Mark schemes are prepared by the Lead Assessment Writer and considered, together with the relevant

questions, by a panel of subject examiners. This mark scheme includes any amendments made at the

standardisation events which all examiners 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 examiner understands and applies it in the same correct way. As

preparation for standardisation each examiner 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, examiners 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 aqa.org.uk