8. How USMs are determined in Mathematics

8.2. Marking Schemes and Model Solutions

Assessors setting questions are asked to provide complete model solutions indicating everything that a candidate would be expected to write to answer the question fully.  The model solutions and marking scheme need to be sufficiently clear and comprehensive to be meaningful to an external examiner.

The model solution for each question should be accompanied by a marking scheme out of 25.  The marking scheme should aim to ensure that the following qualitative criteria hold (see also the class descriptors given below):

20-25 marks A completely, or almost completely, correct answer, showing excellent understanding of the concepts and skill in carrying through the arguments and/or calculations; minor slips or omissions only.

13-19 marks  A good though not complete answer, showing understanding of the concepts and competence in handling the arguments and/or calculations. Such an answer might consist of an excellent answer to a substantial part of the question, or a good answer to the whole question which nevertheless shows some flaws in calculation or in understanding or in both.

7-12 marks Standard material has been substantially and correctly answered with some possible minor progress on to other parts of the question.

0-6 marks Some progress has been made with elementary, accessible material.

Assessors should classify the parts of each question under the headings: 

B1: bookwork material: explicitly seen before;
B2: routine material: easily synthesized from material explicitly seen before; 
S: similar to material seen before;
N: new rider, demanding good command of concepts and/or methods.