How subjects are organised
Subjects, courses, units and notes, and how they map onto Cambridge International AS & A Level papers.
Margin organises every subject the same way, so once you know your way around one you know them all.
Subjects, courses, units and notes#
| Level | What it is | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Subject | One Cambridge International syllabus | Physics (9702) |
| Course | A part of the subject that matches how it is examined | AS Physics |
| Unit | A syllabus topic within the course | Kinematics |
| Note | One teachable idea within the unit | Equations of motion |
Courses, units and notes are always in syllabus order. In the sidebar, choose the subject name to switch subject, then choose a course from the row of short labels (such as P1 or AS) to see its units as a contents page. The course label also appears beside notes in search results and on the home tab, and each note's header shows its level and paper, such as AS · P1.
Notes are still being written, so the app only shows what exists: a course appears once it has its first note, and a unit once it has a note. Each subject page on the website lists what is available now.
AS and A Level#
Cambridge International AS & A Level subjects are split into an AS part and an A Level part:
- AS Level is the first half of the course. It can be taken as a qualification on its own, or as the first step to the full A Level.
- A Level adds the second half. Notes for the second half are marked A2 in Margin.
In the sciences and Computer Science, each subject has one AS course and one A Level course. Mathematics is organised by paper instead, because students choose which applied papers to take.
Papers and courses#
| Subject | Courses in Margin | How they map to papers |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | P1, P3, M1, S1, S2 | One course per paper |
| Physics | AS, A2 | AS covers Papers 1 to 3; A2 covers Papers 4 and 5 |
| Chemistry | AS, A2 | AS covers Papers 1 to 3; A2 covers Papers 4 and 5 |
| Biology | AS, A2 | AS covers Papers 1 to 3; A2 covers Papers 4 and 5 |
| Computer Science | AS, A2 | AS covers Papers 1 and 2; A2 covers Papers 3 and 4 |
Full A Level papers can also assume AS knowledge, so A2 notes link back to the AS notes they build on.
Which notes do I need?#
Check your entries with your school or exams officer, then:
- Mathematics: read the courses for the papers you are sitting. See Mathematics for the usual combinations.
- Sciences and Computer Science: read the AS course for an AS qualification, and both courses for the full A Level.
Use the Planner to set an exam date for each course you are taking. It only schedules courses with an upcoming exam.