OCR A-Level A2 product design 9th June 2017 official exam discussion

Hi
I thought I would make this thread being as I have not seen one for the 2017 A2 exam.
Anyway, if anyone on here is actually taking this exam (component 1 and component 2), how are you feeling?
which path are you going to go down? For me I am going to choose resistant materials.
How are you revising? Any exam tips?
What grade are you aiming for, how has the coursework gone for you this year?

This is my first exam and im kinda scared, im not prepared at all!

Hey, I'm going to do RM too, the processes are much easier and make more sense to me. Im fairly confident in my knowledge in component 1 as i enjoy the content. However, comp 2 i am more worried about. If i was to offer any revision tips i'd say just to go over and over. Mind maps maybe? Diagrams always help me !

good luck

I agree RM seems easier then the others!
I wish i could say the same, im not confident at all in either section, due to most of my concentration being on coursework there was not much time for me to focus on core But im getting there!
I agree, component 2 is scary however I did a mock today and it went great so im gonna stick to that layout, its all coming together. I still need to revise the core and also materials and processes, but a week is plenty of time!
Yeah currently im in the prrocess of just continuously going over stuff and doing practice component 2 papers.

What ums have you currently got/ how has your coursework gone this year? What grade are you looking to get overall?

Sorry for the late reply but i know i got an A in my coursework this year and if all goes well i should get A in the exam, which should get me a b. Last year didn't go too well (but i did resit so it should be ok )!


WBU?

Hey guys,

I will be doing the graphics one. I done ok in my coursework this year 104/120 think that's at least an A and last year for coursework I got 117/120. Hope this exam goes well really.. what tips would you guys give?

@Rexar what layout did you use for component two, I really struggle with that section would appreciate help 😉

Hi! Its great to see someone else here!
104/120 is fantastic! That is definetly an A as 96 is the uns mark for an A and anything over 96 the grade is equal to the ums.
What grade did you get overall last year and what do you need to get this year to get an A or something?

For component 2 the layout which I have been perfecting is an initial idea, followed by one or teo developmenta beneath the idea. All surrounded by annotations.
I usually do this for 3 seperate ideas, after reading lots of examiners assessments I have realised that they place lots of importance on the developments so I would say make sure that you screach out to the examiners that THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT. I usually write development next to it.
Anotations. I usually write about materials, diamensions, components, manufacturing methods (aka volume of production in this), then obviously how my product functions. Examiners place lots of importance on the mechanisms aswell and they always say that this is what people seem to miss out on, so if your product is mechanical (I have never really looked at graphics questions). For graphics i am guessing that you shouod talk allot a put aesthitics instead of mechanicsm.

How many ideas do you usually do, a range of ideas is very brief, from what I have gathered most do around 3.
Also what is your layout for that last part of componet 2, I never really know how many points to include or what to talk about really!

How are you revising for component 1 also because im kinda scared I wont know the questions

Hope this helps

Hi! Its great to see someone else here!
104/120 is fantastic! That is definetly an A as 96 is the uns mark for an A and anything over 96 the grade is equal to the ums.
What grade did you get overall last year and what do you need to get this year to get an A or something?

For component 2 the layout which I have been perfecting is an initial idea, followed by one or teo developmenta beneath the idea. All surrounded by annotations.
I usually do this for 3 seperate ideas, after reading lots of examiners assessments I have realised that they place lots of importance on the developments so I would say make sure that you screach out to the examiners that THIS IS A DEVELOPMENT. I usually write development next to it.
Anotations. I usually write about materials, diamensions, components, manufacturing methods (aka volume of production in this), then obviously how my product functions. Examiners place lots of importance on the mechanisms aswell and they always say that this is what people seem to miss out on, so if your product is mechanical (I have never really looked at graphics questions). For graphics i am guessing that you shouod talk allot a put aesthitics instead of mechanicsm.

How many ideas do you usually do, a range of ideas is very brief, from what I have gathered most do around 3.
Also what is your layout for that last part of componet 2, I never really know how many points to include or what to talk about really!

How are you revising for component 1 also because im kinda scared I wont know the questions

Hope this helps

I've always been told to do 6 initials :/ hmmmm

Im not sure if i mentioned this earlier but the main areas that i focus on are Processes, Materials and Laws

Obviously lots of subsections come under that but still its easier to group them

wbu?

Im not sure if i mentioned this earlier but the main areas that i focus on are Processes, Materials and Laws

Obviously lots of subsections come under that but still its easier to group them

wbu?

When yoy say laws what do you write about?
I focus on the materials, processes and function mainly

when i revised in school this year we have revised the likes of product laws such as the 'Trade Description Act' 'Consumer Protection Act' and 'Product Labelling'


Also sorry mate i don't have a layout handy but i just split pg 1 into 6. pg 2 into 2 and just one detailed page for the last.

Ahh okay, I have also revised the acts and stuff but I have never incorporated then into component 2.
Ahh okay so you do 6 initial ideas, develop 2 then choose 1 for the last page.
What I do is I split each page into 2, and then at the top of each half I do the initial idea and underneath I develop it, I try to get 4 done but I usually only end up with 3 but in more detail so hopefully ill be okay

ahh i see sorry, i don't include the acts for comp2 i thought we were still talking about both. Also, your idea does make sense, you've gotten good grades i don't see why not.

I got an overall B last year, think my exam was a C (and coursework obviously A) but I have no idea what I need to get this year to get an A. I have re-done the AS exams so I guess I don't really know.

That's a really good idea, and yeah I've been reading them also and there's a massive emphasis on detail and development, so I will definitely be trying your technique out! YES! Annotations, I do them but I don't think I do enough really..

Graphics questions are quite simple which kinda makes it very hard but hey - we have like paper pop up mechanisms and paper related movements etc.I usually do 3 but I think I'll try and squeeze an extra one just in case the 3 I do is not good enough - be on the safe side .

For the last part I basically redraw my favourite idea with as many developments as possible and then put measurements and dimensions etc. Then around all of that, state the key features as stated in the question and make them CLEAR!!

Component 1 is weird for me but what I've done is basically seen what has come up in other years, and checked what hasn't come up. So I'm emphasising revision on what hasn't come up at all or what hasn't come up full stop - I recommend trying to do this but this is a long(ish) way. Try and basically get at least 3/4 points for each topic. The max you can get is 4 marks on it - besides the drawing manufacture - and for the last 8 marker, you can use the same 4 points and extend it by explaining in more detail.

Hope that helps, that layout you said is awesome! If it works (for me), you are a legend!!