Assessment Objective 2 (AO2) focuses on a student's ability to write accurately and effectively, using Standard English appropriately, and accounts for the majority of marks in the coursework portfolio (65 out of 80). This objective is broken down into five sub-objectives.
W1: Articulate experience and express what is thought, felt and imagined: This sub-objective assesses the student's capacity to convey real and imagined experiences, thoughts, and feelings convincingly, demonstrating personal engagement and authenticity in their writing.
W2: Organise and structure ideas and opinions for deliberate effect: Students are evaluated on their ability to sequence and connect ideas and opinions effectively, ensuring that their written response interests and influences the reader through thoughtful organization.
W3: Use a range of vocabulary and sentence structures appropriate to context: This objective measures the student's command of language, requiring them to employ a varied and appropriate vocabulary, alongside diverse sentence structures, to achieve specific effects in their writing.
W4: Use register appropriate to context: Students must demonstrate the ability to vary their writing style, tone, and formality (register) to suit the specific purpose, intended audience, and chosen form of each task, showcasing adaptability in communication.
W5: Make accurate use of spelling, punctuation and grammar: This fundamental sub-objective assesses the correctness of the student's writing, requiring them to avoid errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar to ensure clarity and adherence to Standard English conventions.
Assessment Objective 1 (AO1) focuses on a student's ability to read and respond in different ways to different types of text, contributing 15 marks exclusively through Assignment 1. This objective is divided into five sub-objectives.
R1: Demonstrate understanding of explicit meanings: This sub-objective requires students to show comprehension of the obvious and directly stated meanings communicated within a text, identifying key facts and information.
R2: Demonstrate understanding of implicit meanings and attitudes: Students must recognize hints and suggestions within a text to grasp the more subtle, underlying meanings and attitudes conveyed by the writer, moving beyond surface-level comprehension.
R3: Analyse, evaluate and develop facts, ideas and opinions, using appropriate support from the text: This objective assesses the ability to critically engage with textual content, evaluating and developing the information read by using, explaining, and supporting their points with relevant evidence, such as quotations or references.
R4: Demonstrate understanding of how writers achieve effects and influence readers: Students need to show awareness of the deliberate choices a writer makes in their use of language and structure, and how these choices are intended to create specific effects and influence the reader.
R5: Select and use information for specific purposes: This objective evaluates the student's skill in identifying and utilizing relevant and appropriate information from a text to address specific questions or fulfill the requirements of a task.
The coursework portfolio offers a process-oriented assessment where students can refine their work over time, contrasting sharply with the single-attempt, high-pressure nature of a timed examination. This allows for deeper learning and higher quality output.
Unlike exams where topics are fixed, coursework provides the flexibility to choose topics of personal interest, which can enhance motivation and engagement. This personal connection often leads to more thoughtful and developed responses.
The coursework portfolio heavily weights writing skills (AO2), allocating 65 out of 80 total marks. This means that strong command of grammar, vocabulary, structure, and register is paramount for achieving a high overall score.
Reading skills (AO1), while important, contribute a smaller portion of the marks (15 marks) and are assessed exclusively within Assignment 1. Therefore, a student's ability to analyze and respond to texts is critical for this specific assignment but less dominant overall.
Embrace the revision process: Utilize the opportunity to edit, revise, and correct work independently. Producing multiple drafts is key to achieving the 'highest possible quality' expected.
Understand assignment specifics: Each assignment type (discursive/argumentative, descriptive, narrative) has unique requirements. Tailor your approach, language, and structure to meet the specific objectives of each task.
Master assessment objectives: Familiarize yourself thoroughly with both AO1 and AO2 sub-objectives. Use them as a checklist to ensure your work addresses all criteria, particularly focusing on the heavily weighted writing objectives.
Careful text selection for Assignment 1: If given a choice, select texts for Assignment 1 that you can genuinely analyze, evaluate, and develop. Ensure you can extract both explicit and implicit meanings and support your views with textual evidence.
Neglecting mandatory submission items: A frequent error is failing to include the first draft of one of the assignments or the source text(s) for Assignment 1. These are non-negotiable requirements and their absence can lead to penalties.
Inconsistent register: Students often struggle to consistently adapt their writing style (register) to suit the specific purpose, audience, and form of each assignment. Forgetting to vary tone or vocabulary can limit marks for AO2 W4.
Insufficient textual engagement in Assignment 1: A common misconception is that Assignment 1 only requires summarizing the provided texts. However, students must actively analyze, evaluate, and develop the ideas, using appropriate textual support, rather than just recounting information.
Overlooking grammatical accuracy: Despite the emphasis on creativity and expression, fundamental errors in spelling, punctuation, and grammar (AO2 W5) can significantly detract from the overall quality and clarity of the writing, impacting marks across all assignments.
