Assessments earned out in pilot studies of this variable show that a student's atomic views of matter begin with having no atomic view at all, but simply the ability to describe some characteristics of matter, such as differentiating between a gas and solid on the basis of real-world knowledge of boiling solutions such as might be encountered in food preparation, for instance, or bringing logic and patterning skills to bear on a question of why a salt dissolves. This then became the lowest level of the matter variable. At this most novice level of sophistication, students employ no accurate molecular models of chemistry, but a progression in sophistication can be seen from those unable or unwilling to make any relevant observation at all during an assessment task on matter, to those who can make an observation and then follow it with logical reasoning, to those who can extend this reasoning in an attempt to employ actual chemistry knowledge, although they are typically done incorrectly at first attempts. All these behaviors fall into Level 1, called the "Describing" level, and are assigned incremental 1- and 1+ scores, which for simplicity of presentation are not shown in this version of the framework.