A-level BUSINESS 7132/2

A-level BUSINESS 7132/2 Paper 2 Business 2 Mark scheme June 2023 Version: 1.0 Final Post-Standardisation 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 Examiner. 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 Copyright information 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. Copyright © 2023 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. 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. 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 contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks. Marking guidance • Be clear on the focus of the question. • Read the response as a whole; follow the flow of the argument as a whole. • Remember that the indicative content provides possible lines of argument but there may be others that are equally valid. Be willing to credit other lines of argument. • Annotate the script as you read in accordance with the instructions given at standardisation. • Consider what it all adds up to, eg is this a good response? A reasonable one? A limited one? Refer back to the standardisation scripts and guidance to help you benchmark. You are marking to the standard agreed at standardisation. • Summarise your findings briefly at the end of the response. This will help you decide on the overall level and is helpful for others to understand the mark given, eg for an extended response ‘well-argued’ but does not focus fully on the issue of ‘long-term’ feels as if it might be good rather than excellent. • Make sure the comments fit with the level awarded: ‘unbalanced and not comparing with alternative solutions’ does not sound as if it is ‘good’. • Next to your comment put the level awarded, eg L4. • If in doubt about an approach contact your Team Leader, do not make up your own rules because we must have a standardised approach across all marking. Be positive in your marking. Look to reward what is there. Annotations Key K U Knowledge and Understanding DEV Some development of point AN Analytical but lacks context CON Context ARG Argument made DP Developed pint with context an Analysis J Judgement with support / Evaluation NFF Not Fully Focussed on the demands of the question Bal Balanced response eg both sides acknowledged Rng Range of arguments eg two arguments presented BD Benefit of the Doubt NAQ Not answering the question OF Own Figure V Vague REP Repetition  TICK  CROSS  Txt Box ? Unclear Highlighter Highlighter Underline Underline The following should be used at the end of the response. L1 Level 1 L2 Level 2 L3 Level 3 L4 Level 4