Understanding Paper 6 Marking for IGCSE Physics

Paper 6 tests practical skills through written questions. Understanding how marks are allocated helps you earn more of them.

Mark breakdown

Paper 6 is worth 40 marks. The marks are distributed across these skills:

• Making and recording observations/measurements: about 12 to 16 marks
• Presenting observations and data: about 6 to 10 marks (includes tables and graphs)
• Analysis and evaluation: about 12 to 16 marks

How measurement marks are awarded

You earn marks for:

• Recording a value to the correct precision (e.g., 23.5 cm, not 24 cm)
• Using consistent decimal places in a column of data
• Recording the correct unit in the column heading
• Getting a value within the expected range (based on the experiment’s expected outcome)

How table marks are awarded

• Correct column headings with quantity and unit (e.g., “Mass / g” or “Mass (g)”)
• Values recorded to consistent precision
• Calculated columns have the correct number of significant figures
• No blank cells

How graph marks are awarded

• Axes labelled with quantity and unit
• Scale uses more than half the grid area
• Points plotted accurately (within half a small square)
• Best-fit line is smooth (not dot-to-dot) and passes through the general trend
• Anomalous points are identified (circled, not included in the line)

How analysis marks are awarded

• Correct gradient calculation (using two widely spaced points on the line, not data points)
• Correct reading from the graph (interpolation)
• Correct conclusion stated and supported by the data

Top tips

1. Always bring a sharp pencil and a ruler.
2. Draw graphs large (filling most of the grid).
3. When calculating the gradient, show your working: the two points you used, the rise, the run, and the final value with units.
4. Practise at least 6 Paper 6 past papers before the exam.