The project and course assessment: overview of SQA Advanced Higher Health and Food Technology
An overview of the SQA Advanced Higher Health and Food Technology course assessment, covering the 50-mark question paper and the 60-mark project, the project's three stages (proposal, research, and analysis and evaluation), and how to gain marks, with study tips and links to the project page.
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The course assessment of SQA Advanced Higher Health and Food Technology is made up of a question paper and a project. The project is the larger component and the part most candidates find hardest to plan, so it is worth understanding well from the start. This page maps the assessment and links to the detailed project page.
The two components
Question paper (50 marks). Set and marked externally by SQA, it tests knowledge and understanding from across the four areas of the course and the application of skills to unfamiliar contexts and data.
Project (60 marks). Also marked externally by SQA, it is an independent investigation of a current food issue, reported in three stages: project proposal, research, and analysis and evaluation. It assesses research, analysis and evaluation skills.
The three stages of the project
- Project proposal. Choose a focused, current, course-relevant issue; state the aim; explain its relevance; and plan the information needed and the sources and methods.
- Research. Gather relevant, valid information from a balanced range of reliable sources and record it accurately.
- Analysis and evaluation. Analyse the findings, reach reasoned conclusions and recommendations, and critically evaluate the reliability and limitations of the sources and the method.
How to do well
- Choose a narrow, current issue. A clear, specific aim can be investigated and evaluated; a broad theme cannot.
- Use a balanced range of reliable sources. Marks come from breadth and reliability, not from one or two sources.
- Analyse, do not just describe. Draw out relationships and meaning, and support conclusions with the evidence.
- Evaluate honestly. Judge how reliable your sources were and what limited your investigation.
The project in detail
The detailed project page sets out each stage, the marking, and worked guidance. Use the quiz below to check your understanding of the assessment, then read the project page.
For the official course specification
The SQA publishes the full Advanced Higher Health and Food Technology course specification, the project assessment task and marking guidance, and past papers at sqa.org.uk, with marked exemplars on the SQA Understanding Standards site. Always work from the current documents.