AQA A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY 7182/2 PAPER 2 MARK SCHEME
A-level
PAPER 2
Mark scheme
Specimen Material Second Set
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
Copyright © 2015 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.
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2 – 7182/2 -
SERIES
Level of response marking instructions
Level of response mark schemes are broken down into two, three or four levels, each
of which has a descriptor. The descriptor for the level shows the average performance
for the level. There are two, three or four 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 example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the
example. You can then use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead
Examiner’s mark on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark
scheme to clarify points and assure yourself that the level and the mark are
appropriate.
Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not
intended to be exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have
to cover all of the points mentioned in the indicative content to reach the highest level of
the mark scheme.
An answer which does not contain anything of relevance to the question must be
awarded no marks.
Examiners are required to assign each of the students’ responses to the most
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A-level
PAPER 2
Mark scheme
Specimen Material Second Set
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
Copyright © 2015 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.
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY PAPER 2 – 7182/2 -
SERIES
Level of response marking instructions
Level of response mark schemes are broken down into two, three or four levels, each
of which has a descriptor. The descriptor for the level shows the average performance
for the level. There are two, three or four 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 example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the
example. You can then use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead
Examiner’s mark on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark
scheme to clarify points and assure yourself that the level and the mark are
appropriate.
Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not
intended to be exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have
to cover all of the points mentioned in the indicative content to reach the highest level of
the mark scheme.
An answer which does not contain anything of relevance to the question must be
awarded no marks.
Examiners are required to assign each of the students’ responses to the most
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