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Further information on Higher Religious,
Moral and Philosophical Studies Course
Assessment (January 2014)
Key messages
SQA is currently developing Course and Unit assessments. This document outlines our progress in
Course Assessment for the Higher Course in Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies.
The new Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies Higher Course will maintain the standard of
the current qualification at Higher and will continue to be benchmarked against SCQF level 6 as
well as ensuring that the level of demand for candidates is consistent with other Higher
qualifications.
The new Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies Higher Course combines popular and relevant
contexts from the current Course, as well as introducing updated content and new contexts to
ensure the continuing relevance of the subject. The Higher Religious, Moral and Philosophical
Studies Course has been designed to build on the skills, knowledge and understanding developed
at National 5 and provide clear progression from National 5 and on to Advanced Higher. The
Course will provide opportunities to develop breadth and depth of knowledge and understanding
and the application of skills through the study of a range of contemporary contexts. Personalisation
and choice will be increased through a wider range of contexts for study, as well as the opportunity
for candidates to choose an issue for research in the Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies:
Assignment.
Course assessment will have two components: a question paper and an assignment. Both will be
externally assessed. Course assessment will be out of 90 marks. The question paper is worth 60
marks and the assignment is worth 30 marks.
Across the two components of the course assessment, skills and knowledge and understanding will
have equal importance. Each component will assess both skills and knowledge and understanding,
although the question paper will have a greater emphasis on knowledge and understanding, while
the assignment will have a greater emphasis on the application of skills.
The question paper will assess skills and will sample knowledge and understanding from the
Course Specification and the Course Assessment Specification. It will include both familiar and new
styles of questions.
The assignment will apply research, analysis, evaluation, synthesis and reasoning skills in the
context of a religious, moral or philosophical studies issue. Candidates have an open choice of
issue to allow for personalisation and choice.
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Points of stability and points of change between current Higher and new Higher
Skills
Use of sources
Points of Stability
Points of Change
Analysis, evaluation and
presenting reasoned and wellstructured views.
In teaching and learning, source
choice remains at the discretion of
the centre. Credit still given for
relevant sources.
Research skills assessed in the
assignment, alongside the other
course skills.
In the assignment, candidates will
research an issue and collect sources.
Knowledge and
understanding
Familiar topics and issues will be
retained across all Units and in all
three sections of the question
paper. Retention of religious,
moral and philosophical areas of
study.
Question stems /
Use of ‘To what extent’, ‘Discuss’
command words in and ‘Evaluate’ as command
the specimen
words.
paper
Unit Assessment
3 Units
Course
Assessment
Question paper retained.
Types of question
in the specimen
paper
Extended responses.
Marking
instructions
Will continue to be available.
Level of demand
Benchmarked against SCQF level
6 and current Higher.
Marks
Questions in the Question Paper will
require candidates to demonstrate
understanding of links between
religious sources, beliefs and
practices.
Opportunity to include a range of new
contexts including a wider knowledge
and understanding of religious and
philosophical questions. Modified
content across each of the three areas
of study.
Greater clarity and consistency in use
of command words and in marking
instructions; introduction of command
words ‘Compare’, ‘Analyse’.
Increased flexibility in approaches to
gathering evidence.
One question paper (135 minutes) and
assignment (production of evidence
stage in up to 90 minutes).
Extended responses which focus one
item of knowledge and understanding
and one skill; and one extended
response which focuses on knowledge
and understanding and the integration
of skills.
Substantially more detail and advice
and guidance for centres in how marks
are allocated to a range of responses.
Greater clarity in marking principles.
Improved alignment with other
subjects at Higher.
90 marks: 60 from question paper, 30
from assignment
Higher specimen question paper (publication by 28 February 2014)
The question paper will assess the skills and sample knowledge and understanding from the
Course Specification and the Course Assessment Specification. It will demonstrate progression
from National 5 as summarised in the table below:
Total marks
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National 5
Higher
60
60
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Time
One hour 30 minutes
Two hours 15 minutes
Sections
3 sections
3 sections
Mark ranges
4–8
10 and 20
Number of
questions
4 per section, 12 overall
1 or 2 per section, 5 overall
Mandatory content
Questions drawn from
religious, moral and
philosophical contexts
Questions drawn from religious, moral
and philosophical contexts
Depth of treatment
of mandatory
content
Detailed descriptions and
explanations
Extended responses requiring
knowledge and understanding and
analysis/ evaluation
Question stems/
command words
Describe
Explain
Give Reasons for
Why is
Discuss
To what extent
How valid
Evaluate
Compare
In what ways
Analyse
The purpose of this question paper is to demonstrate application of skills and breadth of knowledge
and understanding by sampling from the mandatory information on Course coverage.
This question paper will give learners an opportunity to demonstrate the following skills:
 critical analysis
 evaluation
 expressing reasoned and well-structured views
This question paper will have three sections. Each section will be made up of questions requiring
candidates to draw on their knowledge and understanding and to apply skills.
The knowledge and understanding will be drawn from the Religious, Moral and Philosophical
Studies (Higher) Course Specification and the Further Mandatory Information on Course coverage
in the Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies (Higher) Course Assessment Specification.
This question paper will be set and marked by SQA, and conducted in centres under conditions
specified for external examinations by SQA. The question paper is worth 60 marks. The duration of
the question paper will be two hours 15 minutes. It will be divided into three sections, each of 20
marks.
Question paper sections
In Section 1: ‘World Religion’:
 There will be six parts: Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism.
 Candidates will choose one part to answer.
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In section 2: ‘Morality and Belief’:
 There will be five parts: Religion and Justice; Religion and Relationships; Religion, Environment
and Global Issues; Religion, Medicine and the human Body; Religion and Conflict. In each part,
candidates will be required to apply at least one moral theory to a moral issue.
 Candidates will choose one part to answer.
In section 3: ‘Religious and Philosophical Questions’:
 There will be four parts: The Origins of Life; The Existence of God; The Problem of Evil and
Suffering; Miracles.
 Candidates will choose one part to answer.
There will be two patterns of questions used between sections 2 and 3. Each question paper
will use both patterns but these will be applied to sections 2 or 3 in an unpredictable way.
Pattern 1:
 Each part in the section will have 2 mandatory questions.
 Each question will be worth 10 marks.
Pattern 2:
 Each part in the section will have 1 mandatory question.
 The question will require a single 20 mark extended response.
For the question paper, there will be a separate question paper and answer booklet.
(For sample questions from the current draft of the Specimen Question Paper, please see
Appendix 1.)
Higher Assignment
(publication by 31 March 2014)
An assignment is a new method of assessment for this subject.
The purpose of this assignment is to offer challenge and to require application of skills, knowledge
and understanding in the context of a religious, moral or philosophical question or issue. At Higher,
the assignment will give learners an opportunity to demonstrate the following skills, knowledge and
understanding:
 identifying an appropriate religious, moral or philosophical studies question or issue for study
about which there are alternative or different points of view
 researching the question or issue, using a range of sources of information
 identifying and evaluating different viewpoints on the question or issue, at least one of which
must be religious
 analysing and synthesising information in a structured manner
 drawing on in-depth knowledge and understanding to analyse and evaluate the question or
issue
 explaining the significance or impact of the question or issue to the contemporary world
 drawing and presenting a reasoned and well-structured conclusion on the question or issue
with a detailed explanation of both supporting information and potential challenges or counterarguments
At Higher the assignment is worth 30 marks (~33% of the total mark). The assignment will have a
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greater emphasis on the assessment of skills than the question paper. Up to 20 marks will be
awarded for skills; up to 10 marks will be awarded for knowledge and understanding of the issue.
The following table illustrates progression from the National 5 assignment to the Higher
assignment:
National 5
Higher
Marks
20
30
Time for
production of
evidence stage
Up to 1 hour under controlled
conditions
Up to 1 hour 30 minutes under
controlled conditions
Choice of topic
Any relevant Religious, Moral and
Philosophical Studies question or
issue
Any relevant Religious, Moral and
Philosophical Studies question or
issue
Skills,
Knowledge and
Understanding
Use information from different
sources, including at least one
religious viewpoint
Researching the question or issue,
using a range of sources of
information
Using knowledge and
understanding
Demonstrating knowledge and
understanding of the question or
issue, about which there are different
or alternative points of view
Explaining and analysing the
question or issue
Analysing the question or issue
Synthesising information in a
structured manner
Evaluating different viewpoints on the
question or issue, at least one of
which must be religious
Commenting on the significance /
impact of the question or issue in
the contemporary world
Explaining significance / impact of the
question or issue in the contemporary
world
Reaching a conclusion about the
topic or issue and supporting the
conclusion with evidence
Presenting a reasoned and wellstructured conclusion on the question
or issue, with a detailed explanation
of both supporting information and
potential challenges or counterarguments
Evidence will be produced under controlled conditions, within one hour 30 minutes, and submitted
to SQA for external marking. SQA will produce two documents: Assignment: General Assessment
Information and Assignment: Assessment Task.
Candidates will use the Religious, Moral and Philosophical Studies Resource Sheet during the
production of evidence stage. Candidates will take this Resource Sheet into the production of
evidence stage. It should show evidence of the research carried out by the candidate.
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Candidates may be advised by teachers/ lecturers about resources that would be appropriate for
the assignment at this SCQF level.
(For further information from the current draft of the assignment, please see Appendix 2)
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Appendix 1
The following examples show some of the questions in each section of the current draft of
the Specimen Question Paper
World Religion
Part A — Buddhism
Answer this part if you have studied Buddhism.
Answer both questions.
1. Of all the beliefs Buddhists have, kamma is the one which has the
greatest impact on their daily lives.
How valid is this view?
Refer to at least one relevant source you have studied.
10 Marks
2. Analyse the significance of the ten precepts for followers of Buddhism.
10 Marks
Morality and Belief
Part B — Religion and Relationships
Answer this part if you have studied Religion and Relationships.
Answer both questions.
1. Marriage raises important moral issues.
In what ways does moral relativism offer guidance on marriage?
10 Marks
2. Evaluate a religious view on gender inequality.
10 Marks
Religious and Philosophical Questions
Part A — The Origins of Life
Answer this part if you have studied The Origins of Life.
1. Belief that a divine creator is responsible for the origins of life relies not
only on faith, but also on reason.
Discuss.
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20 Marks
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In your answer you should present a reasoned and well-structured view.
Draft General Marking Principles for Higher Religious, Moral and
Philosophical Studies Specimen Question Paper
This information is provided to help you understand the general principles you must apply
when marking candidate responses to questions in this Paper. These principles must be
read in conjunction with the specific Marking Instructions for each question.
(a)
Marks for each candidate response must always be assigned in line with these general
marking principles and the specific Marking Instructions for the relevant question.
(b)
Marking should always be positive, i.e. marks should be awarded for what is correct and
not deducted for errors or omissions.
(c)
In the specimen paper the following skills are assessed:
 Critical analysis
 Evaluation
 Presenting reasoned and well-structured views
Critical analysis questions can be asked using the following question stems:
In what ways?/ Analyse/ Compare
Analysis involves identifying parts, the relationship between them, and their relationships
with the whole. It can also involve drawing out and relating implications. An analysis mark
should be awarded where a candidate identifies at least two relevant components (e.g. of
an idea, theory, argument etc.) and clearly shows at least one of the following:









links between different components
links between component(s) and the whole
links between component(s) and related concepts
similarities and contradictions
consistency and inconsistency
different views/ interpretations
possible consequences/ implications
the relative importance of components
understanding of underlying order or structure
Some examples of analytical comments:
One cause of poverty is trading agreements between rich countries and developing
countries. These are often set up in such a way that the rich countries benefit more from
these arrangements than the poor countries (1 mark for showing a link between
different components).
There are different approaches to creation accounts and not everyone interprets these in a
literal manner. Some religious people say that God literally created the universe, but the
account of how it was created (e.g. six days) should be understood metaphorically (1 mark
for showing a consistency and inconsistency).
Evaluation
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Evaluation questions can be asked using the following question stems:
How valid?/ Evaluate
Evaluation involves making a judgement based on criteria. Candidates will make reasoned
evaluative comments relating to, for example:




the relevance/importance/usefulness, e.g. of a viewpoint or source
positive and negative aspects
strengths and weaknesses
any other relevant evaluative comment
Candidates will be awarded up to a maximum of 4 marks for reasoned evaluative
comments.
Some examples of evaluative comments:
A strength of this view is that it does not prevent you making a profit out of people; it just
asks you to make sure that you do not exploit them when you are making a profit (1 mark
for identifying a strength)
Aquinas’ argument is weak because, although he adequately establishes that things move
and that they depend on something else for movement, he only proves the possibility of a
First Mover; but does not prove that the first mover is God. (1 mark for identifying a
weakness).
Presenting reasoned and well-structured views
Questions that require candidates to present reasoned and well-structured views can
be asked using the following question stems:
Discuss / To what extent?
These types of questions require candidates to connect points of analysis and evaluation
to construct an argument(s) leading to a clear overall judgement on the question.
1 mark will be awarded where the candidate makes a clear overall judgement on the
question, supported by at least one valid and relevant reason.
A further 1 mark will be awarded where the candidate also organises their overall
response into a coherent line of argument in response to the question.
An example of an overall judgement
The Judeo-Christian concept of God creates problems for free will because if God is
omniscient and knows everything that there is to know, including the future, then it is
difficult to see how either reason or faith could be used to prove that there is such a thing
as free will because it goes against all concepts of God (1 mark for a clear overall
judgement on the question, supported by at least one valid and relevant reason).
Critical Analysis questions (10 marks):
Candidates will be awarded up to a maximum of 6 marks for each developed point of
knowledge used to support the analysis. For a knowledge mark to be awarded, points must
be:
 relevant to the question
 developed (by providing additional detail, exemplification, reasons or evidence)
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 used to respond to the demands of the question (i.e. analyse)
Candidates will be awarded up to 4 marks for analytical comments.
Where a candidate makes more analytical points than are required to gain the maximum
allocation of 4 marks, these can be credited with knowledge and understanding marks
provided they meet the criteria for this.
Evaluation questions (10 marks):
Candidates will be awarded up to a maximum of 6 marks for each developed point of
knowledge used to support the evaluation. For a knowledge mark to be awarded, points
must be:
 relevant to the question
 developed (by providing additional detail, exemplification, reasons or evidence)
 used to respond to the demands of the question (i.e. evaluate)
Candidates will be awarded up to 4 marks for reasoned evaluative comments.
Presenting reasoned and well-structured views questions (20 marks)
Candidates will be awarded up to a maximum of 10 marks for each developed point of
knowledge used to support the analysis and evaluation. For a knowledge mark to be
awarded, points must be:
 relevant to the question
 developed (by providing additional detail, exemplification, reasons or evidence)
 used to respond to the demands of the question (i.e. analyse / evaluate)
Candidates will be awarded up to 4 marks for analytical comments.
Where a candidate makes more analytical points than are required to gain the maximum
allocation of 4 marks, these can be credited with knowledge and understanding marks
provided they meet the criteria for this.
Candidates will be awarded up to 4 marks for reasoned evaluative comments.
1 mark will be awarded where the candidate makes a clear overall judgement on the
question, supported by at least one valid and relevant reason. A further 1 mark will be
awarded where the candidate also organises their overall response into a coherent line of
argument in response to the question.
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Appendix 2
The following information is taken from the current draft of the Assignment
This information is provided to help you understand the general principles that will be applied
when marking candidate responses in this assignment. These principles are reflected in the
specific marking instructions that will be used to mark the assignment.
a) Marks for each candidate response will always be assigned in line with these general
marking principles and the specific marking instructions.
b) Principal Assessors will provide guidance on marking specific candidate responses which are
not covered by either the principles or specific marking instructions.
c) Marking will always be positive, i.e. marks will be awarded for what is correct and not
deducted for errors or omissions.
d) The purpose of the RMPS Resource Sheet is to support candidates in presenting the findings
of their research. It will not be marked. However, it may assist in the marking of the
assignment by enabling clarification of points which the candidate has made in the
presentation of their evidence, and may allow markers to gain an insight into what the
candidate intended.
Candidates may demonstrate a range of approaches to how they structure their assignment
evidence in the production of evidence stage.
Candidates may demonstrate their skills, knowledge and understanding in a variety of ways
and at different points in their assignment evidence. Markers should credit relevant and
appropriate skills, knowledge and understanding wherever it is demonstrated.
In presenting their findings, candidates will show the following skills, knowledge and
understanding:
A. Researching the question or issue
Candidates will be credited for identifying the sources of information, which can include
religious sources, which they have used by referring to them clearly and directly.
B. Analysing the question or issue
Candidates will be credited in a number of ways. Analysis involves identifying parts, the
relationship between them, and their relationships with the whole. It can also involve drawing
out and relating implications.
C. Demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the question or issue, about
which there are different or alternative points of view
Candidates will be credited for using their knowledge and understanding to support their
response to the question or issue.
For a knowledge mark to be awarded, points must be:
 relevant to the question or issue they have chosen
 developed (by providing additional detail, exemplification, reasons or evidence)
 used to respond to the demands of the question (i.e. analyse /evaluate)
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D. Synthesising information in a structured manner
Candidates will be credited for drawing together information from a range of sources to
support their response to the question or issue.
E. Explaining the significance or impact of the topic or issue in the contemporary
world
Candidates will be credited for explaining the significance or impact of the topic or issue to
the contemporary world.
F Evaluating different viewpoints on the question or issue, at least one of which
must be religious
Candidates will be credited for evaluating different viewpoints on the question or issue, one
of which must be religious. Evaluation involves making a judgement based on criteria.
Candidates will make reasoned evaluative comments relating to, for example:




the relevance/importance/usefulness, e.g. of a viewpoint
positive and negative aspects
strengths and weaknesses
any other relevant evaluative comment
G. Presenting a reasoned and well-structured conclusion on the question or issue
Candidates will be credited for drawing and presenting a reasoned and well-structured
conclusion on the topic or issue.
H. Presenting a detailed explanation of supporting information and potential
challenges or counter-arguments
Candidates will be credited for explicitly addressing any potential challenges or counterarguments to their conclusion.
Further information will be provided on the allocation of marks for the Higher Religious,
Moral and Philosophical Studies Assignment.
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