Since my article in A-LEVEL LAW REVIEW, Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 26–27, the new AQA AS specification has been introduced with a different type of examination paper, which has created a new set of problems that need to be addressed by teachers and students. However, many of the concerns contained in my original article continue to beset students in this new paper.
Probably the most significant ‘new’ issue is that of time-management. The new paper, although 90 minutes long, requires candidates to answer 14 questions — seven on each topic selected. More candidates than previously are experiencing problems in completing this paper within the allotted time. To deal with this issue, you need to practise writing answers in a timed lesson — the mark allocation is still ‘1 mark per minute’. You also need to ensure that no time is wasted on writing irrelevant material. In this January’s paper, a number of candidates in the omission question — question (a)(i) — included references to the need for a voluntary act and even rules on causation, which simply wasted time. Another example of irrelevant content occurred in the ‘sentencing’ question — question (c)(ii) — which dealt with ‘types’ of sentence, yet many candidates included material on ‘aims’ of sentencing and aggravating and mitigating factors.
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