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Understanding experimental setup questions
Experimental setup questions are a type of open-ended questions that assess your child's understanding of scientific experiments. They are not hands-on experiments where your child will be expected to mix chemicals together; rather, these questions require them to analyse and explain the setup, variables, and outcomes of an experiment.
Types Of Experimental Setup Questions
Let's explore the seven different types of experimental setup questions to gain a better understanding of their unique characteristics.
Aim Of The Experiment
The aim of the experiment question focuses on the primary objective of the scientific experiment. It requires students to clearly state the purpose or goal they aim to achieve through the experiment.
Reliability
Reliability questions assess a student's understanding of the reliability of data obtained during an experiment. Students need to explain the factors that may affect the reliability of the results and propose ways to improve the experiment's reliability.
Relationship
Relationship questions explore the relationship between different variables in an experiment. Students are expected to identify and explain the relationship between the independent variable and the dependent variable.
Fair Test
Fair test questions emphasise the importance of conducting a fair experiment. Students must identify the change variable, measured variable, and the variable stated in the question. They need to explain why it is essential to keep all other variables constant except the change variable.
Pass Conclusion
Pass conclusion questions assess students' ability to draw valid conclusions based on the experimental data. Students are required to analyse the data obtained and draw appropriate conclusions that align with the experiment's aim.
Hypothesis
Hypothesis questions focus on the formulation of scientific hypotheses. Students need to propose a testable hypothesis based on the information provided in the question.
Control Setup
Control setup questions require students to understand the importance of a control group in an experiment. Students must explain the purpose of a control setup and how it contributes to obtaining reliable results.
Understanding why these questions are asked will help your child answer them correctly. Read our article on "How to Answer Open-Ended Questions in PSLE Science" to learn how to guide your child in getting the best grades by structuring their answers effectively.
