You also need to average your mark across all the papers. You don't need an A* in each paper, just an A* across the subject. One "bad" paper may not be a major issue, and if you find a paper hard you get bet your bottom dollar so will everyone else.

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Reply 2443

rayofsunshine98

Original post by Doonesbury

Yeah, I know, my teachers are just using overinflated grade boundaries 😂😂

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Reply 2444

SteamboatMickey

Original post by rayofsunshine98

Wish my teachers could see that

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That's how my teachers are doing it as well tbh just completely guessing and doing it in 10% jumps. Like 28/30 marks for an essay is an A*, and 26 marks is a B etc etc. I got a 26 in one essay and I got a B, but I only lost 4 marks. I got a 29 in another essay and it was an A*. It just seems a little too tight :redface:

Reply 2445

Doones

Original post by SteamboatMickey

But that makes no sense whatsoever.

Let's assume 90% is an A* (which, as I said previously, it probably isn't - it will be lower, but anyway)

For a unit (or essay) being marked out of 30 the notional boundaries are:
A*: 90% x 30 = 27
A : 80% = 24
B : 70% = 21
C : 60% = 18
D : 50% = 15
E : 40% = 12

So 26 is an A, and only one mark from an A*.

Reply 2446

Steliata

Original post by Doonesbury

But that makes no sense whatsoever.

Let's assume 90% is an A* (which, as I said previously, it probably isn't - it will be lower, but anyway)

For a unit (or essay) being marked out of 30 the notional boundaries are:
A* 90% x 30 = 27
A 80% = 24
B 70% = 21
C 60% = 18
D 50% = 15
E 40% = 12

So 26 is an A, and only one mark from an A*.

Oh my teachers do it too.

They have no alternative really, AQA are rubbish and not giving any guidance at all! (and are also providing really subpar example responses)

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 2447

SteamboatMickey

Original post by Doonesbury

That makes more sense!

You don't need an A* in every essay/question either, do you? In order to come out with an A* overall?

I'm looking at nearly full marks in all my coursework, but obviously have some weak points here and there, although not enough to sink completely down the mark scheme.

(Lowest mark this year a high B, not counting things I've done when I've been really ill where I got C/B).

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 2448

Doones

Original post by SteamboatMickey

That makes more sense!

You don't need an A* in every essay/question either, do you?

No, you just need to accumulate enough marks across all the papers to reach whatever the boundary is. I don't know if some papers have more weighting or scaling than others... it should all be in the specifications for each subject.

Reply 2449

SteamboatMickey

Original post by Doonesbury

Mine have more weighting in some papers/sections than others but in each subject coursework is worth 20%.

Reply 2450

Doones

Original post by SteamboatMickey

Mine have more weighting in some papers/sections than others but in each subject coursework is worth 20%.

So yeah for AQA History as you probably know you have 2 papers plus an investigation (coursework)
1. Paper 1 (Breadth Study) has max 80 marks available. This makes up 40% of the total A-level.
2. Paper 2 (Depth Study) is also max 80 (40%)
3. The Investigation is max 40 marks (20%)

So you have 200 marks available. Where you accumulate your 200 (or say 180ish (90%) for an A*) is up to you.

And honestly I do expect the boundary to be lower than 180, maybe 170 will be enough... who knows.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 2451

SteamboatMickey

Original post by Doonesbury

So yeah for AQA History as you probably know you have 2 papers plus an investigation (coursework)
Paper 1 is has max 80 marks available. This makes up 40% of the total A-level.
Paper 2 is also max 80 (40%)
Investigation is max 40 marks (20%)

So you have 200 marks available. Where you accumulate your 200 (or say 180ish (90%) for an A*) is up to you.

And honestly I do expect the boundary to be lower than 180, maybe 170 will be enough... who knows.

I'm on edexcel for History, but yeah it's a similar structure. I'm aiming for Paper 1 (Tudor) which is 60% to be either full marks (like last year) or close enough. Paper 2 is my favourite and I've been revising that a lot so I'm aiming for like 30/40 at least. I'm quite good at Paper 3 (worth 60%, so max. 60 marks) but I enjoy it least so I'm hoping to get enough marks to tip it into an A*. I usually get high marks in the source questions (need to work on timing) and essays are my strongest thing academically, according to my teachers whenever they discuss progress with me.

(edited 6 years ago)

Reply 2452

Doones

Original post by SteamboatMickey

Your percents can't be right... 60% + 60% is more than 100... :wink:

So, just looking at the Edexcel spec it's:
Paper 1 = 30%
Paper 2 = 20%
Paper 3 = 30%
Coursework = 20%

https://qualifications.pearson.com/content/dam/pdf/A%20Level/History/2015/support/T766b_history_at-a-glance.pdf

Reply 2453

SteamboatMickey

Original post by Doonesbury

Your percents can't be right... 60% + 60% is more than 100... :wink:

Ooh my bad it was 60% last year!!

This is why I'm not a maths/science offer holder :lol:

Reply 2454

Doones

Original post by SteamboatMickey

Ooh my bad it was 60% last year!!

This is why I'm not a maths/science offer holder :lol:

Yes these percentey things are a nightmare :smile:

Reply 2455

SteamboatMickey

Original post by Doonesbury

Yes these percentey things are a nightmare :smile:

Doonesbury, do you suggest taking a break now and again (as in a whole day off) despite exams being so close? I am debating on whether or not to do anything today, or to just have a day off and play video games. I do revise quite a lot, up to 12 hours a day, but I feel like I am not going to get through the content in time (despite being ahead of most of my friends and revising more thoroughly than some of them). I do kind of want to do some history though. Ah!

Reply 2456

Doones

Original post by SteamboatMickey

Absolutely 100% yes. All work and no play is not a good thing...

Even "God" takes a day off.

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Reply 2457

SteamboatMickey

Original post by Doonesbury

Absolutely 100% yes. All work and no play is not a good thing...

Even "God" takes a day off.

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Thank you!

To watch a Disney film or to do homework/revision today hm :tongue:

Reply 2458

Steliata

Original post by SteamboatMickey

Thank you!

To watch a Disney film or to do homework/revision today hm :tongue:

Disney film! 😄

Reply 2459

Doones

Original post by SteamboatMickey

Thank you!

To watch a Disney film or to do homework/revision today hm :tongue:

Have you already revised today?

If so make tomorrow a no revision (or any schoolwork at all) day. Go to the movies and have a proper day off.

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