A-level bio A
OCR
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
GCE
Biology A
H420/03: Unified biology
A Level
Mark Scheme for June 2022
,A-level bio A
OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA) is a leading UK awarding body, providing a wide
range of qualifications to meet the needs of candidates of all ages and abilities. OCR
qualifications include AS/A Levels, Diplomas, GCSEs, Cambridge Nationals,
Cambridge Technicals, Functional Skills, Key Skills, Entry Level qualifications, NVQs
and vocational qualifications in areas such as IT, business, languages,
teaching/training, administration and secretarial skills.
It is also responsible for developing new specifications to meet national
requirements and the needs of students and teachers. OCR is a not-for-profit
organisation; any surplus made is invested back into the establishment to help
towards the development of qualifications and support, which keep pace with the
changing needs of today’s society.
This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and students, to indicate the
requirements of the examination. It shows the basis on which marks were awarded
by examiners. It does not indicate the details of the discussions which took place at
an examiners’ meeting before marking commenced.
All examiners are instructed that alternative correct answers and unexpected
approaches in candidates’ scripts must be given marks that fairly reflect the
relevant knowledge and skills demonstrated.
Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the published question papers
and the report on the examination.
© OCR 2022
, MARKING INSTRUCTIONS
PREPARATION FOR MARKING
RM ASSESSOR
1. Make sure that you have accessed and completed the relevant training packages for on-screen marking: RM Assessor Online
Training; OCR Essential Guide to Marking.
2. Make sure that you have read and understood the mark scheme and the question paper for this unit. These are available in RM
Assessor.
3. Log-in to RM Assessor and mark the required number of practice responses (“scripts”) and the required number of
standardisation responses.
MARKING
1. Mark strictly to the mark scheme.
2. Marks awarded must relate directly to the marking criteria.
3. The schedule of dates is very important. It is essential that you meet the RM Assessor 50% and 100% (traditional 50%
Batch 1 and 100% Batch 2) deadlines. If you experience problems, you must contact your Team Leader (Supervisor)
without delay.
4. If you are in any doubt about applying the mark scheme, consult your Team Leader by telephone, email or via the RM
Assessor messaging system.
, 5. Work crossed out:
Where a candidate has crossed out a response and provided a clear alternative then the crossed-out response is not
marked. Where no alternative response has been provided, examiners may give candidates the benefit of the doubt and
mark the crossed-out response where legible.
Rubric Error Responses – Optional Questions
Where candidates have a choice of question across a whole paper or a whole section and have provided more answers than
required, then all responses are marked and the highest mark allowable within the rubric is given. Enter a mark for each
question answered into RM assessor, which will select the highest mark from those awarded. (The underlying assumption is
that the candidate has penalised themselves by attempting more questions than necessary in the time allowed.)
Multiple Choice Question Responses
When a multiple choice question has only a single, correct response and a candidate provides two responses (even if one of
these responses is correct), then no mark should be awarded (as it is not possible to determine which was the first response
selected by the candidate).
When a question requires candidates to select more than one option/multiple options, then local marking
arrangements need to ensure consistency of approach.
Contradictory Responses
When a candidate provides contradictory responses, then no mark should be awarded, even if one of the answers is correct.
Short Answer Questions (requiring only a list by way of a response, usually worth only one mark per response)
Where candidates are required to provide a set number of short answer responses then only the set number of responses
should be marked. The response space should be marked from left to right on each line and then line by line until the
required number of responses have been considered. The remaining responses should not then be marked. Examiners will
have to apply judgement as to whether a ‘second response’ on a line is a development of the ‘first response’, rather than a
separate, discrete response. (The underlying assumption is that the candidate is attempting to hedge their bets and
therefore getting undue benefit rather than engaging with the question and giving the most relevant/correct responses.)
Short Answer Questions (requiring a more developed response, worth two or more marks)
If the candidates are required to provide a description of, say, three items or factors and four items or factors are provided,
then mark on a similar basis – that is downwards (as it is unlikely in this situation that a candidate will provide more than
one response in each section of the response space.)
Longer Answer Questions (requiring a developed response)
Where candidates have provided two (or more) responses to a medium or high tariff question which only required a single
(developed) response and not crossed out the first response, then only the first response should be marked. Examiners
OCR
Oxford Cambridge and RSA
GCE
Biology A
H420/03: Unified biology
A Level
Mark Scheme for June 2022
,A-level bio A
OCR (Oxford Cambridge and RSA) is a leading UK awarding body, providing a wide
range of qualifications to meet the needs of candidates of all ages and abilities. OCR
qualifications include AS/A Levels, Diplomas, GCSEs, Cambridge Nationals,
Cambridge Technicals, Functional Skills, Key Skills, Entry Level qualifications, NVQs
and vocational qualifications in areas such as IT, business, languages,
teaching/training, administration and secretarial skills.
It is also responsible for developing new specifications to meet national
requirements and the needs of students and teachers. OCR is a not-for-profit
organisation; any surplus made is invested back into the establishment to help
towards the development of qualifications and support, which keep pace with the
changing needs of today’s society.
This mark scheme is published as an aid to teachers and students, to indicate the
requirements of the examination. It shows the basis on which marks were awarded
by examiners. It does not indicate the details of the discussions which took place at
an examiners’ meeting before marking commenced.
All examiners are instructed that alternative correct answers and unexpected
approaches in candidates’ scripts must be given marks that fairly reflect the
relevant knowledge and skills demonstrated.
Mark schemes should be read in conjunction with the published question papers
and the report on the examination.
© OCR 2022
, MARKING INSTRUCTIONS
PREPARATION FOR MARKING
RM ASSESSOR
1. Make sure that you have accessed and completed the relevant training packages for on-screen marking: RM Assessor Online
Training; OCR Essential Guide to Marking.
2. Make sure that you have read and understood the mark scheme and the question paper for this unit. These are available in RM
Assessor.
3. Log-in to RM Assessor and mark the required number of practice responses (“scripts”) and the required number of
standardisation responses.
MARKING
1. Mark strictly to the mark scheme.
2. Marks awarded must relate directly to the marking criteria.
3. The schedule of dates is very important. It is essential that you meet the RM Assessor 50% and 100% (traditional 50%
Batch 1 and 100% Batch 2) deadlines. If you experience problems, you must contact your Team Leader (Supervisor)
without delay.
4. If you are in any doubt about applying the mark scheme, consult your Team Leader by telephone, email or via the RM
Assessor messaging system.
, 5. Work crossed out:
Where a candidate has crossed out a response and provided a clear alternative then the crossed-out response is not
marked. Where no alternative response has been provided, examiners may give candidates the benefit of the doubt and
mark the crossed-out response where legible.
Rubric Error Responses – Optional Questions
Where candidates have a choice of question across a whole paper or a whole section and have provided more answers than
required, then all responses are marked and the highest mark allowable within the rubric is given. Enter a mark for each
question answered into RM assessor, which will select the highest mark from those awarded. (The underlying assumption is
that the candidate has penalised themselves by attempting more questions than necessary in the time allowed.)
Multiple Choice Question Responses
When a multiple choice question has only a single, correct response and a candidate provides two responses (even if one of
these responses is correct), then no mark should be awarded (as it is not possible to determine which was the first response
selected by the candidate).
When a question requires candidates to select more than one option/multiple options, then local marking
arrangements need to ensure consistency of approach.
Contradictory Responses
When a candidate provides contradictory responses, then no mark should be awarded, even if one of the answers is correct.
Short Answer Questions (requiring only a list by way of a response, usually worth only one mark per response)
Where candidates are required to provide a set number of short answer responses then only the set number of responses
should be marked. The response space should be marked from left to right on each line and then line by line until the
required number of responses have been considered. The remaining responses should not then be marked. Examiners will
have to apply judgement as to whether a ‘second response’ on a line is a development of the ‘first response’, rather than a
separate, discrete response. (The underlying assumption is that the candidate is attempting to hedge their bets and
therefore getting undue benefit rather than engaging with the question and giving the most relevant/correct responses.)
Short Answer Questions (requiring a more developed response, worth two or more marks)
If the candidates are required to provide a description of, say, three items or factors and four items or factors are provided,
then mark on a similar basis – that is downwards (as it is unlikely in this situation that a candidate will provide more than
one response in each section of the response space.)
Longer Answer Questions (requiring a developed response)
Where candidates have provided two (or more) responses to a medium or high tariff question which only required a single
(developed) response and not crossed out the first response, then only the first response should be marked. Examiners
