PHYSICS

Candidates will be assessed on both the core and the extended objectives.  All candidates must enter for three components.

Candidates will sit two written components (Papers 1 and 3) and one practical skills assessment component (Paper 4 or 5).  Candidates will be graded on a scale A* – G.  Candidates failing to achieve grade G will be unclassified (U) and no grade will appear on the certificate.

Availability of Practical Components

(a)     Paper 4 is available to all candidates who are full-time attendance at Government Schools.

(b)     Paper 5 is only available to Private candidates and to candidates in Private Schools.  However, the component may be available to candidates in Government Schools on special request and the Botswana Examinations Council having granted a written permission.

Weighting of Papers

ASSESSMENT OBJECTIVES

The three assessment objectives in Physics are:

A    Knowledge and understanding,

B   Handling information and solving problems,

C   Experimental skills and investigations.

A description of each assessment objective follows;

A  KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING

Candidate should be able to demonstrate knowledge and understanding of:           

1.    the concepts, laws, theories and principles of Physics;

2.    the vocabulary, terminology, conventions of Physics, including symbols, quantities and units;

3.    applications of Physics and of their technological, economic, environmental and social implications;

4.    the significance of information and communication technology in the day-to-day life and in the world of work.

Questions assessing these objectives will often begin with words such as define, state, describe, outline, etc.

B HANDLING INFORMATION AND SOLVING PROBLEMS

Candidates should be able to:

1.    solve problems as they relate to day-to-day life, including some of a quantitative nature;

2.    use information to identify patterns, report trends, draw inferences, make predictions and propose hypotheses;

3.    locate, select, organise and present information from a variety of sources;

4.    translate information from one form to another;

5.    manipulate numerical and other data;

6.    present explanations for phenomena, patterns and relationships.

Questions assessing these objectives may contain information which is unfamiliar to candidates.  In answering such questions, candidates are required to take principles and concepts in the syllabus and apply them to the situations described in the questions.

Questions assessing these objectives will often begin with works such as discuss, predict, suggest, calculate, determine, etc.

C  EXPERIMENTAL SKILLS AND INVESTIGATIONS

Candidates should be able to:

1.    follow a sequence of instructions;

2.    use appropriate techniques, apparatus and materials;

3.    handle instruments, apparatus and materials safely;

4.    make and record observations, measurements and estimates;

5.    interpret and evaluate observations and data;

6.    plan investigations and/or evaluate methods and suggest possible improvements;

7.    convert acquired skills into creative innovations;

8.    apply knowledge and draw conclusions.

SPECIFICATION GRID