Please click here for details of the various 'Learning Skills' and 'Learning Styles' that we use.
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Unit Eight -
The Synoptic Paper ...
Candidates will be required to make connections between the different modules they have studied in order to emphasise the relationships between concepts, institutions, ideologies, theories and traditions of the political systems studied.
Candidates are required to address the following issues.
a. current political debates;
b. the essential characteristics and inter-relationships of the legislature,
the executive and the judiciary;
c. the adequacy of existing political arrangements for ensuring
representative democracy and full participation;
d. the rights and responsibilities of the individual;
e. ideologies, theories and traditions.
Candidates are required to:
a. comprehend, synthesise and interpret political information in a variety
of forms, for example, written, oral, visual and numerical sources;
b. analyse and evaluate;
• political institutions, processes and behaviour;
• political arguments and explanations;
• the relationships between institutions, processes, behaviour and
values, ideologies, concepts;
c. identify parallels, connections, similarities and differences between
aspects of the political systems studied;
d. select and organise relevant material to construct arguments and
explanations leading to reasoned conclusions;
e. communicate arguments and explanations with relevance, clarity and
coherence, using vocabulary appropriate to the study of Government
and Politics.
The synoptic paper requires students to produce two essays in one two-hour examination. The topics are known in advance and shown below. It is recommended that students establish an in-depth essay answer for each of the four topics – adapting that topic essay to FULLY relate to and answer the essay title given in the examination.
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The TOPICS of the synoptic paper: Power, Participation & Representation, Political Culture, and Continuity & Change.
The approach we will take in class is to establish which political themes that can be used for each topic. To do that, we will look at past examination mark schemes and relate to the relevant political themes - we have discussed in class - that can be used to answer the questions.
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POWER - Candidates will be required to use their knowledge and understanding from elsewhere in the specification about elites, social class, political organisations, including theories and concepts associated with these topics, to explain parallels, comparisons and contrasts in political and governmental systems and sub-systems they have studied.
US8-Q1a - "The power of governments can often be more limited than is popularly thought." Discuss. Print off the relevant section of the June 2005 Mark Scheme (from the AQA website). Using the mark scheme to explore in class ALL aspects of how this essay can be answered.
US8-Q1b - Visit the Library and research for a Politics Review Article - Read/Precis/Discuss
US8-Q1c - The growth of presidential power - Read/Precis/Discuss
Split into small groups and repeat the above for the question: "Modern democracy does not mean that all citizens have equal power." Discuss. This question can be found in the June 2005 mark scheme. One of the groups to present to the class.
US8-E1a Mini-Mock Exam - Answer both of the above questions in exam conditions.
Learning skills used: R&P, E&R, CT, CP, LD and some LA.
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US8-Q1d - "The study of politics is essentially the study of power in society." Discuss. Print off the relevant section of the January 2005 Mark Scheme (from the AQA website). Using the mark scheme to explore in class ALL aspects of how this essay can be answered.
US8-Q1e - Visit the Library and research for a Politics Review Article - Read/Precis/Discuss
Split into small groups and repeat the above for the question: "The structure of elites may be changing, but this does not mean that they are disappearing." Discuss. This question can be found in the January 2005 mark scheme. One of the groups to present to the class.
US8-E1b Mini-Mock Exam - Answer both of the above questions in exam conditions.
Learning skills used: R&P, E&R, CT, CP, LD and some LA.
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PARTICIPATION and REPRESENTATION - Candidates will be expected to bring together material on political parties, elections, voting behaviour, pressure groups and the mass media; they should be able to discuss parallels, comparisons and contrasts between the different political and governmental systems and sub-systems they have studied.
US8-Q2a - "The problem with representative government is that it can mean different things to different people." Discuss. Print off the relevant section of the January 2005 Mark Scheme (from the AQA website). Using the mark scheme to explore in class ALL aspects of how this essay can be answered.
US8-Q2b - Visit the Library and research for a Politics Review Article - Read/Precis/Discuss
Split into small groups and repeat the above for the question: "Many modern political issues are beyond the understanding of most people." Discuss. This question can be found in the January 2005 mark scheme. One of the groups to present to the class.
US8-E2a Mini-Mock Exam - Answer both of the above questions in exam conditions.
Learning skills used: R&P, E&R, CT, CP, LD and some LA.
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US8-Q2c - "Effective participation in modern politics remains the preserve of the few." Discuss. Print off the relevant section of the June 2005 Mark Scheme (from the AQA website). Using the mark scheme to explore in class ALL aspects of how this essay can be answered.
US8-Q2d - Visit the Library and research for a Politics Review Article - Read/Precis/Discuss
See also - 'Turnout in US Elections' - article by Philip Davies - Read/Precis/Discuss
Split into small groups and repeat the above for the question: "Representative government today means a choice of leaders rather than a choice of policies." Discuss. This question can be found in the June 2005 mark scheme. One of the groups to present to the class.
US8-E2b Mini-Mock Exam - Answer both of the above questions in exam conditions.
Learning skills used: R&P, E&R, CT, CP, LD and some LA.
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POLITICAL CULTURE - Candidates will be required to use theories and concepts and empirical evidence to draw parallels and make comparisons and contrasts regarding the values, beliefs and attitudes that shape political behaviour in the political and governmental systems and sub-systems they have studied.
US8-Q3a - "How can the concept of political culture assist the study of politics?" Print off the relevant section of the January 2005 Mark Scheme (from the AQA website). Using the mark scheme to explore in class ALL aspects of how this essay can be answered.
US8-Q3b - Visit the Library and research for a Politics Review Article - Read/Precis/Discuss
Split into small groups and repeat the above for the question: "In today's world political cultures are increasingly subject to forces of change." Discuss. This question can be found in the January 2005 mark scheme. One of the groups to present to the class.
'Interest Groups' - read, precis and discuss this article by Dean McSweeney (from 'Politics Review' Sept 1997).
US8-E3a Mini-Mock Exam - Answer both of the above questions in exam conditions.
Learning skills used: R&P, E&R, CT, CP, LD and some LA.
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US8-Q3c - "There is no simple definition of the concept of political culture." Discuss. Print off the relevant section of the June 2005 Mark Scheme (from the AQA website). Using the mark scheme to explore in class ALL aspects of how this essay can be answered.
US8-Q3d - Visit the Library and research for a Politics Review Article - Read/Precis/Discuss
Split into small groups and repeat the above for the question: "In modern democracies citizens are becoming increasingly unwilling to trust their governments." Discuss. This question can be found in the June 2005 mark scheme. One of the groups to present to the class.
US8-E3b Mini-Mock Exam - Answer both of the above questions in exam conditions.
Learning skills used: R&P, E&R, CT, CP, LD and some LA.
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CONTINUITY & CHANGE - Candidates will be required to analyse patterns of continuity and change within the political and governmental systems and sub-systems which they have studied.
US8-Q4a - "No political system can be regarded as stable without a high degree of continuity." Discuss. Print off the relevant section of the January 2005 Mark Scheme (from the AQA website). Using the mark scheme to explore in class ALL aspects of how this essay can be answered.
US8-Q4b - Visit the Library and research for a Politics Review Article - Read/Precis/Discuss
Split into small groups and repeat the above for the question: "Change in the nature of parties reflects deeper changes in the political system itself." Discuss. This question can be found in the January 2005 mark scheme. One of the groups to present to the class.
US8-E4a Mini-Mock Exam - Answer both of the above questions in exam conditions.
Learning skills used: R&P, E&R, CT, CP, LD and some LA.
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US8-Q4c - "Oppositions promise change, governments preserve continuity." Discuss. Print off the relevant section of the June 2005 Mark Scheme (from the AQA website). Using the mark scheme to explore in class ALL aspects of how this essay can be answered.
US8-Q4d - Visit the Library and research for a Politics Review Article - Read/Precis/Discuss
Split into small groups and repeat the above for the question: "Reforms of the institutions and processes of government are of less importance to citizens than changes in policy." Discuss. This question can be found in the June 2005 mark scheme. One of the groups to present to the class.
US8-E4b Mini-Mock Exam - Answer both of the above questions in exam conditions.
Learning skills used: R&P, E&R, CT, CP, LD and some LA.
. . . . . . . . Advance Notice - Start and Finish Early . . . . . . . . .
For copies of past AQA Government &
Politics examination papers/mark schemes see - http://www.aqa.org.uk/qual/gceasa/gov_assess.php
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