Marking Criteria for 12 Mark Questions

This page provides a detailed breakdown of the marking criteria for 12 mark questions, which is crucial for students to understand how their responses will be assessed. This information is particularly relevant for GCSE and A-level exams in subjects like Business, History, and Religious Studies.

Level 1 (0 marks)

• A completely inaccurate response.

Level 2 (1-2 marks)

• Isolated elements of knowledge and understanding, primarily recall-based.
• Weak or no relevant application to business examples.
• May contain generic assertions.

Level 3 (3-4 marks)

• Elements of knowledge and understanding applied to the business example.
• Chains of reasoning presented, but may be assertions or incomplete.
• Generic or superficial assessment.

Level 4 (5-8 marks)

• Accurate and thorough knowledge and understanding, supported by relevant use of business context.
• Analytical perspectives with developed chains of reasoning, showing causes and/or effects.
• Attempt at assessment using quantitative and/or qualitative information, but may not show significance of competing arguments.

Level 5 (9-12 marks)

• Accurate and thorough knowledge and understanding throughout, effectively using business context.
• Coherent and logical chain of reasoning, demonstrating causes and/or effects.
• Balanced and well-contextualized assessment, using quantitative and/or qualitative information.
• Shows awareness of competing arguments, leading to a supported judgement.

Definition: Chains of reasoning refer to a series of logical connections between ideas or events, showing how one leads to another.

Highlight: To achieve top marks, students must demonstrate a balance between knowledge, application, analysis, and evaluation throughout their response.