A concept that appears in several sciences is still assessed against the syllabus for your own code. Use the scope-check table below for each shared concept, so that you study the depth and wording your qualification asks for, not the most detailed version you can find.
This page does not list syllabus content. It gives you a method and an example, because the content lists belong on the Cambridge pages and can change between exam years.
Which code am I studying?
Write your code at the start of your notes before you start.
| Qualification | Code | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Biology | 0610 | A separate science |
| Chemistry | 0620 | A separate science |
| Physics | 0625 | A separate science |
| Combined Science | 0653 | A single-award course covering the three sciences |
| Co-ordinated Sciences | 0654 | A double-award course covering the three sciences |
If you are unsure, ask your exam officer, then confirm on the Cambridge pages for Combined Science or Co-ordinated Sciences, or the separate science hubs for biology, chemistry and physics. Use the syllabus and exam-year navigator to line up code and year.
The scope-check template
Fill one row for each concept you meet in more than one place.
| Concept | Where I met it (subject, page) | My code | Is it in my syllabus content list? | Depth and wording my syllabus uses | Extra detail to ignore for now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
The two columns that matter most are “in my syllabus content list” and “depth and wording”. If you cannot fill them, open the syllabus, not another textbook.
Shared concepts worth checking
These ideas commonly turn up in more than one science. Each needs a scope check against your own code.
| Shared concept | Where it may appear | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Particle model of matter | Chemistry, Physics | Whether your syllabus expects only the model, or also its use in explaining pressure or rates |
| Energy transfer and efficiency | Physics, Chemistry, Biology | Which calculations are expected, and in which context |
| Diffusion | Biology, Chemistry | Whether it is described in terms of cells, gases or both |
| Units, rounding and significant figures | All | Whether to show units in every line and how many significant figures |
| Variables and fair tests | All | How “control” and “dependent variable” are worded |
| Graph reading | All | Whether gradients and areas are expected, or only trends |
The table lists prompts, not syllabus facts. The “what to check” column is the real content.
Filled example: diffusion
A student entered for Combined Science finds diffusion in a biology textbook (movement of molecules across a cell membrane) and in a chemistry textbook (spreading of gas particles).
| Field | Student’s entry |
|---|---|
| Concept | Diffusion |
| Where I met it | Biology book p. 34; chemistry book p. 12 |
| My code | 0653 |
| In my syllabus content list? | Yes, under the content section for the course; checked on the Cambridge syllabus for my exam year |
| Depth and wording | Uses the term “diffusion” and links it to particle movement; does not ask for a detailed membrane-transport model |
| Extra detail to ignore for now | Membrane protein transport in the biology textbook |
The student’s conclusion: the chemistry explanation is enough for the particle idea, and the biology page is useful for the cell example but not beyond what the content list says. The wording in the row comes from the student’s own reading of the syllabus; the syllabus for your exam year may differ, so check it yourself.
How to keep scopes separate
- Write the code and year at the start of every set of notes.
- Highlight only syllabus-listed content. Lightly pencil extra detail.
- Tag practice questions with the code they came from, because a question from a separate-science paper may not suit a combined course.
- Keep one shared notes page per concept and link it from each subject’s section.
- Ask when two sources disagree. The syllabus decides.
For source-quality checks use the source-checking sheet, and find more sheets on the resources page.
Sorting scope is one of the quickest things a teacher can do in a first lesson with you. See how it could work in online one-to-one tuition.