Applied Science Revision — OCN London Vocationally-Related Qualification
Complete OCN London Vocationally-Related Qualification Applied Science specification revision resources. Tailored syllabus coverage with topic breakdowns, quizzes, and practice questions.
Specification Topics
- Causes of Disease and Maintaining Health
- Action Planning for Own Development
- Applications of Chemical Substances
- Collaborative Working Using Digital Technology
- Digital Content Creation – Audio and Video
- Forensic Detection
- Creating and Publishing Websites
- Global Warming and Climate Change
- Digital Content Creation – Text and Image
- Databases
- Electronics in Action
- Health and Safety in a Science Laboratory
- Improving Personal Productivity
- Environmental Issues
- Essay Writing
- Introduction to Programming
- Introduction to Study Skills
- Ethical and Political Issues Relating to Land-Based Activities
- Effective Communication in the Workplace
- Effective Learning in Applied Sciences and Technology
- Introduction to Sustainability
- Exploring Careers in the Green Industries
- Effectiveness at Work
- Following Instructions
- Investigate an Environmental Issue
- Electricity and Heat
- Living Systems
- Making Useful Scientific Devices
- Electronic Devices and Communication Applications
- Chemistry Concepts and Techniques
- Applications of Physical Science
- Action Planning to Improve Performance in Mathematics
- Mathematical Tools in Science and Technology
- Energy and Our Universe
- Physics and the Universe
- Environmental Issues
- Project in Sustainability
- Internet Safety for IT users
- Science in the World
- Environmental Science
- Science or Technology Project
- Ethical Issues in Applied Science and Technology
- Supporting Sustainability in an Office Environment
- Sustainability Issues in Industry
- Exploring Our Universe
- The Nature and Applications of Energy, Waves and Radiation
- Understanding Biology
- Forensic Science
- Generating and Assessing a Business Idea
- Working in Science and Technology
- Applying for a Job
- Awareness of Mental Health and Wellbeing
- Note Taking
- Health and Safety in the Workplace
- Organisational Skills
- Healthy Living
- Planning and Carrying Out Research
- Improving Own Learning And Performance
- Presentation Skills
- Infection and Immunity
- Interview Skills
- Problem Solving Skills
- Introduction to Self-Employment
- Punctuation and Grammar
- Reading
- Investigate an Environmental Issue
- Resilience Skills
- Investigating Human Behaviour
- Aspects of Energy
- Investigating Space
- Revision and Exam Skills
- IT Communication Fundamentals in the Workplace
- IT Software Fundamentals in the Workplace
- Speaking and Listening Skills
- Learning from Work Placement
- Spelling
- Medical Imaging
- Spreadsheets
- Practical Presentation Skills
- Preparing for an Interview
- Preparing for Work Placement
- Teamwork Skills
- Project in Sustainability
- Science in Medicine
- Programming Fundamentals
- Biology and Our Environment
- Time Management Skills
- Career Planning
- Carrying Out a Science or Technology Project
- Creating and Publishing Web Pages
- Critical Thinking
- Chemical Analysis and Detection
- Chemistry and Our Earth
- Developing Confidence and Self-Esteem
Top Exam Board Tips
- Always use key terminology precisely, such as ‘communicable’ versus ‘non-communicable’ disease.
- Support definitions with clear examples (e.g., influenza as a communicable disease, diabetes as a non-communicable disease).
- When discussing factors affecting health, cover a range: biological, environmental, and behavioral.
- Structure answers to show understanding of cause-and-effect relationships (e.g., ‘smoking causes lung cancer by damaging lung tissue’).
- Use a structured, up-to-date portfolio to present evidence of each stage: self-audit, career research, plan, and review.
- Make explicit references to the applied science context—link every claim to examples from science or technology roles.
- Check that all goals in your plan are SMART and that you have included evidence of monitoring and adapting your plan.
- When reflecting on development activities, go beyond describing what you did: explain what you learned and how it has prepared you for your chosen path.
- Always link your practical investigations to real-world applications: for bonding, mention why identification matters (e.g., material selection); for energy changes, discuss industrial importance (e.g., combustion, cold packs); for organics, highlight products like pharmaceuticals; for nanochemicals, emphasize scalability and safety.
- In written assessments, use targeted technical vocabulary such as 'lattice structure', 'activation energy', 'functional group', and 'surface area to volume ratio' to demonstrate depth of understanding and meet higher grade descriptors.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing ‘health’ solely with physical fitness and ignoring mental/social aspects.
- Believing all diseases are caused by germs, overlooking non-infectious causes like genetic disorders or lifestyle.
- Assuming that a poor diet is the only lifestyle factor affecting health, neglecting exercise, smoking, and alcohol.
- Overestimating skills without supporting evidence, or being too modest and missing relevant abilities.
- Choosing a career based only on superficial interest rather than matching actual skills and personal requirements.
- Confusing learning routes (e.g., academic vs. vocational) or failing to check entry requirements.
- Setting vague goals like ‘get better at science’ instead of specific actions such as ‘complete a Level 1 lab skills unit by June’.
- Not recording evidence of development activity or not reviewing progress, treating the plan as a one-off task.
Key Terminology & Definitions
- Health vs. disease concepts
- Determinants of health
- Infectious disease causes
- Lifestyle-related diseases
- Environmental health risks
- Self-assessment and reflection
- Career matching and aspiration
- Learning and development pathways
- Goal setting and action planning
- Personal responsibility and initiative
- Be able to investigate chemical substances with different types of bonding., Be able to investigate exothermic and endothermic reactions., Be able to investigate organic compounds., Know the uses of nanochemicals.
- Interatomic bonding and material properties
- Exothermic and endothermic processes
- Organic functional groups
- Nanomaterials and their uses