(Standards Booklet)
9707
Cambridge Advanced
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are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use. However, we cannot give
permission to Centres to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use
within a Centre.
Cambridge International Examinations 2012
Contents
Intoduction ............................................................................................................................ 2
Assessment at a glance ........................................................................................................ 3
Paper 1 Short Answer and Essay ....................................................................................... 4
Paper 2 Data Response ................................................................................................... 57
Paper 3 Case Study........................................................................................................ 104
Introduction
Introduction
The main aim of this booklet is to exemplify standards for those teaching Cambridge International AS and
A Level Business Studies (9707), and to show how different levels of candidates performance relate to the
subjects curriculum and assessment objectives.
In this booklet a range of candidate responses has been chosen as far as possible to exemplify grades A,
C and E. For short answer questions there is limited correspondence to the grades given so the grades
indicate a good, average or weak answer and the marks and comments show where credit was given and
why. Each response is accompanied by a brief commentary explaining the strengths and weaknesses of the
answers.
For ease of reference the following format for each paper of the subject has been adopted:
Question
Mark scheme
Example candidate
response
Examiner comment
Each question is followed by an extract of the mark scheme used by examiners. This, in turn, is followed by
examples of marked candidate responses, each with an examiner comment on performance. Comments are
given to indicate where and why marks were awarded, and how additional marks could have been obtained.
In this way, it is possible to understand what candidates have done to gain their marks and what they still
have to do to improve their grades.
Past papers, Examiner Reports and other teacher support materials are available on http://teachers.cie.org.uk
Assessment at a glance
Assessment at a glance
Centres and candidates may choose to:
Take all A and AS components at one exam session, leading to the full Advanced Level qualification
(Papers 1, 2 and 3) or
Take the AS components (Papers 1 and 2) at one exam session and, having received the AS Level
qualification, take the additional A2 component (Paper 3) at a later session, leading to the full Advanced
Level qualification or
Take the AS components only (Papers 1 and 2) at one exam session, leading to the Advanced
Subsidiary Level qualification.
Mark scheme
Question 2
Mark scheme
10
11
Question 3
Mark scheme
12
13
14
15
Question 4
Mark scheme
16
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18
Section B (Essay)
Question 5
Mark scheme
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25
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27
28
29
30
Question 6
Mark scheme
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Question 7
Mark scheme
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57
Question 1(a)
Mark scheme
58
59
Although the candidate mentioned falling average costs and gave several examples of types of economy
of scale, there was no sense that these related to changes in the scale of operation of a business. It was
important to distinguish scale of operation from level of production in this instance. This is at the top end of
what is expected from a grade C candidate.
60
61
Question 1(b)(i)
Mark scheme
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63
Question 1(b)(ii)
Mark scheme
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65
Question 1(c)
Mark scheme
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Question 1(d)
Mark scheme
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Question 2
81
Question 2(a)(i)
Mark scheme
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Question 2(a)(ii)
Mark scheme
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Question 2(b)(i)
Mark scheme
86
Question 2(b)(ii)
Mark scheme
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Question 2(c)
Mark scheme
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Question 2(d)
Mark scheme
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Question 1
Mark scheme
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Question 2(a)(i)
Mark scheme
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Question 2(a)(ii)
Mark scheme
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121
Question 2(b)
Mark scheme
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Question 2(c)
Mark scheme
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Question 3(a)(i)
Mark scheme
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Question 3(a)(ii)
Mark scheme
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Question 3(b)
Mark scheme
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Question 4
Mark scheme
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Question 5
Mark scheme
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Question 6
Mark scheme
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Question 7
Mark scheme
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