IGCSE Chemistry Paper 5 vs Paper 6: Which Practical Paper?

IGCSE Chemistry 0620 assesses practical skills through one of two papers: Paper 5 (Practical Test) or Paper 6 (Alternative to Practical). Both carry the same weight in the overall grade and both test the same assessment objectives. The difference is in the format: Paper 5 involves actual laboratory work during the exam, while Paper 6 tests practical reasoning through written questions.

Understanding which paper you are sitting — and what each one demands — is essential for targeted preparation.

Paper 5: The Practical Test

Format

• Duration: 1 hour 15 minutes
• You work at a laboratory bench with real apparatus, chemicals, and equipment.
• You follow instructions to carry out experiments, record observations, and take measurements.
• You write your answers in a booklet while working.

What it tests

• Can you handle apparatus safely and accurately?
• Can you make and record accurate measurements (volumes, temperatures, masses)?
• Can you observe and record changes (colour changes, gas production, precipitate formation)?
• Can you follow a method and modify it when told to?

Skills needed

• Practical experience with common laboratory equipment: burettes, measuring cylinders, thermometers, filtration apparatus, test tubes, Bunsen burners
• Accurate reading of scales (meniscus reading, thermometer precision)
• Recording observations in the correct format (colour, state, change)
• Drawing results tables with correct headings and units
• Plotting graphs from experimental data (using a pencil, ruler, and appropriate scales)

Preparation

If your school enters you for Paper 5, you need regular laboratory practice throughout the course. There is no substitute for hands-on experience. Practice:

• Titrations (reading the burette, recording concordant results)
• Heating experiments (using a Bunsen burner, recording temperature changes)
• Qualitative analysis (adding reagents, recording observations, identifying ions)
• Measuring and recording accurately

The Paper 5 guide covers the specific skills and common question formats.

Paper 6: Alternative to Practical

Format

• Duration: 1 hour
• You sit at a desk (no laboratory bench or apparatus).
• You are given written descriptions of experiments, data tables, and diagrams.
• You answer questions about experimental design, data handling, observations, sources of error, and improvements.

What it tests

The same practical skills as Paper 5, but assessed through written questions:

• Can you design a suitable experiment to test a hypothesis?
• Can you draw and complete results tables with correct headings and units?
• Can you plot graphs from given data (selecting scales, plotting points, drawing best-fit lines)?
• Can you identify sources of error and suggest improvements?
• Can you describe expected observations for common experiments?
• Can you evaluate data and draw conclusions?

Skills needed

• Understanding of experimental design (variables, controls, fair tests)
• Data handling: drawing tables, plotting graphs, calculating averages
• Knowledge of standard observations for common reactions (even though you do not perform them)
• Identifying errors and improvements in experimental procedures
• Drawing apparatus from memory (filtration, distillation, gas collection setups)

Preparation

Paper 6 requires theoretical knowledge of practical work. Even though you do not handle apparatus in the exam, you need to know:

• What each piece of apparatus looks like and how it is used
• What observations you would expect from standard experiments
• How to draw and label apparatus setups from memory
• How to read tables and graphs accurately
• How to identify and correct sources of error

The Paper 6 guide covers the three main question types: planning, tables and graphs, and errors and improvements. The tables and graphs guide and the errors guide provide detailed strategies for each.

Key differences summarised

Feature	Paper 5	Paper 6
Duration	1 hour 15 minutes	1 hour
Setting	Laboratory bench	Standard exam desk
Apparatus	Real equipment provided	No equipment; written descriptions
Observations	You observe real results	You describe expected observations
Graphs	Plot from your own data	Plot from given data
Skill emphasis	Handling, measuring, observing	Designing, analysing, evaluating

Which paper do Malaysian schools use?

Most Malaysian international schools enter students for Paper 6. The reasons are practical:

• Paper 5 requires individual laboratory access for every candidate simultaneously, which demands extensive lab space, equipment, and supervision.
• Paper 6 can be administered in any exam room, like a standard written paper.
• Some schools lack the laboratory capacity or technical staff to run Paper 5 for large cohorts.

Some schools with strong science departments and well-equipped laboratories do offer Paper 5. If your school offers a choice, consider your strengths: if you are confident with hands-on work and accurate measurement, Paper 5 may suit you. If you are stronger at written analysis and description, Paper 6 may be better.

Private candidates in Malaysia almost always sit Paper 6, as private exam centres do not provide laboratory facilities.

How the practical paper affects your grade

Both Paper 5 and Paper 6 contribute the same percentage to your overall grade. The weighting is set by Cambridge and is the same regardless of which paper you sit. Your performance on the practical paper is combined with your Paper 2 and Paper 4 marks to determine your final grade.

Students who neglect the practical paper because “it’s worth less than Paper 4” miss an important source of marks. The practical paper tests skills that are different from Paper 4, and students who are weak on theory can sometimes compensate with strong practical marks. Conversely, a very low practical paper mark can pull down an otherwise good grade.

Preparation timeline

Whether you sit Paper 5 or Paper 6, begin preparation at least eight weeks before the exam:

• Weeks 8-6: Review the experimental techniques across the syllabus. See how to study experimental techniques.
• Weeks 5-3: Practise past papers (Paper 5 or Paper 6 as appropriate) under timed conditions. Mark against the scheme.
• Weeks 2-1: Focus on weak areas identified from past paper practice. Review graph-drawing technique and apparatus diagrams.