Answering the Exam Questions » How the Exam Works: Paper 1, Paper 2 and Your Paper Code

The two papers at a glance

Your International GCSE in Religious Studies is marked from two written exams. Both are sat in June. Grades run from 9 to 1, and there is one tier, so every student sits the same level of paper.

Key terms:

• Section: one block of questions on a single topic area of a paper.
• Synoptic question: the last part of every question, which pulls together what you know on the topic and asks you to weigh it up.
• Paper code: the number and letters that show which exam you are entered for.
• Assessment objective (AO): a skill the exam board marks you on.

Paper 1: Beliefs and values

The four sections match the four Paper 1 themes: the universe, creation and the place of human beings; life and death; peace and conflict; and rights, equality and social justice. Each section offers two questions and you answer one, for your chosen religion. That means you answer four questions in total, and each is worth 25 marks.

Every question is built the same way:

1. Part (a) is worth 3 marks.
2. Part (b) is worth 4 marks.
3. Part (c) is worth 6 marks.
4. Part (d) is worth 12 marks, and it is the synoptic part.

The sample paper tells candidates to spend no more than 20 minutes on each section. Four sections at 20 minutes is 80 minutes, which leaves about 25 minutes to read the paper, choose your questions and check your answers. Spare time is best spent on the 12-mark part, because it carries the most marks.

Paper 2: The religious community

The three sections are origins and their impact on the community, celebration and pilgrimage, and worship and practice. There is no choice here: you answer every question. Each section is worth 20 marks and has three parts:

• Part (a) is worth 4 marks.
• Part (b) is worth 6 marks.
• Part (c) is worth 10 marks, and it is the synoptic part.

Allow about 30 minutes for each section. Every answer is on your one religion, and the 10-mark part asks for a balanced discussion, so use the time well.

Your paper code

Paper 1 is one paper, 4RS1/01, for everyone. Paper 2 is different. Pearson sets one Paper 2 for each religion, so you must be entered for the one that matches the religion you studied:

The subject code, 4RS1, is the one an exam centre uses to enter you for the qualification. Paper codes are given for information, and you may need to be entered for individual papers. Check the exact code with your exam centre, and make sure it names the religion you have studied. Entering for the wrong religion means sitting questions on teachings you have not learned.

What the examiners are looking for

The papers are marked against two assessment objectives. Each is worth 50 per cent of the whole qualification.

They are shared between the papers like this: Paper 1 carries 30 per cent AO1 and 30 per cent AO2 of the qualification, and Paper 2 carries 20 per cent AO1 and 20 per cent AO2. So both skills count equally everywhere. Knowing facts is only half of it. You must also explain why they matter and weigh up different views.

The content descriptions in the spec say what you must be able to do. On both papers you must be able to identify main points and aspects of a religion, extract specific details, and identify points of view and show you understand religious themes. Paper 1 adds understanding deeper questions and recognising attitudes and opinions. Paper 2 adds understanding and discussing divergent points of view, which means different views within a religion. Questions are drawn from a variety of sources, so expect the same content to appear in different contexts.

Exam-style question

This practice question is about the exam itself.

(a) Identify three things that are the same in every Paper 1 question. [3 marks]

(b) Outline two differences between Paper 1 and Paper 2. [4 marks]