VCE Unit 3 and 4 Chemistry Study Guide 2013 - what should the format be?

[Jenny_2108]

I think SACs and Exams is better than Basic and Advanced. You can make the SAC book essentially a basic book even with a few difficult problems thrown in here and there, but the marketing is much easier than selling two different exam booklets

I think its a great idea 

[pi]

How can you write a book on chem SACs? Each school has different ways of writing SACs (for example in MHS some SACs use data that was collected during a previous series of pracs, whilst others are tests, etc.). Or will these just be the tests?

[thushan]

For the tests in the book, I think it's fine to target the "easy" stuff in order to teach the concepts. I think the practice exams are a different matter though.

The main concern I have is that, especially for the basic book, would be to keep those standard 2.5 hour exams at VCAA level, i.e. not 100% 'easy VCAA-level' but also have that reasonably even mix of difficulty that VCAA exams tend to have with their questions (and that one or two challenging questions that VCAA will have in nearly every exam).

Maybe I've misinterpreted things a bit (especially with being unsure on how much "easy VCAA-level" actually covers), but I think the value of the 'basic' book would drop reasonably if the two practice exams were biased too much towards the easy end of the things. A practice exam that's too easy wouldn't really be helpful to any chemistry student, regardless of what level they are at.

Good point there. I may step it up a notch in the practice exams, but only slightly, so that the student can warm up to trying a couple of more pedestrian, easier trial exams. Exam 1 will be easy-VCAA level, with a couple of medium questions in it. Something like the difficulty of a chem paper with an A+ cut of 90%. Exam 2 will be easy-medium VCAA level, with a couple of medium-hard questions in it, about the difficulty of an A+ 87-88% cutoff.

In the Advanced book, Exam 1 will probably be about VCAA Unit 4 2010 (A+ cut 81%) level, and Exam 2 will be your well-known challenge exam. Actually, now that I think about it, I might include an extra exam in the Advanced book.

And Paul - it's good to start with relatively easy exams as a start, as a first exam.

[thushan]

I think SACs and Exams is better than Basic and Advanced. You can make the SAC book essentially a basic book even with a few difficult problems thrown in here and there, but the marketing is much easier than selling two different exam booklets

Good point there, I'll have a think and discuss it with Mao.

[Russ]

How can you write a book on chem SACs? Each school has different ways of writing SACs (for example in MHS some SACs use data that was collected during a previous series of pracs, whilst others are tests, etc.). Or will these just be the tests?

You can do just tests, you can invent data and have them analyze it etc.
The only thing you couldn't do would be actual physical labwork and you could probably have questions about "list the key steps in performing a titration. what important difference for a back titration" etc.

I just think from a marketing standpoint it's much easier, whilst delivering a fairly similar end product

[Jenny_2108]

How can you write a book on chem SACs? Each school has different ways of writing SACs (for example in MHS some SACs use data that was collected during a previous series of pracs, whilst others are tests, etc.)? Or will these just be the tests?

For SACs booklet, it may contain separated topics/ areas of study
It just for preparation or practice before the SACs, of course, it cant be the same as real SACs at your school

For exam booklet, the topics can be mixed altogether for exam preparation with increasing the difficulty

[WhoTookMyUsername]

1 notes
1 questions?

[thushan]

How can you write a book on chem SACs? Each school has different ways of writing SACs (for example in MHS some SACs use data that was collected during a previous series of pracs, whilst others are tests, etc.). Or will these just be the tests?

You can do just tests, you can invent data and have them analyze it etc.
The only thing you couldn't do would be actual physical labwork and you could probably have questions about "list the key steps in performing a titration. what important difference for a back titration" etc.

I just think from a marketing standpoint it's much easier, whilst delivering a fairly similar end product

I'm a TAD nervous about a Tests/Exams split, I get the feeling that people may not bother buying a book with only tests in it...

[nisha]

How can you write a book on chem SACs? Each school has different ways of writing SACs (for example in MHS some SACs use data that was collected during a previous series of pracs, whilst others are tests, etc.). Or will these just be the tests?

You can do just tests, you can invent data and have them analyze it etc.
The only thing you couldn't do would be actual physical labwork and you could probably have questions about "list the key steps in performing a titration. what important difference for a back titration" etc.

I just think from a marketing standpoint it's much easier, whilst delivering a fairly similar end product

I'm a TAD nervous about a Tests/Exams split, I get the feeling that people may not bother buying a book with only tests in it...

If its by you, who wouldn't buy it?

[thushan]

How can you write a book on chem SACs? Each school has different ways of writing SACs (for example in MHS some SACs use data that was collected during a previous series of pracs, whilst others are tests, etc.). Or will these just be the tests?

You can do just tests, you can invent data and have them analyze it etc.
The only thing you couldn't do would be actual physical labwork and you could probably have questions about "list the key steps in performing a titration. what important difference for a back titration" etc.

I just think from a marketing standpoint it's much easier, whilst delivering a fairly similar end product

I'm a TAD nervous about a Tests/Exams split, I get the feeling that people may not bother buying a book with only tests in it...

If its by you, who wouldn't buy it?

Aw that's nice of you!

[paulsterio]

1 notes
1 questions?

It doesn't solve the issue of the question book being big.

[vashappenin]

I reckon make Book 1 with questions based on AOS (like checkpoints), and of an easy/simple to average to progressively harder questions, so that we have something to refer to when studying for our own SACS. Maybe you could also include simple tips and tricks along the way, and advice from you to the students on things we should do, etc.

The other book should be exams, as you said, but these can range (in order of difficulty) from average to hard and eventually challenging (or whatever you want) for us to prepare for exams, as by this stage, the questions from Book 1 should have laid a foundation for the basic questions, if you get what I mean.  For these exams, you could also indicate the cutoff for an A+, etc. so students are aware of what they should be getting if they want a really good study score, etc. You could also include final tips before the exams, how early we should be preparing, etc. (a little section with your personal advice/tips).

[Stick]

I would certainly not buy your Chemistry books next year if any of these suggestions were to go ahead. Here's a nice, simple solution: A separate, comprehensive book for Unit 3 and Unit 4. Then, people will be less likely to just buy one book and you will actually cover the depth of the study design. As to whether or not questions will contain elements from both Units - we can only wait and see what will occur. I think it would be quite risky to blend questions, especially if it does not occur in the exam. If people know their content from each Unit quite well, I do not see why they could not execute the exam to a high standard - regardless of the format.

[thushan]

I would certainly not buy your Chemistry books next year if any of these suggestions were to go ahead. Here's a nice, simple solution: A separate, comprehensive book for Unit 3 and Unit 4. Then, people will be less likely to just buy one book and you will actually cover the depth of the study design. As to whether or not questions will contain elements from both Units - we can only wait and see what will occur. I think it would be quite risky to blend questions, especially if it does not occur in the exam. If people know their content from each Unit quite well, I do not see why they could not execute the exam to a high standard - regardless of the format.

Woah, a little harsh there mate. No need for that. Your suggestion was plausible, but no need to be too denigrating.

Depth of study design will be met anyway. I'm not removing content. I'm simply rearranging it. If anything, I'm adding extra content.

Plus, we're talking about a 2.5 hour science exam here - people do need a chance to learn how to sit 2.5 hour exams. There's no point reselling this year's books with its 1.5 hour exams because students need to get used to the 2.5 hour format. It's not all about content, its also exam technique.

[shinny]

Agree with a test book for practising during the year progressively with each AoS, and an exam book for practising for the end of year exam. Splitting by difficulty segregates the market a bit, with most people likely to only buy one or the other. It'll also make the books have less utility since they'll have to save it up until they learn the required AoS's.

I would certainly not buy your Chemistry books next year if any of these suggestions were to go ahead.

What's your actual concern regarding these suggestions? You've outright dismissed them without stating any reasons.