A-LEVEL GENERAL STUDIES B

Transcription

1 A-LEVEL GENERAL STUDIES B Unit 3 Power (GENB3) Report on the Examination 2765 June 2016 Version: v1.0

2 Further copies of this Report are available from aqa.org.uk Copyright 2016 AQA and its licensors. All rights reserved. AQA retains the copyright on all its publications. However, registered schools/colleges for AQA are permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use, with the following important exception: AQA cannot give permission to schools/colleges to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within the centre.

3 General Comments The texts are a starting point for all of the questions and in Questions 1 and 2 there is an expectation that some reference will be made to them, although these references do not need to reflect an equal use of the two texts provided for each question. Candidates are advised throughout the paper to provide examples of their own and these examples are important for the award of marks at the higher levels. However, the highest marks are given for the analysis and evaluation of material. The examples need to be relevant and to be explained; simply stating information will not necessarily lead to higher marks. Questions 1 and 2 general comments Questions 1 and 2 look for a one-sided argument and most centres and their candidates understand this. This argument may require the candidate to argue a position with which they themselves do not agree; the texts may present views that are not supported by the candidate, but the objective is to craft an academic response rather than provide the candidate s own view on a subject. It is not intended that the texts should contain everything that is needed, or that everything in each text is of relevance to these tasks; it is for the candidates to read them and select what they find to be helpful in developing their responses. There are two texts provided for both Question 1 and Question 2. These can be used and analysed by candidates as the basis of their argument and relevant use and evaluation is credited at Level 3 (5-10 marks). In order to reach Levels 2 (11-16) and 1 (17-20), candidates have to provide their own, specific examples, which may be suggested by the texts, but are then developed and evaluated in line with the proposition provided. Candidates should be aware, however, that examples alone reflect knowledge and understanding (AO1), but that there are more marks for interpretation and evaluation (AO2). Question 1 Text A was used well by most candidates, many of whom showed a clear understanding of the contents of the Declaration of Human Rights. Education and the right to free speech were picked up and used, with better candidates being able to develop their contribution to equality with their own examples, often referring to voting and various equal rights movements, from the suffragettes to Rosa Parkes, Martin Luther King and LGBT groups. More general examples around defendants and prisoners emerged from the reference to a fair trial in the penultimate paragraph. Candidates were less clear on Text B and many either ignored it, paraphrased it or assumed it meant Fair Trade. This last point, when developed, did lead to some relevant comments, but those who made better use of the text recognised the importance of free trade as an instrument to develop economic growth and allow countries to spend on, for example, education to encourage equality. Question 2 Text C provided data that a lot of candidates were able to utilise. Many were well-aware of the extent to which senior politicians have benefited from private education, with David Cameron, Boris Johnson and George Osborne frequently cited. From Text D, candidates drew on the parenting of 3of 5

4 Jake Chapman and used comments by Dea Birkett and Anthony Gormley to inform their responses. A lot of personal examples were well-used and when it came to where we are born general references to council estates, gang culture and nature/nurture were supplemented by examples from Syria, Afghanistan, and various parts of Africa. Specific people mentioned included the children of sundry celebrities and Malala Yousafzai. There was some misreading of Text C, with a number of candidates believing that the data showed how many people from lower occupations lived in the various locations mentioned. Nevertheless, Question 2 was generally better done than Question 1 with candidates drawing on their own experiences to some effect. Questions 3 and 4 general comments Question 4 proved more popular than question 3, although question 3 attracted some of the better responses, developing on from Text D. It is quite acceptable to draw on the texts for these longer responses, but it is important that candidates also provide examples of their own, otherwise marks will remain at Level 3 (9-20 marks out of 40). Candidates are also expected to present a balanced response, looking at both sides of the question. It is not necessary for the two sides to receive equal weight, but an awareness of an alternative perspective is important in order to come to a reasoned conclusion. Question 3 A few candidates wrote about the stem, Art should be for everyone, but most did focus on the extent to which the arts are accessible. Arts, as was expected, was broadly defined and most candidates who tackled this question were able to identify specific examples. A lot considered access to free museum and galleries, tempering this with location and transport costs. The internet was seen as a source for many, as well as the television and radio. Many picked up on the groups mentioned and some dealt well with the need for some education to ensure that pieces are understood. Literature students used Shakespeare and various poets, whilst many were very knowledgeable on music and music artists. Text D provided some inspiration, with a number commenting on the work of Jackson Pollock. Weaker candidates often adopted a very narrow view of the arts, sticking closely to painting and sculpture. In the main, this question was done well and elicited some responses of a very high calibre, as well as many passionate arguments in favour of the arts in education, usually in contrast to STEM subjects. Question 4 This was more popular than Question 3, partly because there was material in Text C on which to base a response. Weaker candidates did not get much beyond some comments and opinions on education and whether a degree was worth the debt it inevitably incurred. The level of argument was often good but was lacking in specific examples other than politicians, already mentioned in Question 1, Bill Gates, Alan Sugar and Richard Branson. Branson s background and the family money used to bail him out in the early 70s was often not known about and made the assertions of some candidates difficult to credit fully. Qualifications were usually balanced against talent, with a 4of 5

5 number of sporting figures being presented as examples of people achieving high status without acquiring qualifications. The most successful answers did define high status and this enabled some development of alternatives, often around status within a spiritual or family context. Where ascribed status was considered, the royal family were often put forward by way of example and some sociology students were able to make telling points about race and gender as factors, with the glass ceiling offered as an argument that the meritocracy supposedly created by qualifications was not a reality for all. Mark Ranges and Award of Grades Grade boundaries and cumulative percentage grades are available on the Results Statistics page of the AQA Website. Converting Marks into UMS marks Convert raw marks into Uniform Mark Scale (UMS) marks by using the link below. UMS conversion calculator 5of 5