<![CDATA[Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions]]>Many of questions have two or three parts.

The first part would illustrate an experiment and the results.
There will be questions related to this experiment.
The second part will be an application question - asking to explain a certain situation - but based upon the earlier results obtained.
Many students err in answering the second part "independently’ of the first.

The two questions are related and you will need to follow it from the first part.

Cheers!
Mr Ng

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/topic/82039/science-key-words-as-a-guide-to-answering-questionsRSS for NodeFri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:47 GMTWed, 03 Aug 2016 00:09:47 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions on Fri, 29 Jul 2016 02:57:47 GMT]]>One of the ways to get the answers to the structure question correct is to ask \"SO WHAT\"?


This will help you to \"complete\" your answer

For example
The question may ask \" Explain which is a better material (steel or plastic) to make the handles of the pot\"

Many will answer - Plastic, because it is an insulator of heat.

This answer is incomplete - it needs to be further elaborated to explain SO WHAT if it is an insultator of heat - it still have not explain the reason it is used to make handles

You have to explain further so that the reader will understand.

Cheers!
Mr Ng


http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum ... =egosearch

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1704740https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1704740Fri, 29 Jul 2016 02:57:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions on Wed, 13 Jul 2016 10:17:35 GMT]]>It seems that there are a number of students having difficulties in securing the marks in this section.


Often the answers that were given fell just short - and since the questions are of usually one to two marks - they lost a lot of marks. [ This also happened in higher level - GCE O level science questions - but there the marking scheme is even more strict]

In my teaching and coaching with these students I found that they know the answers but could not express it well enough for the marker to give the marks to them.

I have to repeated teach them how to read the questions carefully
understand what the question is asking
then answer to the point - but comprehensively - with necessary and sufficient information so that marks can be given.

There are many that advocate the use of key words in the answers.
The problem is not just the keywords per se
The answer must be of logical flow - in response to the questions.
[In other words - KEY words are not the only key in getting the marks]

There are many strategies - and all these will depend on the students' ability










http://www.kiasuparents.com/kiasu/forum ... &start=110

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1698170https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1698170Wed, 13 Jul 2016 10:17:35 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions on Thu, 09 Jul 2015 05:35:53 GMT]]>

slmkhoo:
I have no objection to the \"scientific terminology\" argument, but even scientific terminology can have synonyms which are equally scientific. Eg, in the example used in the newspaper article I read, \"armour to protect (an animal)\" was not allowed but \"protect from injury\" was. I'm not sure how \"scientific\" the correct answer is in comparison with the disallowed one! I also recall my daughter being marked wrong for \"getting hotter\" once because the \"correct\" answer was \"temperature increases\"! I think some teachers really go overboard, but maybe the PSLE markers are more sensible, I don't know.


Quote: ‘The bird has feathers but the lion does not HAVE FEATHERS’, which basically means the same damn thing as your original answer, except annoyingly repetitive.
I agree! This is an issue with English usage, nothing to do with science!


Cool it, slmkhoo, there is actually a difference between your daughter’s answer “getting hotter” and “temperature increases” if you ask her to refer back to her textbook (My pals are here P3&4, Chp 2, pg11-13).

http://i59.tinypic.com/288yxq8.jpg\">

Her answer was implying that the object is gaining heat whereas the latter is referring to the increasing measurement of the degree of hotness of the object which was indicated by the thermometer. Not sure what the context of the question was but the accepted answer probably relates back to the question itself which the pupil should be answering to. The problem with many of the pupils’ answers which are deemed unacceptable is sometimes not because they did not used the correct keywords, but they end up not answering to the question directly. As for the answer of “armour to protect (an animal)”, if the answer given is an additional piece of information on top of the acceptable answer “protect from injury” and is not inaccurate, they are usually not penalized and would also be marked correct. Sometimes, the problem might be that the teacher has missed reading the written answer in the midst of marking many scripts that the answer is marked wrong, hence the advice would be, always encourage your child to seek understanding from the teacher why an answer is not acceptable and that’s how they learn not to make the same mistake again if it’s really an unacceptable answer.


^Tabitha, Science & Education expert
For Marshall Cavendish Education

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1535972https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1535972Thu, 09 Jul 2015 05:35:53 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions on Fri, 27 Feb 2015 05:31:10 GMT]]>

jetsetter:


http://everythingalsocomplain.com/2015/02/23/primary-school-science-questions-having-model-answers/
:offtopic:

This is quite an interesting commentary. Didn't know it happened!

http://everythingalsocomplain.com/2014/05/14/dj-joe-augustin-calling-cassandra-chiu-an-asshole/

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1470114https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1470114Fri, 27 Feb 2015 05:31:10 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions on Fri, 27 Feb 2015 03:09:23 GMT]]>http://news.discovery.com/tech/robotics/seahorse-tail-armor-could-be-robot-arm-130507.htm


http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1742706113001153

http://www.scientificamerican.com/video/scientists-come-to-grips-with-seaho2013-06-17/

http://www.jacobsschool.ucsd.edu/news/news_releases/release.sfe?id=1358

Ironically, \"armour\" is the correct zoological terminology for what the seahorse has. Then again, some of our primary school science teachers may have been told by MOE that the folks at the likes of Discovery, ScienceDirect, ScientificAmerican and UCSD do not know any science.

From http://www.definition.com.co/armour.html:[quote][ noun ] (zoology) tough more-or-less rigid protective covering of an animal or plant[/quote]

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1469990https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1469990Fri, 27 Feb 2015 03:09:23 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions on Fri, 27 Feb 2015 02:52:48 GMT]]>I find it ironical … in languages we teach our kids to use different words / phrases to express themselves when writing compo so that their compo does not look like run of the mill kind of standard compo.

But in science, we penalise / limit them if they use synonyms / other words to express a similar concept. It’s good we teach the kids to use "scientific" words, but sometimes, things are just way overboard and ridiculous in the marking.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1469980https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1469980Fri, 27 Feb 2015 02:52:48 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions on Fri, 27 Feb 2015 02:42:14 GMT]]>I have no objection to the \"scientific terminology\" argument, but even scientific terminology can have synonyms which are equally scientific. Eg, in the example used in the newspaper article I read, \"armour to protect (an animal)\" was not allowed but \"protect from injury\" was. I'm not sure how \"scientific\" the correct answer is in comparison with the disallowed one! I also recall my daughter being marked wrong for \"getting hotter\" once because the \"correct\" answer was \"temperature increases\"! I think some teachers really go overboard, but maybe the PSLE markers are more sensible, I don't know.


Quote: ‘The bird has feathers but the lion does not HAVE FEATHERS’, which basically means the same damn thing as your original answer, except annoyingly repetitive.
I agree! This is an issue with English usage, nothing to do with science!

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1469974https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1469974Fri, 27 Feb 2015 02:42:14 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions on Fri, 27 Feb 2015 02:35:02 GMT]]>

jetsetter:
1) Scientific English...


http://www.gov.sg/government/web/content/c03c17804768218985fcd5484a919089/20150223_ST_Onlyonerightanswertosciencequestions.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&useDefaultText=0&useDefaultDesc=0
(23 Feb 2015, article by Amelia Teng and Pearl Lee, ST)


2) Had a good laugh reading this blog \"Everything also complain\" over my kopi just now:)

http://everythingalsocomplain.com/2015/02/23/primary-school-science-questions-having-model-answers/

I quote:

\"What’s the difference between a robot and a typical Singaporean Science student?

Answer: The robot needs electricity to recharge but the student does not need electricity to recharge.\" 😆
[quote]‘The bird has feathers but the lion does NOT HAVE FEATHERS’, which basically means the same damn thing as your original answer, except annoyingly repetitive. [/quote]When preparing for her PSLE, my gal complained that some of her tuition mates overused/misused the 'repeat keywords/phrase' in answering.

NBM: You know why?
Ms NBM: Huh? WHy?
NBM: Coz they are mostly from 'this SAP school in the north'...
Ms NBM: :stupid: .... :rotflmao: :rotflmao: :rotflmao:

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1469968https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1469968Fri, 27 Feb 2015 02:35:02 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions on Fri, 27 Feb 2015 01:30:12 GMT]]>1) Scientific English...


http://www.gov.sg/government/web/content/c03c17804768218985fcd5484a919089/20150223_ST_Onlyonerightanswertosciencequestions.pdf?MOD=AJPERES&useDefaultText=0&useDefaultDesc=0
(23 Feb 2015, article by Amelia Teng and Pearl Lee, ST)


2) Had a good laugh reading this blog \"Everything also complain\" over my kopi just now:)

http://everythingalsocomplain.com/2015/02/23/primary-school-science-questions-having-model-answers/

I quote:

\"What’s the difference between a robot and a typical Singaporean Science student?

Answer: The robot needs electricity to recharge but the student does not need electricity to recharge.\" 😆

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1469935https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1469935Fri, 27 Feb 2015 01:30:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions on Tue, 24 Feb 2015 15:12:00 GMT]]>Which primary schools’ Science Tr help or guide their students in answering Section B (open ended), well ?


Because if student attempt to answer qn in their own way using plain English language, but not Scientific terminology, sometimes can fail Section B (open ended section) ?

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1468830https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1468830Tue, 24 Feb 2015 15:12:00 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions on Mon, 23 Feb 2015 02:08:22 GMT]]>Agree.

Science is not like English. Can’t answer Section B questions "in your own words". The textbooks already have the answers (i.e. keywords & sentence structure / definitions / methodologies) especially those referring to various experiments & descriptions of animal/plant classifications.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1468068https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1468068Mon, 23 Feb 2015 02:08:22 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to Science key words as a guide to Answering Questions on Mon, 23 Feb 2015 01:49:11 GMT]]>

etwchia:
Recently, there has been quite alot of interesting articles in the Straits Times Forum letters column with regards to the need to use key words to help answer Science questions.


The article that was posted today is indeed something worth looking at. Teachers should indeed use the keyword as a guide to determine if a science question is correctly answered but should not be a must for the answer if one can correctly describe it in their own words. I think this should similarly apply to other topics too such as creative writing which also emphasizes the use of standard phrases.


http://www.straitstimes.com/premium/forum-letters/story/science-key-words-only-guide-20150206
I think easier to teach and mark if the children learn standard words to use in science exam.

]]>https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1468063https://forum.kiasuparents.com/post/1468063Mon, 23 Feb 2015 01:49:11 GMT