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March 29, 2024, 05:12:47 am

Author Topic: "Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?  (Read 3087 times)  Share 

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psyxwar

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"Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?
« on: May 17, 2013, 10:24:34 pm »
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Hey guys, I'm curious as to how "complex" my answers should be (for lack of a better word, not sure if it's the right one though. Maybe orthodoxy?)

I'm asking because in a recent SAC I was marked wrong for writing something along the lines of "amount of times solution was stirred" in response to a parameter that needed to be controlled in a reaction testing the effect of temperature on amylase activity. Apparently although my answer was acknowledged to be right and my justification correct (that it influence the number of enzyme-substrate collisions and thus reaction rate), it was "not the answer they were looking for" and therefore I was marked wrong.

Should I stick to writing stuff like pH? (the only reason I didn't write pH because the wording of the question could've been interpreted as being factors that needed to be controlled that already weren't controlled, and things like substrate/ enzyme concentration and pH were already constant).

Thanks.
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Scooby

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Re: "Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?
« Reply #1 on: May 17, 2013, 10:52:16 pm »
+1
Yeah, stick to enzyme and substrate concentration, pH and temperature. Your answer probably should've been accepted though imo
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Stick

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Re: "Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?
« Reply #2 on: May 17, 2013, 11:01:45 pm »
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If possible, use the scientific terminology in your response. In my first ever Biology SAC, I lost half a mark on a question because I said "more free water molecules moved out of the cell than in" for a particular osmosis question, since better words could have been selected.
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psyxwar

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Re: "Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?
« Reply #3 on: May 17, 2013, 11:01:55 pm »
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Thanks. Yup, I thought so too but I'm just going to stick with "safer" answers from now on.
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psyxwar

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Re: "Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?
« Reply #4 on: May 17, 2013, 11:04:12 pm »
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If possible, use the scientific terminology in your response. In my first ever Biology SAC, I lost half a mark on a question because I said "more free water molecules moved out of the cell than in" for a particular osmosis question, since better words could have been selected.
Good point, but what would I say for this question in particular? I mean, I don't think talking about how an input of kinetic energy into the system influences reaction rate through causing a larger number of reactant molecules to be over the activation energy barrier is really relevant to biology.
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Scooby

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Re: "Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?
« Reply #5 on: May 17, 2013, 11:19:34 pm »
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Good point, but what would I say for this question in particular? I mean, I don't think talking about how an input of kinetic energy into the system influences reaction rate through causing a larger number of reactant molecules to be over the activation energy barrier is really relevant to biology.

believe me, it is. not so much for year 12 biology (understanding reaction rates and activation energy is a good idea though), but if you go on to do enzyme kinetics at uni you're going to see a lot of chemistry :P
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psyxwar

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Re: "Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?
« Reply #6 on: May 17, 2013, 11:27:19 pm »
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believe me, it is. not so much for year 12 biology (understanding reaction rates and activation energy is a good idea though), but if you go on to do enzyme kinetics at uni you're going to see a lot of chemistry :P
Oh yeah that's what I mean haha. I understand in "real" biology there's probably a lot more overlap with chemistry/ they actually explore the biochemical aspect in more depth.

How's MUEP biology btw? I'm thinking of dropping physics and picking something else up next year, potentially uni bio.
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Yacoubb

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Re: "Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?
« Reply #7 on: May 18, 2013, 12:26:21 am »
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Hey guys, I'm curious as to how "complex" my answers should be (for lack of a better word, not sure if it's the right one though. Maybe orthodoxy?)

I'm asking because in a recent SAC I was marked wrong for writing something along the lines of "amount of times solution was stirred" in response to a parameter that needed to be controlled in a reaction testing the effect of temperature on amylase activity. Apparently although my answer was acknowledged to be right and my justification correct (that it influence the number of enzyme-substrate collisions and thus reaction rate), it was "not the answer they were looking for" and therefore I was marked wrong.

Should I stick to writing stuff like pH? (the only reason I didn't write pH because the wording of the question could've been interpreted as being factors that needed to be controlled that already weren't controlled, and things like substrate/ enzyme concentration and pH were already constant).

Thanks.

This is such a good point - I think that there should be a number of factors when it comes to writing out your answer, and the thing is you need to be able to condense everything you know and provide a straight-forward answer, whilst ensuring you can embellish your answer with scientific terminology + simultaneously not missing anything that is important.

Can someone just check if my sample Q & A is okay for the two marks.

Explain what happens at the synapse ( 2 marks )
- Arrival of electrical impulse at the axon terminals causes influx of Ca2+.
- Ca2+ induces the release of neurotransmitter molecules from vesicles in pre-synaptic terminal.
- Neurotransmitters diffuse across the synaptic cleft, and are inactivated at the post-synaptic terminal.


Scooby

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Re: "Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?
« Reply #8 on: May 20, 2013, 10:24:16 pm »
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Oh yeah that's what I mean haha. I understand in "real" biology there's probably a lot more overlap with chemistry/ they actually explore the biochemical aspect in more depth.

How's MUEP biology btw? I'm thinking of dropping physics and picking something else up next year, potentially uni bio.

it was going great until we got to plant and animal diversity. they're honestly two of the most mind-numblingly boring topics you could do in any subject ever.

the stuff we look at in semester two looks pretty awesome though :P

if you're willing to put up with plant and animal diversity for a few weeks, uni bio's worth it. there's barely any work, especially compared to a VCE subject
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Scooby

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Re: "Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?
« Reply #9 on: May 20, 2013, 10:25:50 pm »
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This is such a good point - I think that there should be a number of factors when it comes to writing out your answer, and the thing is you need to be able to condense everything you know and provide a straight-forward answer, whilst ensuring you can embellish your answer with scientific terminology + simultaneously not missing anything that is important.

Can someone just check if my sample Q & A is okay for the two marks.

Explain what happens at the synapse ( 2 marks )
- Arrival of electrical impulse at the axon terminals causes influx of Ca2+.
- Ca2+ induces the release of neurotransmitter molecules from vesicles in pre-synaptic terminal.
- Neurotransmitters diffuse across the synaptic cleft, and are inactivated at the post-synaptic terminal.

Yeah, it's good, but you might wanna explain what you mean by inactivated :P
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Yacoubb

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Re: "Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?
« Reply #10 on: May 20, 2013, 10:32:53 pm »
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Can you just check if maybe these definitions are okay:

Homeostasis - the maintenance of a relatively stable internal environment within narrow ranges despite fluctuating conditions in external environment of an organism.

Negative Feedback Mechanism refers to the homeostatic process by which living organisms are able to detect changes in internal environment, and counterract these changes in the opposite direction to restore conditions to initial narrow range of tolerance.

Pheromones are chemical signalling molecules released into the external environment of organisms, usually by insects, that can affect the behaviour of another member of the same species. Pheromones are usually released by female organisms, and can be used to attract males for mating, food locations, alarm for predators, or for establishing territories.

ON Uni Bio, what is it that you have to do.? Are there assessments, exam/s, etc??


alondouek

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Re: "Complexity" of answers in 3/4 Bio?
« Reply #11 on: May 21, 2013, 01:24:49 am »
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it was going great until we got to plant and animal diversity. they're honestly two of the most mind-numblingly boring topics you could do in any subject ever.

the stuff we look at in semester two looks pretty awesome though :P

if you're willing to put up with plant and animal diversity for a few weeks, uni bio's worth it. there's barely any work, especially compared to a VCE subject

Plant diversity sucks so hard. Source: Studying for this right now. The lack of caring I have about the life cycle of the fern is so high it eclipses everything an anything. In all honesty, I'm a bit miffed with BIO1011 - it's just VCE biology with a bit of boring stuff added in. I can't wait for 1022 though, I'll be in the zone with the material :D

As for OP's question - your answer was technically correct, assuming you linked it to valid theory. However, as was noted, it's best to stick with the general, widely-accepted solution that an examiner will glance at and tick. In VCE, you don't want to make an examiner have to think about your answer - the more they do, the greater the likelihood they'll deduct the mark to 'be safe'.

Though I still think it's a bit stiff that you didn't get that mark for a SAC.
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