Biology subject report · May 2018

May 2018 extended essay reports Page 1 Biology Overall grade boundaries Grade: E D C B A Mark range: 0-6 7-13 14-20 21-26 27-34 The range and suitability of the work submitted In this session examiners report that essays were submitted across a wide range of biological topics. Th ese included microbiological studies, plant germination and growth, ecological studies, studies relating to human health and physiology, as well as studies based on specific diseases, biochemical topics and topics related to genetics. The vast majority of essays were based on a suitably biological topic. In some exceptional cases the topic could have been suitable but was not given a biological treatment. This resulted in a poor performance against the criteria. Studies involving human subjects were carried out appropriately for the most part with candidates paying careful attention to the ethical requirements including the requirement for informed consent. The biggest difficulty here is that these essays are often based on very small sample sizes with the r esult that statistical analysis becomes inappropriate. Essays based on the antibacterial effects of various oils and extracts were in abundance and most were done carefully. However , a significant number failed to follow the instructions in the guide regar ding incubation temperature and the need to safeguard against exposure to pathogens. The vast majority of essays were based at least in part on some kind of practical investigation involving data collection either through experimentation, interview or surv ey. A small number of library based essays based on published data or using online databases were also submitted. Candidate performance against each criterion Criterion A: Focus and method. Topics were suitably biology in most cases and candidates were ab le to generate research