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The 12-mark "Evaluate this statement" question is the single most valuable question type in AQA GCSE Religious Studies A. It appears in every section of both papers — that means you will face this question type six times across your two exams (twice on Paper 1, four times on Paper 2). Mastering this question type is the single most impactful thing you can do to improve your grade.
This lesson teaches you exactly how to structure a 12-mark evaluation answer, how to hit both AO1 and AO2 in every paragraph, how to use religious teachings and quotations effectively, how to present contrasting viewpoints, and how to adapt the PEEL framework specifically for Religious Studies.
Every 12-mark question follows the same format. You are given a statement and asked to evaluate it. The question always includes a bullet-point instruction that looks like this:
"Evaluate this statement."
- In your answer you should:
- refer to [religion] teaching
- give reasoned arguments to support this statement
- give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view
- reach a justified conclusion. [12 marks] [+3 SPaG marks]
The bullet points are not suggestions — they are instructions. If you omit any of them, you will lose marks.
| Requirement | What It Means in Practice |
|---|---|
| Refer to [religion] teaching | Quote or reference specific religious texts, doctrines, or authorities (e.g. Bible verses, Qur'an verses, Hadith, Church teachings, scholarly opinions) |
| Give reasoned arguments to support this statement | Present at least two well-developed arguments that agree with the statement, backed by evidence and religious teaching |
| Give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view | Present at least two well-developed arguments that disagree with the statement — this is the "contrasting viewpoint" |
| Reach a justified conclusion | Make a clear judgement about the statement, explaining why you have reached that conclusion based on the arguments you have presented |
The PEEL framework is one of the most effective ways to structure each paragraph of your evaluation answer. In RS, the framework is adapted slightly to emphasise religious teachings and evaluation.
| Element | Standard PEEL | RS-Adapted PEEL |
|---|---|---|
| P — Point | Make a clear statement | Make a clear argument that directly addresses the statement |
| E — Evidence | Provide supporting evidence | Quote or reference a specific religious teaching, scripture, or authority |
| E — Explanation | Explain how the evidence supports your point | Explain what the teaching means and why it supports or undermines the statement |
| L — Link | Link back to the question | Link back to the statement and explain whether this argument makes it more or less convincing |
Statement: "Prayer is the most important form of worship for Christians."
Supporting paragraph using RS-PEEL:
Point: Some Christians would agree that prayer is the most important form of worship because it allows a direct, personal relationship with God.
Evidence: Jesus taught his disciples the Lord's Prayer (Matthew 6:9-13), demonstrating that prayer is central to Christian life. Jesus himself withdrew to pray alone (Luke 5:16), suggesting that prayer is essential even above communal worship.
Explanation: This suggests that prayer holds a unique position in Christian worship because it was personally modelled and commanded by Jesus. Unlike attending a church service, prayer can be done at any time and in any place, making it the most accessible and fundamental form of worship.
Link: Therefore, this supports the statement that prayer is the most important form of worship, because it is the practice that Jesus himself prioritised and made accessible to all believers.
One of the most common mistakes is writing paragraphs that are purely AO1 (knowledge) or purely AO2 (evaluation) without integrating them. The best answers weave both together seamlessly.
| AO1 Signals (Knowledge) | AO2 Signals (Evaluation) |
|---|---|
| "Christians believe that..." | "This suggests that..." |
| "The Bible teaches..." | "However, this could be challenged because..." |
| "In Islam, the Qur'an states..." | "This is significant because it means..." |
| "The Catholic Church teaches..." | "On the other hand, some would argue..." |
| "According to the Hadith..." | "Therefore, it is more convincing to say..." |
| "Agape means..." | "This weakens the argument because..." |
Every paragraph should follow this pattern: State → Teach → Evaluate
This three-step pattern ensures that every paragraph earns marks for both AO1 and AO2.
AQA examiners reward students who use specific religious teachings accurately. Vague references ("the Bible says to be nice") will not earn high marks. Precise, attributed quotations will.
| Topic | Useful Teachings |
|---|---|
| Nature of God | "God is love" (1 John 4:8); the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit); God as omnipotent, omnibenevolent, omniscient |
| Creation | Genesis 1:1 — "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth"; Genesis 1:27 — "God created mankind in his own image" |
| Jesus and salvation | John 3:16 — "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son"; the incarnation (John 1:14 — "The Word became flesh") |
| Sin and redemption | Romans 6:23 — "The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life"; justification by faith vs. works |
| Sanctity of life | "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you" (Jeremiah 1:5); the Decalogue — "You shall not murder" (Exodus 20:13) |
| Love and ethics | "Love your neighbour as yourself" (Mark 12:31); the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37); agape love |
| Forgiveness | "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34); the Lord's Prayer — "Forgive us our sins, as we forgive those who sin against us" |
| Peace and conflict | "Blessed are the peacemakers" (Matthew 5:9); "Those who live by the sword will die by the sword" (Matthew 26:52) |
| Equality | "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:28) |
| Marriage | "What God has joined together, let no one separate" (Mark 10:9) |
| Topic | Useful Teachings |
|---|---|
| Tawhid | Surah 112 (Al-Ikhlas) — "Say, He is Allah, [who is] One"; Shahada — "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His Messenger" |
| Nature of Allah | The 99 Names of Allah — Al-Rahman (The Most Gracious), Al-Rahim (The Most Merciful), Al-Adl (The Just) |
| Prophethood | Muhammad is the "Seal of the Prophets" (Surah 33:40); Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice Isma'il |
| Akhirah | Surah 99 (Al-Zalzalah) — "Whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it"; Day of Judgement, scales of justice |
| Sanctity of life | "Whoever kills a soul... it is as if he had slain mankind entirely" (Surah 5:32) |
| Jihad | Greater jihad (inner spiritual struggle); lesser jihad (physical struggle in defence of Islam, with strict conditions) |
| Charity and justice | Zakah as one of the Five Pillars; "Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah..." (Surah 2:261) |
| Stewardship | Khalifah (stewardship) — humans are trustees of the earth; "It is He who has made you successors on the earth" (Surah 6:165) |
| Peace | "If they incline towards peace, then incline to it also" (Surah 8:61) |
| Compassion and mercy | "My mercy encompasses all things" (Surah 7:156) |
Exam Tip: You do not need to memorise exact Surah and verse numbers for every quotation. However, the more precise you are, the more impressed the examiner will be. At minimum, you should know the key teachings by topic and be able to paraphrase them accurately. A paraphrased teaching that is specific ("The Qur'an teaches that killing one person is like killing all of humanity") is far better than a vague one ("The Qur'an says killing is wrong").
The 12-mark question requires you to present a contrasting viewpoint. This is not optional — it is a specific requirement stated in the question. The mark scheme states that to reach the higher levels, you must "refer to different points of view."
| Type of Contrast | Example |
|---|---|
| Within a religion (denominational) | Catholic vs. Protestant views on divorce; Sunni vs. Shi'a views on leadership after Muhammad |
| Between religions | Christian views on the afterlife vs. Islamic views on Akhirah |
| Religious vs. non-religious | Christian belief in divine creation vs. atheist/humanist acceptance of the Big Bang and evolution |
| Liberal vs. conservative | Liberal Christians who accept same-sex relationships vs. conservative evangelical Christians who do not |
| Traditional vs. modern | Traditional views on gender roles in religion vs. modern egalitarian interpretations of scripture |
Do not just state the contrasting view — develop it with the same RS-PEEL framework:
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