Specimen papers
• IGCSE Biology Past Papers on CD Toolkit
• IGCSE Biology endorsed textbooks
• Teaching and Assessing Skills in Practical
Science
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Additional resources (3): Other

resources recommended by CIE
• Planning for Practical Science in
Secondary Schools
• Bioscope CD-ROM
• Resource lists
Closing comments