AS ECONOMICS 7135/1

AS ECONOMICS 7135/1 Paper 1 The Operation of Markets and Market Failure Mark scheme June 2023 *236A7135/1/MS* 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. SECTION A The following list indicates the correct answers used in marking the students’ responses. KEY LIST 1 A (Alternative uses for resources) 11 D (Higher profits providing an incentive to increase output) 2 A (–0.4) 12 B (monopoly power of Fresh Co increases.) 3 B (G) 13 B (The social optimum output is greater than the free market output because the private benefit is less than the social benefit.) 4 C (opportunities for internal economies of scale.) 14 A (A reduction in labour costs) 5 D (involved a normative judgement.) 15 D (Demand is price inelastic and supply is price inelastic.) 6 C (the mean income may be higher or lower in country Z compared with country W.) 16 B (Production of healthcare addresses the basic economic questions of ‘how’ and ‘for whom’) 7 B (Advertising to establish a brand) 17 D (A subsidy of P2 minus P3 per unit) 8 D (2.5) 18 B (are an inferior good.) 9 B (£290) 19 C (Point H.) 10 C (consumed together with another good.) 20 C (The extent to which firms differentiate their products) Totals A 3 B 7 C 5 D 5 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 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. The levels of response grid below should be used when marking the 25 mark questions. Level of response Response Max 25 marks 5 Sound, focused analysis and well-supported evaluation that: • is well organised, showing sound knowledge and understanding of economic terminology, concepts and principles with few, if any, errors • includes good application of relevant economic principles to the given context and, where appropriate, good use of data to support the response • includes well-focused analysis with clear, logical chains of reasoning • includes supported evaluation throughout the response and in a final conclusion. 21–25 marks 4 Sound, focused analysis and some supported evaluation that: • is well organised, showing sound knowledge and understanding of economic terminology, concepts and principles with few, if any, errors • includes some good application of relevant economic principles to the given context and, where appropriate, some good use of data to support the response • includes some well-focused analysis with clear, logical chains of reasoning • includes some reasonable, supported evaluation. 16–20 marks 3 Some reasonable analysis but generally unsupported evaluation that: • focuses on issues that are relevant to the question, showing satisfactory knowledge and understanding of economic terminology, concepts and principles but some weaknesses may be present • includes reasonable application of relevant economic principles to the given context and, where appropriate, some use of data to support the response • includes some reasonable analysis but which might not be adequately developed or becomes confused in places • includes fairly superficial evaluation; there is likely to be some attempt to make relevant judgments but these are not well-supported by arguments and/or data. 11–15 marks 2 A fairly weak response with some understanding that: • includes some limited knowledge and understanding of economic terminology, concepts and principles but some errors are likely • includes some limited application of relevant economic principles to the given context and/or data to the question • includes some limited analysis but it may lack focus and/or become confused • includes attempted evaluation which is weak and unsupported. 6–10 marks 1 A very weak response that: • includes little relevant knowledge and understanding of economic terminology, concepts and principles • includes application to the given context which, at best, is very weak • includes attempted analysis which is weak and unsupported. 1–5 marks