11 command words for aice critical thinking

Command Terms

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9694 AICE Thinking Skills Student Learner Guide

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AICE Command Words

Social studies, geography.

29 questions

Introducing new   Paper mode

No student devices needed.   Know more

make an informed judgement

give reasons for

make a sketch

work out a numerical answer

Make an informed judgement based on evidence

set out reasons

give a concise answer

State a precise meaning for a team, idea or concept

Present points for and against, or present different viewpoints

State in words the key characteristics and give factual details

Describe how things are alike

Describe differences between things

Describe both similarities and differences between things

Identify characteristics

Describe differences between two things

comparision

Work out a numerical answer showing the steps

Make a judgement from available evidence

give reasons

Investigate closely and offer evidence, explain and comment

Provide an answer from, or in relation to, a resource

How far do you agree

State the definition of a term, idea or concept

Give the meaning of

provide points for explanation

Make an informed judgement

name or select one or more characteristics

describe in what way(s) or by what means

set out the main characteristics

Name or select one or more characteristics

how far do you agree

How far do you agree?

provide specific information

provide points of explanation

Provide points of explanation

Give reasons

provide an appropriate name or term

Specify specific names or details to a diagram

To what extent

Set out main characteristics, restricted to giving essentials without supporting details

form and express a judgement after examining evidence

Explain the reason or purpose

give a concise answer expressed in clear terms

Which and What

apply knowledge and understanding to an unfamiliar situation where there is no single correct answer

make an informed judgement based on evidence

sketch a picture or simple free-hand drawing

to what extent

Form and express a judgement after examining evidence

Give a concise answer expressed in clear terms

Which of the following command words require you to make a judgement based on evidence (check all that apply)

Which of the following command words would most likely command an answer with a higher mark value?

Which Exam has a 26 mark question?

AICE Sociology

AICE Psychology

Which exam requires you to know specific case studies and plan a research study?

Which exam has three sections in paper two with the highest mark question being 10 marks?

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AICE The Test

AICE Marine Science AS – Nuts and Bolts

In this post you will learn about:

Curriculum and Syllabus

Aice examination, command words.

• Pacing Guide

As stated by the Marine Science AS syllabus for 2024 Examination, this course covers five distinct chapters and practical skills.

• Chapter#1 Water
• Chapter#2 Earth processes

Chapter#3 Interactions in marine ecosystems

Chapter#4 classification and biodiversity, chapter#5 examples of marine ecosystems, practical skills.

You can find the syllabus HERE .

What should we teach for each topic/unit?

Major topics: Experimental planning; Presentation of data and observations; Evaluation of procedures and data; Analysis of data and making conclusions; Populations and sampling techniques: biotic and abiotic factors in marine ecosystems: disease, competition;

Chapter# 1 Water

Major topics: Particle theory and bonding: atoms, covalent bonds, ionic bonds, hydrogen bonds; Solubility in water: solubility of sodium chloride, salinity, mixing of layers, solubility of gases, oxygen minimum layer; Density and pressure: thermocline, halocline, pycnocline;

Chapter# 2 Earth processes

Major topics: Tectonic processes: Structure of earth’s interior, theory of plate tectonics, plate boundaries and ocean floor features; Weathering, erosion and sedimentation: different types of weathering, types of erosion, deposition, littoral zone with morphology of rocky, sandy, muddy shores, estuaries and deltas; Tides and ocean currents: tidal range, spring vs neap tides, currents: surface currents, deep currents, upwelling, El Nino and La Nina.

Major topics:  Interactions: ecological interactions; Feeding relationships: producers, consumers, decomposers; food chains/webs, ecosystem productivity; photosynthesis vs chemosynthesis; respiration, energy transferred through food chains; pyramids of numbers, biomass, energy; Nutrient cycles: the biotic phase: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins; abiotic phase; processes that replenish nutrient reservoirs, processes that remove nutrients from the surface layer; carbon cycle.

Major topics:  The classification of marine organisms: binomial nomenclature, dichotomous key; Key groups of marine organisms: keystone species: phytoplankton, zooplankton; echinoderms, crustaceans, bony fish and cartilaginous fish, macroalgae and marine plants; characteristics of chordates; Biodiversity: types of biodiversity, importance of marine biodiversity; Populations and sampling techniques: biotic and abiotic factors in marine ecosystems: disease, competition,; measuring marine biodiversity: mark-release-recapture, random sampling, systematic sampling: line vs belt transect; calculate biodiversity: Simpson’s index of diversity; Spearman’s rank of correlation.

Major topics:  The open ocean: world’s oceans, zones of the open ocean, importance of ocean; The tropical coral reef: coral classification and anatomy, categories of corals, coral nutrition; conditions required for tropical reef to form; types of reefs; importance of corals, causes and effects of reef erosion; artificial reefs; The rocky shore: splash zone, upper shore, middle shore, lower shore, tide pools; The sandy shore; The mangrove forest: condition for formation of mangrove forest, red mangroves adaptations; ecological and economical importance of mangroves; threats to mangroves

Students will take the AICE Marine Science AS Exam in April-May of 2024. The exam has two parts: Paper#1 Exam AS Level Theory, is scheduled for April 26th, 2024, and Paper#2 Exam Data handling and investigative skills, is scheduled for May 01st, 2024.

Paper#1 Exam AS Level Theory- Exam date: April 26th, 2024

This paper exam is 1h 45min long, maximum marks offered is 75 and this paper exam is 50% of AICE Marine AS Exam grade.

Paper#1 Exam is divided into two sections:

Section A : Structured questions (45 marks) – students will be exposed to structured, short-answer questions of 1-4 marks each. Students must be able to perform simple calculations like: calculate the mean, median, mode and range of a set of values, calculate percentages and percentage changes; label a diagram, interpret data and graphs. Students WILL NOT have to plot graphs, produce biological drawings or construct tables for this paper exam.

Section B: Free-response questions (30 marks) – Students will have four free-response questions and must write extended answers in continuous prose. Each question could be worth anywhere between 5-10 marks.

Paper#2 Exam Data handling and investigative skills – Exam date: May 01st, 2024

This paper exam has only one section: Section A: Structured questions (75 marks) . For this exam, students will be have to be able to answer questions involving calculations such as: using Lincoln’s Index, Spearman’s rank of correlation, calculate and interpret Simpson’s index of diversity (D). Students will have to be able to plan and evaluate investigations, draw graphs, construct tables and biological drawings, answer questions on any of the following core practical activities (PA):

• 1.2.5 (PA) investigate the effect of salinity on the freezing point of water (Chapter#1);
• 1.2.8 (PA) use litmus indicator, Universal Indicator and pH probes to measure the pH of water samples (Chapter#1);
• 3.2.5 (PA) investigate the effect of light intensity on the rate of photosynthesis (Chapter#3);
• 4.1.4 (PA) make observations and drawings from unfamiliar structures or specimens from the key groups in topic 4.2 and additionally Cnidaria in topic 5.2 (Chapter#4);
• 4.4.6 (PA) use suitable methods, including frame quadrats, line transects, belt transects and mark-release-recapture, to investigate the distribution and abundance of organisms in the littoral zone (Chapter#4);
• 5.4.3 (PA) investigate the effect of particle size on the permeability of substrates (Chapter#5).

BE AWARE!!! Students must take both Exams. If they fail to show up for Paper 2 Exam, they are automatically disqualified, no matter how great they did on Paper 1 Exam. Last year, I had two students in this situation. Not fun!

Passing the Exam…

Based on the grade thresholds taken from the Syllabus for AICE Marine Science AS Exam taken in the June 2023 examination, students must score a minimum of 15 marks out of 75 marks to pass Paper#1 Exam, and a minimum of 22 marks out of 75 to pass Paper#2 Exam.

Overall, to pass AICE Marine Science AS Exam, students must score 37 marks out of 150 marks for the two paper exams combined. This 37 marks out of 150 marks is for a passing with grade letter “E”, while if students want to pass with grade letter “A” must score 94 marks out of 150 marks.

While passing this exam seems very easy, in reality, passing rates are not as high as you might expect. The questions presented to students transcend mere memorization, demanding a higher level of cognitive engagement. Proficiency goes beyond rote learning as students are tasked with the critical abilities to analyze, interpret information, and establish connections between concepts across various chapters. This holistic approach demands a synthesis of both subject-specific understanding and broader general knowledge.

Achieving success hinges on the students’ ability to grasp the nuances of the questions they encounter. The unique style of questioning employed by Cambridge poses a distinct challenge for our students in the United States who may not be used to this format. To navigate this challenge effectively, I adopt a proactive approach. Each day, I immerse my students in questions extracted from past paper exams, and I highlight the crucial command words integral to the AICE Exam. For those seeking a comprehensive list of these command words, they can be found in the Marine Science AS syllabus on page 39.

There are two command words that I focus on the most in my classroom: describe and explain. While the entire list is important and for the most part used on the exam, I’ve noticed that these two show up more often on the exam, and also, sum up to more marks. For example, if you look at Paper#1 exam for June 2023 examination, there are 24 questions (I count every sub-question as 1) worth 75 marks. Out of 24 question, 7 of them were using the command word “explain” and 4 of the questions used the command word “describe”. These 11 questions sum up to 51 marks (Paper#1 exam is 75 marks) and that tell me how important these two command words are.

How to answer Cambridge style questions

Allow me to share a glimpse of my experience: Picture this—students eagerly returning to my classroom right after completing an AICE paper exam, their faces beaming with excitement as they enthusiastically share their accomplishments. It is heartwarming, isn’t it? Yet, as August rolls around, reality sets in. The scores are in, and a sense of disbelief sweeps over the students. They visit me, expressing their confusion, saying, “But, Miss, I wrote so much! What happened?” Now, the question arises: How can we guide and support students to ensure success for the exams?

To ensure my students have a better chance to score the maximum number of marks per question, I teach them the following:

• Don’t restate the question;
• Use bullet points to lay down your answer;
• Identify the topic, command word and number of marks for each question.

Let’s analyze the following example (question from June 2023 examination):

Describe how seagrasses are of economic importance . [4]

• First – identify what the question is about: economic importance of seagrasses. (topic covered in Chapter#4)
• Second – identify the command word. The command word tells us how complex the answer must be. In this example the command word is “describe”, so just state the point don’t need to explain why or how it happens.
• Third – look at how many marks the question is worth. For this four mark question I teach my students to use four bullet points.

Pacing guide

A challenge for us, educators is making sure we cover the entire content by the day of the exam. Since I teach in Broward (Florida), and we follow block schedule (each class is 90 minutes long), I have developed the following pacing guide.

In conclusion…

The journey through teaching the AICE Marine Science AS course is one marked by dynamic engagement, strategic methodologies, and a commitment to student success. By weaving together, a tapestry of interactive simulations, hands-on laboratory work, and a meticulous focus on critical thinking, I aim to equip both educators and students with the tools necessary for not just examination success, but a genuine understanding and appreciation for the subject matter. The daily exposure to past paper exam questions, coupled with an emphasis on command words, ensures that students not only comprehend the content but also navigate the unique style of questioning employed by Cambridge.

As we embark on this academic adventure, my hope is that fellow educators find inspiration and practical insights to enrich their teaching practices, fostering an environment where curiosity thrives, and students flourish.

If you have any questions please reach out! Looking forward to hearing from you! Be well!

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Programmes & Qualifications

Cambridge international as & a level thinking skills (9694).

• Past papers, examiner reports and specimen papers

You can download one or more papers for a previous session. Please note that these papers may not reflect the content of the current syllabus.

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This is only a selection of our papers. Registered Cambridge International Schools can access the full catalogue of teaching and learning materials including papers from 2018 through our School Support Hub .

Past papers

• -->June 2022 Mark Scheme Paper 11 (PDF, 249KB)
• -->June 2022 Mark Scheme Paper 21 (PDF, 399KB)
• -->June 2022 Mark Scheme Paper 31 (PDF, 246KB)
• -->June 2022 Mark Scheme Paper 41 (PDF, 314KB)

Examiner reports

• -->June 2022 Examiner Report (PDF, 3MB)

Specimen papers

• -->2020 Specimen Paper 1 Mark Scheme (PDF, 973KB)
• -->2020 Specimen Paper 2 Mark Scheme (PDF, 985KB)
• -->2020 Specimen Paper 3 Mark Scheme (PDF, 994KB)
• -->2020 Specimen Paper 4 Mark Scheme (PDF, 180KB)

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