The Magazine Column A columnist wrote the following opinion piece for a weekly magazine about the value of examinations. Written examinations remain the fai...

(a) Two criticisms of coursework the columnist raises: [2 marks - 1 each]

• Coursework can be completed with parental help, meaning it may not reflect the student's own ability.
• Coursework can be purchased online, meaning submitted work may not be the student's own at all.

(b) How the columnist uses the Finland example: [4 marks - 1 for identifying the example, 1 for explaining the claim about Finland, 2 for analysing how it supports the argument]

The columnist cites Finland as one of the world's highest-performing education systems and notes that it uses formal examinations at age 18 as the primary gateway to university.

This serves as an appeal to authority through international example. The reasoning is: if one of the world's best education systems relies on examinations as its main assessment tool, then examinations must be compatible with educational excellence. Finland's success validates the exam model. The columnist implies that critics who dismiss exams as outdated or harmful must explain why a top-performing country still uses them.

However, this use of Finland is potentially misleading. The columnist selects the feature of Finnish education that supports the argument (terminal exams) while omitting features that undermine it (Finland also uses extensive continuous assessment, has small class sizes, highly trained teachers, and minimal standardised testing before age 18). Citing only the exam component from a complex system is an example of cherry-picking evidence.

(c) How far do you agree that written examinations are the fairest assessment method? [8 marks - 7-8 for well-reasoned personal response using passage and own experience; 4-6 for reasonable discussion; 1-3 for basic or one-sided points]

Arguments in support (from the column and wider knowledge):

• Standardised conditions: All students sit the same paper at the same time under the same conditions. This eliminates the advantages that wealthier students gain from private tutoring during coursework periods, access to better resources, or parents who can help. An exam hall is, as the columnist argues, closer to a "level playing field."
• Fraud prevention: Unlike coursework, which can be purchased online or completed with outside help, exams require the student to demonstrate their knowledge independently and in real time. Identity verification, invigilators, and timed conditions make cheating more difficult.
• Higher-order skills: Well-designed exam papers test analysis, evaluation, and sustained argument under pressure, not just recall. The columnist's point that the problem is "inadequate preparation" rather than the exam itself has merit - students taught to think critically do perform well in timed assessments.

Arguments against:

• Disadvantages certain students: Exams disadvantage students with test anxiety, learning differences (such as dyslexia or ADHD), or health conditions that affect performance on a specific day. A student who understands a subject deeply may perform poorly due to nerves, while a less knowledgeable student with strong exam technique may score higher.
• Narrow range of skills tested: A single timed assessment cannot capture all valuable abilities - creativity, teamwork, practical skills, research capability, long-term project management, and oral communication are all important but largely invisible in a written exam.
• Socioeconomic factors still apply: While the exam hall itself may be standardised, access to exam preparation is not. Students from wealthier families can afford private tutoring, practice papers, and revision courses. The "level playing field" argument applies only to the moment of the exam, not to the months of preparation leading up to it.
• The Finland example is misleading: Finland also uses continuous assessment, invests heavily in teacher quality, and does not have the high-stakes, exam-heavy culture of countries like the UK or South Korea. Its success cannot be attributed to examinations alone.

A strong personal response might reflect on subjects where exams seem well-suited (mathematics, where working can be shown; history, where essay-writing demonstrates analytical skill) versus subjects where they seem less appropriate (art, design technology, physical education). The fairest system likely combines multiple assessment methods, using exams as one component alongside coursework, practical assessments, and oral examinations.