H.S.B syllabus
CARI BB E AN
E XA MINA TIONS
C OUN CIL
REPORT ON CANDIDATES’ WORK IN THE
SECONDARY EDUCATION CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION
JANUARY 2012
HUMAN AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY
GENERAL PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION
Copyright © 2012 Caribbean Examinations Council
St Michael, Barbados
All rights reserved.
2
GENERAL COMMENTS
The 2012 examination was the seventh January sitting of Human and Social Biology, offered at the
General Proficiency level.
The format of the examination was different from that of previous years. There was no change to Paper
01 which consisted of 60 multiple-choice items. However, Paper 02 now consists of six compulsory questions, four of which are structured (Section A) and two of which are essay questions (Section B).
Each question is worth 15 marks. Teachers should note the following:
The four structured questions are longer and a single question attempts to integrate several areas of the syllabus.
The questions in this paper assume that students would have benefited from the opportunities of learning provided by field trips.
There has been little change to the essay components.
Teachers should be mindful that Question 1 in Paper 02 will always involve the analysis of data.
DETAILED COMMENTS
Paper 01 – Multiple Choice
Candidate performance was average. The areas that presented difficulties were:
Osmosis
Food tests
The structure of mature red blood cells
The function of a motor neurone
Identifying endocrine glands
Methods of controlling tuberculosis
Impact of organic fertilizers on a river
3
Paper 02 – Structured Essay
Question 1
This question tested candidates’ knowledge of the water cycle, agricultural activities that may cause water pollution and waterborne diseases. The data analysis section of the question dealt with the relationship between pollutants and percentage increase of cancers. There was also a diagram of an experiment about bacterial growth being conducted.
E XA MINA TIONS
C OUN CIL
REPORT ON CANDIDATES’ WORK IN THE
SECONDARY EDUCATION CERTIFICATE EXAMINATION
JANUARY 2012
HUMAN AND SOCIAL BIOLOGY
GENERAL PROFICIENCY EXAMINATION
Copyright © 2012 Caribbean Examinations Council
St Michael, Barbados
All rights reserved.
2
GENERAL COMMENTS
The 2012 examination was the seventh January sitting of Human and Social Biology, offered at the
General Proficiency level.
The format of the examination was different from that of previous years. There was no change to Paper
01 which consisted of 60 multiple-choice items. However, Paper 02 now consists of six compulsory questions, four of which are structured (Section A) and two of which are essay questions (Section B).
Each question is worth 15 marks. Teachers should note the following:
The four structured questions are longer and a single question attempts to integrate several areas of the syllabus.
The questions in this paper assume that students would have benefited from the opportunities of learning provided by field trips.
There has been little change to the essay components.
Teachers should be mindful that Question 1 in Paper 02 will always involve the analysis of data.
DETAILED COMMENTS
Paper 01 – Multiple Choice
Candidate performance was average. The areas that presented difficulties were:
Osmosis
Food tests
The structure of mature red blood cells
The function of a motor neurone
Identifying endocrine glands
Methods of controlling tuberculosis
Impact of organic fertilizers on a river
3
Paper 02 – Structured Essay
Question 1
This question tested candidates’ knowledge of the water cycle, agricultural activities that may cause water pollution and waterborne diseases. The data analysis section of the question dealt with the relationship between pollutants and percentage increase of cancers. There was also a diagram of an experiment about bacterial growth being conducted.