Six mark questions
Six-mark questions are often the questions that people find the most difficult. In all longer answer questions, but especially the six-mark ones, 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.
Six-mark questions will start with command words such as 'describe' or 'explain'. The command words 'describe' and 'explain' can be confusing. If you are asked to describe a graph, you will be expected to write about its overall shape, whether it is linear or curved, the slope of gradients etc. If you are asked to explain why a pattern or trend is seen in a graph, you will be expected to use your science knowledge, not just say what you see (which is a description), eg 'The graph shows the number of radioactive nuclei decreases as time increases. It does this because…'.
Explain how and why questions often have the word 'because' in their answer. Describe questions don't.
The number of marks per question part is given in this form: '[6 marks]'. It is essential that you give as many different points in your answer as possible, linking these together. Often, you will be asked to compare two things: make sure that you include both in your answer, otherwise you are likely to limit your score to two marks out of six marks.
Writing six-mark answers with Dr Alex Lathbridge
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How to write six-mark answers in your science GCSE exams.
Sample question 1 - Higher
Question
Sulfates and black soot are particles formed by industrial processes. Some of these particles are found in the atmosphere over the Arctic Ocean. The sulfates stay in the atmosphere and reflect (scatter) sunlight. The black soot falls onto the Arctic ice.
Discuss how a reduction in these industrial processes is likely to affect the temperature of the atmosphere. [6 marks]
Edexcel question courtesy of Pearson Education Ltd.
The soot could make the ice black, black ice will absorb more infrared radiation than white ice. Black ice might cause an increase in the temperature of the Earth because absorption of infrared radiation causes an increase in temperature.
Reduction in soot might reduce warming because the ice will not be as black. Shiny sulfates are good at reflecting infrared radiation, which means less heat is absorbed at the Earth’s surface. Sulfates might cause a decrease in the temperature of the Earth so a reduction in sulfates might increase warming.
Plan the key points that you should include in your answer. Consider how the colour of the surface affects how radiation is absorbed, emitted and reflected by the surface. You should then link this to the black soot particles as well as shiny sulfate particles and describe the effect on the temperature of atmosphere. Make sure you refer to both the black soot and shiny sulfates otherwise you will be limited to two or four marks.