MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE B – 7717/1A –
JUNE 2023
AQA
A-level
ENGLISH LITERATURE B
7717/1A
Paper 1A Literary genres: Aspects of tragedy
Mark scheme
June 2023
2
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE B – 7717/1A –
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 ENGLISH LITERATURE B – 7717/1A –
JUNE 2023
Information for examiners marking Aspects of tragedy: closed book
Welcome to this mark scheme which is designed to help you deliver fair and accurate assessment.
Please read all sections carefully and ensure that you follow the requirements that they contain.
The significance of closed book
Examiners must understand that in marking a closed book exam there are examining implications.
Students do not have their texts in front of them, so while it is expected that they will use quotations, it is
also legitimate to use close textual references. They will have had to memorise quotations so there may
be some errors which should not be over penalised. Detailed discussions of particular sections of texts
are less likely here than in open book exams. Instead, students may range broadly across their texts as
they construct their arguments.
There are specific issues for AO2 – how meanings are shaped in texts. Students will not have their texts
in front of them, so although they will be able to make specific references to structural and organisational
issues, comments on other methods may be less specific.
Arriving at Marks
1. All questions are framed to address all the Assessment Objectives (AOs). Answers are marked
holistically. Examiners need to read the whole answer taking into account its strengths and
weaknesses and then place it in the appropriate band.
2. Examiners should avoid making early snap judgements before the whole answer has been read.
Some students begin tentatively but go on to make relevant points.
3. Examiners should be prepared to use the full mark range in order to discriminate and not ‘bunch’
scripts in the middle for safety.
4. Examiners should mark positively. Although the possible content of the mark scheme provides some
indicators for what students are likely to write about, examiners should be willing to reward what is
actually there – provided of course, that it is relevant to the question being asked.
5. Examiners should remember that there are no right answers. Students’ views which are relevant,
well-argued and supported by appropriate textual evidence must receive credit whether the
examiner agrees with the views or not. It is important to remain open to a student’s ideas which
could be unusual or unorthodox.
6. Examiners should remember that length and quality are not synonymous. Some brief answers may
be relevant and concise. Equally, long answers may be diffuse and repetitive.
7. If answers are short or incomplete, examiners can only reward what is there and assess
accordingly. Some further credit can be given to answers finished in note form.
4
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE B – 7717/1A –
JUNE 2023
Using the Mark Bands
8. When placing answers in mark bands, examiners need to look closely at the descriptors and the
detailed generic mark bands on page 9. The key words for the bands are important and are printed
below.
MARK BAND DESCRIPTORS
Band 5 (21–25) perceptive/assured
Band 4 (16–20) coherent/thorough
Band 3 (11–15) straightforward/relevant
Band 2 (6–10) simple/generalised
largely irrelevant, largely misunderstood, largely
Band 1 (1–5)
inaccurate
9. Answers placed at the top of the band will securely address the descriptors; answers at the lower
end of the band will securely address the descriptors below and begin to show the qualities of the
band into which you are placing them. Careful judgements need to be made about marks in the
middle of the range; here it is likely that the key descriptors will be more intermittent but still clearly
evident.
10. There will be occasions when an answer addresses descriptors in different bands; in such cases, the
‘best-fit’ model applies. Here examiners will need to exercise a different kind of judgement, looking
to see where the answer can be most fairly and appropriately placed in terms of its quality against
the descriptors.
11. Examiners must remember that the mark bands are not equivalent to grades: grades are decided by
the awarding committee at the end of each session.
Advice about marking each section
Section A
12. Examiners need to bear in mind the following key points when marking extract based questions:
does the student have an overview of the extract?
has the student written about dramatic method?
has the student seen the significance of the extract in relation to the overall tragedy?
has the student quoted from the extract to support ideas?
the student’s AO1 competence.
In the case of a significant omission to an answer the examiner should not give a mark higher than
Band 4.
5
JUNE 2023
AQA
A-level
ENGLISH LITERATURE B
7717/1A
Paper 1A Literary genres: Aspects of tragedy
Mark scheme
June 2023
2
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE B – 7717/1A –
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 ENGLISH LITERATURE B – 7717/1A –
JUNE 2023
Information for examiners marking Aspects of tragedy: closed book
Welcome to this mark scheme which is designed to help you deliver fair and accurate assessment.
Please read all sections carefully and ensure that you follow the requirements that they contain.
The significance of closed book
Examiners must understand that in marking a closed book exam there are examining implications.
Students do not have their texts in front of them, so while it is expected that they will use quotations, it is
also legitimate to use close textual references. They will have had to memorise quotations so there may
be some errors which should not be over penalised. Detailed discussions of particular sections of texts
are less likely here than in open book exams. Instead, students may range broadly across their texts as
they construct their arguments.
There are specific issues for AO2 – how meanings are shaped in texts. Students will not have their texts
in front of them, so although they will be able to make specific references to structural and organisational
issues, comments on other methods may be less specific.
Arriving at Marks
1. All questions are framed to address all the Assessment Objectives (AOs). Answers are marked
holistically. Examiners need to read the whole answer taking into account its strengths and
weaknesses and then place it in the appropriate band.
2. Examiners should avoid making early snap judgements before the whole answer has been read.
Some students begin tentatively but go on to make relevant points.
3. Examiners should be prepared to use the full mark range in order to discriminate and not ‘bunch’
scripts in the middle for safety.
4. Examiners should mark positively. Although the possible content of the mark scheme provides some
indicators for what students are likely to write about, examiners should be willing to reward what is
actually there – provided of course, that it is relevant to the question being asked.
5. Examiners should remember that there are no right answers. Students’ views which are relevant,
well-argued and supported by appropriate textual evidence must receive credit whether the
examiner agrees with the views or not. It is important to remain open to a student’s ideas which
could be unusual or unorthodox.
6. Examiners should remember that length and quality are not synonymous. Some brief answers may
be relevant and concise. Equally, long answers may be diffuse and repetitive.
7. If answers are short or incomplete, examiners can only reward what is there and assess
accordingly. Some further credit can be given to answers finished in note form.
4
, MARK SCHEME – A-LEVEL ENGLISH LITERATURE B – 7717/1A –
JUNE 2023
Using the Mark Bands
8. When placing answers in mark bands, examiners need to look closely at the descriptors and the
detailed generic mark bands on page 9. The key words for the bands are important and are printed
below.
MARK BAND DESCRIPTORS
Band 5 (21–25) perceptive/assured
Band 4 (16–20) coherent/thorough
Band 3 (11–15) straightforward/relevant
Band 2 (6–10) simple/generalised
largely irrelevant, largely misunderstood, largely
Band 1 (1–5)
inaccurate
9. Answers placed at the top of the band will securely address the descriptors; answers at the lower
end of the band will securely address the descriptors below and begin to show the qualities of the
band into which you are placing them. Careful judgements need to be made about marks in the
middle of the range; here it is likely that the key descriptors will be more intermittent but still clearly
evident.
10. There will be occasions when an answer addresses descriptors in different bands; in such cases, the
‘best-fit’ model applies. Here examiners will need to exercise a different kind of judgement, looking
to see where the answer can be most fairly and appropriately placed in terms of its quality against
the descriptors.
11. Examiners must remember that the mark bands are not equivalent to grades: grades are decided by
the awarding committee at the end of each session.
Advice about marking each section
Section A
12. Examiners need to bear in mind the following key points when marking extract based questions:
does the student have an overview of the extract?
has the student written about dramatic method?
has the student seen the significance of the extract in relation to the overall tragedy?
has the student quoted from the extract to support ideas?
the student’s AO1 competence.
In the case of a significant omission to an answer the examiner should not give a mark higher than
Band 4.
5
