Using Specialist Terminology Effectively

Every A-Level mark scheme, across every subject and exam board, rewards the accurate use of specialist terminology. It appears explicitly in band descriptors — typically phrased as "accurate and appropriate use of specialist/technical terminology" in the upper bands and "limited or inaccurate use of terminology" in the lower bands.

Yet many students either ignore terminology (relying on everyday language when precise terms exist) or use it badly (dropping terms in without understanding them). Both approaches cost marks. This lesson covers how to use terminology as a tool for precision and how to build it into your exam writing naturally.

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Why Terminology Matters at A-Level

Specialist terminology matters for three interconnected reasons:

1. It demonstrates subject knowledge (AO1)

Using the correct technical term shows that you have learned and understood the concept it represents. When a Biology student writes "active transport" instead of "stuff moving against the concentration gradient," they signal that they know the precise mechanism and its defining features.

2. It enables analytical precision (AO2/AO3)