SPaG?

Spelling, punctuation and grammar marks. Anyone know if they still give these is AS/A2 levels? I Know they used to award you marks for it at GCSE, and take marks away if your SPaG was poor at A level, but with the new system intrduced, has this all changed?

Reply 1

hornblower

Ellie4

Generally, they take into account the legibility and clarity of your answers.

Essay questions usually have marks for quality of communication. They say this on the front of the exam and below the corresponding question usually.

Reply 2

Don Quixote

I'm pretty sure they do. I know they can mark you down for poor punctuation, illegible handwriting. I also think they give you a few (3?) extra marks for sophisticated or coherent, organised and assertive comments, structure etc.

In an examiner's report I read, it said that some students were penalised (lost marks) simply for their poor handwriting. Said something like they can't get marks for knowledge when the markers can't read the scrawl.

Reply 3

In Chemistry there isn't officially Spag. BUT there is something similar, which includes not contradicting yourself scientifically, etc

Reply 4

Dil

On my AS Biology and Chemistry modules in January, there were essay questions worth 8/9 marks with one mark awarded for QWC; quality of written communication, where you have to use scientific terms... might only be OCR though!