Based on a sample question
Mark points shown after marking
The table and chart show the share of three amino acids in two toxins, P and Q.
Comment on the amino-acid composition of the two toxins.
(6)Total for this question: 6 marks
COMMAND WORD · BIOLOGY
Comment on
Bring together more than two pieces of information and use them to make a judgement.
Writing frame
Point 1, point 2 and point 3 together support judgement J, but not claim C.
What the parts mean
- Pointsat least three separate features
- Jwhat those features add up to
- Cthe claim they do not support
How to build your answer
- 1Pick more than two features from the data.
- 2Say how those features sit together.
- 3Judge what they support, and what they do not.
Biology exemplar
Original question
An illustrative table has three treatments, means that do not overlap, and no repeats. Comment on how far it supports a difference.
Annotated answer
PointsThree treatments, separated means, and no repeats. JTogether they support a descriptive difference in this table. CThey do not support a claim of statistical significance.
The labels match the frame. Read them in order. This is one accurate route, not the only one.
Exam habit
One observation is not a comment, however true it is.
Common pitfall
Writing “the results are different” and stopping.
Exam-style question
Answer discussion
Toxin P has a much higher cysteine share and a much lower lysine share than toxin Q. Glycine is similar. Together that is a comment on composition. One cell is not a comment, and the shares do not show a binding mechanism.
Where this comes from
Unit 5 sample paper. Question 7 (c)(i) asks you to comment on the amino-acid composition of the neurotoxins, using the table and the graphs. Sample assessment, not a live paper.
Sample paper WBI15/01, question 7 (c)(i) (6 marks), 2017 sample assessment. Question page · Mark scheme page