2. Understanding Standards: An overview of course assessment
National 5 History
An overview of course assessment
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3. What this presentation covers
An overview of what has not changed
An overview of what has changed
Question paper – new models
Question paper – types of questions
Assignment – overview of marking criteria
Course assessment – supporting documentation
Course assessment – next steps

4. An overview of what has not changed
There are still two components – the assignment and the question paper
The assignment is still out of 20 marks (1 hour)
The question paper still has three sections (Scottish, British and European & World)
There are still three models which fit together to make up the question paper

5. An overview of what has changed
The question paper (QP) is now out of 80 marks (instead of 60) and will last for 2 hours 20 minutes
The combined course assessment is now out of 100 marks (instead of 80) overall
The three models which make up the QP are now asymmetric (and will rotate in a random order)
Each question type will always be worth the same amount of marks from the 2018 QP onwards

6. Question paper – new models
Model 1 (26 marks overall):
One explain (KU2) question worth 6 marks
One short essay (KU3) question worth 9 marks
One evaluation (SH1) question worth 5 marks
One contextualisation (SH3) question worth 6 marks

7. Question paper – new models
Model 2 (25 marks overall):
One describe (KU1) question worth 4 marks
One explain (KU2) question worth 6 marks
One evaluation (SH1) question worth 5 marks
One comparison (SH2) question worth 4 marks
One contextualisation (SH3) question worth 6 marks

8. Question paper – new models
Model 3 (29 marks overall):
One describe (KU1) question worth 4 marks
One explain (KU2) question worth 6 marks
One short essay (KU3) question worth 9 marks
One comparison (SH2) question worth 4 marks
One contextualisation (SH3) question worth 6 marks

9. Question paper – types of question
Knowledge & Understanding (KU) questions:
KU1 (describe) questions will always be worth 4 marks (and there will still be two in the question paper)
KU2 (explain) questions will always be worth 6 marks (and there will now be one in each section)
KU3 (short essay) questions will always be worth 9 marks (an additional mark available for an introduction) and there will now be two in the question paper

10. Question paper – types of question
Source-handling skills (SH) questions:
SH1 (evaluation) questions will always be worth 5 marks (one will be based on a primary source and one will be based on a secondary source)
SH2 (comparison) questions will always be worth 4 marks (one will have sources which agree and one will have sources which disagree)
SH3 (contextualisation) questions will always be worth 6 marks (there will now be one in each section)

11. Assignment – overview of criteria
The available 20 marks are now distributed as follows:
Introducing – 2 marks
Knowledge – 4 marks
Referencing – 2 marks
Analysing – 3 marks (one mark per factor)
Evaluating – 3 marks (one mark per factor)
Organising – 3 marks
Concluding – 2 marks
Supporting – 1 mark (one mark less than previously)

12. Course assessment – documents
There have also been changes to the supporting documentation:
The Course Assessment Specification and the Course & Unit Support Notes have been combined
‘Mandatory Content’ has been renamed ‘Key Issues’ and all four issues will now be sampled going forward
The ‘Illustrative Areas’ have been renamed ‘Description of Content’ and aim to provide much more clarity and detail for centres than the originals

13. Course Assessment – next steps
Centres also have access to the following:
The annual Course Report highlights key messages on marking methods for the benefit of every centre
Subject Updates via the SQA website will highlight further advice, clarification or necessary changes
The Understanding Standards website will continue to be updated annually with exemplar resources
Independent schools, Colleges (or Local Authorities on behalf of a centre) can now make CPD requests via the SQA website if required

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