Practical Skills in Biology II
A level practical skills, including Core Practicals 10–18. Unit 6 can draw on practical work across Units 1, 2, 4 and 5.
What this unit covers
A level practical skills draw on investigations across the course and Core Practicals 10–18. Practise planning, reliable measurement and analysis that matches the evidence.
- Plan an investigation with a justified hypothesis and controls.
- Choose and evaluate measurements.
- Analyse patterns, uncertainty and limitations.
Practical work and skills
Core Practicals 10 to 18
Practical investigations
Planning for Unit 6
Exam technique for planning a Unit 6 investigation: a null hypothesis, apparatus, calibration, repeats, risk and ethics.
Implementation and Measurements for Unit 6
Exam technique for commenting on a method you are shown: readings, range, figures, units and improvements.
Analysis for Unit 6
Exam technique for tables, graphs including a log scale, patterns, uncertainty and realistic modifications.
Unit 6 practical guides
Browse the nine A level core practical guides used to develop and assess Unit 6 skills.
- Core Practical 10: Factors Affecting the Rate of Photosynthesis
- Core Practical 11: The Ecology of a Habitat
- Core Practical 12: Temperature and the Development of Organisms
- Core Practical 13: Growth of Microorganisms in Liquid Culture
- Core Practical 14: The Effect of Antibiotics on Bacteria
- Core Practical 15: Respiration in Yeast
- Core Practical 16: Rate of Respiration and Respiratory Quotient
- Core Practical 17: Exercise and Respiratory Measurements
- Core Practical 18: Amylase Production in Germinating Cereal Grains
Beyond the classroom
See where practical design, measurement and analysis are used in research, fieldwork and healthcare.
Explore the Unit 6 collection