In SPA on Qualitative Analysis, the Aim in the experiment is to assess on your ability to:
–> Make observations and readings and record them in a suitable format.

With this in mind, most of the time, they will give you all kinds of unknown samples and ask you to carry out a series of tests and note down your observations. In the end, you will be prompted with more questions and eventually they will ask you to identify the unknown sample.

Question might go like this:

Description: “Sample M is a mixture of two salts, X and Y. Salt X is soluble in water. Salt Y is insoluble in water but dissolves in nitric acid.:

Procedure: “You are to separate the Sample M into X and Y. You are then to investigate the properties of X and Y by carrying out the tests below, recording your observations in a suitable format.

1 Place 3 spatulaful of Sample M in a test tube. Record the colour of Sample M. Half-fill the test tube with water and stir the tube with a glass rod for two minutes.

2 Pour the contents of the test tube into , etc………”

In your answers, the best is to “Records observations in a clear and suitable format with complete headings/statements.”

In this way, your teachers will not be able to take away marks/points from you. Remember that Statements you write must be Complete & Observations must be recorded in a clear format with headings/statements.

In Qualitative Analysis, observations should be indicated in a clear and acceptable manner:

i.e. Precipitates (acceptable) Vs. Chalky (not acceptable these days)

i.e. Effervescence is Preferred over Bubbles Seen, etc.

Hope the above Tips & Strategies on SPA is useful to you.

Hmm.. maybe i should publish a SPA-based Practical Workbook to accompany my upcoming Secret Notebook of Mole Concepts & other mini eBooks series on Chemistry?!? Let me know your thoughts. I love to hear from you. =)

Many students have been asking me on the things that need to take note when they are doing their SPA, and how not to loose marks to their teachers that have their “eagle eyes” on them.

School-based Science Practical Assessment (SPA) is a pretty new initiative by the Singapore’s Ministry of Education (MOE) to test the students on their ability to follow procedures correctly when carrying out an experiment to test for a certain theory or concepts.

Since this is the 1st time that we are discussing on this topic on SPA, how about we take a look at the requirements & weightage of this SPA section/paper. Information below are derived directly from the Singapore Examination & Assessment Board (SEAB) website which governs the syllabus and examination standards.

School-based Science Practical Assessment (SPA):
Paper 3 (96 marks)
The School-based Science Practical Assessment (SPA) will be conducted to assess appropriate aspects of objectives C1 to C6. SPA will take place over an appropriate period that the candidates are offering the subject. The assessment of science practical skills is grouped into 3 skill sets:
* Skill set 1 – Implementing
* Skill set 2 – Analysing
* Skill set 3 – Planning
Each candidate is to be assessed only twice for each of skill sets 1 and 2 and only once for skill set 3.

Weighting and Marks Computation of the 3 Skill Sets:
The overall level of performance of each skill set (skill sets 1, 2 and 3) is the sum total of the level
of performance of each strand within the skill set.
The weighting and marks computation of the skill sets are as follows:

Hope you have a better idea of how the SPA is being assessed.