Notes
The gap between knowing it and writing it
A student who can explain osmosis at the kitchen table and scores two out of six in the exam does not have a knowledge problem. They have a writing problem, and it is fixable.
This is the single most common thing we see, and the most quickly fixed.
1. Read the command word out loud
Describe, explain, compare and evaluate are four different tasks. A perfect description scores nothing on an explain question.
2. Count the marks, then count your points
Six marks usually means at least three developed points. If a student has written two sentences, the grade is decided before anyone reads them.
3. Use the subject's own words
Mark schemes reward specific vocabulary. 'The water goes in' and 'water moves down a concentration gradient' are not worth the same.
- Underline the command word before writing anything
- Plan long answers in three or four words per point
- Leave a line between points so the examiner can see them
- Reread the question after writing, not before
None of this is about knowing more. It is about being paid for what is already known.
