The only real difference between Standard and Advanced English is the modules, and quality of the candidature. Marks are supposedly scaled as a common course, so neither Standard or Advanced students should be disadvantaged.
There is no difference in the scaling of marks. There is a difference in the aligning of marks, which is the marks you recieve. Raw marks are used for scaling, and since they are not revealed to the public, there is a misconception that they scale differently.
The way that they attempt to keep it the same is by the Area of Study exam. The variations in the modules paper are removed by shaping the distribution of marks in accordance to the Area of Study exam.
Take this hypothetical scenario for example:
Standard
Scenario A
In the Area of Study Paper only, say the results for Standard were:
80% = top
70% = middle/median
60% = last
In the Modules Paper only, say the results for Standard were:
90% = top
80% = middle/median
70% = last
Notice, how it appeared that the Modules Paper probably proved easier for many Standard students than the Area of Study Paper.
Student 1 scored:
Area of Study: 70% (middle/median)
Modules: 90% (top)
Student 2 scored:
Area of Study: 80% (top)
Modules: 70% (last)
Student 3 scored:
Area of Study: 60% (last)
Modules: 80% (middle/median)
After the MODULES PAPER marks were redistributed, their final scores for each paper are:
Student 1 scored:
Area of Study: 70% (middle/median)
*Modules: 80% (top)
Student 2 scored:
Area of Study: 80% (top)
*Modules: 60% (last)
Student 3 scored:
Area of Study: 60% (last)
*Modules: 70% (middle/median)
Notice how the ranks in each paper remained the same, but the marks were allocated according to the Area of Study exam, which in effect compares them with Advanced students. Therefore their final scores are:
Student 1 scored:
Area of Study: 70% (i.e. 31.5/45)
Modules: 80% (i.e. 48/60)
Final raw exam mark = 76% (i.e. 79.5/105 to nearest whole no.)
Student 2 scored:
Area of Study: 80% (i.e. 36/45)
Modules: 60% (i.e. 36/60)
Final raw exam mark = 69% (i.e. 72/105 to nearest whole no.)
Student 3 scored:
Area of Study: 60% (i.e. 27/45)
Modules: 70% (i.e. 42/60)
Final raw exam mark = 66% (i.e. 69/105 to nearest whole no.)
Similarly, with Advanced:
Advanced
Scenario B
In the Area of Study Paper only, say the results for Advanced were:
100% = top
80% = middle/median
60% = last
In the Modules Paper only, say the results for Advanced were:
80% = top
60% = middle/median
40% = last
Notice, how it appeared that the Modules Paper probably proved harder for many Advanced students than the Area of Study Paper. However, overall the Advanced people performed better than the Standard students in the Area of Study paper.
Student 1 scored:
Area of Study: 80% (middle/median)
Modules: 80% (top)
Student 2 scored:
Area of Study: 100% (top)
Modules: 40% (last)
Student 3 scored:
Area of Study: 60% (last)
Modules: 60% (middle/median)
After the MODULES PAPER marks were redistributed, their final scores for each paper are:
Student 1 scored:
Area of Study: 80% (middle/median)
*Modules: 100% (top)
Student 2 scored:
Area of Study: 100% (top)
*Modules: 60% (last)
Student 3 scored:
Area of Study: 60% (last)
*Modules: 80% (middle/median)
Notice how the ranks in each paper remained the same, but the marks were allocated according to the Area of Study exam, which in effect compares them with Standard students. Therefore their final scores are:
Student 1 scored:
Area of Study: 80% (i.e. 36/45)
Modules: 100% (i.e. 60/60)
Final raw exam mark: 91% (i.e. 69/105 to nearest whole no.)
Student 2 scored:
Area of Study: 100% (i.e. 45/45)
Modules: 60% (i.e. 36/60)
Final raw exam mark: 77% (i.e. 81/105 to nearest whole no.)
Student 3 scored:
Area of Study: 60% (i.e. 27/45)
Modules: 80% (i.e. 48/60)
Final raw exam mark: 70% (i.e. 75/105 to nearest whole no.)
HOWEVER, if the unlikely situation occurs where the performance in the Area of Study is the SAME for both Advanced and Standard, then they would end up with the same raw mark.
Standard
Scenario C
In the Area of Study Paper only, say the results for Standard were:
100% = top
80% = middle/median
60% = last
In the Modules Paper only, say the results for Standard were:
90% = top
80% = middle/median
70% = last
Student 1 scored:
Area of Study: 80% (middle/median)
Modules: 90% (top)
Student 2 scored:
Area of Study: 100% (top)
Modules: 70% (last)
Student 3 scored:
Area of Study: 60% (last)
Modules: 80% (middle/median)
After the MODULES PAPER marks were redistributed, their final scores for each paper are:
Student 1 scored:
Area of Study: 80% (middle/median)
*Modules: 100% (top)
Student 2 scored:
Area of Study: 100% (top)
*Modules: 60% (last)
Student 3 scored:
Area of Study: 60% (last)
*Modules: 80% (middle/median)
Notice how the ranks in each paper remained the same, but the marks were allocated according to the Area of Study exam, which in effect compares them with Standard students. Therefore their final scores are:
Student 1 scored:
Area of Study: 80% (i.e. 36/45)
Modules: 100% (i.e. 60/60)
Final raw exam mark: 91% (i.e. 96/105 to nearest whole no.)
Student 2 scored:
Area of Study: 100% (i.e. 45/45)
Modules: 60% (i.e. 36/60)
Final raw exam mark: 77% (i.e. 81/105 to nearest whole no.)
Student 3 scored:
Area of Study: 60% (i.e. 27/45)
Modules: 80% (i.e. 48/60)
Final raw exam mark: 71% (i.e. 75/105 to nearest whole no.)
Advanced
Scenario D
In the Area of Study Paper only, say the results for Advanced were:
80% = top
70% = middle/median
60% = last
In the Modules Paper only, say the results for Advanced were:
80% = top
60% = middle/median
40% = last
Student 1 scored:
Area of Study: 70% (middle/median)
Modules: 80% (top)
Student 2 scored:
Area of Study: 80% (top)
Modules: 40% (last)
Student 3 scored:
Area of Study: 60% (last)
Modules: 60% (middle/median)
After the MODULES PAPER marks were redistributed, their final scores for each paper are:
Student 1 scored:
Area of Study: 70% (middle/median)
*Modules: 80% (top)
Student 2 scored:
Area of Study: 80% (top)
*Modules: 60% (last)
Student 3 scored:
Area of Study: 60% (last)
*Modules: 70% (middle/median)
Notice how the ranks in each paper remained the same, but the marks were allocated according to the Area of Study exam, which in effect compares them with Standard students. Therefore their final scores are:
Student 1 scored:
Area of Study: 70% (i.e. 31.5/45)
Modules: 80% (i.e. 48/60)
Final raw exam mark = 76% (i.e. 79.5/105 to nearest whole no.)
Student 2 scored:
Area of Study: 80% (i.e. 36/45)
Modules: 60% (i.e. 36/60)
Final raw exam mark = 69% (i.e. 72/105 to nearest whole no.)
Student 3 scored:
Area of Study: 60% (i.e. 27/45)
Modules: 70% (i.e. 42/60)
Final raw exam mark = 66% (i.e. 69/105 to nearest whole no.)
What do you notice?
Scenario A results in the same marks as Scenario D for both Standard and Advanced, since the results were equal in the Area of Study paper. The same can be applied to Scenario B and Scenario C.
After all that, notice that if the Standard students performed equally as well as the Advanced students in the Area of Study exam, therefore they would end up with the same mark. In other words the performance in the Area of Study exam puts Advanced and Standard on a common scale, hence neither Advanced or Standard are advantaged or disadvantaged in the scaling process.
In other words, it does not matter which 2 unit English course you do as long as you perform your best in both papers and especially the Area of Study, unless you wish to take English Extension courses which is a totally different matter.
The above examples are only made up scenarios. The true marks may differ according to the performance in the actual exam. Apologies for my lengthy post....I hope it clarifies things.
