Eduqas GCSE Food Preparation and Nutrition: Student Book

365 SECTION 4 UNDERSTAND THE EXAM Types of questions • Data response questions – these will have data or information that you have to respond to. You will be given some kind of information, for instance nutritional information from food packaging, a recipe or a graph. The questions will be linked to the data provided. • Structured questions – there will be space given for you to write your answers and the marks allocated will be placed next to where you need to write your answer. The amount of space will give you a guide as to how much you are expected to write. • Graduated lead-in questions – these will have a question worth 1 or 2 marks at the beginning, which then leads in to a longer marked question, often with 6 or 8 marks. • Free response questions – these are usually the longer questions where the question often includes command words such as assess, describe, discuss, explain or evaluate. These are generally what are referred to as the mini essay style questions. We give you examples of all question types on pages 366–378. What are examiners looking for when marking the paper? There are clear guidelines to the examination system: these are freely available so that candidates, teachers and examiners know what is expected and how marks will be awarded. These can be seen on specimen assessment materials (SAM’s) and on previous markschemes for past papers. The examiner wants you to write clearly and to the point. • Answer the question Examiners are only allowed to credit answers that are relevant to the question. Don’t be tempted to write down everything you know about a topic – you need to structure your writing to make sure what you are saying clearly answers the question. • Write a clear and logical response to the question or command This means that your response has a structure; this should be absolutely clear to whoever reads it. When you are asked to: • list • state then you are able to write one word or short sentence answers. When you are asked to: • discuss • explain • evaluate your answer should be longer, you should be using full sentences and should be linking your discussion back to the question. The clue is in the mark allocation – the more marks linked to a question the more likelihood you will have to form a discussion, with suggestions or examples in your answers. Guidance for the written examination • Follow the instructions given on the front of the exam paper - Use black ink or black ball-point pen - Do not use pencil or gel pen - Do not use correction fluid • Read each question carefully and highlight or underline key words. Read each question several times before you start answering the question, make sure you understand the question • Write as legibly as possible and do not use text speak • Write clearly on any additional continuation pages which question you are continuing to answer. (Your paper is likely to be scanned for marking so it’s important that any continuation sheets are clearly identifiable) • One word answers are only acceptable for question types that ask for this type of response, e.g. “name one type of pastry” • Remember that there are different question types in Sections A and B. Many questions test understanding as well as knowledge; you are likely to be asked to assess or evaluate, rather than just list or explain a topic area. You should practise applying your knowledge in this style of question – try not to use bullet points. This can look the same as writing a list, therefore it is important that you expand your answers and give a fact or point, explanation or reason, and good examples. This might help: – make use of PEE for longer answers: (Point, Evidence, Explanation) • For the longer answers, draft a brief plan in the margin – stick to the plan and don’t go off on a tangent. • Make good use of technical terms – as relevant. • Keep an eye on the time. Allow yourself 5 minutes or so at the end to read through your answers, and check that facts (points), reasons or explanations and examples are given throughout. • Check the number of marks available for each question and think carefully about how many points you have included in you answer, ask yourself whether you have included enough detail to be able to achieve near to full marks for the higher marked questions. • Make sure you understand the following terms which are commonly used in examination papers: Define give the meaning of List make a list State write clearly but briefly Describe give an account of Discuss give important aspects of give advantages and disadvantages of give benefits and constraints of Explain make clear, giving reasons Evaluate give important aspects of, give your own opinion of Assess consider, weigh up, evaluate, make a judgement about