EXAMINATION FORMAT

Paper 2
This essay paper is three hours or 180 minutes long. You are required to complete four essays in
this time. This paper is marked out of 100 marks and accounts for 33 per cent of the total
assessment.

The examination paper consists of two types of essay questions (essays worth 20 marks and 30
marks) from Modules 1 and 2. It is divided into four sections. You must choose ONE question from
each section as shown below.

You have to choose four questions. One from each pair of questions.
Type A – 20 mark questions
Section A Module 1: Choose EITHER Question 1 OR Question 2
Section B Module 2: Choose EITHER Question 3 OR Question 4

Type B – 30 mark questions

Section C Module 1: Choose EITHER question 5 OR question 6
Section D Module 2: Choose EITHER question 7 OR question 8

Note
Module 3 is not assessed on this paper.

Essay writing for CAPE Caribbean Studies

Essay writing is a particular kind of assessment.

It is not ‘write all you know on this topic’ nor is it ‘this is the answer I learned, you should have
asked that question’.

It is not CSEC-style ‘throw words on the page and hope for the best’.

Essay writing at this level is a thoughtful and critical response to the examiner’s question. The
examiner will have chosen the words of the question carefully to bring out a particular aspect of the
topic.

Look at the syllabus objectives as they indicate what is to be assessed.

Essay writing brings into focus your communication skills: vocabulary, fluency, sentence/paragraph
structure and use of supporting material. All these come into play in essay writing even under the
time constraints of the examination room. (All the skills you would have honed in CSEC English
Language and even CAPE Communication Studies.) Generally, careful consideration should be
given to each word in the question underlining the content/the directive/critical moderating words
like ‘always/never’ or ‘to what extent’.

It is very important, even under the time-pressed examination conditions, to take a few minutes to
consider:
• what the question is about
• whether you have sufficient knowledge about the topic
• whether the command words tap into one of your stronger writing skills.

Having investigated each of the alternative questions and chosen one, re-read it again and draft a
quick plan (some students do an actual plan paragraph by paragraph; others just jot salient points
on the question paper). Whatever you do, it is critical that you collect your thoughts; an essay must
show overall organisation and coherence.

Essay structure
In its simplest form an essay has three parts – a beginning, a middle and an end – or more
formally:
1 Introduction including definitions
2 Development in a series of paragraphs making distinct points supported by evidence to
expand on the topic raised by the question (as you know, each paragraph has a topic
sentence and evidence or example or exposition to develop the point being made)
3 Conclusion. Like the Introduction, the Conclusion stays close to the essay requirement.

BEFORE YOU START TO WRITE, TAKE A MINUTE TO PLAN YOUR ESSAY!

Hint
As you write your essay keep reminding yourself of the question
you are answering. By the first paragraph and certainly by the
last paragraph, the reader/examiner should have a very clear
idea of the question being answered and your view on it.
Planning modes
The figures below show two of the many options for planning an essay.

You may plan like this:

Consider the topic and issues:

• assumptions?
Essay Title • define terms? INTRODUCTION
• command words?
• general approach?

Points to consider, Decide which points to: THE BODY

develop, ignore or • ignore
briefly mention: • merge Paragraph 1
1. • relate together
2. • develop into paragraphs Paragraph 2
3. • illustrate with examples
… Paragraph 3
15.

• Sum up your main ideas.

• Evaluate, weigh up and CONCLUSION
point out any wider
implications.
• Avoid a sudden, abrupt
ending.
Or you may plan like this:
Type A: 20 mark essays
These shorter essays generally test a particular aspect of the topic: ‘Describe ways’ or ‘Explain
how’. You should not spend more than 35 minutes on these questions.
Marks are allocated as follows:
• knowledge – 6 marks
• use of knowledge – 8 marks
• enquiry and communication – 6 marks.

These are the profile dimensions of the subject given on the results slip.

command word content words

Module II: Issues in Caribbean development

Describe four problems which Caribbean governments have in encouraging

tourism development.
(20 marks)

crucial modifiers

Activity 1
1 In a group each group member writes a plan for the question above.
2 Discuss the merits or demerits of the points raised.
3 Together develop an exceptional answer to this question (one person needs to be the scribe
or recorder to make sure everybody gets a copy of the answer).

Type B: 30 mark essays

These questions require exposition of the subject, with command words such as ‘Discuss’,
‘Evaluate’, ‘Assess the extent’.
Marks are allocated as follows:
• knowledge – 10
• use of knowledge – 12
• enquiry and communication – 8.

Only 1/3 of the marks are allocated to knowledge.

Activity 2
1 Obtain copies of past examination papers.
2 Note the kinds of command words and content which recur.
3 Write at least three essays of each type from each module.
4 Ask your teacher or another adult to assess your work, especially to suggest where
improvements may be made.

Did you know?

There are many websites where you can read essays for Caribbean
Studies.

You are advised on the exam paper to spend no more than 35 minutes on each Type
A (20 mark) essay and not more than 55 minutes on each Type B (30 mark) essay.

Do not spend too much time on one question – you are unlikely to get full marks so
go on to the next question in good time.

Summary
You should now be fully able to develop a revision plan. You should understand the requirements
of the external examinations. In particular you should be able to write the four essays required by
Paper 2.