Need Help with Higher Chemistry Nat 5 Questions

This section is a bit annoying. Do the last 15 years worth of pastpapers Q1-10 (you'll find them on the internets somewhere) and memorise how to do them. The questions repeat.

Reply 2

Ecasx

Why is it wrong that they put in a few questions from Standard Grade? The SQA are not going to consider your specific circumstances, coming from GCSE.

Reply 3

OP

Original post by Ecasx

Why is it wrong that they put in a few questions from Standard Grade? The SQA are not going to consider your specific circumstances, coming from GCSE.

I'm not asking anyone to consider my circumstances. The multiple choice questions they ask in section one are related to Standard Grade ONLY.
Perhaps if the questions they asked required standard grade knowledge COUPLED with some Higher level knowledge, that would make more sense.

If I wanted to answer Standard Grade type questions(which I don't), I would have sat Standard Grade chemistry. Yes, I know that Nat 5/SG level is needed for Higher, but my point is if you are going to ask Standard Grade questions, at least design the questions so they are at least remotely related to the topics covered in Higher - something which in this instance the SQA royally failed to do so.

That is why I don't expect such downright idiocy from an exam board.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 4

Ecasx

Original post by gwagon

I'm not asking anyone to consider my circumstances. The multiple choice questions they ask in section one are related to Standard Grade ONLY. Perhaps if the questions they asked required standard grade knowledge COUPLED with some Higher level knowledge, that would make more sense. If I wanted to answer Standard Grade type questions(which I don't), I would have sat Standard Grade chemistry. Yes, I know that Nat 5/SG level is needed for Higher, but my point is if you are going to ask Standard Grade questions, at least design the questions so they are at least remotely related to the topics covered in Higher - something which in this instance the SQA royally failed to do so.That is why I don't expect such downright idiocy from an exam board.

In studying Higher Chemistry, ideally no-one should forget the knowledge that came before - the basics. The basics are the most important component of any subject in academia. I know, it is annoying that you are required to know - retain - a little extra Chemistry rather than focusing purely on what gets you through the exam. But by no means is it wrong for that to happen.

Reply 5

OP

Original post by Ecasx

In studying Higher Chemistry, ideally no-one should forget the knowledge that came before - the basics. The basics are the most important component of any subject in academia. I know, it is annoying that you are required to know - retain - a little extra Chemistry rather than focusing purely on what gets you through the exam. But by no means is it wrong for that to happen.

Should the Higher Chemistry exam not contain topics which are covered in the Higher course? Of course, include SG if you so wish, if that is the case, the questiosn should also complement the Higher course as we are studying Higher - NOT Standard Grade anymore.

What is the real point in placing a question which could have been in a SG/Nat 5 question paper? What real progress would the paper indicate?
It could very well be that for some students, the mark gained/lost by this type of question is the difference between an A or a B, a pass or a fail.

Reply 6

Ecasx

Original post by gwagon

Should the Higher Chemistry exam not contain topics which are covered in the Higher course? Of course, include SG if you so wish, if that is the case, the questiosn should also complement the Higher course as we are studying Higher - NOT Standard Grade anymore.

What is the real point in placing a question which could have been in a SG/Nat 5 question paper? What real progress would the paper indicate?
It could very well be that for some students, the mark gained/lost by this type of question is the difference between an A or a B, a pass or a fail.

The Higher Chemistry exam may well contain topics which are covered in the Higher course itself and the course that directly leads to the Higher course. By way of progression, anything that is in the Standard Grade course is intended - assumed - to be known by Higher candidates (of course, the reality is different, because many people tend to focus solely on passing exams; not retaining knowledge for the sake of knowledge). Placing questions from Standard Grade in a Higher exam paper tests a more wide-ranging scope of Chemistry knowledge not bounded specifically by the Higher Chemistry course arrangements. I am playing it up a bit here, since the mere ability to answer Standard Grade questions does not suddenly make one adept at Chemistry, but that's the gist of the idea. In fact, it is more of a gift to candidates than a hindrance that basic Standard Grade questions comprise the first section of the exam. The questions are very easy.

Reply 7

OP

Original post by Ecasx

The Higher Chemistry exam may well contain topics which are covered in the Higher course itself and the course that directly leads to the Higher course. By way of progression, anything that is in the Standard Grade course is intended - assumed - to be known by Higher candidates (of course, the reality is different, because many people tend to focus solely on passing exams; not retaining knowledge for the sake of knowledge). Placing questions from Standard Grade in a Higher exam paper tests a more wide-ranging scope of Chemistry knowledge not bounded specifically by the Higher Chemistry course arrangements. I am playing it up a bit here, since the mere ability to answer Standard Grade questions does not suddenly make one adept at Chemistry, but that's the gist of the idea. In fact, it is more of a gift to candidates than a hindrance that basic Standard Grade questions comprise the first section of the exam. The questions are very easy.

" By way of progression, anything that is in the Standard Grade course is intended - assumed - to be known by Higher candidates (of course, the reality is different, because many people tend to focus solely on passing exams; not retaining knowledge for the sake of knowledge)."
Which is exactly the point of the SG/Nat 5 exam.....

" Placing questions from Standard Grade in a Higher exam paper tests a more wide-ranging scope of Chemistry knowledge not bounded specifically by the Higher Chemistry course arrangements. "

No, what you are referring to are the problem solving questions. In every paper, you get these questions about things such as zwitterions, nomenclature standards and so forth. These are outwith the Higher syllabus but these questions asked by the SQA require you to input knowledge gained from the Higher course as well as general problem solving skills to answer these questions.
I give credit where credit it is due and in this case the SQA have successfully tested the students' knowledge of a "more wide-ranging scope of Chemistry knowledge not bounded specifically by the Higher Chemistry course arrangements. " (as quoted by you).

"In fact, it is more of a gift to candidates than a hindrance that basic Standard Grade questions comprise the first section of the exam. The questions are very easy."

No. Whether it is easy or not, that depends from student-to-student. It would be less of a hindrance then if the questions which are asked are actually what you have studied for the past year and not two years ago...

" I am playing it up a bit here, since the mere ability to answer Standard Grade questions does not suddenly make one adept at Chemistry, but that's the gist of the idea."

You yourself said it, so what's the real point of these questions? These pointless questions can be replaced with questions relevant to the Higher syllabus which test the student's knowledge of what he/she have recently studied.

The whole 'idea' you're on about is quite possibly the most ill thought out idea conceived from within the SQA.
You're fighting for a lost cause.

Reply 8

Who cares

Stop moaning and answer whats infront of you. Even if you get Q 1-10 wrong you can still drop another 20 marks and get an A. When you consider that nearly every question that is in the 2015 paper will have come up in some variant or another in the last 15 years, it isn't difficult to get an A.

Reply 9

Why do you think every question in this years paper may have come up before? Im so scared for Chemistry :frown:

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Reply 10

Original post by Ed2015

Why do you think every question in this years paper may have come up before? Im so scared for Chemistry :frown:

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There is only so many questions they can ask without it becoming too difficult. For the old higher they only added 3 spanking new multiple choice questions each year then recycled the rest. I cant remember the number of new questions in the written section (obviously old ones are asked in different scenarios), but Im sure it was pretty low.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 11

Ah thats true. So do you recommend learning the past papers? I notice tons of questions repeated

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Reply 12

Original post by Ed2015

Ah thats true. So do you recommend learning the past papers? I notice tons of questions repeated

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I wouldn't say learning pastpapers, but I think its good to have done them all a couple of times.

Reply 13

Ah okay I see :smile:

Have you sat higher Chemistry? If so, did you notice that questions were repeated?

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Reply 14

OP

Original post by Ed2015

Ah okay I see :smile:

Have you sat higher Chemistry? If so, did you notice that questions were repeated?

Posted from TSR Mobile

At the end of the day, whatever said here is a prediction. The only time you will actually know whether or not they are repeated is on the 28th of May.

Reply 15