Integrate biological knowledge to develop an informed response to a socio-scientific issue
What this domain tests
This domain assesses your ability to integrate biological knowledge into an informed response to a socio-scientific issue. A socio-scientific issue has a biological component and social, ethical, economic or political dimensions. You must use evidence, consider stakeholders, and justify a decision.
Core rules and concepts
- Identify the biological science: for example, inheritance, gene flow, ecology, or disease transmission.
- Explain the social context: who is affected, what values are in conflict, and what legal or economic constraints apply.
- Evaluate evidence for reliability, bias, sample size and uncertainty. Science can inform a decision but rarely makes it alone.
- Consider trade-offs. A solution may have benefits and risks; do not present only one side.
- Use a decision-making structure: issue, options, evidence, impacts, ethical principles, recommendation.
Worked example
A regional council proposes a gene drive to reduce possum numbers. Biological knowledge: possums are invasive in New Zealand and damage native forest; a gene drive could spread a fertility-reducing gene through the population. Social and ethical concerns: some people oppose genetic modification; others value biodiversity protection. Economic considerations: lower long-term control costs but high research cost. Ecological risk: gene drive could spread beyond the target area. A reasoned response might recommend contained trials with monitoring, because the biological potential is high but uncertainty and cultural concerns are significant.
Traps that cost marks
Giving an opinion without biological evidence; ignoring stakeholders; treating science as the only factor; ignoring uncertainty; presenting a one-sided argument.