Six-mark questions
Six-mark questions will only appear in the Depth paper. There will be two six mark questions in the Depth paper.
Six-mark questions are extended free-response questions, requiring the longest answers. It is wise to plan your answer rather than rushing straight into it. Without a plan it is easy to stray away from the key point and lose marks, get steps in a process in the wrong order or forget key bits of information.
To gain six marks, you will need to:
- use appropriate scientific words and terms
- write your answer in full sentences, not bullet points
- write clearly, linking ideas in a logical way
- maintain a sustained line of reasoning, rather than a random list of statements and sentences
- support explanations using scientific knowledge and understanding
Six-mark questions are marked using a levels based mark scheme. An answer that is not clear and logically sequenced, and which does not give a coherent argument supported by evidence, will be limited to the lower levels. Similarly, if the question asks you to discuss both sides of an argument, or explain two observations, you will be limited to the lowest level if your answer only considers one of them (no matter how brilliantly written or comprehensively explained that one is).
These questions have been written by Bitesize consultants as suggestions to the types of questions that may appear in an exam paper.
Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
Discuss both the positive and negative impacts that humans can have on biodiversity, giving specific examples in your answer [6 marks]
You must present a balanced argument in this sort of question. Try to come up with at least two positive and two negative impacts and discuss them. Both positive and negative impacts MUST be included. Relate your ideas back to biodiversity.
You could include points such as:
Negative impacts:
- Deforestation to provide land for humans to build on which removes habitats for organisms and kills the trees. [1 mark]
- Overfishing in an area to get food for the human population but reducing food supply in the food web, causing other species numbers to increase or decrease. [1 mark]
- Removal of hedgerows for farming so that fields can be farmed using machinery. Hedgerows are a vital habitat for many organisms and without the food and shelter that the hedgerows provides the organisms are at risk of dying out. [1 mark]
Positive impacts:
- Communities can work together to educate one another about the importance of maintaining biodiversity in order to provide food, medicines and resources for future generations. [1 mark]
- Governments can introduce laws and regulations that can protect habitats, for example, making areas that are losing biodiversity into national parks. [1 mark]
- Conservationists in zoos could introduce breeding programmes to prevent a species from going extinct. [1 mark]
Sample question 2 - Foundation
Question
Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of reproducing sexually and asexually. [6 marks]
You must make sure that you answer all parts of the question. You need to address both the asexual and sexual reproduction AND the advantages and disadvantages of BOTH. Remember that the examiner is looking for a 'level of response' rather than just correct answers.
Some points to include are:
Asexual reproduction
- Advantages:
- The population can increase rapidly when the conditions are favourable.
- Only one parent is needed.
- It is more time and energy efficient as no mate is needed.
- It is faster than sexual reproduction.
- Disadvantages:
- It does not lead to genetic variation in a population.
- The species may only be suited to one habitat and so evolution of the species does not occur.
- Disease may affect all the individuals in a population.
Sexual reproduction
- Advantages:
- Produces genetic variation in the offspring.
- The species can adapt to new environments due to variation, which gives them a survival advantage.
- A disease is less likely to affect all the individuals in a population.
- Disadvantages:
- Time and energy are needed to find a mate.
- It is not possible for an isolated individual to reproduce.
- If a mate cannot be found then the species will die out.
Sample question 3 - Higher
Question
Patients in hospital can be at risk from infections such as MRSA. The bacteria that cause MRSA are resistant to a variety of antibiotics.
New antibiotics need to be developed as a result of infections such as MRSA.
Use the theory of natural selection to describe why antibiotic resistance in bacteria is increasing. [6 marks]
Some points to include are:
- Bacteria with resistance gene have an advantage.
- Resistance occurs due to a random mutation.
- These bacteria will not be killed by antibiotics.
- They are more likely to survive.
- They will reproduce.
- And pass on this gene to future generations.
- So the population becomes more antibiotic resistant.
