The National Primary School Exam (UPSR) is just around the corner.

For most students, these are the "critical times" that they need
to utilize properly in hope of getting a good result. But, as we all know, the national exams' contents is from a three-year study (Year
4, 5 and 6). It may prove to be a difficult situation to some students, especially those who has low memorization. However,
memorization can be improved. According to this article, memorization can be improved and after I make a quick view of the
contents, it uses techniques that are really simple and manageable, most importantly, fun for any youngsters. Still, memorization on
Science facts only improves the ability the answer Section A of the National Primary School Exam for Science. For Section B
though, it requires technical skills. There are three essential technical skills that are needed to answer Section B questions which
are interpreting the questions, choosing the best and suitable answer script and time-managing skill.
Before I explain further, let me show you an example of a typical Section B question that being used for the National Primary School
Exam.

National Primary School Exam for Science Section B (2010). Question No. 2

Interpreting the questions is actually the first phase and the most important technique of which student must do before engaging the
sub-questions. Interpreting the question is actually requires you to accomplish three things.
1. Have a general idea of the science concept that is being "talk" in this question.
2. Identifying the variables required which are the manipulated variable (or independent variable), responding variable (or
dependent variable) and fixed variable (or static variable).
3. Identifying the key questions asked based on the keyword used on the sub-questions.
Based on the example above, the science concept that is being tested here is measuring mass of an object by means of measuring
the volume of water displaced when the object is immersed into a volume of liquid. also known as the "Archimedes Principle".
Clearly, the table in the question mentioned two kinds of objects, which are marbles and water. In Science, the element of a variable
requires you to mention two things, the parameter and the object. According to Wikipedia.org, parameter is a term that is used
to "identify a characteristic, a feature, a measurable factor that can help defining a particular system". For this question, the
manipulated variable (or independent variable) is the "number" (parameter) of "marbles" (object) while the responding variable (or
dependent variable) is the "volume" (parameter) of "water in measuring cylinder" (object). The fixed variable (or static variable) for
this question would be the "size" (parameter) of "marbles"(object).
Then, identifying the key question will be the next step as this will help you to determine what type of answer script is needed to
answer these questions. The keyword, or we refer it directly the key question itself for 2a is "purpose", 2b(i) is "constant variable",
2b(ii) is "responding variable" and 2c is "conclusion".

Now, we will proceed to the next step, that is choosing the best and suitable answer script. Based on the key questions that have
been identified, this will ease us on providing the answer. The only restriction the students will face is to remember which script goes
to which key question. Below, I have provided the list of key questions and its answer script. But, not all key question has an answer
script because some key question requires some mathematical operation and logical reasoning based on science facts.
Key Question: Purpose
Answer Script: To investigate the relationship between the (manipulated variable) and the (responding variable).
Key Question: Relationship (or Hypotheses)
Answer Script: If the (manipulated variable)(trend pattern), then the (responding variable)(trend pattern)

Key Question: Conclusion

Answer Script (1): When the (manipulated variable)(trend pattern), so will the(responding variable)(trend pattern)
Answer Script (2): The (trend pattern) the (manipulated variable), the (trend pattern)the (responding variable).
Answer Script (3): -make a general statement when one of the variables have no trend pattern-

Key Question: Observation

Basically, to answer this question, you need to make statement based on the result of the question given. It can be either in three
types.
Answer Script (1): The (responding variable)(trend pattern)
Answer Script (2): The (responding variable) of (object B) is much (adjective) than the(responding variable) of (object A) - when
there are two objects of the same kind.
For instance, the brightness of bulb in the parallel circuit is much brighter than the brightness of bulb in the serial circuit.

Key Question: Inference

Answer Script: (Observation) because (Science fact)
For example: The brightness of bulb in the parallel circuit is much brighter than the brightness of bulb in the serial
circuit because the parallel circuit has less electrical resistance than the serial circuit.

Key Question: Variables (also Information)

Basically, just rewrite the variable requested.

Key Question: Trend Pattern (also known as changing trend and changing pole)
Answer Script: Increases / Decreases / Static or No changes

Key Question: Predict

Basically, you need to do some logical reasoning or mathematical operation to answer the question.

Based on the question above, these are the answers for:

2(a) - To investigate the relationship between the number of marbles and the volume of water in the measuring cylinder.
2(b)i - Size of marbles
2(b)ii - Volume of water in the measuring cylinder
2(c) - When the number of marbles increases, so will the volume of water in the measuring cylinder increases.

Finally, time management is the key to success in answering all the questions in Section B. No matter how good you are in providing
the answer, if you don't answer within the required time, no marks nor even extra time will be given. A good time division is required
to get the best of Section B. For each main question, spend a maximum of 10 minutes per main question. My suggestion is give at
least 4 to 5 minutes or less to do Step 1, that is interpreting the question and identifying the variables. Step 2 and 3 is a process that
is done together. Spend about 3 - 4 minutes to answer the sub-question. Remember, try to allocate 40 minutes or so to answer all
the questions in Section B.
Hope this guide will serve nicely to our youngsters who will be sitting their National Primary School Exam this September.

First of all we need to do is to really understand the question (what it really want). We have to know the KEY
WORD. So remember, QUESTIONING = KEY WORD (kata kunci) Now we need to determain all information

below: what to change / WTC (manipulated variable) what to observe/ measure/ WTO(responding variable)
what to keep the same / WTS (constant variable) With all information gathered above, we need to know: the
aim the purpose what to find out and investigate the relationship between (WTC) and (WTO) Lets we learn
more on the RELATIONSHIP, how we are going to answer the questions: The more/ The lesser WTC, the
more/ the lesser WTO. If WTC increase/ decrease, WTO increase/ decrease. TREND: increase; decrease;
constant; Increase and decrease; Decrease, increrase and decrease. We come down to HYPOTHESIS section,
predict what will happen. Make a CONCLUSION base on your: OBSERVATION - what can you say Another
OBSERVATION Inference And lastly give reason Example: A student carries out an investigation to find out
the time taken to dry a piece of cloth which has been folded. The table below shows result of his investigation.
Number of times the cloth being folded Time taken to dry the cloth / minutes 1 45 2 75 3 100 4 120 what is
changed Number of times the cloth being folded what is observed Time taken to dry the cloth What is kept the
same Type of cloth / Size of cloth before experiment What is the aim of the investigation? To investigate the
relationship between the number of times the cloth being folded and the time taken to dry the cloth. What is the
relationship between the number of times the cloth being folded and the time taken to dry the cloth The more
the number of times the cloth being folded, the more the time taken to dry the cloth. What is the trend of
change of the time taken to dry the clothes? Increase Predict the time taken to dry the clothes if the number of
times the cloth being folded is 5 135 minutes Write a hypotheses for the investigation above. The more the
number of times the cloth being folded, the more the time taken to dry the cloth. What can you conclude from
the investigation above. THE TIME TAKEN TO DRY THE CLOTH INCREASE AS THE NUMBER OF TIMES
THE CLOTH BEING FOLDED INCREASE What can you say about the time taken to dry the cloth when the
number of times the cloth being folded is 4? 120 minutes The most / the longest time taken to dry Write an
inference for your answer in (h). It takes time to evaporates. It evaporates the slowest. It is the thickest.