Physics teachers across Victoria might have noticed a recurring theme in the 2024 VCE Physics exam from previous exams: the increasing emphasis on key science skills. Furthering the recent trend, this year’s exam featured a hefty 20-mark question that tested students’ ability to apply key science skills to an experiment focused on the photoelectric effect.
The experimental question centred on classifying variables, graphing data, and interpreting results – a classic scenario in physics exams.
Students were required to identify controlled, dependent, and independent variables, plot a graph from provided data, and interpret their findings. But, as straightforward as this might seem on the surface, it wasn’t without potential pitfalls for students.
For question 16 b) of the short answer section, students had to plot frequency (Hz) against voltage (V), including uncertainty bars and a line of best fit. While the question itself wasn’t revolutionary, what stood out was the sneaky scaling on the axes. Both axes featured intervals divided into 4 minor gridlines (instead of the usual five), meaning the minor interval on the horizontal axis increased by 0.25 and by 0.125 on the vertical axis. Small details like these are a magnet for errors under exam pressure, and many students likely fell into this trap. Misreading the scales not only compromised their graphs but also made the follow-up questions – like determining Planck’s constant – near impossible to answer correctly. However, student’s may still have received consequential marks for their workings.
Poor performance on graphing questions is nothing new in VCE Physics exams. Each year, the graphing component reveals gaps in students’ ability to accurately interpret data, plot points, and understand scale. It’s a recurring issue that needs attention earlier in a students’ learning journey.
While Year 12 is a bit late to play catch-up, the good news is that these skills are teachable and can be scaffolded from junior levels to help students get top results come exam time.
For example, in Edrolo Years 7-10 Science we introduce students to the fundamentals of data representation, variable classification, and graphical analysis in bite-sized, scaffolded lessons. By the time they reach Year 11 and 12, they’ve already built a strong foundation in key science skills, enabling them to approach these exam questions with confidence.
Being explicit in these skills will help students gain mastery. For example, when teaching graphing, we include tips to identify scales (see the example below), plot uncertainty bars, and draw accurate lines of best fit – skills that were directly relevant to this year’s VCE Physics exam.
These skills are then tested in context throughout the different strands of 7-10 Science, such as in the example below of a sample graphing question. This kind of incremental skill-building ensures students can shift their focus in Year 12 from worrying about axes divisions to mastering complex concepts like the photoelectric effect.
The focus on key science skills is becoming more pronounced in VCE Physics. This year’s exam dedicated 11 marks to key science skills and 23 marks to questions that required students to process or analyse graphs in order to get the answer. This reflects the broader emphasis in science education on equipping students with real-world skills that extend beyond rote learning. By embedding key science skills into our curriculum from Year 7 onwards, we help students develop the tools they need to succeed—not just in exams but in their future scientific endeavours.
