JC
|
Science
|
Arts
|
ASJC
|
12
|
12
|
MTJC
|
14
|
13
|
YIJC
|
20
|
20
|
PJJC
|
14
|
17
|
RI
|
5
|
5
|
HCI
|
5
|
5
|
NJC
|
8
|
9
|
NYJC
|
7
|
8
|
VJC
|
6
|
8
|
CJC
|
15
|
14
|
SAJC
|
11
|
12
|
ACJC
|
9
|
10
|
EJC
|
10
|
11
|
TJC
|
10
|
11
|
Wednesday, 31 January 2018
Cut off Points for JC for JAE 2018
Monday, 8 January 2018
Review of H2 Biology (9744) 2017
2017 was the first examination year of the new H2 Science curriculum. The science, which had the most drastic change, was evidently Biology. Having a fall in the percentage of marks for regurgitation from 44% to 32% and a rise in the percentage of marks for application from 36% to 48%, many Biology students (and even teachers) expected the hardest of all Biology papers to be in 2017. However, this was quite the contrary for the 2017 examination.
Look at this calculation:
Firstly, Paper 2 has the removal of the 20m FRQ (Essay Question) and was replaced by investigation questions in Infectious Diseases, Climate Change and every other question. This already contributed to 6% of the fall in marks for regurgitation.
Secondly, Paper 1 was made harder by Cambridge through classifying ALL questions as that of application. That already contributed to the other 6% fall in marks for regurgitation.
ALL IN ALL
Observations from the 2017 Papers
Paper 1 has now become a pure Application Paper. Challenging, but manageable.
Paper 2 and 3 remain the same as that from the previous syllabus (9648), excluding the removal of the FRQ in Paper 2.
Review of Papers
Paper 1
Most striking of all papers. By convention, 6-7 questions will be recycled from the past 10 years of examination papers. However, no questions were recycled for the 2017 examinations. ALL questions required a form of application or comprehension of data, which explains the fall in the percentage of marks for regurgitation to 32% to 44%.
Paper 2
Many excepted Paper 2 to be challenged and to incorporate many Application Questions. However, the standards and style of questioning were similar to that of the previous syllabus. This paper should be easily aced by the students who can give the model explanations as per given by the Lecture Notes in their schools. You should be scoring more than 85 marks out of 100 for this paper if you want to secure an A for Biology. Questions such as the role of islands in enhancing natural selection, the interrelationship between structure and functions of the various biomolecules and the role of the variable region in the IgG molecule should be awarded full credit as this is foundational biological knowledge for the A Level Biology student.
Paper 3
The standard and difficulty of the questions in Paper 3 were similar to that of the previous syllabus. However, one was definitely striking was the pilot use of the stereotypically 'Core' topics (Cell Organelles, Genetics and Inheritance, Physiology and Evolution) into Paper 3 Application Questions. Paper 3 also had Application for Climate Change. The self-definition of terms, such as genetic disease in the first question was striking, but doable, given the diverse explanation that CIE would accept. The FRQ were broad and compromising, with many candidates exceeding the set number of printed foolscap on the Question Paper and answering in additional Answer Paper during the Actual Examinations.
This was a stereotypical Paper 3, which was striking to the extent that it incorporated the stereotypical 'Core' topics.
You should be scoring more than 60 marks out of 75 for this paper to secure an A for Biology.
Paper 4
There is nothing to compare this year's Practical with, as there is no past year Practical to compare upon. It is to note, however, that majority of candidates managed to finish the paper.
Notes to 2018 Candidates
Based on Past Syllabi Changes in both O and A Level, the first year of examination would be the norm and the second year would be the harder standard of the revised syllabus. Expect the unexpected for this year of Biology, but the standards and strictness of marking would still remain the same.
You MUST be able to regurgitate all your facts well for Paper 2, 3 and 4, and score full credit for all questions of pure regurgitation. The key to scoring A for Biology is inevitably your ability to show biological knowledge.
Look at this calculation:
Firstly, Paper 2 has the removal of the 20m FRQ (Essay Question) and was replaced by investigation questions in Infectious Diseases, Climate Change and every other question. This already contributed to 6% of the fall in marks for regurgitation.
Secondly, Paper 1 was made harder by Cambridge through classifying ALL questions as that of application. That already contributed to the other 6% fall in marks for regurgitation.
ALL IN ALL
Observations from the 2017 Papers
Paper 1 has now become a pure Application Paper. Challenging, but manageable.
Paper 2 and 3 remain the same as that from the previous syllabus (9648), excluding the removal of the FRQ in Paper 2.
Review of Papers
Paper 1
Most striking of all papers. By convention, 6-7 questions will be recycled from the past 10 years of examination papers. However, no questions were recycled for the 2017 examinations. ALL questions required a form of application or comprehension of data, which explains the fall in the percentage of marks for regurgitation to 32% to 44%.
Paper 2
Many excepted Paper 2 to be challenged and to incorporate many Application Questions. However, the standards and style of questioning were similar to that of the previous syllabus. This paper should be easily aced by the students who can give the model explanations as per given by the Lecture Notes in their schools. You should be scoring more than 85 marks out of 100 for this paper if you want to secure an A for Biology. Questions such as the role of islands in enhancing natural selection, the interrelationship between structure and functions of the various biomolecules and the role of the variable region in the IgG molecule should be awarded full credit as this is foundational biological knowledge for the A Level Biology student.
Paper 3
The standard and difficulty of the questions in Paper 3 were similar to that of the previous syllabus. However, one was definitely striking was the pilot use of the stereotypically 'Core' topics (Cell Organelles, Genetics and Inheritance, Physiology and Evolution) into Paper 3 Application Questions. Paper 3 also had Application for Climate Change. The self-definition of terms, such as genetic disease in the first question was striking, but doable, given the diverse explanation that CIE would accept. The FRQ were broad and compromising, with many candidates exceeding the set number of printed foolscap on the Question Paper and answering in additional Answer Paper during the Actual Examinations.
This was a stereotypical Paper 3, which was striking to the extent that it incorporated the stereotypical 'Core' topics.
You should be scoring more than 60 marks out of 75 for this paper to secure an A for Biology.
Paper 4
There is nothing to compare this year's Practical with, as there is no past year Practical to compare upon. It is to note, however, that majority of candidates managed to finish the paper.
Notes to 2018 Candidates
Based on Past Syllabi Changes in both O and A Level, the first year of examination would be the norm and the second year would be the harder standard of the revised syllabus. Expect the unexpected for this year of Biology, but the standards and strictness of marking would still remain the same.
You MUST be able to regurgitate all your facts well for Paper 2, 3 and 4, and score full credit for all questions of pure regurgitation. The key to scoring A for Biology is inevitably your ability to show biological knowledge.
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