As students gear up for the Primary School Leaving Examination (PSLE), the Science subject often presents unique challenges. Many questions require not only factual knowledge but also critical thinking and reasoning skills. An effective way to tackle these questions is through the CER approach, which stands for Claim, Evidence, and Reason. This structured method allows students to organize their thoughts and deliver clear, coherent answers, which can lead to improved performance.
In this blog post, we will dive into the CER method, illustrating how students can use it to answer Science questions in the PSLE effectively. By doing so, they will enhance their understanding and application of scientific concepts.
What is the CER Approach?
The CER approach is a method for constructing responses that helps students express their understanding clearly and logically.
Claim: A statement directly answering the question. It should be simple and to the point, showing comprehension of the topic.
Evidence: Concrete data or examples supporting the claim. This can stem from experiments, observations, or established scientific principles, such as statistics or verified facts.
Reason: The process of linking evidence back to the claim. This is where students explain why their evidence supports their answer, showcasing their critical thinking skills and reinforcing their scientific knowledge.
Following this three-part structure can help students enhance their analytical capabilities and craft well-supported responses.
Implementing the CER Approach
Let us apply the CER Answering Technique to the example question below:
Example Question Jane set up an experiment as shown below.  Explain what happens to the number of bubbles produced by the water plant when the lamp is moved nearer to the plant? [2]
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We can structure our answer using the CER Answering technique.
Claim: The amount of gas increases.
Evidence: [observation] The lamp is moved nearer to the plant
[infer] so the plant has more light.
Reason: [key concept] The plant has a faster rate of photosynthesis and produce more oxygen bubbles.
Notice that the question has two parts:
1st part: What happens to the number of bubbles produced by the water plant when the lamp is moved nearer to the plant?
2nd part: Explain.
Claim: Most children will not have an issue with the claim. However, some children may forget to write the claim and just write down the explanations without giving a claim. This will be a pity because no marks will be awarded without a claim, even if the explanation is correct.
Evidence: Writing Evidences involves inferring from the observations. In this example, the observation would be that the lamp is moved nearer to the plant as stated in the question. The child needs to infer that the plant has more light, or a greater intensity of light. This inference is important as the amount of light is a factor affecting the rate of photosynthesis.
Reason:
Providing a Reason is important to link the Evidence [more light] to the Claim [more bubbles are produced]. Note that the child will need to know the science concept that this question is testing on, which is on photosynthesis. The child will need to know that increasing the amount of light will increase the rate of photosynthesis, thus producing oxygen bubbles.
Wrapping It Up
The CER approach is a powerful tool for improving students' ability to express their scientific understanding in PSLE exams. By breaking down their responses into claims, evidence, and reasoning, students can create clearer, more impactful answers while developing valuable critical thinking skills.
As students prepare for the PSLE, embracing the CER method will enable them to tackle science questions with clarity and confidence, paving the way for success not only on exam day but also in their future scientific pursuits.
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