Edexcel A-Level Politics exam papers and weighting (9PL0)

Guide overview All 28 topics Sample questions Papers and weighting Look inside Questions and answers

What each Edexcel A-Level Politics paper assesses

Edexcel A-Level Politics (specification 9PL0) is assessed by three written papers of equal weight. Component 1 covers UK politics and the core political ideas of liberalism, conservatism and socialism. Component 2 covers UK government together with one non-core political idea chosen from anarchism, ecologism, feminism, multiculturalism and nationalism. Component 3 is comparative politics, sat as either the government and politics of the USA or global politics. Each paper is two hours, worth 84 marks and a third of the A-level.

Paper Covers Length Marks Weighting
Component 1
UK Politics and Core Political Ideas 		Democracy and participation, political parties, electoral systems, and voting behaviour and the media
The core political ideas of liberalism, conservatism and socialism
Section A is worth 60 marks and Section B is worth 24 marks		 2 hours 84 marks 33⅓%
Component 2
UK Government and Non-core Political Ideas 		The constitution, Parliament, the Prime Minister and the executive, and relations between the branches
One non-core political idea from anarchism, ecologism, feminism, multiculturalism and nationalism
Section A is worth 60 marks and Section B is worth 24 marks		 2 hours 84 marks 33⅓%
Component 3
Comparative Politics 		Either the government and politics of the USA, including comparison with the UK
Or global politics, covering globalisation, global governance, power and regionalism
Sections A and B are worth 12 marks each, and Section C is worth 60 marks		 2 hours 84 marks 33⅓%

Every topic, and where it is examined

Topic Examined on Questions
Democracy and Participation Component 1 112
Political Parties Component 1 90
Electoral Systems Component 1 56
Voting Behaviour and the Media Component 1 83
Liberalism Component 1 79
Conservatism Component 1 92
Socialism Component 1 93
The Constitution Component 2 121
Parliament Component 2 61
The Prime Minister and the Executive Component 2 95
Relations Between the Branches Component 2 76
Anarchism Component 2 106
Ecologism Component 2 91
Feminism Component 2 70
Multiculturalism Component 2 99
Nationalism Component 2 65
The US Constitution and Federalism Component 3 70
US Congress Component 3 109
The US Presidency Component 3 65
The US Supreme Court and Civil Rights Component 3 107
US Democracy and Participation Component 3 114
Comparative Theories and the UK-US Comparison Component 3 180
The State and Globalisation Component 3 63
Global Governance: Political and Economic Component 3 87
Global Governance: Human Rights and Environmental Component 3 120
Power and Developments Component 3 98
Regionalism and the European Union Component 3 168
Global Comparative Theories Component 3 54

Assessment details from the Pearson Edexcel Level 3 Advanced GCE in Politics, specification 9PL0. Pearson Edexcel specification.

Every paper is covered, because the guide runs the whole specification.Get the guide, £8

Edexcel A-Level Politics Active Recall Guide

2,624 questions across every paper on the specification.

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