Overview
The 9702 Physics examiner report is your most powerful tool for turning a marked past paper into genuine improvement. Instead of just seeing *what* you got wrong, the report tells you *why* you, and many others, lost marks on specific questions. Use it after you [mark a paper](/mark) to understand the common pitfalls and examiner expectations, then re-attempt your weakest questions with this new insight.
What is an Examiner Report?
Every exam season, Cambridge International publishes a ‘Principal Examiner Report for Teachers’ for each paper. This document is the official debrief from the person who leads the marking team. It’s not just a summary of grade distributions; it’s a detailed, question-by-question commentary on how students performed. The report identifies questions that were answered well, those that proved difficult, and, most importantly, the specific misconceptions and errors that were most common across thousands of scripts.
The Best Time to Use the Report
Timing is everything. Reading an examiner report before you’ve attempted the corresponding paper is like reading the solution to a puzzle you haven't tried to solve – you miss the entire learning opportunity. The most effective workflow is a three-step process. First, complete a past paper under timed, exam-like conditions. Second, use the official mark scheme to grade your work honestly. Only then, as a third step, should you open the examiner report to diagnose your performance and understand the wider context of your errors.
From General Feedback to Specific Errors
For Cambridge Cambridge exam technique, the report provides a multi-layered analysis of student performance. It usually begins with general comments on the paper as a whole, noting any widespread issues such as poor time management or a failure to show working. It then dives into a granular, question-by-question breakdown. Here, you will find invaluable details about common mistakes in calculations, such as incorrect unit conversions, consistent errors in applying a formula, or losing marks for an inappropriate number of significant figures. This feedback directly relates to the core skills needed for success in [9702 Physics marking](/subjects/9702).
Turning Insight into Action: The Re-attempt Strategy
Simply reading the report is passive learning. To make it active, you must apply the re-attempt strategy. After marking your paper and reading the examiner's comments, identify one or two questions where you scored poorly. Now, focus on what the report says about those specific questions. Did you fall for a common trap? Did you misinterpret a key term? Armed with this feedback, close the mark scheme and the report, and try answering those questions again from scratch. This process forces you to confront your mistake and build the correct problem-solving pathway in your mind.
Beyond Calculation: Improving Your Explanations
Many marks in A-Level Physics are lost on questions requiring written explanations. This is where the examiner report is often more useful than the mark scheme itself. While [reading the mark scheme](/blog/how-to-read-a-cambridge-mark-scheme) gives you a checklist of keywords, the report explains the *difference* between a superficial answer and a full-marks response. It highlights the logical steps, the precise vocabulary, and the level of physical detail that examiners were looking for, giving you a clear model for how to structure your own descriptive answers in the future.
Frequently asked questions
This section covers Frequently asked questions — ranked by what Cambridge examiners return to most often in past papers.
Should I read the report before or after the mark scheme?
Always read it after. Marking your paper first identifies your specific mistakes. The examiner report then provides the crucial context, explaining why those mistakes are common and what the examiner was truly looking for. Using the report after the mark scheme turns a simple score into a powerful diagnostic tool.
The report is for teachers. Is it still useful for students?
Absolutely. While the title says it's for teachers, the content is a direct analysis of student answers and common errors. It offers you a unique, behind-the-scenes perspective on the marking process. Think of it as getting direct feedback from the Principal Examiner on how to avoid the most common mistakes.
Where can I find the examiner reports?
Cambridge publishes examiner reports on its main website and on the Cambridge School Support Hub for teachers. They are released alongside the question paper and mark scheme for each exam series. You can also find them aggregated on many popular third-party websites that host past paper resources for students.
The report mentions things not on the mark scheme. Why?
The mark scheme lists the points required for a correct answer. The examiner report provides the crucial context around those points. It explains common incorrect approaches, why they were wrong, and the reasoning behind the mark scheme's structure. It fills in the gaps, helping you understand the physics more deeply.