I've definitely seen some alternative methods been given 0 marks because it hasn't been thought of yet to put in the main scheme and clearly the examiner was not knowledgeable enough to pass on.
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Team leader should be giving clear direction to pass on anything that isn't covered by the mark scheme. Of course, that doesn't stop lazy marking. The whole system is bizarre because often markers are people have taught all day, dealt with issues at home and then sat down to mark late evening.
There is a question here though, alternative to what? This is method of differences, and so not an alternative method. It is an alternative layout but that shouldn't be what gets the marks as such. Horizontal vs vertical is a change in layout too but more subtle!
I don't think anyone is questioning whether this is a valid method of differences, just whether your average marker would recognise it if it is not on the mark scheme. It is an alternative to how the exam board typically sets it out!
But students often lay things out differently to what appears on mark schemes. My point is just that this is about layout rather than method. I'd be quite concerned if a FM marker marked this as wrong because they didn't understand layout (rather than flag it for a team leader).
Are we worried that the quality of marking for FM A Level can be poor? Papers I've reviews over the last few years have generally been marked very well. The odd oversight here and there but only ever leading to one or two method marks being missed across whole papers.
I worry when teaching becones dictated by exams and in particular mark schemes. Something has gone wrong if we avoid an approach because it may not get the marks if the examiner is subpar.
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