Learn: The Mark Scheme

Welcome!Building on your previous work on essay structure, the writer's methods, and context, today we're focusing on understanding the mark scheme. This will help you see how examiners assess your responses and how to maximise your marks.

What is the Mark Scheme?The mark scheme is a guide used by examiners to evaluate your answers in exams. It outlines how marks are awarded based on your demonstration of skills like analysis, interpretation, and writing style. Knowing how it works can help you write responses that meet the criteria for higher marks.

Assessment Objectives (AOs)Your exam responses are assessed against four key objectives: AO1 (understanding and response), AO2 (analysis of language, form, and structure), AO3 (contextual understanding), and AO4 (technical accuracy). Each objective contributes a certain percentage of your final mark.

How Marks are AllocatedEach exam paper is divided into sections, with marks assigned based on your ability to meet the AOs. For example, Paper 1 has 64 marks, with 15% allocated to AO1, 15% to AO2, and 7.5% to AO3. Paper 2 has 96 marks, with a higher weight given to AO2 and AO1.

Breaking Down AO1AO1 rewards your ability to read, understand, and respond to texts. You'll need to maintain a critical style and use textual references, including quotations, to support your points. This is where your essay structure skills come into play.

Understanding AO2AO2 focuses on analysing how language, form, and structure create meaning and effects. This is where you apply subject terminology, such as identifying metaphors or enjambment, while explaining their impact on the text and its themes.

Context and AO3AO3 assesses your understanding of the relationships between texts and their contexts. This includes the social, historical, and cultural factors influencing the writer and their work. Context should always support your interpretation rather than being stated as trivia.

Technical Accuracy and AO4AO4 rewards your ability to write clearly and accurately. This includes using a range of vocabulary, proper sentence structures, and correct spelling and punctuation. Even small errors can impact your marks, so proofreading is essential.

Review Time!Great work! You've learned about the four assessment objectives and how the mark scheme works. Now let’s test your understanding with a few questions.