Applied Science: analytical techniques in chemistry unpacked
16 September 2026
Amy Brewer, Science Subject Advisor
As your Year 13 students begin or continue their first optional NEA unit of the Cambridge Advanced National in Applied Science, it’s a great time to think about how to help them achieve their best results.
Unit F183, Analytical techniques in chemistry, gives students the opportunity to develop practical and investigative skills while producing coursework that meets the assessment requirements.
In this blog, I’ll share practical tips for planning lessons, preparing students for the assignments and getting ready for moderation with confidence.
Planning for delivery
Making the most of Cambridge OCR resources
The best place to start is Teach Cambridge. Our extensive and detailed scheme of work for F183, along with a few teaching resources, is a great place to begin. There are so many ideas about ways to deliver the specification content, but our Subject knowledge support sections at the end of topics are very useful for non-specialists and early-career teachers.
A key column is Student independent learning. Some teachers have told us that they don’t have the recommended 11-12 hours per fortnight, and so making the most of time outside of lessons to flip learning or reinforce key concepts will be very important for some of you.
Our practical skills booklet for F183 includes materials for teachers, technicians and students for covering a range of suggested practical activities and different skills. Always remember to use the specification to make sure the breadth of techniques are covered. While the list in the specification is intended to provide a good variety of experiences, teachers can save time by practicing with a small number of reagents and providing the expected outcomes for others. For example, there are a long list of anions and cations to test for, but many of these are covered in GCSE Chemistry and their results can easily be researched for a homework task.
Another key resource is ExamBuilder. If you’re a large centre, you’re likely to have students with a variety of chemistry experience from different feeder schools, particularly when it comes to practical competency. You could use ExamBuilder to build quick baseline assessments to see what your students already know and where to focus attention in lesson time. You can draw from questions across GCSE, Cambridge Technicals and Cambridge Advanced Nationals. You can also use it to find questions to reinforce subject understanding in homework time.
High on your list before teaching should be the candidate style work, moderators’ reports, and the live set assignments, all available only to teachers through Teach Cambridge. Look out for the common issues students have with accessing command words, expectations around level of detail in responses and how to maximise marks.
And join us at our professional development events online, especially Ask the Moderator and Enhancing your Teaching: Supporting you to deliver investigative skills. Our teacher networks are also a great way to swap ideas and get support.
Other useful resources
Zigzag Education’s endorsed Course Companion for Unit F183 is available and covers the unit in full, providing a glossary of key terms and worked examples. CLEAPSS remains the best place for support with risk assessment, hazard cards, and preparation guidance for technicians. Their student safety sheets are perfect for risk assessment tasks.
The Royal Society of Chemistry’s resources are a must for those of you teaching outside of your specialism or looking for ways to bring lessons alive. For example, this analytical chemistry resource is aimed at students in Ireland but has great ideas for everyone to use, along with this collection of materials. We also highly recommend their professional development courses.
If you have a university chemistry department close by, you might be able to arrange a visit to show students the sophisticated techniques listed in the specification in real life, or perhaps someone could visit your school or college. STEM Learning’s Ambassadors can enrich your lessons with data, graphs or practical work, while giving students insights into their careers and education journeys.
Preparing students for the assignment
Although the first moderators’ report is focused on F182 rather than F183, many of the lessons learned apply equally well here. The most successful students are usually those who have practised the skills and approaches before they start the assessment.
Help students plan before they test
Students often want to carry out every test available. Encourage them to think carefully about which tests are needed and in what order. Using decision trees during teaching can help students develop a logical approach and select appropriate tests rather than unnecessary ones.
Practise writing assessment-style responses
Use the sample assessment material (SAM) regularly throughout the course. Peer assessment and class discussion of responses can help students understand command words and what different marking criteria actually require.
Develop good organisation habits
Students should complete the assignment in a single document and in task order. Adding page numbers from the start makes it much easier for both teachers and moderators to track evidence and awarded marks. Students should also become confident with referencing before the assessment begins. Encourage them to use the same referencing method consistently throughout the course, including when using class notes.
Build practical confidence early
Several aspects of the assignment benefit from practice during teaching:
- writing detailed risk assessments
- distinguishing between hazards and risks
- photographing and annotating qualitative test results
- recording observations appropriately
- presenting data using correct units and significant figures/decimal places.
The more familiar these skills are before the assignment starts, the more students can focus on applying them independently.
Focus on the level of detail needed
Students often underestimate how much detail is required when planning methods. They should specify:
- all equipment needed
- quantities and concentrations of reagents
- sizes of apparatus where relevant
- enough detail for another person to follow the method successfully.
Activities that highlight the importance of precise instructions can help students understand the expected standard.
Strengthen mathematical and analytical skills
Students need to be confident in calculations, including uncertainty calculations, and should be able to show all stages of their working. Our mathematical skills handbook can help. Regular opportunities to practise these skills throughout lessons will help them access criteria during the assignment.
FAQs and reminders
Do students have to finish within the guided learning hours?
No. The guided learning hours are intended to support planning. Students can be given additional time if needed and centres do not need approval from Cambridge OCR to do this.
Do centres need access to every analytical technique in the specification?
No. Techniques such as HPLC and mass spectrometry are included so students understand their purpose and application. Students do not need hands-on access to every technique listed in the specification.
Are the assessments carried out under exam conditions?
No. The assessment must be completed under supervision, but students can still refer to their notes and research materials throughout the assignment.
Can teachers help students if they get stuck?
Yes. The compensation model allows teachers to intervene when necessary so students can continue with the assignment. Any support provided should be recorded clearly and reflected in assessment decisions.
What should teachers check before practical work begins?
Review each student’s proposed methods and risk assessment before practical work starts. Make sure:
- requested equipment is available
- procedures are safe
- students can carry out the work independently.
Building time into the schedule for these checks can prevent problems later.
What evidence do moderators need to see?
Make moderation as straightforward as possible by:
- annotating work clearly
- identifying where criteria have been met
- recording awarded, not awarded and not attempted criteria
What if students cannot complete repeats?
Repeats should always be carried out where possible, as this reflects good scientific practice. However, if circumstances, such as absence, prevent this, students may still be able to demonstrate their understanding through evaluation and discussion of limitations and improvements.
Does a student need to identify the organic compound correctly to achieve D1?
No. Students need to justify their conclusion using the evidence they have collected and analysed. A well-reasoned conclusion based on the available data can still meet the criterion, even if the final identification is not correct.
Stay connected
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About the author
Amy joined Cambridge OCR in May 2022 and is a subject advisor for GCSE Sciences and Applied Science. Before that, Amy taught chemistry to 11-18 year olds for 16 years and was responsible for planning her school’s science schemes of learning. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, Amy mentored PGCE students, was responsible for the progress of KS5 science students, and is committed to improving diversity and inclusion in the sciences.
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