Focusing on paper 1
Marjorie Henry, Contributor

In today's lesson, I will be focusing on paper 01. I trust that you are aware that at the general proficiency level, the assessment comprises three papers: paper 01, paper 02 and paper 03.

At the start of this series of lessons in September 2008, I spent some time discussing aspects of paper 03, the school-based assessment, which is a field study report. Incidentally, by now this should have been completed and, better yet, submitted to your teacher for marking and processing. There is a deadline by which this is to reach the examination office.

Following on this, I discussed sections of Paper 02. This paper is commonly referred to as the essay paper and is made up of four sections: A, B, C and D. These sections, of course, correspond with the syllabus.

Section A comprises one compulsory map-reading question

Section B assesses natural systems

Section C assesses human systems

Section D assesses human-environment systems.

Sections A and D were highlighted in the earlier lessons.

Paper 01 is the multiple-choice paper consisting of 60 items drawn from all areas of the syllabus as indicated above. I would like to take some time to share with you the structure of the multiple-choice items. This could prove useful to you as you go through this paper. Each item has four components. These are:

• the STEM - this can take different forms
• the OPTIONS - these are the alternatives or a set of suggested answers
• the KEY - the ONE correct answer
• the DISTRACTORS - the incorrect options.

Here is a multiple-choice item which I will use to identify the different components:

What is the time at 60¡ W Longitude if the time at Greenwich (0¡ Longitude) is 8 a.m.?

A) midnight

B) noon

C) 4 a.m.

D) 4 p.m.

The STEM is in the form of a question.
The OPTIONS are A, B, C and D.
The KEY is C, the ONE correct answer.
The DISTRACTORS are A, B and D.

Let me share with you something more about the different forms that the STEM can take by referring to other examples of multiple-choice items.

Example 1

Soil creep is a mass-wasting process, which most likely occurs on hill slopes that are

A) dry and gentle

B) wet and gently sloping

C) steep and dry

D) bare of vegetation

In this item, the stem is a statement that has to be completed by one of the options given.

Example 2

What measures are taken by Caribbean governments to encourage peasant farming?

I. Providing more land to small farmers for food production.

II. Providing loans for purchasing fertilisers and machinery.

III. Encouraging food processing to supply the local and regional markets.

IV. Training more extension officers and providing demonstration centres.

A) I and II only

B) III and IV only

C) II, III and IV only

D) All of the above

In this example, several statements have been given from which a selection must be made of what is true about a particular topic. You would have observed I hope, from the examples given, that there are only FOUR options. This is the same in the examinations.

Expect some stimulus material on paper 01. These include maps, tables, diagrams, charts and graphs, quite similar to what obtains for Paper 02. Naturally, the questions asked would be based on the stimulus material given. It becomes necessary then, to study it carefully to find the correct answer.

In the next lesson, I will endeavour to give you some items to work through.

Trudy Williams (front, right) presents the trophy for the champion girls' school to Racquel Farquharson (front left), the captain of the St Elizabeth Technical High School (STETHS) team, after her team emerged the top girls' school at last Saturday's Milo Western Athletics Championship on her school grounds, in Santa Cruz. - Photo by Adrian Frater