AN INSPECTOR CALLS: Birling essay, Please Mark!

Original post by Palette

Maybe it's because my edit to my post is 'pending approval'. I edited it to correct a minor factual error (I originally wrote that Mr Birling was talking about his ideology to Sheila when the Inspector rang instead of Gerald).

Which exam board are you doing?

Reply 25

Original post by Marshall Taylor

Which exam board are you doing?

AQA

Reply 26

Original post by Palette

AQA

Oh, I'm doing OCR. But I'll still have a go at marking due to fluency and PGS.

Reply 27

Original post by Marshall Taylor

Oh, I'm doing OCR. But I'll still have a go at marking due to fluency and PGS.

Is the OCR marking criteria stricter than AQA's?

Reply 28

Original post by Palette

Is the OCR marking criteria stricter than AQA's?

I think its much stricter. You need 89% for a A*, 79% for a A etc...

They also have a tick list, some people only get half of their essay marked because the examiner didn't like their handwriting :confused:

Reply 29

Original post by Marshall Taylor

I think its much stricter. You need 89% for a A*, 79% for a A etc...

Is that why you gave that piece of work a C?

In AQA last year 75% was an A* for Unit 1.

Reply 30

K K

2

hello! i don't think that priestley was trying to portray birling as a bad father, i don't think that was a very well interpretation however it is true that he cares more about the business than his own daughter's engagement. he talks more about business and about crofts coming together! he constantly emphasises all these royal links he has too. he is distraught when the inspector challenges him. priestley is trying to show social hypocrisy, they are not willing to accept their responsibility (i loved your interpretation on that!!) when it comes to their own family like what Eric did to Eva. also i think you should explore what he says at the end of the novel, him and sybil are relaxed and go back to normal, priestley showing that the older gen will never change. other than that i would put in the top/second band :smile:

good luck on your exam, im also taking mine on monday :frown:

Reply 31

Original post by Palette

Is that why you gave that piece of work a C?

In AQA last year 75% was an A* for Unit 1.

Wow AQA are really friendly. I gave it a C because I mark a lot of English essays, I'm an expert in my class so I have to mark others essays so I know the difference between A* and C. But it's always better to give a more reasonable grade so that the person keeps trying to improve than to give a A*. Because that person may think they cannot improve it anymore and they might regret it when it comes to the exam if the examiner disagrees.

Reply 32

notevenluke

OP

Original post by K K

hello! i don't think that priestley was trying to portray birling as a bad father, i don't think that was a very well interpretation however it is true that he cares more about the business than his own daughter's engagement. he talks more about business and about crofts coming together! he constantly emphasises all these royal links he has too. he is distraught when the inspector challenges him. priestley is trying to show social hypocrisy, they are not willing to accept their responsibility (i loved your interpretation on that!!) when it comes to their own family like what Eric did to Eva. also i think you should explore what he says at the end of the novel, him and sybil are relaxed and go back to normal, priestley showing that the older gen will never change. other than that i would put in the top/second band :smile:

good luck on your exam, im also taking mine on monday :frown:

I think you're right about the older gen not changing thing, in retrospect i think i should have gone for that than the birling defending himself thing. Thank you for your feedback! Good luck on monday!

Reply 33

Strangerdanger

7

Which examination board are you all doing?
Mine's edexcel (Igcse)

Reply 34

notevenluke

OP

Original post by Strangerdanger

Which examination board are you all doing?
Mine's edexcel (Igcse)

AQA for me

Reply 35

chandnithakkar

i think its really good... as an improvement i think it would be helpful to locate where you got the main quotes from. For example say in act 1 ...

Reply 36

notevenluke

OP

Original post by chandnithakkar

i think its really good... as an improvement i think it would be helpful to locate where you got the main quotes from. For example say in act 1 ...

I agree, I think that would be a good way of adding structure to my paragraphs. Thanks for the feedback! ^^

Reply 37

DrNippleson

Original post by Strangerdanger

Which examination board are you all doing?
Mine's edexcel (Igcse)

Me too, 100% Exam one. I prefer this to the AQA one, 90 minutes to do two essays and the questions are much nicer.

Reply 38

Original post by Marshall Taylor

Wow AQA are really friendly. I gave it a C because I mark a lot of English essays, I'm an expert in my class so I have to mark others essays so I know the difference between A* and C. But it's always better to give a more reasonable grade so that the person keeps trying to improve than to give a A*. Because that person may think they cannot improve it anymore and they might regret it when it comes to the exam if the examiner disagrees.

I personally would give that work an A... the grammar's not perfect, but grammar counts for 4 marks, hardly enough reason to knock off a grade by itself. Honestly, what sort of standard does OCR expect?

Reply 39