Linking questions
Linking questions span different topics. In linking questions, it is important that you plan your answer and not just rush into it. After all, you would plan an essay or short story before starting. 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. Remember to write your answer in full sentences, not bullet points.
One way to answer linking questions is to follow these steps:
- identify exactly what the question is asking (perhaps by underlining key parts)
- identify what the link between the two parts of the question is
- make a short plan of these links (which will form the basis of your answer)
- include as much information as you can to obtain full marks (see below).
The number of marks per question part is given in this form [4 marks]. It is essential that you give four different answers if a question is worth four marks. Sometimes you can gain an additional mark by giving the units in a calculation or stating specific data points, eg after twenty-four hours the pH of the milk at room temperature had decreased by 1.2.
Linking questions will start with command words such as 'Describe...' or 'Explain...'.
Some command words are easy to understand such as:
- 'Calculate...' or 'Determine...' for maths questions
- 'Choose...' for multiple choice questions
- 'Complete...' to fill in a gap in a table or graph
- 'Define...' to give the meaning of an important word
- 'Suggest...' where you use your knowledge in an unfamiliar situation
Explain how and why questions often have the word 'because' in their answer. Describe questions don't.
This page contains AQA material which is reproduced by permission of AQA.
Sample question 1 - Foundation
Question
People in the UK are the laziest in the world.
Information in bar chart does not support the newspaper headline. Suggest one reason why the newspaper headline may be wrong. [1 mark]
Tip - consider the data in bar chart. Think about the headline, can you link them? Can you use the data to disprove the headline? Use the graph labels too.
Marks will be given from the following points:
- this data only considers 16-year-olds, and it does not refer to all ages [1]
- it only has data for 5 countries, and it does not refer to all countries [1]
Sample question 2 - Foundation
Question
Suggest why is it difficult to determine accurately how much water is lost from a person on a particular day. [3 marks]
Marks will be given from the following points:
- Water is lost in many ways from the body, for example: in urine, through respiration, in faeces and through the skin. [1]
- Each of these is difficult to monitor in patients. The amount they eat and drink, weather conditions and the amount of exercise will affect the level of water entering the body. [1]
- The physical condition of the patient may influence how successfully water is lost. For example there may be a kidney problem that is undiagnosed, and water values can be only estimated. [1]
Sample question 3 - Higher
Question
Here is a picture of an angler fish.
Angler fish live at depths of over 1000 m. In clear water, sunlight does not usually reach more than 100 m deep. Many angler fish have a transparent 'lure' containing a high concentration of bioluminescent bacteria. Bioluminescent bacteria produce light. Suggest an advantage to the angler fish of having a lure containing bioluminescent bacteria. [2 marks]
Tip - you may never have heard of an angler fish, but use the information provided and your Biology knowledge to suggest reasonable ideas.
There must be correct pairs to gain two marks:
- as it is dark at 1000 m, the bioluminescent bacteria will allow the angler fish to see and attract mates
- it allows the fish to reproduce
- it allows the angler fish to get food and attract its prey
- the bioluminescent bacteria allows the angler fish to see other predators and avoid it being eaten
Sample question 4 - Higher
Read the information about the trialling of the first contraceptive pill.
The Pill was developed by a team of scientists led by Gregory Pincus. The team needed to carry out large scale trials on humans.
In the summer of 1955, Pincus visited the island of Puerto Rico. Puerto Rico is one of the most densely populated areas in the world. Officials supported birth control as a form of population control. The women in Puerto Rico were mainly poor and uneducated.
The scientists selected a pill with a high dose of hormones. The Pill was found to be 100% effective when taken properly. But 17% of the women in the study complained of side effects.
The women in the trial had been told only that they were taking a drug that prevented pregnancy. They had not been told that the Pill was experimental or that there was a chance of dangerous side effects.
Question
Evaluate the issues involved with methods used by Pincus in trialling the contraceptive pill. [6 marks]
- large scale trial gave better results [1 mark]
- chose uneducated women so that if these women could use it correctly, women elsewhere would be able to [1]
- uneducated women unlikely to give informed consent [1]
- no placebo [1]
- used pill with high dose of hormone/should have tried a range of doses/results not valid for other populations [1]
- women not told pill was experimental/pill might have side effects/should have done pre-trial to check for side effects [1]
