4.07 Segment Exam

Reach out to your instructor about the Segment Exam. Great work! 

Facts about AICE Papers (Exams)

• Students must use blue or black ink- no pencils are permitted because-

• Students are recommended to show ALL of their work and thought process, so it is a good idea to get the candidates focusing on this early in the year for practice.

• Time management- Cambridge releases exam analysis every year and many of them explain that students simply run out of time on the exams.

• If the students miss the exam, there is no re-take.

Paper 2
The Critical Thinking exam has 5 questions, and they require students to evaluate the strength and bias of sources, identify the main conclusion and then onto weaknesses in arguments and argument elements, and there are two questions requiring their own opinion and explanation.

There are 2 parts to Paper 2: Section A and Section B

Section A

Section A consists of 2 questions. Candidates will be provided 3 to 6 sources to a specific argument. 

Question 1 has several parts and always revolves around RAVEN, the identification of biases and strengths and weaknesses of the provided sources.

Question 2 will be consistent for every Paper 2. You will be expected to compose your own argument using the evidence provided. You’ll be given a statement and will need to evaluate the evidence to write a short, reasoned argument to support your conclusion. 

Here’s an example of a Paper 2 Question 2:

‘The best time to water your plans is in the evening.’

To what extent do you agree with this claim? Write a short, reasoned argument to support your conclusion, using and evaluating the evidence provided. 

Section B
Section B consists of 3 questions. Candidates will be provided a single source with multiple paragraphs and all supporting a single argument.

Question 3 will always have the candidate identify the main conclusion of the argument as well as the intermediate arguments. There may be more than one. Then you will evaluate the elements of the argument including Key elements: – main conclusion – intermediate conclusion – reason – counter-assertion – counter-argument – example – evidence. 

Question 4 will have candidates move into the flaws of the argument. These include the flaws and weaknesses included in the AICE thinking course.

AICE Thinking Skills Flaws and Weaknesses 

• Circular Argument

• Equivocation

• Conflation

• Begging the Question

• Causal Flaw

• A Rash Generalization

• A Sweeping Generalisation

• REstriction of Options

• Slippery Slope Argument

• Straw Man Argument

• the Personal Attack

• the Counter-Attack

Sometimes Question 4 will also ask about appeals and analogies. 

Question 5 is the exam same on every exam. It will present a claim followed by the same statement.

Here’s an example of a Paper 2 Question 5

‘Everyone should make time in their life for exercise.’

Write your own short argument to support or challenge this claim. The conclusion of your argument must be stated. Credit will not be given for repeating ideas from the passage. 

This question wants the candidates to decide for themselves where they stand on the topic provided. Whether the candidate agrees or disagrees with the stated argument, they will need to make their argument clear as well as using the paragraphs provided on the exam to support their own argument. 

Command Words

Command words are the words and phrases used in exams and other assessment tasks that tell students how to answer a specific exam question or complete an assessment task. The definitions will help you understand what the words are asking you to do. Course-specific command words are also listed in the syllabus.