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A2 Business Unit 5 AQA

Can anyone please tell me what we're expected to know for this exam? I've looked on the AQA website and I know that it's about people and operations management etc but there are still topics from other areas that come up.

For example in a mock i had there was boston matrix which doesn't come under this specification. Plus there's some questions on macro economics and finance. I know that unit 6 is meant to be synoptic but to me it seems like this paper is more synoptic. :frown:

Can anyone help because i'm really confused. :confused:

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Reply 1

Hedger

Yes, I'd certeinly like to know as well. Unit 5 is the Report/Essay one right?
Thanks

Reply 2

Lolly-88

loadmalz

Yes, I'd certeinly like to know as well. Unit 5 is the Report/Essay one right?
Thanks

Yes it is. I've noticed that there's always information about finance, marketing and human resources, and economic stuff e.g. interest rates, exchange rates. Then the other stuff can be on anything.

The essay questions always seem really random....i don't like them. :frown:

Reply 3

Holly_K_1988

i was initially really confused with the unit 5 exam but i sat down with my teacher and she went through the whole format with me.

It begins with a report based on a mini case study about a business that is usally having some sort of problem or needs to make a decision regards to their position. They give you a dumber of different appendices to use when completing the business report and needs to be presented with titles etc. you usually have to write about the advantages and disadvantages relevant to their situation then advice the company on what to do (possible devise a strategy or business plan for the future)

The second part of the exam is really random! You are given 5 questions to choose from, they do not relate to the case study. this question also needs knowledge from the rest of the a-level course.

For this exam you generally have to pull together all knowledge from the A-level course as the exam is an alternative to coursework.

Once my teacher went through it with me i found it far less daunting! I went through a couple of papers that i printed from the AQA website. Good luck and hope this helps :smile:

Reply 4

Lolly-88

Holly_K_1988

Thanks that helped. :smile:

Do you happen to know the format for the essay part of the exam? I know for the report it's:

Date
To
From
Subject

Strength/For

Weaknesses/Against

Conclusion

Reply 5

Catherine_89

Hi,
For the format of the report, is it meant to be written in bullet points? I have been told to do so by my teacher. However, a textbook states that answering in bullet points in the report could limit any opportunities for evaluation. :confused:

Thanks!
Catherine :smile:

Reply 6

eksman

I think bullet points show that you can't paragraph. so if you make a new point in a paragraph (as if it were a bullet point) you should be fine. I hope this turns into a large and helpful thread :smile:

Reply 7

Lolly-88

eksman

I hope this turns into a large and helpful thread :smile:

Me too...there's plenty of tips for the other exams but not this one, i';m guessing most people on here do the coursework instead.

As for the bullet point thing i would say that's a HUGE no-no! There are four extra marks available for quality of language and if you make bullet points you probably will just get 1 mark. Plus it would be harder to analyse and evaluate which is worth the most marks...you're limiting yourself to a E/D if you do that. This is from the mark scheme:

LEVEL 4:
Complex ideas are expressed clearly and fluently. Sentences and paragraphs follow on from one another smoothly and logically. Arguments are consistently relevant and well structured. There are few, if any, errors of grammar,punctuation and spelling. 4 marks

Reply 8

TheWizard

Well this is how my teacher told our class to set out the business report:

Title of report

Terms of reference - (Why are you writing this report)

Findings - (looking at the data what can you interpret)

Main recommendations

Minor recommendations

Signiture :confused:

Does it need to be like this or not ???

Reply 9

Holly_K_1988

for this exam (the report) you have to be sure that for every advantage you state, you give an explanation for this and then go on to counteract this with a disadvantage. then finally evaluate their situation and advise them on a future strategy. This is how you will earn the marks. I have been told that you are able to lay it out using bullet points while following the general report formats set out by members above, as long as for every point you make you provide an explanation. However if you choose to start using bullet points you must be careful not to turn them into mini paragraphs as this looses the advantage of using bullet points. I have been taught that if you are to the point about their situation and advice them on a future plan then you will gain the marks.

As for the second half of the exam. the layout is very similar to the report except for this you are writing as a student rather than writing for a business. you again must be sure to state the good points and bad points, provide explanations and then provide a conclusion that ANSWERS THE QUESTION. Many students, including myself provide great answers but do not provide a paragraph bringing together all loose ends and ensuring that the examiner knows that you have answered the question.

2 marks for each question are given for the appropriate format and correct english and grammer.

I am sitting this exam on thursday (as most for you are too!) and i am particularly nervous as i have never done a business exam in this form(business report and essay). I really need a good mark to keep my grade up as i had to retake the whole AS course as i completely *fluffed* it up but in my A2 unit 4 exam i gained a high A grade, so i am hpoing i can pull this out of the bag and maintain my good grade.

Good luck everyone and hope the revising is going well. :smile:

Reply 10

Hedger

I think a good ole' blag will do =]

Reply 11

no1topman

hate this module along with unit 4. I dont think its really that possible to revise for it as it tests your general buisness knowledge/awreness and how able you are to structure/write reports....Which i cant do very well. I got a E on the mock for this paper, although i didnt write much/wrote BS as i knew it didnt matter ect. However now i really want to do well and by looking at the way youve put it it seems that its just how you write what you write...not actually waht you write (yes confusing i know :p:

) lol. Argh i hate bus stuides

Regards

Reply 12

eksman

I'm retaking Module 4 and i've got Module 5 back-to-back on Thursday. Is Module 5 definetly a Synoptic paper then?

also could someone please explain to me the difference between a cash flow statement and an appropriation account please

Reply 13

Holly_K_1988

went ans and saw my business teacher today and unit 5 definatly includes all other aspects of the a-level course from unit 1 to unit 6.

Reply 14

Purple

For the 40 mark essays what format do you need to use? I know what to do for the report.

Reply 15

eksman

Holly_K_1988

went ans and saw my business teacher today and unit 5 definatly includes all other aspects of the a-level course from unit 1 to unit 6.

thought as much :frown:

Reply 16

eksman

I've found what you're looking for but ive got it in powerpoint and i can't upload it. i can probably email it to someone who knows what to do lol

Reply 17

Lolly-88

Good luck everyone! :smile:

Reply 18

frizz

how did everyone find the exam?

Reply 19

ianohunter

a thought it was okay...preffered essay to my report only did 2 strengths and 2 weaknesses...+ and evaluation, reccomendation. didnt do subheadings. that aright?