Strands of assessment

Strands of assessment

Before you hand in your report you should be confident that you satisfy the criteria required to get level 5 for each of the two strands below.

1. Quality of the Research Briefing

Would this briefing usefully and effectively inform another A-Level student about the essentials of a suitably demanding new topic? Is the understanding that it contains correct, clearly explained and kept to essentials? Is it presented so as to make it straightforward to follow and comprehend?

Level 1	Considerable guidance was needed with the chosen topic. At least one source was identified, and may be used extensively. The briefing is too long, or too short, lacking in relevance in parts and with poor structure and attribution of quotations
Level 3	Some of the potential of the topic was developed and several sources of information were used, perhaps without cross-checking. The briefing is neatly produced and of the required length, but may have flaws of logical structure or in written English.
Level 5	There is a clear focus on a challenging topic, chosen independently, with an appropriate range and variety of sources with cross-checking of information. The briefing is clear, succinct and well-written.

2. Use and understanding of physics

Is this the student’s own work, developing a personal understanding of a new topic that involves substantial use of physics, through seeking out sources, assessing them critically, working on understanding them and expressing the ideas so as to make them understandable to others?

Level 1	The ideas used require little physics at A Level. The briefing is unselective and not reworked into a summary. Questioning reveals that many of the physics ideas are not well understood.
Level 3	The chosen topic requires some knowledge of physics at A Level. There has been some selection of essential ideas, but the focus of essentials is unclear or incomplete. Questions asked are mainly dealt with competently, showing that the physics ideas are mostly understood, although there may be some misunderstandings.
Level 5	The chosen topic requires substantial knowledge of A-Level physics, involving ideas or applications new to the student. Essential ideas have been thoughtfully selected and reworked into a coherent summary. Questioning reveals a good understanding of the physics ideas included.