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Getting Ready for the exam

Getting Ready for the exam. The exam is on Monday 31 st January Paper 1 – 8.50 – 10.20 Paper 2 – 10.45 – 12.00 The Intermediate 2 exam will be from 8.50 – 10.50 Arrive a good 10 minutes early – don’t come in late!. Don’t forget…. In paper 1 you need to answer:

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Getting Ready for the exam

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  1. Getting Ready for the exam • The exam is on Monday 31st January • Paper 1 – 8.50 – 10.20 • Paper 2 – 10.45 – 12.00 • The Intermediate 2 exam will be from 8.50 – 10.50 • Arrive a good 10 minutes early – don’t come in late!

  2. Don’t forget… In paper 1 you need to answer: • Question A2 (Study theme 1B – Decision Making in Central Government) • Question A4 (Study theme 1D – Electoral systems and political attitudes) • Question B5ORB6 (Study theme 2 – Wealth and Health in the UK) • Question C9 (Study theme 3C – the USA) DON’T BE TEMPTED TO TRY ANY OTHER QUESTIONS!!!

  3. Five pointers to a good answer • Integration of the skills of knowledge and understanding and analysis • Appropriate terminology • Up to date exemplification • Balanced and informed argument • A coherent and logical structure • BE SELECTIVE! You will go into the external examination packed full of KU – much of which you won’t use.

  4. Time Management • You have approximately 22.5 minutes to spend on each essay. Use it wisely. • Use 2 minutes to sketch a plan – it’s tempting to skip it but it will give your essay structure and stop you rambling away from the point. • Don’t do both your section A essays first. Do one and come back to the other one at the end – that way your answer paper will be more balanced in covering all the topics. • Be RUTHLESS – don’t be tempted to spend more time on your “good” topic(s) No point writing one excellent essay if the rest are half-baked.

  5. Essay Structure • Planning – unlock the question; make a decision; decide balance • Introduction – make decision; layout answer • Middle Section – factors for/comment But, However, on the other hand Balance – factors against/comment • Conclusion – sum up; prioritise • Read over and make corrections before moving on

  6. Skills practice • Take a past paper • Choose 4 essays • Complete a 2 minute plan for each question • Write out the points for and against each question. If you don’t know it – look it up! • Homework – write introductions and conclusions to each essay

  7. What markers want… • Trying to “turn” a question • Too little information • Simplistic References • Failure to develop points • Out of date examples • No linkage to the question • Lack of balance • Lists and bullet points • A summary instead of a conclusion • A strong start • Focus on the question • A strong line of argument • Analysis and discussion • Recent examples • Links back to the question • Balanced comment • Links between sections • A conclusion that prioritises

  8. Paper 2 • You have 75 minutes to complete paper 2 • Don’t spend too long on the enquiry skills questions (15-20 minutes max) but don’t throw away marks by being sloppy – make sure you answer all parts of the questions and link to the appropriate part of the sources • Bring two highlighters to underline evidence for and against your argument

  9. Spending your time wisely • 10 minutes to read over the sources and get busy with your highlighters • 15-20 minutes for the evaluating question • 40 minutes to write the report • 5 minutes to check everything over. • Once again – don’t skip planning. The DME requires you to combine background knowledge, sources and your recommendations – not going to happen unless you plan!

  10. Data handling Most of the data in the exam will be from charts, graphs and tables. Use the mnemonic DATA to help • Date – the time period covered, intervals between points in the data and the date of the source • Amount – the unit of measurement (currency, %, index numbers etc) • Trend – the changes over time and the comparisons • Accuracy – reliability of the source, the method of collection, possibility of bias or error

  11. Good data evaluation • Don’t just describe what you see! • Pick out the main points • Group similar ideas • Identify trends • Recalculate the data • Make comparisons • Look for anomalies

  12. Keywords • Between… and… • Fell, declined, dropped, decreased, sank, went down • Rose, went up, increased • Remained steady, remained constant, stable • Slightly, a little, sharply, suddenly, steeply, gradually, steadily • Reached a peak, sank to a low • Compared with… equally, likewise, on the contrary, however

  13. Little triggers… The written sources normally contain hints for background knowledge you can bring into your report and potential heading for your report. “encouraging welfare dependency at the expense of individual responsibility” = BK on collectivist and individualist philosophies “…a return to the fundamental principles of the welfare state.” = BK on origins of welfare state, 5 giants, collectivist approach “…welfare to work policies…” = BK on New Labour policies such as the New Deal

  14. Structure • Introduction – state role and recommendation • Reasons for your recommendation • Problems with your decision • Rebuttal – where you offer solutions to the problems and comment on the opposite arguments • Conclusion – restate your recommendation and summarise why the advantages outweigh the disadvantages

  15. Making a strong argument • Synthesise - organise information under headings; connect sources and BK • Acknowledge – label sources as you use them; clearly identify BK • Verify – prove your statements with statistics; point out bias or exaggeration • Evaluate – explain usefulness of information; show how it advances your argument come to a conclusion

  16. What markers want… • An essay instead of a report • Recommendation not highlighted • Sources just restated • Statistics simply copied • Sources not integrated • Sources not acknowledged • Poor opposing arguments • Little or no rebuttal • Anecdotal or stand alone BK • Summary instead of a conclusion • Report style with sub-headings • Recommendation in the introduction • Statistics used for development • Good synthesis with all sources used • Sources annotated in the margin • Good balance for and against • Well developed rebuttal • Developed and integrated BK • Conclusion justifying recommendation

  17. Don’t forget… • Make sure you use all of the sources and some background knowledge • Make a list somewhere and tick off the sources as you use them!

  18. Skills Practice • Take a DME and use DATA to analyse the statistical sources • Look at the statistical and written sources to find • Arguments for and against • Headings to divide up information • Links between the sources • Clues to background knowledge

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