Criterion A: Choice of the topic and research question is well-justified through its global or personal relevance

Comment: To improve, the student could have included a short explanation of why they chose the topic of investigation: a personal anecdote relating to the topic, an interest in a particular field of chemistry or examples of the global applications of the topic

Criterion A: Student shows personal input and strong initiative in designing and conducting the study

Comment: The student shows evidence of conducting and understanding the research on the topic: a correct and factually justified hypothesis is present. The student includes a diagram of their experimental setup, showing initiative in clearly showcasing their involvement in conducting the study

Criterion A: Student shows personal input and strong initiative in designing and conducting the study

Comment: The student shows evidence of conducting and understanding the research on the topic: a correct and factually justified hypothesis is present. The student includes a diagram of their experimental setup, showing initiative in clearly showcasing their involvement in conducting the study

Criterion B: A focused and detailed description of the main topic is present

Comment: The student states in the title of the investigation that the aim is to determine whether H+ ions in HCl act as a catalyst in the reaction between hydrochloric acid and sodium thiosulfate

Criterion B: A focused and detailed description of the research question is present

Comment: The research question should be rewritten to include more details, e.g. "What is the effect of hydrochloric acid (HCl) concentrations (0.5, 0.3, 0.1 moldm^-3) on the rate of the reaction between HCl and Na2S2O3, measured by the time taken for the solution to become opaque?"

Criterion B: The student provides background information that is relevant and focused

Comment: The section should be expanded to include more informationabout collision theory, how catalysts work, and how reactants or products can become catalysts for their reactions

Criterion B: The chemistry is explained well enough for the reader to fully and easily understand it without the need of rereading

Comment: The student could include more detail about how the activation energy of this reaction might be measured. They could also describe in what way the H+ ions could act as catalysts

Criterion B: The methodology is focused on answering the research question

Comment: The student correctly identifies the independent (temperature, concentration of HCl) and dependent (time taken for the solution to become more opaque) variables to pursue the research question

Criterion B: The methodology is focused on answering the research question

Comment: The student correctly identifies the independent (temperature, concentration of HCl) and dependent (time taken for the solution to become more opaque) variables to pursue the research question

Criterion B: The methodology includes appropriate steps to assure the relevancy and validity of the obtained results

Comment: The student correctly lists the variables that have to be controlled or maintained constant for the results to be valid and explains the method of controlling them

Criterion B: The methodology includes appropriate steps to assure the relevancy and validity of the obtained results

Comment: The student correctly lists the variables that have to be controlled or maintained constant for the results to be valid and explains the method of controlling them

Criterion B: The student shows full awareness of safety hazards that can arise during the experiment

Criterion B: The student shows full awareness of ethical concerns that can arise during the experiment

Comment: The safety section should be expanded to include a statement that since to living organisms were used, no ethical concerns were taken into account

Criterion B: The student shows full awareness of environmental issues that can arise during the experiment

Comment: The safety section should be expanded to include the environmental hazards that the reactants and products could cause. The disposal after the experiment should also be described (presumably, the products were poured down the sink)

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