Clarification on Task 1b
Task 1b requires students to test the
purity of aspirin only. Students do not need to synthesise or purify aspirin, and they should not be asked to report on any synthesis or purification process.
The previous version of the Pearson-set assignment brief included wording on page 8 that may have caused confusion. In particular, a reference to purification work could be read as a requirement. This was not the intention, and the brief has now been updated to make this clearer.
What students need to do is provide a report of practical work that focuses on testing the purity of aspirin, including results from thin layer chromatography and melting point determination, along with the associated calculations. The assessment criteria themselves have not changed and should focus on purity testing only.
What if students have already completed the task?
If students have already completed this activity,
there is no need for them to resubmit work as the relevant criteria can still be met.
Updates to centre standardisation materials
References to purification were removed from the centre standardisation materials in October. We are aware that some wording in the commentary could still be read as unclear, and this has now been corrected.
We’re here to help
If you have any questions about the requirements for this task, you can contact us via the
Pearson support portal.
Kind regards
Becky Thorn
Advanced Specialist, Product Management
Applied Science and Sustainability
