Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Modern Studies
Standard Grade:- Credit Level Papers
REVISION-
POINTERS AND
ADVICE
This booklet contains the CREDIT level examinations from 2004, 2005,
2006 and 2007. It also includes the relevant marking schemes.
The following should give you an idea of what to expect in each section of the
exam. This is not meant as an exhaustive list- there is potential for other
questions in line with your course notes!!
Living in a Democracy
Before your Standard Grade exam, you should revise each of these topics.
Knowledge and Understanding questions for this Syllabus Area will be based on
three different concepts:
• Participation
• Representation
• Rights and Responsibilities
Changing Society
Before your Standard Grade exam, you should revise each of these topics.
Knowledge and Understanding questions for this Syllabus Area will be based on
three different concepts:
• Equality
• Ideology
• Need
China
Before your Standard Grade exam you should revise each of these topics.
Knowledge and Understanding questions for this Syllabus Area will be based on four
concepts:
• Equality
• Ideology
• Participation
• Rights and responsibilities
• Ways in which Human rights have improved/ ways in which they remain
behind the rest of the world
International Relations
Before your Standard Grade exam you should revise each of these topics.
Knowledge and Understanding questions for this Syllabus Area will be based on two
different concepts:
• Need
• Power
• Not all aid is good aid- meeting the needs of developing nations
There are two main types of Enquiry Skills to master for the Standard Grade paper:
Evaluating questions can be based on any of the topics included in the Standard
Grade Modern Studies course, but you don't have to include any knowledge and
understanding in your answers. You'll always be given sources and these will include
all the information you require to answer the question.
For the Investigating questions you will need to include your own knowledge and
understanding in your answers. You won't get any information from sources.
Each of these types of question will come up in the General and Credit papers.
Investigating questions come in several stages and will ask you to:
• State a hypothesis
• Give relevant aims or headings
• Choose a method of finding out information
• Describe how you would find information using that method
• Explain its advantages and disadvantages
Sometimes it‘s helpful to think of the words ‘bias‘, ‘exaggeration‘ and ‘selective use
of facts‘ as meaning ‘wrong‘. Basically, when a person makes this sort of statement
they‘re saying something that cannot be backed up from the evidence in front of you.
Make comparisons within and between sources
• At General Level, the sources will be fairly complicated. If you‘re asked for
differences, then it‘s a good idea to try and explain what the differences are.
• At Credit Level, questions will usually have complex sources. The question
may well ask you ‘what conclusions can be drawn from . . .‘. The most
common mistake in this type of question is when pupils just repeat what the
source says without drawing any conclusions.
Questions which ask you to reach a conclusion might involve you looking for :
• Similarities
• Differences
• How things have changed over a period of time
• Things that are bigger or smaller.
Good words and phrases to use in answers to this type of question include:
• In comparison with . . .
• Compared to . . .
• More than / less then . . .
• Bigger / smaller . . .
First of all you're told about a broad topic and asked to carry out an investigation into
some aspect of it. The topic will be described in a box and identified by a large
question mark, like this.
• State a hypothesis. Take note here, it's a statement you're asked for and,
during the investigation, you'll prove whether it's true or false. Don't ever be
tempted to write a hypothesis in the form of a question.
• Give relevant aims or headings which will help you prove your hypothesis.
This is where the question approach is useful. You would do well to start this
part of the investigation by saying " To find out...
• The third stage is to choose a method of finding out information for the
investigation.
• Your method should be relevant or suitable, because you'll be asked to apply
it to the aims or headings you picked earlier. You're asked to describe, in
detail, how you would find information using that method.
• Not just that, you're asked to explain why it's a good method of finding out
information for your investigation and what its shortcomings might be. In other
words, you should explain its advantages and disadvantages.
• Sometimes, instead if being asked to choose a method of enquiry, you'll be
told which method to use. Even then, you'll be asked to explain its advantages
and disadvantages.
Methods Advantages Disadvantages
Internet - Access a range of information from all - Cost
over world
- Faster than writing a letter - Time consuming to read through all
the websites
- Available in most schools and homes. - Some websites may have biased
information
- Email questions: Instant contact - The information might not have
been updated
Writing a letter - Send it to someone who is well - The person to whom you wrote may
informed about your topic not answer your questions.
- You decide what questions to ask - The person you are writing to may
not reply in time or they may not
reply at all.
Interview - You can prepare questions in advance - You may not be able to find a
suitable person to interview
- You can add extra questions during - The person being interviewed might
the interview try to take over the interview.
- You can gauge the reactions of the - The person being interviewed might
person being interviewed. not give honest answers.
- It can be recorded and played back. -
Questionnaires - You can collect information from a - It is time consuming to conduct the
large number of people and therefore questionnaire and collate the data.
make generalisations
- You can set the questions you ask. - People may refuse to answer your
questions
- People may not tell the truth when
answering.
CD Roms - Lots of information - Cannot be updated
- The information is presented in an - Some CD’s may be damaged or
interesting format. missing
- Easy to search for relevant - Time consuming
information.
Library - It will store back copies of - Information in books may be out of
newspapers date
- You can gain access to internet - You cannot withdraw reference
books
- Staff are available to help with search - Some books/news may be missing
Video - You gain a visual impression of your - Video may be out of date.
research topic.
- Everyone has access to the - Video may be damaged.
television.
Observations at - First hand experience - Not always possible or appropriate
visit to visit somewhere related to your
research topic.
- Able to draw own conclusions.
Hypothesis Topics (2000-2007)
• Equality in China
• Voting in the UK
• Education in China
Colour the boxes the following colours depending on how well you feel you
understand the topic.
LIVING IN A DEMOCRACY
VOTING AND ELECTIONS
PRESSURE GROUPS
TRADE UNIONS
MISCELLANEOUS
INTRODUCTION
UNEMPLOYMENT
FAMILY
What it is
Arguments for
Arguments against
POLITICAL IDEOLOGIES – CHINA.
ECONOMIC INEQUALITY
SOCIAL INEQUALITY
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
POLITICS OF AID
Developed world
Developing world
Bilateral aid
Multilateral aid
Boomerang/tied aid
DFID
Good aid + list examples
Bad aid + list examples
Why countries give aid
Social factors affecting donor country
Political factors affecting donor country
Economic factors affecting donor country
SUDAN
ALLIANCES
The needs of a country
Political benefits of joining an alliance
Economic benefits of joining an alliance
Social benefits of joining an alliance