SUBJECT GUIDE
SCIENCE

ICAS SCIENCE ASSESSES THE CAPABILITY

OF STUDENTS TO APPLY THEIR SCIENTIFIC

KNOWLEDGE TO GIVEN CONTEXTS

SKILL AREAS

Students are assessed across the key scientific areas of:

  • Observing and measuring: Noting and measuring features of items and phenomena
  • Interpreting data: Interpreting diagrams, tables and graphs
  • Applying data: Including inferring, predicting and concluding
  • Investigating: Experimental design, use of controls and notion of ‘fair test’
  • Higher-order skills: Including reasoning and problem-solving.

CONTENT

ICAS Science does not test knowledge of science although the questions may assume some knowledge appropriate to the students’ age. All the information that the students need to respond to the question is provided in the stimulus.

The papers cover content on:

  • Earth and Beyond (incorporating the Earth Sciences and Astronomy)
  • Energy and Change (incorporating Physics)
  • ƒLife and Living (incorporating Biology and Ecology)
  • Natural and Processed Materials (incorporating Chemistry).

ASSESSMENT STRUCTURE

CLASS QUESTION BREAKDOWN DURATION
2 to 4 30 multiple choice 45 minutes
5 & 6 35 multiple choice 55 minutes
7 to 12 40 multiple choice 1 hour

 

LEARN MORE

  1. Ask for an appointment at your school
  2. Download the comprehensive ICAS Science Assessment Framework
  3. View sample assessments
  4. Watch introductory videos

HOW IS ICAS DIFFERENT?

ICAS is developed annually by a team of highly experienced assessment developers and psychometricians, with rigorous reviews at each stage of construction. Subject matter experts develop new ICAS questions each year, drawing on their in-depth understanding of the way students learn. All ICAS assessments are reviewed by experienced teachers to ensure that they accurately assess students’ skills and are relevant to what they are learning at school.

This ensures that ICAS is:

  • Valid
  • Consistent from one assessment cycle to the next
  • Appropriately targeted for the students being assessed
  • ƒObjective and reliable
  • Fair (effect of gender, language background, cultural background is minimised through sensitivity reviews and statistical analyses)
  • Constructed using appropriate examples and authentic contexts
  • ƒRepresented in a visually appealing way to capture student attention and interest
  • ƒUnderpinned by methodologies from psychometric measurement theory
“From a diagnostic perspective, because ICAS Science targets skills in interpreting data, observing, predicting, investigating, reasoning and problem-solving rather than knowledge of content, we can identify gifted students who perhaps require more motivation to study. Where our whole cohort shows a relative internal weakness in one of these areas, we can develop resources to improve performance in that area.”
Steve Smith
Head Science Teacher
Merewether High School, Australia

SKILLS ASSESSED

ENGLISH
  • Reading for meaning in factual texts
  • Reading for meaning in literary texts
  • Syntax
  • Textual devices
  • Vocabulary
MATHEMATICS
  • Algebra and patterns
  • ƒChance and data
  • Measures and units
  • Textual devices
  • Number and arithmetic
  • Space and geometry
SCIENCE
  • Observing and measuring
  • Interpreting data
  • Measures and units
  • Applying data
  • Investigating
  • ƒReasoning and problem-solving
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
  • Common operating systems and hardware
  • Graphics and multimedia
  • Internet and email
  • Programming and scripting
  • ƒSpreadsheets and databases
  • Word processing

 

Springer
ICAS is a product of UNSW Global Pty Limited, a world leader in the provision of education, assessment and expertise services and a wholly owned enterprise of UNSW Australia. UNSW Global Pty Limited ABN 62 086 418 582. ICAS is distributed exclusively in [Country] by Macmillan Education [Country].