Hello and welcome to this pre-recorded event for marking mock assessments for Pearson's
new A level Economics A specification.
In this session we will: Review the assessment requirements of the
new specification.
Explore the paper structure and new types of questions.
Understand how to accurately apply the mark schemes.
Review student responses to questions and practice applying the mark schemes.
Show how we can support you.
We will also work through a marking activity.
You will need to pause this presentation when completing the activity.
To begin, let's remind ourselves of the A level assessment structure.
There are three externally examined papers for the A level qualification; Theme 1 and
Theme 3 are assessed in Paper 1, Theme 2 and Theme 4 are assessed in Paper 2, and paper
3 assesses content from across the entire course, bringing all the concepts together.
Paper 3 can be viewed as the synoptic paper.
Now we'll remind ourselves of the paper structures and the types of questions in the A level
assessments.
Paper 1 and Paper 2 have a consistent structure.
For A level, the papers have three sections: A, B and C.
Section A comprises short answer questions, such as multiple choice, calculate, illustrate
and explain questions.
There are five 5-mark questions comprising a number of parts.
There are also some short answer questions in Section B. These are 4, 5 or 6 mark, explain
and/or calculate questions.
In paper 1 and paper 2, Section B comprises data response questions that are based on
extracts.
This section has a mix of short and longer answers.
Section C comprises an essay question and students choose one essay from two.
A level Paper 3 has a slightly different structure.
This paper assesses across the entire course of study and there are no short answer questions.
The paper has two sections which have a consistent structure and use of command words.
Both sections include unseen stimulus material and students choose one essay from two.
A taxonomy of command words for economics has been defined and will be applied consistently
in assessments to ensure students are rewarded for demonstrating the appropriate skills for
economics.
The question types outlined here relate to sections B and C in papers 1 and 2, and paper
3.
There are seven question types and these are linked to appropriate mark tariffs.
There are two types of mark schemes and we'll now look at each in more detail.
Points-based mark schemes are used for short answer questions.
This means the Section A questions, and the 5 and 8 mark questions in Section B.
These mark schemes show the points awarded for each assessment objective as well as the
indicative content to show the types of responses that meet these assessment objectives.
Marks are awarded for each point in the student response.
Levels-based mark schemes are used for extended writing.
This means for the 10, 12, 15 and 25 mark questions.
These mark schemes focus on the quality of the responses and the levels show progression
of skills from the lower to higher bands.
There are separate levels based mark schemes for knowledge, application and analysis, or
K-A-A, and for evaluation.
Markers use both mark schemes and then combine the marks into one overall mark for the question.
The first stage in using a levels based mark scheme is to decide into which level the answer
should be placed.
To do this, markers use a best-fit approach, deciding which level most closely describes
the quality of the answer.
Answers can display characteristics from more than one level, and where this happens markers
use additional guidance and their professional judgement to decide which level is most appropriate.
For example, one stronger paragraph at Level 4 would not by itself merit a Level 4 mark,
but it might be evidence to support a high Level 3 mark, unless there are substantial
weaknesses in other areas.
Similarly, an answer that fits best in Level 3 but which has some characteristics of Level
2 might be placed at the bottom of Level 3.
An answer displaying some characteristics of Level 3 and some of Level 1 might be placed
in Level 2.
After a level has been decided on, the next stage is to decide on the mark within the
level.
Where a level has specific guidance about how to place an answer within a level, markers
will always follow that guidance.
Otherwise, the following guidance is applied.
For levels containing 2 marks only, markers start with the presumption that the student
response will be at the top of the level.
They will then move down to the lower mark if the work only just meets the requirements
of the level.
For levels containing 3 or more marks, markers should be prepared to use the full range of
marks available and not restrict marks to the middle.
Markers start at the middle of the level (or the upper-middle mark if there is an even
number of marks) and then move the mark up or down to find the best mark.
To do this, they take into account how far the answer meets the requirements of the level.
If it meets the requirements fully, markers should be prepared to award full marks within
the level.
The top mark in the level is used for answers that are as good as can realistically be expected
within that level.
If it only barely meets the requirements of the level, markers should consider awarding
marks at the bottom of the level.
The bottom mark in the level is used for answers that are the weakest that can be expected
within that level.
The middle marks of the level are used for answers that have a reasonable match to the
descriptor.
This might represent a balance between some characteristics of the level that are fully
met and others that are only barely met.
We're now going to look at student responses to two of the question types.
Open the Delegate Booklet which is available to download alongside this video.
When you have this document pause the video so you can mark the student responses, using
the mark schemes provided in the booklet.
When you have finished, continue to play this video to reveal the examiner's marks and comments.
Pause the video now.
Sample 1 was given full marks for parts 1a and 1b.
Part 1c was given 1 mark for knowledge for identifying that more income leads to more
car sales.
However, there is no analysis relating to the falling rate of increase in the response.
The total marks for this question is therefore 4 marks.
Sample 2 was given 2 marks.
The response to 1a was given 1 mark as although neither part of the equation has been correctly
calculated because the student has chosen the wrong column of data, there is the correct
formula and the numbers are handled correctly.
As such there is a mark for the application of the formula.
Part 1b is correct for 1 mark.
The response to part 1c shows that the student has not understood the data as they refer
to falling incomes and falling car sales.
There is no credit in the observation that it is income elastic because the concept of
understanding the numerical calculations has been awarded in part (a) and is not included
in the mark scheme for this part of the question.
Sample 1 was given 4 marks.
When considered as a whole this response has good analysis with a clear step-by-step explanation.
However, it is a narrow response so fits within the Level 2 descriptors for knowledge, application
and analysis and is awarded 4 marks.
There is no evaluation so the student cannot access the levels in the evaluation mark scheme.
Sample 2 was given 8 marks.
This response reaches Level 3 for knowledge, application and analysis, and is awarded 6
marks.
The response is well applied with focused examples and is linked to knowledge and understanding.
It's worth noting that a diagram is not expected or required for full marks, but if a student
uses a valid diagram to support their analysis this would be credited as part of the response.
The evaluation in the response is limited and partly incorrect.
There are elements of Level 2 but there are also inaccuracies.
Taken as a whole the response is Level 1 and 2 marks.
To finish I'd like to remind you of the support available for A level Economics.
We have a range of support materials to help you plan, teach, track and assess, and develop.
All of these are summarised here.
To access the free qualifications support follow the link in the bottom left of the
slide.
To find out more about the published resources available, follow the link in the bottom right
of the slide.
If you would like to complete further marking activities and training for marking mock exams
in your centre, why not join us at one of our full-day face-to-face training events.
In these events you will be able to work through student responses to all the levels-based
question types and practice using the mark schemes.
You will also have the opportunity to discuss the marking activities with other delegates
and ask questions to our experienced trainers.
If you need any further help and support, please contact Colin Leith who is our subject
advisor for Economics.
Thank you for taking part in this pre-recorded event.