How do I revise Component 01: Personal investigation for OCR A-Level?

Ensure the portfolio is viewed as a whole to demonstrate the journey of the creative process.

What exam tips are there for Component 01: Personal investigation? (2)

Carefully select, organise, and present work to ensure evidence of meeting all four assessment objectives is clear.

What exam tips are there for Component 01: Personal investigation? (3)

Ensure contextual referencing is evidenced through evaluation of historical and contemporary practitioners, creative industries, societies, cultures, and popular culture.

What mistakes should I avoid in Component 01: Personal investigation?

Using OCR-produced exemplar material for summative assessment.

What are common errors in Component 01: Personal investigation exams? (2)

Failure to clearly distinguish the learner's own work from collected or transposed material.

Component 01: Personal investigation

OCR

A-Level

Element 1: Practical portfolio is a component of the Personal investigation (Component 01). It requires learners to produce a sustained project, theme, or course of study in response to a centre-set or learner-set starting point, brief, scenario, or stimulus. Learners must develop a personal response leading to finished realisation(s) or outcome(s), providing evidence of all four assessment objectives through careful selection and presentation of work.

Objectives

Exam Tips

Pitfalls

Key Terms

Mark Points

Topic Overview

Component 01: Personal Investigation is the cornerstone of your OCR A-Level Art and Design course, accounting for 60% of your total A-Level grade. This component requires you to develop a coherent body of work based on a theme or issue of your own choosing, demonstrating sustained investigation, critical analysis, and creative development. You will produce a portfolio of practical work, supported by a written element of 1000–3000 words, which together form your personal investigation. This is your opportunity to explore your artistic interests in depth, experiment with materials and processes, and articulate your ideas through both visual and written means.

The personal investigation is structured around four assessment objectives (AOs): AO1 (Develop ideas through sustained and focused investigations informed by contextual and other sources), AO2 (Experiment with and select appropriate resources, media, materials, techniques, and processes), AO3 (Record ideas, observations, and insights relevant to your intentions), and AO4 (Present a personal and meaningful response that realises intentions and demonstrates understanding of visual language). You must show evidence of all four AOs across your portfolio and written element. The written component is not a separate essay but an integral part of your investigation, explaining your research, influences, and decision-making process.

This component is crucial because it allows you to demonstrate independent thinking, creativity, and technical skill. It prepares you for further study in art and design by mirroring the self-directed projects you would encounter at university. Success in the personal investigation requires careful planning, regular reflection, and a willingness to take risks. You should choose a theme that genuinely interests you and allows for sustained exploration over several months. The best investigations show a clear journey from initial ideas to resolved outcomes, with each piece of work building on the last.

What You Need to Demonstrate

Key skills and knowledge for this topic

Evidence of independent development of ideas through sustained and focused investigations.
Material informed by contextual and other sources that informs the development of practical work.
Evidence of all four assessment objectives (AO1, AO2, AO3, AO4) across the submission as a whole.
Appropriate selection and presentation of work (e.g., sketchbooks, mounted sheets, maquettes, prototypes, digital presentations, animation, scale models, or illustrated written work).
Demonstration of critical and contextual understanding embedded throughout investigative processes, research, and practical work.
Evidence of drawing skills appropriate to the chosen specialism.
Evidence of the ability to review and refine work as it progresses.

Marking Points

Key points examiners look for in your answers

Evidence of independent development of ideas through sustained and focused investigations.
Material informed by contextual and other sources that informs the development of practical work.
Evidence of all four assessment objectives (AO1, AO2, AO3, AO4) across the submission as a whole.
Appropriate selection and presentation of work (e.g., sketchbooks, mounted sheets, maquettes, prototypes, digital presentations, animation, scale models, or illustrated written work).
Demonstration of critical and contextual understanding embedded throughout investigative processes, research, and practical work.
Evidence of drawing skills appropriate to the chosen specialism.
Evidence of the ability to review and refine work as it progresses.

Examiner Tips

Expert advice for maximising your marks

💡Ensure the portfolio is viewed as a whole to demonstrate the journey of the creative process.
💡Carefully select, organise, and present work to ensure evidence of meeting all four assessment objectives is clear.
💡Ensure contextual referencing is evidenced through evaluation of historical and contemporary practitioners, creative industries, societies, cultures, and popular culture.
💡Use the 'best-fit' approach when applying marking criteria.
💡Ensure the standard applied in marking is consistent with the requirements for the chosen specialism.

Common Mistakes

Pitfalls to avoid in your exam answers

Using OCR-produced exemplar material for summative assessment.
Failure to clearly distinguish the learner's own work from collected or transposed material.
Lack of evidence for all four assessment objectives.
Insufficient evidence of critical and contextual understanding.
Failure to identify and acknowledge all sources consulted in a bibliography.

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions students ask about this topic

Likely Command Words

How questions on this topic are typically asked

Develop

Explore

Select

Record

Present

Refine

Analyse

Evaluate

Ready to test yourself?

Practice questions tailored to this topic

Component 01: Personal investigation

Topic Overview

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in OCR A-Level Art and Design

Approaches

Component 02: Externally set task

Content of A Level in Art and Design (H600-H606)

Content of Art and Design: Critical and Contextual Studies (H606)

Component 01: Personal investigation

Topic Overview

What You Need to Demonstrate

Marking Points

Examiner Tips

Common Mistakes

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I choose a theme for my personal investigation?

How long should my written element be?

Can I include digital work or photography in my portfolio?

How many artists should I reference?

What if I make a mistake or my experiment fails?

How is the personal investigation marked?

Likely Command Words

Ready to test yourself?

Related Topics in OCR A-Level Art and Design

Approaches

Component 02: Externally set task

Content of A Level in Art and Design (H600-H606)

Content of Art and Design: Critical and Contextual Studies (H606)