Recording, processing and presenting data
The CCEA written practical paper rewards clean, conventionally-formatted tables and graphs. Skipping the conventions is the most common cause of lost B1 marks.
Tables
- Independent variable in the left column (the one the experimenter changes).
- Dependent variable to the right (what is measured).
- Headings include both quantity AND unit, separated by a forward slash: "Time / s", "Temperature / °C".
- Values to the same number of decimal places within a column (matched to instrument resolution).
- Repeats and a calculated mean column at the right.
Choosing a graph
| Data type | Best graph |
|---|---|
| Two continuous variables (e.g. time vs temperature) | Line graph with a smooth best-fit line or curve |
| One categorical, one continuous (e.g. species vs count) | Bar chart with gaps between bars |
| Frequency of a continuous variable (e.g. heights) | Histogram with no gaps between bars |
| Parts of a whole | Pie chart |
Drawing a line graph
- Independent variable on the x-axis, dependent on the y-axis.
- Choose scales so the data fills more than half of each axis.
- Label both axes with quantity / unit.
- Plot points as small crosses (×) — accurate to within half a small square.
- Draw a smooth best-fit line (don't dot-to-dot).
- Add a title above the graph.
Spotting an anomaly
A point that lies clearly off the trend is an anomaly — circle it on the graph and ignore it when drawing the line of best fit. Mention it in the conclusion if asked.
CCEA tip
A "describe the trend" question awards two B1s — one for the overall direction (positive/negative correlation, increases then plateaus etc.) and one for a quantitative reference: "the rate doubles between 20 °C and 40 °C". Always quote a number from the graph.
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