My candidates are doing the ‘Experimental skills and Investigations’ paper, so what practical work do they need to do?

The ‘Experimental skills and Investigations’ paper requires the same kind of practical work in preparation as if the students were undertaking a practical test. The syllabus makes it clear, in the Aims, the Assessment Objectives and Practical Assessment sections, that the course should be taught practically and that candidates should have experience of doing (rather than merely seeing) experimental work. 

The ‘Experimental skills and Investigations’ paper assesses their practical skills, including both data handling and familiarity with standard laboratory equipment. Any candidates without experience of doing practical work will be disadvantaged in this paper. In addition, using practical work as a teaching tool, giving students the opportunity to learn by doing practical work hands-on, is an excellent way of enabling candidates to build an understanding of specific theoretic perspectives of science.