Revised Nuffield Advanced Physics Examinations and Investigations

In the Nuffield Advanced Physics course, published by the Nuffield Foundation, the original authors were keenly aware of the need to design an end-of-course examination that was not only technically 'reliable' but was also 'valid', in that it tested the stated aims of the course. This book was written as a guide to the examination as it was in the 1980s, by which time it would have been amended in some respects in the light of feedback from teachers and the experience of examiners.

The Nuffield A-level examination used a variety of testing methods so that various ways of being 'good at physics' could be displayed by candidates. Accordingly, the examination had six distinct elements including an investigation. Each student had to carry out an independent investigation in each year of the course. The second investigation was assessed and contributed to the A-level. Each investigation lasted for two weeks.

Contents
Chapter 1: The principles

Chapter 2: The components of the A-level examination
*Paper 1: Coded answers
*Paper 2: Short answers
*Papers 3 and 4: Comprehension and long answers
*Paper 5: Practical problems
*The special paper
*The investigation

Chapter 3: Preparing for the examination

Chapter 4: An acceptable standard

Appendix