AS General Studies

1. AS General Studies 2008

2. AS General Studies 2007 12th May Monday Scientific Domain 15th May Thursday Social Domain Cultural Domain Papers – 1 hr 15 mins

3. AS General Studies The Cultural Domain 2961 Read an article and answer short questions which test how well you have understood it. Make an argument on a related aspect of the same topic. Write about some aspect of contemporary culture.

4. AS General Studies Last year: article on DAB radios with a couple of illustrations Questions on meaning of words, implication of what is said Giving your own interpretation Writing a talk (about 150 words) about any issue which affects your age group

5. AS General Studies Essay on How you can tell if people have a conscience Minority groups Television , Film and and their influence Always in two parts – short and long. Describe features of two minority groups Discuss whether they have too much influence or not

6. AS General Studies The Scientific Domain 2962 Answer short questions which test how well you have understood some information presented in a graphical or numerical form. Read an article on broadly scientific subject and answer short questions, or write short answers to questions of a general nature Write about some aspect of “science” – in its broadest sense.

7. AS General Studies Last year: calculate averages, deposit for a house, estimate a cost Questions about information on weight of people ( height v weight) interpret the graph use it to get a result suggest other factors which might determine if someone is overweight How might you extend the investigation to which the graph contributes?

8. AS General Studies Essay on Contraceptive methods and infertility Coastal management Energy and emissions Always in two parts – short and long. Describe three ways in which industry threatens coastal areas Why might the National Trust consider purchasing the best parts of the coast/coastal hinterland?

9. AS General Studies The Social Domain 2964 Read information on a social or political topic and answer short questions which test how well you have understood it. Comment on some aspect[s] of the article – not last year! Write about some aspect of “society” – in its broadest sense.

10. AS General Studies Last year: Information about Council Tax Questions about fairness, unpopularity etc Should employees be able to strike for better pay? How might you assess the efficiency of refuse collection, leisure facilities, public libraries?

11. AS General Studies Essay on Elections, their use and advantages Political policies – local vs national Speed cameras and sustainable travel Always in two parts – short and long. Speed cameras are increasing in number. Argue against the policy Why do people use cars and planes more than buses and trains?

12. What are they looking for? ·AO1 demonstrate relevant knowledge and understanding applied to a range of issues, using skills from different disciplines ; ·AO2 communicate clearly and accurately in a concise, logical and relevant way; ·AO3 marshal evidence and draw conclusions; select, interpret, evaluate and integrate information, data, concepts and opinions; ·AO4 demonstrate understanding of different types of knowledge and of the relationship between them, appreciating their limitations.

13. What can I do to prepare? Read the newspapers.  Watch the news/listen to the radio. Take an interest in programmes of a broadly scientific nature on television and radio. Read “New Scientist”, “The Economist”, “New Society” etc. Read the BBC website, especially these categories: Religion and Ethics Science and Nature Society and Culture Use AS Guru on www.bbc.co.uk/education/asguru/generalstudies /

14. What do I need to do to do well?  Use the knowledge you have intelligently. Be prepared to draw on your AS/A2 subjects.  Write clearly and appropriately.  Take care with spelling, punctuation, paragraphing, language etc  Think about what you’re saying. Try to give a reasoned view – don’t just voice your prejudices  Read questions carefully and follow instructions.

15. Longer Answers Read the question. Identify the key words and respond to them. Plan your answer, however briefly. Structure your answer. The examiners like traditional structures – introduction, development, conclusion. Don’t let one aspect dominate your answer. Planning helps to stop your repeating yourself. A range of ideas and perspectives is a strength. Think carefully about your expression. A common complaint is that the language is too close to spoken English. Don’t inflate your vocabulary, but choose your expressions carefully and use a formal register. The examiner will reward analysis much more than description.

16. Practice Materials If you really want to look at specimen material, you can look on the web at http://www.ocr.org.uk/pastpapermaterials/pastpapers/AS_ALevelGCE  The quickest way to find it is to put “OCR General Studies Specimen” into a search engine. You’ll need Adobe Acrobat to read the file. I will leave some past papers with Mrs Bourne, and you can find a link to this presentation on the front page of the school website.

17. Why do we do it? Financial advantage to school Gets you in the swing of the real examination season Good examination practice/wake up call Points for some you Lever for some of you Good indicator of general level of ability to reason and argue