Qualification and assessment structure common mistakes

Common mistakes

• Paper 1 assessment literary-analysis mistake 1

  Treating Apply the open-book rule only to the comparative prose and poetry section. as plot summary, unsupported opinion or a place to invent quotations, while blurring writer vs narrator, and poet vs speaker.

  Fix itMake an AO1 claim, use accurate textual evidence, analyse a method for AO2, add relevant AO3 context, connect texts for AO4 and test interpretations for AO5 only where the task requires them.

• Paper 2 assessment literary-analysis mistake 1

  Treating Describe Paper 2 as a two-hour-thirty-minute open-book examination worth 75 marks and 40 percent of the A-level. as plot summary, unsupported opinion or a place to invent quotations, while blurring analysis vs plot summary.

  Fix itMake an AO1 claim, use accurate textual evidence, analyse a method for AO2, add relevant AO3 context, connect texts for AO4 and test interpretations for AO5 only where the task requires them.

• Paper 2 assessment literary-analysis mistake 1

  Treating Distinguish Option 2A WW1 and its aftermath from Option 2B Modern times. as plot summary, unsupported opinion or a place to invent quotations, while blurring Paper 2 option 2A vs option 2B.

  Fix itMake an AO1 claim, use accurate textual evidence, analyse a method for AO2, add relevant AO3 context, connect texts for AO4 and test interpretations for AO5 only where the task requires them.

• Paper 2 assessment literary-analysis mistake 1

  Treating Explain that students study one prose, one poetry and one drama text, with at least one written post-2000. as plot summary, unsupported opinion or a place to invent quotations, while blurring writer vs narrator, and poet vs speaker.

  Fix itMake an AO1 claim, use accurate textual evidence, analyse a method for AO2, add relevant AO3 context, connect texts for AO4 and test interpretations for AO5 only where the task requires them.

• Paper 2 assessment literary-analysis mistake 1

  Treating Distinguish the single set-text essay, unseen contextual-linking response and comparative essay. as plot summary, unsupported opinion or a place to invent quotations, while blurring unseen passage evidence vs prepared set-text material.

  Fix itMake an AO1 claim, use accurate textual evidence, analyse a method for AO2, add relevant AO3 context, connect texts for AO4 and test interpretations for AO5 only where the task requires them.

• Non-exam assessment literary-analysis mistake 1

  Treating Describe the non-exam assessment as a comparative critical study of two texts worth 50 marks and 20 percent of the A-level. as plot summary, unsupported opinion or a place to invent quotations, while blurring supported interpretation vs unsupported opinion.

  Fix itMake an AO1 claim, use accurate textual evidence, analyse a method for AO2, add relevant AO3 context, connect texts for AO4 and test interpretations for AO5 only where the task requires them.

• Non-exam assessment literary-analysis mistake 1

  Treating Explain that at least one selected text must be written pre-1900. as plot summary, unsupported opinion or a place to invent quotations, while blurring exam set text vs NEA-eligible text.

  Fix itMake an AO1 claim, use accurate textual evidence, analyse a method for AO2, add relevant AO3 context, connect texts for AO4 and test interpretations for AO5 only where the task requires them.

• Non-exam assessment literary-analysis mistake 1

  Treating Produce one extended comparative essay of 2500 words and a bibliography. as plot summary, unsupported opinion or a place to invent quotations, while blurring exam set text vs NEA-eligible text.

  Fix itMake an AO1 claim, use accurate textual evidence, analyse a method for AO2, add relevant AO3 context, connect texts for AO4 and test interpretations for AO5 only where the task requires them.

• Non-exam assessment literary-analysis mistake 1

  Treating Apply all five assessment objectives to the independent critical study. as plot summary, unsupported opinion or a place to invent quotations, while blurring exam set text vs NEA-eligible text.

  Fix itMake an AO1 claim, use accurate textual evidence, analyse a method for AO2, add relevant AO3 context, connect texts for AO4 and test interpretations for AO5 only where the task requires them.