AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

LULU AL SOMARIA COLLEGE, SCIENCE FACULTY

Year 12, Chemistry, Assessments Task Notification

Course Stage Date Issued Due Date Weight Total

Mark

HSC 6 Year 12 Term 1 Week 6 Term1 week 10 30% 50

Chemistry 13.1.2018 12.03.2018

Task Title Lab Experiment Scientific Report

Content Topic Module 6 Acid and Base reaction

Nature of Task Take home individual scientific report.

SUBMISSION Information

Submission instructions: A hard copy of your lab report are to be hand in to your chemistry teacher
miss Rimah Ahmad by Monday 12.03.2018 during the school Hours from (9.00 am – 3 pm)

Important notes: if you are absent on the submission day, the assessment is to be completed and
submitted with all supporting documents such as medical certificate/ other supporting documents.

Your documents should be submitted within 2 days of due date any failure to provide adequate
documentation will result in 0 marks begin granted.

Student Name: …………... …………………. Due Date ……….…. Date submitted …………….

Student Signature ………………...... Date ……………

Teacher Signature …………………… Date …………

Student declaration I
hereby declare that the work carried out in this assessment was based the content knowledge obtained
from the chemistry course personal experience and personal research. I acknowledged all the resources
that have been used. I also aware that this task may undergo for plagiarism check.

Student signature --------------

 AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

The syllabus outcomes to be assessed

CH11/12-1 develops and evaluates questions and hypotheses for scientific investigation

CH11/12-3 conducts investigations to collect valid and reliable primary and secondary data and
Information
CH12-1 describes, explains and quantitatively analyses acids and bases using contemporary models

BIO11/12-7 communicates scientific understanding using suitable language and terminology for a
specific audience or purpose

lab report, task nature and gaol

Over the las three years, the ALS chemical suppler company has been the main buffer provider for our
chemistry labs in the school. A few days ago, the company presenter have enclosed some information
about company being through a tight budget and insufficient chemist in charge of developing a new
buffer product lin. Also, some information about the company holding several 2000 litters of acids with
no labelling in their weak acid storage room. However, there are some notes has been left behind
containing information such as weak acid = acetic, formic. Monochromatic, boric and hypochlorous. In
addition, there a container of solid NaOH in the same storage room with no concentration written
anywhere. Due to this, the staff team in the school science faculty proposed that all students in
chemistry course are to help in solving the issue by determining what chemical and concentration has
been stored in these containers. The LAS company welcomed our school anticipation and in return
they have offered to supply the school one-year worth of dyes to be used in our chemistry labs.

Detailed task description (ALS experiments)

In this task you are to establish construct scientific report that established based on 2 lab experiments.
During the experiments you will be using the properties of wake acid to identify the unknown weak
acid/ its concentration for ALS company. You will be assigned to 2 bottles (one contains the unknown
NaOH and the second have the weak acid). The experiment instruction will be given to you at the
beginning of each lab. The experiments procedures are to be written in your lab book each experiment
and checked by your teacher.
 AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

Experiment 1- Standardization of NaOH unknown concentration

During the first experiment you are to design and justify a titration experiment based on knowledge
and understanding obtained through the course on module 6 acid and base reaction. In this, the
titration procedure is applied manually by using the burette and the primary standard KHP (potassium
hydrogen phthalate). KHP weighting of about 0.8-0.10 grams is to be dissolved in 50 ml of distilled
water and 9 drops of phenolphthalein indicator solution is used to Standardise the concentration of
NaOH (sodium hydroxide) solution. An average of three titration process is required to meet the ALS’s
company standard. calculation the molarity of NaOH solutions (mol/L) and average the results of three
trial and write it in your lab book. Record the molarity of your NaOH group bottle.

Experiment 2 - Titration of weak acid using NaOH

Following the standard procedure and teacher instruction you are to design and perform a titration
experiment to determine the pKa of weak acid through the half-equivalence point of the titration and
the concentration of the acid through the equivalence point. Conduct the titration procedure using
your assigned unknown acid (repeat this process to find the average of molarity of unknown acid (HA).
Using the formula pH = pKa + log [A-] / [HA], the molarity data, conjugate base (A-) and moles of acid
(HA), analyse the pH concentration of the solution. Recorded your results, calculation, tables, and plot
pH cure with all appropriate information.

Although the experiments itself in this task are not graded however, in order for you to develop your
scientific report and as part of this task you are required to write and record all the necessary
information and scientific notations including:

The experiment title Date aim or objective brief description of the

experiment

methods and used Results experiment discussions Teacher signature upon

reagents the completion of the
experiment
 AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

Scientific Report

After the completion of ALS week 1 &2 experiments, you are to construct a typed report based on your
experiments study. Your developed report should be directly linked to experiment 1 Standardization of
NaOH unknown concentration and experiment two 2 the Titration of weak acid using NaOH
experiment. A copy of you report work will be send to the ALS company. You report should 600-800-
word limit count. The structure of your report is outlined as the following:
Report title

 Appropriate title should be included to present what is the report is about

 The title should start with a verb such as investigating, studying, studying,
experimenting. Also, Include your personal details name, stage, class and your current
teacher for the subject.
Objective
 In a complete sentence write the aim or the purpose of the experiment starting with word To
and followed by a verb matched with the verb you used for your title (do not phrase). For
example, if your report title starting with investigating you should begin you aim by writing To
investigate.
Background evidence
 Start by briefly explain relevant theory in sufficient detail, define what is acid, base solution,
identify the key information related to the physical and chemical properties of acid and base
including the ionic compounds that produce negative hydroxide ions (OH-) or H+ when
dissolved in water.
 Briefly describe the principle of titration, equivalence point, endpoint in relation to centration
of given substance and the acid-base titration used in the ALS experiment.
 Show the chemical equation reaction involved such as the potassium hydrogen phthalate acid
reacted with sodium hydroxide KHC8H4O4 (aq) + NaOH (aq) etc….
 identify the role pH used in understanding the differences between the strength of acids and
bases. Also, the use of phenolphthalein indicator used to determine the unknown concentration
of NaOH and ALS’s weak acid solution.
Methodology
 In passive voice briefly describe the method you have carried out in designing experiment 1 & 2
experiment.
 Outline the equipment used through the experiment by labelling experiment 1 and the list of
reagent/ equipment used. You also to include the volume and concentration of used solutions.
 AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

Results
 Record all the results obtained from experiment 1& 2 experiment graphically (used tables with
correct labelling). You are to include all the calculation used to calculate the molarity
concentration of strong acid NaOH and pH value of unknown weak acid and plot pH curve your
experiments. Describe how the results were analysed including any error analysis.
Discussion
 In this section you are to interpret and discuss the key finding of experiment 1&2 and present
them in this report. Analyse if the results obtained were well-matched with the content
understanding and knowledge presented in the background section. In other word what your
result mean?
 Summarise some limitation of the experiments and suggest one or two recommendations that
can be used to overcome the recommended limitation.
Conclusion
 Restate the purpose of the experiments being conducted to develop this scientific report and
summarise the important evidence of your experiments findings.
 present big picture of the findings and future improvement
References

At the end of report work, you are to include a list of all sources used to complete this scientific report.
You are to follow the Harvard referencing guide as the following:

For books look for author/editor, year of publication, title, edition, volume number, publisher and place
of publication. Place this information in the same order. Use the following sample to use in your report:

 E.g. Cochrane, A 2007, Understanding urban policy: a critical approach, Blackwell Publishing,
Malden, MA.

For web based journal articles start with author of article, year of publication, title of article,
journal/serial title, volume number, issue number, page numbers on which the article appears.

 E.g. Welch, N 2000, Toward an understanding of the determinants of rural health, viewed 9
January 2002, http://www.ruralhealth.org.au/welch.htm

Tip: the following web page will provide you with future assess you to correctly reference your
resources https://libguides.library.usyd.edu.au/c.php?g=508212&p=3476130
 AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

Scientific Report Marking criteria

Title/aim/background Criteria Possible Actual

information mark mark

Outcomes being ▪ Title and the aim are correctly written and the Excellent
necessary information are displayed. achievement
assessed: ▪ The background information demonstrates (Mark 16-
CH12-1 throughout understanding of theory involves acid 20)
CH 1/12-1 and base reaction, physical and chemical properties

CH 1/12-3 such as Ph level. ion exchange during reaction etc….

▪ Explain the principle of titration process and identify
the role indictor in determining the concentration/
pH of substances.

 Include acceptable title and aim (Substantial

 The background information demonstrate sound achievement
understanding of theory behind acid/base reactions Mark 11-15)
including the chemical and or physical properties
each poses during reactions.
▪ identify the titration, the role of indicator and pH in
determine the substance/ concentrations and pH
level

▪ Title is written in acceptable form however; the aim Satisfactory

is no present or have not written correctly achievement
▪ The background information shows accepted (Mark 6-10)
understand of reactions in which acid and base are
involved.
▪ Identify most od information relation to titration,
the role of indictors in establishing substance
concentration/ pH level.

 Title and aim are written inaccurately and or not Limited -

included. achievement
 The background information shows limited (Mark 0-5)
understanding of acid/based reaction in which the
physical and chemical properties not included or
included but the information is not releavent.
 Titration process is only mentioned however it is
partially correct. The role of indictors/ pH is not
identified.
 AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

Methods/ results/ Criteria Possible Actual

discussion mark mark

Outcomes being  Method is well designed and justified using correct Excellent

assessed: scientific terminology and presentation style to achievement

successfully deliver information and understanding. (Mark 18-25)
 All equipment, agents and measurement used during
BIO11/12-3
the experiments are correctly identified using different
CH11/12-7 form of presentation.
CH12-1  Correct presentation of formulas needed for
stoichiometry (calculation) of chemicals used during
experiments procedures and also the calculation
required to find the concentration/ pH of chemical
been tested.
 All titration trials are recorded, results are well
presented using correct labelling of tables graphs etc …
 Extensive discussion of different finding related to
chemical begin tested (NaOH and weak acid).
 Outstanding interpretation of results through
discussing the experiment finding and justifying
whether or not the finding of the experiment meets
aim and objective.
 Discussion of any error and implication factors
experience affected any of the results and if so how this
can be improved.

 Experiment design show scientific terminology and (Substantial

presentation style to successfully deliver information achievement
and understanding. (Mark 12-17)
 Most equipment, agents and measurement used during
the experiments are correctly identified.
 Correct presentation of common formulas used for
stoichiometry (calculation) also to find the
concentration/ pH of chemical been tested.
 Titration trials are recorded, results mostly presented
correctly using tables graphs etc …
 Sound discussion of different finding related to
chemical begin tested (NaOH and weak acid).
 Outstanding interpretation of results through
discussing the experiment finding and justifying
AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

whether or not the finding of the experiment meets

aim and objective.
 Identify one error and implication factors experience
affected any of the results and if so how this can be
improved.

 Experiment design show accepted scientific Limited -

terminology and presentation style to deliver Satisfactory
information and understanding. achievement
 Some equipment, agents and measurement used during (Mark 6-11)
the experiments are identified.
 Accepted presentation of common formulas used for
stoichiometry (calculation) of chemical been tested.
 One titration trials are recorded, results mostly
presented using tables graphs etc …
 The discussion of some finding related to chemical
begin tested (NaOH and weak acid).
Interpretation of some results through discussing the
experiment finding and whether or not the finding of
the experiment meets aim and objective.
 Error and implication factors experience dos not been
identified.

 Poor experiment design to show scientific terminology Limited -

and un clear presentation style used to deliver achievement
information and understanding. (Mark 0-5)
 Equipment, agents and measurement used during the
experiments is not included in the report.
 presentation of some or non, the report lacks the
required formulas and stoichiometry (calculation) of
chemical been tested.
 No titration trials are recorded, results mostly
presented without using tables graphs etc …
 Limited discussion provided and does not interpret any
finding related to chemical begin tested (NaOH and
weak acid).
 Error and implication factors experience dos not been
identified
 AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

Criteria Possible mark Actual

mark

Outcomes  Correct format used to list the resources used to establish the Excellent
report. achievement
begin  More than 4 resources are used (Marks 3-5
assessed:
CH12-1  Correct format is used however, less than 4 resources in used. Satisfactory
or achievement (Marks
CH11/12-7
 More than three resources used however, there are error in 1-3
formatting.

 Reference list is not included in the report Limited

achievement (Marks
0)

Teacher feedback

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

Student Feedback: in this section you are to provide your personal reflection on the task. The
following points you my like to give a feedback about:
AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

SC part B

To assess students understanding of the content, there has the growing interest in
Australian education toward improving the teaching practice, learning quality and to
advocated students’ overall education outcomes. The new stage 6 chemistry assessments in
general and school-based assessment (assessment for learning AFL) in specific have been
developed by the NSW Education Standard Authority (NESA) to adapt content from
Australian curriculum for a stronger HSC assessment standard reforms the new NSW
assessment orientation. The change of stage 6 assessments has been applied to (1) improve
systematic level education outcomes through gathering validated data related to
educational progress and measure schools achievements throughout the year (2) evaluate
and enhance the individuals achievement of syllabus outcomes (3) to clarify what
knowledge and understanding students know and can demonstrate and most importantly
(4) assessment can be used as positive catalyst for teachers to inform learning practice via
analysing abilities. Also, supporting students learning success through implementing
opportunities for teacher/student feedback on learning showing that assessment in
education is an inseparable part of the learning process (NSW Education Standards
Authority (NESA), 2018).

while the role of external assessment has continued to be one of the main challenges for
stakeholders in education. Weurlander et al., (2012) argued, AFL in science subject and
education, in general, is the dialogue of learning process. this is due to AFL been closely
linked to teaching practice in which it enables the teacher to judge the quality of learning
they provide the students also, how this learning assesses students’ to effectively perform
and demonstrate their learning. Accordingly, assessment can be defined as an instrument
to improve the teaching practice when fruitfully combined with other factors relating to
teaching pedagogy and learning process (Gillies., 2012). Perhaps the best definition of
assessment was presented by the Assessment Reform Group (2002), stating that the
assessment is ‘the process of seeking and interpreting evidence for use by learners and their
AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

teachers to decide where learners are in their learning, where they need to go and how best
to get there’ (Assessment Reform Group, 2002).

According to Teasdale et al., (2017), if the teaching practice lacks to allow the students to
demonstrate their understanding of content, challenge their thinking and creatively,
abilities to work collaboratively and show skills students in those situations are more likely
to disengage with learning. Therefore, it is important for teaching practice and the
pedagogical approach used to inform teaching strategies to enhance student current
abilities and their lifelong learning skills (Teasdale et al., 2017). Examine the content of
ALS lab Report, there has been a major focus to adapt several contexts from NSW Education
Standards Authority (Stage 6 Chemistry Assessment and Reporting). The task assessment is
designed to deliver to the student with all the necessary information to engage and
understand what they need to provide to successfully involved in the task. Task notification
information on the first page, the assessment is designed based on creating an authentic
task with a purpose which enables motivation and purpose at the same time the outcomes
are perceived. In addition, the task shows the student what exactly they will have assessed
on by providing a marking criterion with identified the weigh for each outcome.

Research has illustrated several principles to be considered by the teachers while

developing effective ASL task. This may include firstly, understanding the purpose of the
assessment. This requires the teacher to be aware of the main purpose of the task as much
as the students and what task design will support students’ understanding of content
syllabus outcomes. Furthermore, enhance student’s intentions toward learning by
connecting student to indistinct goals which in turn it provides the students with the
opportunity to challenge their learning regardless of their achievement level. (Necho
Mulatu, 2014). Accordingly, Masters (2014, p.6), suggested that “at any given time, every
student is at some point in his or her learning and is capable of further progress if they can
be engaged, motivated and provided with relevant learning opportunities” therefore, it is
the teacher role to use some diagnostic tool such as school data, students’ previous tasks
AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

performance in advance to designing the task allowing to determine what the students
already know and ultimately how it can be further improved (Masters., 2014, p. 36).

Secondly, assessment context, NESA (2018), states that to develop effective assessment task,
the student’ are to establish well understanding of criteria they will be assessed by and as
results the teachers are to clarify the achievement expectations students need to meet
(NESA., 2018). Accordingly, the instruction of the assessment should familiarise the
student with the all the relevant information about the assessment. This include, informing
the student about the aim, the nature of the task, how much the task worth for their final
mark, the due date to hand in the assessment, giving the student a clear vision of what need
to be displayed on the task, providing the student with the marking criteria reflect their
task. Weurlander et al., (2012), shows that the marking criteria are an integral part of the
instruction that allows the teacher to create differentiation and assess the need for students
with low learning abilities. Besides, the complexity of each section or activities in the task
the teacher can apply the different verb to demonstrate the significance of each part and to
what degree students need to perform to establish the desired outcomes (Weurlander et al.,
2012).

Thirdly, teacher/ student feedback, several researchers have demonstrated the interlink
between feedback and student academic achievement. According to Snead & Freiberg.,
(2017), feedback in education demonstrates an essential element of teaching practice for
supporting students learning content, clarifying to students on their learning level and
further improve and address the learning content. This due to HSC and Australian academic
school standards may have a stressful outcome on students psychological and academic
behaviour as students may not associate with all the support needed to achieve the expected
academic level outcome (Snead & Freiberg, 2017). Ruegg., (2018) explains how students
going through HSC in general and those who study science, in particular, find themselves
experiencing the different form of anxiety due to the complexity of science content or due
to sensing that they are unable to meet the requirement of Australian curriculum standard.
AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

In addition, many students going through high stakes test such HSC exams the expectation
from the surrounded environment society and family cause student the exposure to
enormous pressure to achieve outstanding grad. The author further outlines the causes of
test anxiety, stating that anxiety in performance is determined by students’ self-confidence
and self-efficiency or in a situation where the student is not familiar with test environment
(Ruegg., 2018). Correspondingly, Hattie and Timperley., (2007) article explain, HSC
assessment is the central phase of students schooling. Thus, teachers’ responsibilities to
endeavour to improve the factors that influence the academic performance in which they
identified as student emotional achievement and self-efficiency (Hattie and
Timperley.,2007).

NESA (2018), refers to feedback as a beneficial tool in sustaining students’ confidence and
self-efficiency. therefore, the teachers should primarily use this to motivate and sustain
individuals confident toward developing their learning, and increasing student’s sense of
attainment and the opportunity to obtain genuine goals through successful AFL
experiences (NESA., 2018). In this, several research findings showed that implementing
effective feedback model in school, the student education achievement reached nearly
double in comparison to school where feedback is not observed. Hill et al., (2016) states,
the model in which feedback is effectively establish is via proposing three key questions:
“Where am I going? How am I going? Where to next?”. The authors concluded that
answering these three questions, the teachers/students will recognize what aim or goal to
understand and what already understood. Also, Broadbent, Panadero & Boud., (2017), HSC
students, in general, appreciate effective feedback where student consider it as an
important aspect of them succeeding through their HSC year. Moreover, students are
shown to have more motivation, conscientious toward receiving grads and feedback. This
due to feedback enabling students to deeply engage with the subject. Hence, effective
feedback should informative, thorough of explicit information, and be provided throughout
the learning process in order to enable students to infer their accomplishment. Similarly,
students concentrate on how it can be further modified and the amount of knowledge
AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

needs to be improved to maximize their overall academic (Broadbent, Panadero & Boud,
2017). For this reason, the scientific report has provided the students with feedback section
in which they personally reflect their study experience to produce the report also student
response in creating the report can be used as evidence by the teachers to reflect on the
learning, skills and understanding student received. Additionally, clarifying what teaching
practices need to further change and expand to power the learning outcomes (NESA.,
2018).

In conclusion, major implication involves in designing and producing an assessment. too

often teacher faces a huge challenge to establish authentic an assessment that allows
motivation and engages the student with the content, therefore, the teachers need to create
an assessment that comprises of a number of features. This includes having an assessment
with valuable purpose, directing the student through the instruction process in which it
provides the student with all information they require to understand the task and also to
meet the assessment standard. Further, assessment been known as a crucial feature of HSC
and Australian curriculum standard, therefore, it should use as a key interpretation to assess
teaching practices whereby the teacher can self-assess the learning strategies, planning and
evaluating their students overall learning process.
AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

References

Assessment Reform Group. (2002). Assessment for Learning: 10 principles research-based

principles to guide classroom practice. Assessment Reform Group. London, United
Kingdom.

Broadbent, J., Panadero, E., & Boud, D. (2017). Implementing summative assessment with
a formative flavour: a case study in a large class. Assessment & Evaluation In Higher
Education, 43(2), 307-322. doi: 10.1080/02602938.2017.1343455 Retrieved from
https://srhe.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02602938.2017.1343455
Gillies, R. (2016). Cooperative Learning: Review of Research and Practice. Australian
Journal of Teacher Education, 41(3), 39-54.
http://dx.doi.org/10.14221/ajte.2016v41n3.3

Hill, M., Ell, F., Grudnoff, L., Haigh, M., Cochran-Smith, M., Chang, W., & Ludlow, L.
(2016). Assessment for equity: learning how to use evidence to scaffold learning and
improve teaching. Assessment In Education: Principles, Policy & Practice, 24(2),
185-204. doi: 10.1080/0969594x.2016.1253541

Masters, G. N. (2014). Towards a growth mindset in assessment. Practically Primary, 19(2),

4.

Necho Mulatu, W. (2014). Assessment of Knowledge, Attitude and Practice of Health

Professionals towards Adverse Drug Reaction Reporting and Factors Associated
AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL

with Reporting. Journal Of Pharmacovigilance, 02(04). doi: 10.4172/2329-

6887.1000135

References

Ruegg, R. (2018). The effect of peer and teacher feedback on changes in EFL students’
writing self-efficacy. The Language Learning Journal, 46(2), 87-102. Retrieved from
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09571736.2014.958190

School-based assessment requirements | NSW Education Standards. (2018). Retrieved from

http://educationstandards.nsw.edu.au/wps/portal/nesa/11-12/Understanding-the-
curriculum/assessment/assessment-changes/school-based-assessment-requirements

Snead, L. O., & Freiberg, H. J. (2017). Rethinking Student Teacher Feedback: Using a Self-
Assessment Resource With Student Teachers. Journal of Teacher Education,
0022487117734535.Retrived from
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0022487117734535

Snead, L., & Freiberg, H. (2017). Rethinking Student Teacher Feedback: Using a Self-
Assessment Resource With Student Teachers. Journal Of Teacher Education,
002248711773453. doi: 10.1177/0022487117734535. Retrieved from
http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0022487117734535

Teasdale, R., Viskupic, K., Bartley, J., McConnell, D., Manduca, C., & Bruckner, M. et al.
(2017). A multidimensional assessment of reformed teaching practice in geoscience
classrooms. Geosphere, 13(2), 608-627. doi: 10.1130/ges01479.1 Retrieved from
https://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article/13/2/608/208035/a-
multidimensional-assessment-of-reformed-teaching

Weurlander, M., Söderberg, M., Scheja, M., Hult, H., & Wernerson, A. (2012). Exploring
formative assessment as a tool for learning: students’ experiences of different
methods of formative assessment. Assessment & Evaluation In Higher
Education, 37(6), 747-760. doi: 10.1080/02602938.2011.572153
AL SOMARIA HIGH SCHOOL