Assignment and skills: the SQA Higher Classical Studies assignment and exam technique

This page covers the assessment and skills of SQA Higher Classical Studies: the assignment (the 30-mark coursework) and the exam technique that runs through the question papers. The course is graded A to D from two question papers (Classical Literature, 30 marks, and Classical Society, 50 marks) and the assignment (30 marks). This page maps how the assignment works and how to answer the papers for full marks.

The assessment at a glance

The course is graded A to D from three components:

• Classical Literature question paper, 30 marks. Close reading of a prescribed text (a Greek tragedy such as Antigone or a Roman epic such as the Aeneid) through extract and extended-response questions.
• Classical Society question paper, 50 marks. Two sections, Life in Classical Greece and Life in the Roman world, each with Power and freedom and Religion and belief, tested by "describe", "explain" and evaluative-essay questions.
• Assignment, 30 marks. Independent research on a classical issue, written up under controlled conditions.

The assignment

The assignment rewards independent research and analysis:

1. Choose a debatable issue. Frame a question (for example "How fair was Athenian democracy?") that invites a judgement.
2. Research a range of sources. Combine ancient evidence and modern scholarship, and prepare your resource sheet.
3. Write it up under controlled conditions. Introduction with a line of argument, analytical sections using referenced evidence, comparison of ancient and modern worlds where relevant, and a supported conclusion.

The full method is in the assignment dot point.

Exam technique for the question papers

The papers reward matching the answer to the command word:

• Describe: accurate, organised knowledge with examples.
• Explain: developed reasons, linking cause to consequence.
• To what extent / how far / why: a line of argument, balanced analysis, and a supported judgement.
• Literature extract: close reading inside the passage, naming techniques and explaining their effect.

How to prepare

1. Frame the assignment question well. A debatable question makes top marks possible.
2. Drill the command words. Practise describe, explain and evaluate answers to past questions.
3. Bank evidence. Learn institutions, named examples and dates so every point is supported.
4. Always judge. The evaluative essays and the assignment are incomplete without a supported conclusion.
5. Use SQA past papers and the specimen papers. They show exactly what examiners reward.

For the official course specification

The SQA publishes the full Higher Classical Studies course specification, the coursework assessment task, specimen papers and past papers with marking instructions at sqa.org.uk. Always revise from the current specification and SQA past papers, because the assessment structure and question style are board-specific.