Structured questions
Simple recall questions are usually worth one mark. They often have command words like Give, State, Name or Identify. Some questions may ask you to state two things, rather than just one, and will be worth two marks.
Structured questions, with command words such as Describe or Explain, will be worth two or more marks:
- if you are asked to describe something, you need to give an account but no reason
- if you are asked to explain something, you must give reasons or explanations
More complex structured questions will be worth three to five marks. They include questions with complex descriptions and explanations, questions in which you need to compare and contrast two different things, or calculations with several stages.
The mark schemes given here may show answers as bullet points. This is to show clearly how a mark can be obtained. However, it is important that your answer is written in a logical, linked way.
Sample question 1 - Higher
Question
Carbon dioxide is one of several greenhouse gases.
It is made by the combustion of fossil fuels such as coal, gas and oil.
Look at the table. It shows the amount of carbon dioxide produced, from burning fossil fuels, in a large city in the years 2010 and 2016.
| Year | Carbon dioxide produced (millions of tonnes) | Percentage increase |
| 2010 | 2.75 | |
| 2016 | 3.25 | 18.2% |
| Year | 2010 |
|---|---|
| Carbon dioxide produced (millions of tonnes) | 2.75 |
| Percentage increase |
| Year | 2016 |
|---|---|
| Carbon dioxide produced (millions of tonnes) | 3.25 |
| Percentage increase | 18.2% |
Between the years 2010 and 2016 the percentage increase of atmospheric carbon dioxide has been about 2.5%. During the same time, the increase in mean global temperature has been only 0.05掳C.
Many scientists think there is a link between the amount of fossil fuels burnt and climate change.
The data in the table does not support this view. Suggest reasons why.
[2 marks]
OCR Gateway Science, GCE Chemistry, Paper J248, 2016 - Higher.
The following are vaild points that could be included in your answer. It is important that you do not bullet point your answer but write your sentences in full.
Two from the following:
- insufficient data, eg since none of the data refers to climate change or to global temperature [1]
- the data is limited, eg it is for one city and not a global figure [1]
- percentage increase of carbon dioxide in the air is much less than increase in carbon dioxide emissions [1]
- the significant percentage increase of carbon dioxide emitted has had very little effect on the mean global temperature [1]