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Biology
2014 Senior External Examination: Assessment report Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
March 2015
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Statistics
Year Number of candidates
Level of achievement
VHA HA SA LA VLA
2014 20 1 5 12 1 1
2013 28 3 10 13 2 0
2012 31 9 7 6 8 1
2011 43 2 14 14 12 1
2010 40 1 3 20 13 3
General comments
The examination assessed the five topics listed in the external Biology syllabus. Paper One
assessed Cell structure and function, Physiology of organisms and Organisms and ecosystems.
Paper Two assessed Continuity of life and Evolution and diversity. The general objectives of the
syllabus were assessed across both papers. Questions assessing the Understanding biology and
Investigating biology criteria required short responses; questions assessing the Evaluating
biological issues criterion required extended responses.
The questions provided opportunities for candidates to demonstrate the syllabus objectives
across the range of standards.
Understanding biology (UB)
Generally, candidate responses were often too brief and did not address all parts of the question,
e.g. providing the term to describe a concept or idea but not following on to provide the
explanation or justification asked for in the question. Candidates should provide the fullest
response they can to achieve high grades. The standard requires ‘defining and describing’;
a collection of one-word responses is not appropriate. Note and graph paper were provided in the
examination for candidates to expand on responses if there is insufficient space below each
question, although it was not used in most cases.
Investigating biology (IB)
Candidates often did not respond to questions correctly because they did not read the question
carefully. Many responded in ways unrelated to the tasks. This was particularly noticeable with
the Investigating biology questions, so the coverage of objectives was not evident in responses.
Biology 2014 Senior External Examination: Assessment report
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2014 Senior External Examination: Assessment report Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
March 2015
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Designing investigations was completed particularly poorly this year. Questions were designed so
candidates could borrow methodologies described in other questions and use these as a basis to
create their own. However, most responses were too brief and contained little consideration of
concepts such as replicability, controls, consideration of data collection methods, frequency and
duration and methods of analysis. Clues from other questions (e.g. analysing the validity of given
investigations) should have provided prompts for candidates to review their own responses, but
this did not seem to occur.
Evaluating biological issues (EBI)
In responses to questions that assess Evaluating biological issues, it is important to make and
express clear decisions supported by justifications. Many responses listed all the evidence the
candidate could find but failed to integrate it in a way that supported the decision, or failed to
make a clear decision.
Question 1 (water versus sports drinks) was the best answered. Candidates tended to provide
a clear explanation based on their own words and make a clear decision. There was a heavy
reliance on notes in other EBI question responses, and responses were less authentic. These
responses transcribed a lot of ‘facts’ but didn’t craft a logical and sequential argument.
Sample solutions
Sample solutions for 2014 are printed on the following pages to help tutors and candidates
prepare for future Biology examinations.
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2014 Senior External Examination: Assessment report Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
March 2015
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Paper One
Part A — Cell structure and function
Question 1 (UB)
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2014 Senior External Examination: Assessment report Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
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Question 2 (UB)
Question 3 (IB)
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2014 Senior External Examination: Assessment report Queensland Curriculum & Assessment Authority
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Question 4 (IB)
0
50
100
150
200
250
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16
Dep
th o
f b
ub
ble
s i
n c
m a
fter
two
m
inu
tes
Temperature (Celcius)
The affect of temperature on reaction rate
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Question 5 (UB)
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Question 6 (EBI)
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Part B — Physiology of organisms
Question 1 (UB)
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Question 2 (UB)
Question 3 (IB)
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Question 4 (IB)
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Question 5 (IB)
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Question 6 (EBI)
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Part C — Organisms and ecosystems
Question 1 (UB/IB)
Algae Mosquito larva Dragonfly nymph Cod
Algae
Water snail Mosquito larva
Long-necked tortoise
Dragonfly nymph
Cod
Tadpole
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Question 2 (UB)
Question 3 (IB)
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Question 4 (IB)
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Question 5 (IB)
0
50
100
150
200
250
300
350
400
0 5 10 15 20 25
Nu
mb
er
of
org
an
ism
s
Time (months)
Time versus number of organisms
plankton
prawn
small fish
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Question 6 (IB)
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Paper Two
Part A — Continuity of life
Question 1 (UB)
Question 2 (UB)
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Question 3 (UB)
Question 4 (UB)
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Question 5 (UB)
Parents: BbTt x BbTt
Gametes: BT, Bt, bT, bt
BT Bt bT bt Possible genotypes
BT BBTT BBTt BbTT BbTt 1/16 BBTT
2/16 BBTt
2/16 BbTT
4/16 BbTt
1/16 BBtt
1/16 bbTT
2/16 bbTt
1/16 Bbtt
1/16 bbTT
1/16 bbtt
Bt BBTt BBtt BbTt Bbtt
bT BbTT BbTt bbTT bbTt
bt BbTt Bbtt bbTt bbtt
bb is lethal
tt is fatal in the first few years of life, therefore not reaching teenage
Therefore for teenage children:
Genotypes Phenotypes
1/8 BBTT
2/8 BBTt
2/8 BbTT
4/8 BbTt
3/8 Normal fingers, no Tay Sachs
6/8 Bracyphalangy, no Tay Sachs
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Question 6 (UB)
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Question 7 (UB/IB)
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Part B — Evolution and diversity
Question 1 (IB)
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Question 2 (UB)
Question 3 (UB)
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Question 4 (UB)
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Question 5 (EBI)
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