Higher Modern Studies The Decision Making Exercise (DME)

1. Higher Modern StudiesThe Decision Making Exercise (DME) • Paper 2 is the Decision Making Exercise • You get 1 hour and 15 mins in which to evaluate sources (Q 1-3) and write a report (Q4) on your decision, based on the Sources and your Background Knowledge (BK)

2. The Evaluating questions - Q1-3 • In the DME you are given three sources of information • Source A gives an overview of the options • Source B1 gives support to one of the options • Source B2 gives support to the other option • Source C gives statistical information about the topic • You then have to answer 3 questions about these sources that will help you to understand what the DME is all about • To answer these, you evaluate the sources given in the question, without any other knowledge being used • Answering these will help you to understand the sources and help you to decide which option to go for in your report • Go from the statistical source to the text source

3. You must memorise the headings below for the exam! DME Question 4 - The Report • Title of report/Memo format • Role and Remit • Recommendation • Arguments to support your recommendation • Dealing with criticisms of your recommendation (rebuttal) • Conclusion

4. 1&2 Title of the Report/Role and Remit You could lay your title out like a memo:- To: Nicola Sturgeon - Minister for Health & Community Care From: Prof G Mackenzie – Department of Social Policy, University of West Lothian Subject: Advice on “means testing” personal care for elderly people in Scotland

5. 3 Recommendation • In your recommendation you must simply state which option you prefer, and list the advantages of that recommendation • Remember - it is a formal report you are writing, not an essay! This is the only place you can use bullet points

6. 4 Arguments to support my recommendation • Under this heading, you now explore each of the main advantages/good points of your recommendation, in some detail - giving each section a sub-title. • Use the paragraphs in the written sources to give you the main points • Between this and the next section, you must refer to, and quote all of the sources – ‘According to source A, it is clear that….’ - ‘This is supported by source C1….’

7. 4 Arguments to support my recommendation • You must also refer to any background knowledge you have on this area – ‘In my experience/According to an article I read in the Scotsman/West Lothian Courier/a Panorama documentary which highlighted this issue…’ etc. This conflicts with the original aims of the Welfare State’ ‘The elderly are an important group of voters.’ Each time you use background knowledge, put a BK in the margin.

8. 5 The Criticisms of my Recommendation • Under this heading, you must explain the main disadvantages/bad points of your recommendation. • By the end of this stage you must have referred to all of the sources and included appropriate background knowledge. • Anyone writing a real report, would point out possible criticisms. You must do this in a balanced way by rebutting these criticisms.

9. 6 Conclusion • This is your opportunity to really persuade the readers of the report, that your preferred recommendation is the best one. You can include any extra BK here. • Reinforce your recommendation by summarising your arguments. • At the bottom of the report, print and sign your name and give your role again.

10. Top Tips • Take in a ruler and two colours of pen and write out your headings in one colour and paragraphs in another. Underline your headings to make it look like a formal report. • Each time you use a Source or Background Knowledge, write the Source number or BK in the margin, to prove to the examiner that you are using both. • You will get extra marks for integrating your BK with the sources. Again show this in the margin.