TYPES OF MARKING

Questions are marked in two ways: point marking and levels marking.
(A) Point Marking In point marking each valid point made in an answer is given a mark. Questions with 1 - 4 marks are likely to be point marked. Answers are marked positively and anything that is incorrect is ignored. Any point that is valid will gain credit up to the maximum allowed for the question. Answers where candidates merely list items (unless that is what the question required) will rarely gain more than 1 or 2 marks.
(B) Level Marking Levels are used where questions have 4 or more marks allocated for the answer. On the Foundation Tier paper two Levels are used and on the Higher Tier there is a maximum of three Levels. Levels marking rewards the quality of the answer not the quantity. One candidate may write 10 lines of simple statements only creditworthy at Level 1 whereas another candidate may write only three lines and achieve Level 3. In a mark scheme where Level 2 represents 3 or 4 marks, a Level 2 answer will automatically gain 3 or 4 marks, the answer does not also have to contain Level 1 statements. Likewise an answer worth Level 3 does not need to contain the Level 1 and 2 statements in order to access the Level 3 marks.
There are three generic level descriptors used in AQA
Level 1 Basic Knowledge of basic information. Simple understanding Little organisation; few links; little or not detail; uses a limited range of specialist terms. Reasonable accuracy in the use of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Text is legible.
Level 2 Clear Knowledge of accurate information. Clear understanding. Organised answers, with some linkages, occasional detail/exemplar; uses a good range of specialist terms where appropriate. Considerable accuracy in spelling, punctuation and grammar. Text is legible.
Level 3 Detailed Knowledge of accurate information appropriately contextualised and/or at correct scale. Detailed understanding, supported by relevant evidence and exemplars. Well organised, demonstrating detailed linkages and the interrelationships between factors. Clear and fluent expression of ideas in a logical form; uses a wide range of specialist terms where appropriate. Accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar. Text is legible.

QUALITY OF WRITTEN COMMUNICATION
When a question requires the use of case studies or examples the candidate that makes only passing reference to an example such as e.g. London, e.g. Sao Paulo will rarely go beyond Level 2.
Candidates need to ensure the answer rings true for the example they give and includes other case study information that is accurate and appropriate for the question being asked.
A good test is to read the account and ask yourself whether it is really talking about the named location or whether it could apply to any similar example chosen to illustrate the theme.