GCSE Religious Studies A - Paper 2A - Thematic Studies Mark scheme - June 2018

Sep 5, 2026

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AQA GCSE Religious Studies A Paper 2A Thematic Studies mark scheme (June 2018) defines how examiners apply level of response marking. It explains preparation and standardisation procedures, including how associates analyse scripts, discuss alternative answers, and refer unusual cases to the Lead Assessment Writer. The document details level selection, mark allocation, best-fit judgement, and crediting valid points, while stressing that mark schemes are working documents and not fixed predictions for future papers.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryExam

FormatPDF

Pages48

Reading Time2 h 1 min

AccessFree to download

Level of response marking instructions

Level descriptors and allocating marks

Standardisation and working-document principles

GCSE Religious Studies A 8062/2A-Paper 2A: Thematic Studies Mark scheme June 2018 Version/Stage: 1.0 Final Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant questions, by a panel of subject teachers. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the standardisation events which all associates participate in and is the scheme which was used by them in this examination. The standardisation process ensures that the mark scheme covers the students’responses to questions and that every associate understands and applies it in the same correct way. As preparation for standardisation each associate analyses a number of students’ scripts. Alternative answers not already covered by the mark scheme are discussed and legislated for. If, after the standardisation process, associates encounter unusual answers which have not been raised they are required to refer these to the Lead Assessment Writer. It must be stressed that a mark scheme is a working document, in many cases further developed and expanded on the basis of students’ reactions to a particular paper. Assumptions about future mark schemes on the basis of one year’s document should be avoided; whilst the guiding principles of assessment remain constant, details will change, depending on the content of a particular examination paper. Further copies of this mark [scheme are available from aqa.org.uk](scheme are available from aqa.org.uk) Copyright © 2018 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre. Level of response marking instructions Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level. Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme. Step 1 Determine a level Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the lower levels of the mark scheme. When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within the level, ie if the response is predominantly level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material it would be placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4 content. Step 2 Determine a mark Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. There will be an answer in the standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer with the exa

FAQs

What is the standardisation process used for the mark scheme?

Associates analyse student scripts, discuss alternative answers not covered in the scheme, and agree changes at standardisation events so every associate understands and applies the mark scheme consistently. Unusual answers after standardisation are referred to the Lead Assessment Writer.

How do examiners determine the level for a student’s answer?

Examiners start at the lowest level and move upward until the answer no longer meets the descriptor, using a best-fit approach if the response mixes features from different levels.

How are marks within a level decided?

After assigning a level, examiners use the mark-allocation guidance and compare the student answer with exemplar material from standardisation to judge whether it is the same standard, better, or worse, then select an appropriate mark.

Sep 5, 2026

Upload by Oliver