Read the question carefully, following each word with your pen. Identify the keywords in the question.

        eg Name a material that burns

Work out what you are actually meant to be writing down.

In this case your answer has to be

 ...... the name of a substance

              ..............and it has to be able to burn.

                           so the answer might be paper, coal or wood

2. Look for the key word that is asking you what to do

• Does the question ask you to EXPLAIN what happens?
•        or does it ask you to say WHY something happens?
•               or does it ask you to DESCRIBE what happens?

Do NOT leave out answers. If you don’t know a correct answer then GUESS

If the question gives you a choice of answers:
    i.     work out answers that cannot be correct
    ii.    pick one of the remaining answers to write down.

always write down something. Do NOT leave out a multiple choice answer

Pay attention to the number of marks .. If it is worth several marks you need to answer in more detail

  If a question says "....... you may draw a diagram to help your answer.."
        .......then draw a diagram ... you are more likely to get full marks (remember to use a pencil and ruler)

  If the question asks you to name something try to write down the name of anything that fits

eg Name the part of a flower which..... has to be some part of a flower

eg Name the process which .... has to be the name of something that you can do or that happens eg filtration, evaporation, condensation

eg Name an instrument which... has to be the name of a piece of apparatus

eg Name a substance which .... has to be the name of a chemical

eg Give the number of ... has to be a number of some kind

If you are asked for any kind of measurement eg give the temperature of ..... then always write down the UNIT ie 100EC

Remember ... quite often all you need to do is to apply common sense .. if the answer might work then put it down .. don’t worry about getting it wrong.

Example  questions:

Explain what is meant by pollination
Answer: Pollination is when pollen reaches a flower

Name the part of a flower where pollination takes place:
Answer. Pollination akes place at the stigma

Explain how pollination takes place in a plant.
Answer: An insect such as a bee carries the pollen from one flower to another

Describe how you might obtain some salt from salty water
Answer: You would warm the salty water so the water evaporates