Year 10 Science · Unit 1 · Lesson 18

Investigating Genetics and Evolution

Foundation Worksheet

Name

Date

Class

Learning Goals

Rank different source types by reliability for secondary source investigations in science.
Describe the features of a high-quality scientific source versus a low-quality one.
Identify key terms related to secondary source investigation design.

Warm Up

Match each source type to its reliability ranking and description

Draw a line connecting each source type on the left to its correct description on the right. Or write the matching letter next to each term.

Source type	Your answer	Description / reliability level
Peer-reviewed journal article		A. Published reports by government bodies such as AIHW or CSIRO, credible but may have policy bias; good for Australian health or environmental data.
Systematic review / meta-analysis		B. Checked by other scientists before publication; original data; highest reliability for scientific claims.
Government or health body report		C. Combines results from multiple studies statistically; considered the strongest evidence in medicine and epidemiology.
News article		D. Anyone can edit; no peer review; useful for basic overview only, never cite as evidence in an investigation.
Wikipedia		E. May summarise research accurately but can oversimplify or sensationalise; always trace back to the original study.

Your Turn

Fill the gap

Choose the correct word from the word bank to complete each sentence.

secondary source CER framework trend peer-reviewed mean primary source bias antibiotic resistance

A investigation involves collecting original data yourself, for example, growing bacteria cultures to measure mutation rates. A investigation analyses data that others have already collected and published. When evaluating sources, always check if the research has been , meaning it was assessed by other scientists before publication. The (Claim–Evidence–Reasoning) framework helps structure scientific arguments when analysing data. When looking at a table of mutation rates over many generations, you might calculate the (average) and describe the (general direction of change). Surveillance data for in Australia is published in the AURA report. A source can have if it is funded by a company that benefits from a particular result.

Show What You Know

1. Why is a peer-reviewed journal article considered more reliable than a news article reporting the same scientific finding?

Recall 2 marks

2. You are designing a secondary source investigation on antibiotic resistance in Australia. Name two specific data sources you would use and explain why each is appropriate.

Recall 2 marks

Wrap Up

In one sentence, what was the main idea of this lesson?