MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL COMPUTER SCIENCE – 7517/1 –
JUNE 2023
AQA
A-level
COMPUTER SCIENCE
7517/1
Paper 1
Mark scheme
June 2023
2
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL COMPUTER SCIENCE – 7517/1 –
JUNE 2023
Level of response marking instructions
Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The
descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level.
Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as
instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme.
Step 1 Determine a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the
descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in
the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it
meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With
practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the
lower levels of the mark scheme.
When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in
small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If
the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit
approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within
the level, ie if the response is predominantly level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material it would be
placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4 content.
Step 2 Determine a mark
Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate
marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. There will be an
answer in the standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This
answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer
with the example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then
use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and
assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate.
Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be
exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points
mentioned in the Indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme.
An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks.
3
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL COMPUTER SCIENCE – 7517/1 –
JUNE 2023
A-level Computer Science
Paper 1 (7517/1) – applicable to all programming languages A, B, C, D and E
June 2023
The following annotation is used in the mark scheme:
; – means a single mark
// – means an alternative response
/ – means an alternative word or sub-phrase
A. – means an acceptable creditworthy answer
R. – means reject answer as not creditworthy
NE. – means not enough
I. – means ignore
DPT. – means ‘Don't penalise twice’. In some questions a specific error made by a candidate, if
repeated, could result in the loss of more than one mark. The DPT label indicates that this
mistake should only result in a candidate losing one mark, on the first occasion that the error is
made. Provided that the answer remains understandable, subsequent marks should be
awarded as if the error was not being repeated.
4
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL COMPUTER SCIENCE – 7517/1 –
JUNE 2023
Examiners are required to assign each of the candidate’s responses to the most appropriate level
according to its overall quality, and then allocate a single mark within the level. When deciding upon a
mark in a level, examiners should bear in mind the relative weightings of the assessment objectives
eg
In question 06.1, the marks available for the AO3 elements are as follows:
AO3 (design) 4 marks
AO3 (programming) 8 marks
Where a candidate’s answer only reflects one element of the AO, the maximum mark they can receive
will be restricted accordingly.
5
JUNE 2023
AQA
A-level
COMPUTER SCIENCE
7517/1
Paper 1
Mark scheme
June 2023
2
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL COMPUTER SCIENCE – 7517/1 –
JUNE 2023
Level of response marking instructions
Level of response mark schemes are broken down into levels, each of which has a descriptor. The
descriptor for the level shows the average performance for the level. There are marks in each level.
Before you apply the mark scheme to a student’s answer read through the answer and annotate it (as
instructed) to show the qualities that are being looked for. You can then apply the mark scheme.
Step 1 Determine a level
Start at the lowest level of the mark scheme and use it as a ladder to see whether the answer meets the
descriptor for that level. The descriptor for the level indicates the different qualities that might be seen in
the student’s answer for that level. If it meets the lowest level then go to the next one and decide if it
meets this level, and so on, until you have a match between the level descriptor and the answer. With
practice and familiarity you will find that for better answers you will be able to quickly skip through the
lower levels of the mark scheme.
When assigning a level you should look at the overall quality of the answer and not look to pick holes in
small and specific parts of the answer where the student has not performed quite as well as the rest. If
the answer covers different aspects of different levels of the mark scheme you should use a best fit
approach for defining the level and then use the variability of the response to help decide the mark within
the level, ie if the response is predominantly level 3 with a small amount of level 4 material it would be
placed in level 3 but be awarded a mark near the top of the level because of the level 4 content.
Step 2 Determine a mark
Once you have assigned a level you need to decide on the mark. The descriptors on how to allocate
marks can help with this. The exemplar materials used during standardisation will help. There will be an
answer in the standardising materials which will correspond with each level of the mark scheme. This
answer will have been awarded a mark by the Lead Examiner. You can compare the student’s answer
with the example to determine if it is the same standard, better or worse than the example. You can then
use this to allocate a mark for the answer based on the Lead Examiner’s mark on the example.
You may well need to read back through the answer as you apply the mark scheme to clarify points and
assure yourself that the level and the mark are appropriate.
Indicative content in the mark scheme is provided as a guide for examiners. It is not intended to be
exhaustive and you must credit other valid points. Students do not have to cover all of the points
mentioned in the Indicative content to reach the highest level of the mark scheme.
An answer which contains nothing of relevance to the question must be awarded no marks.
3
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL COMPUTER SCIENCE – 7517/1 –
JUNE 2023
A-level Computer Science
Paper 1 (7517/1) – applicable to all programming languages A, B, C, D and E
June 2023
The following annotation is used in the mark scheme:
; – means a single mark
// – means an alternative response
/ – means an alternative word or sub-phrase
A. – means an acceptable creditworthy answer
R. – means reject answer as not creditworthy
NE. – means not enough
I. – means ignore
DPT. – means ‘Don't penalise twice’. In some questions a specific error made by a candidate, if
repeated, could result in the loss of more than one mark. The DPT label indicates that this
mistake should only result in a candidate losing one mark, on the first occasion that the error is
made. Provided that the answer remains understandable, subsequent marks should be
awarded as if the error was not being repeated.
4
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL COMPUTER SCIENCE – 7517/1 –
JUNE 2023
Examiners are required to assign each of the candidate’s responses to the most appropriate level
according to its overall quality, and then allocate a single mark within the level. When deciding upon a
mark in a level, examiners should bear in mind the relative weightings of the assessment objectives
eg
In question 06.1, the marks available for the AO3 elements are as follows:
AO3 (design) 4 marks
AO3 (programming) 8 marks
Where a candidate’s answer only reflects one element of the AO, the maximum mark they can receive
will be restricted accordingly.
5
