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AS Sociology SY4 feedback 2010 Principal Examiner Barbara Greenall. SY4. SY4 is demanding in terms of the range of skills required and the breadth of knowledge. It is a longer exam It is accessible yet challenging. June series. Large entry almost entirely first time candidates.
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AS SociologySY4 feedback2010Principal ExaminerBarbara Greenall
SY4 • SY4 is demanding in terms of the range of skills required and the breadth of knowledge. • It is a longer exam • It is accessible yet challenging
June series • Large entry almost entirely first time candidates. • Lack of experience in this paper evident and markers were instructed to bear this in mind.
Compulsory section • Answers to question a were mixed • The best answers were clearly contextualised • Some answers merely listed the strengths of non participant observation • Some candidates ignored the non participant element and this disadvantages them
Compulsory section • Many candidates produced research designs that were logical and clearly justified. • However a significant number ignored the request for qualitative data and produced rehearsed “cover all” type answers. This is to be avoided • Designs often lost focus and context and some made only cursory references to methodological issues.
Options • Both options were popular and in both there were some excellent answers • Some lack of experience and confusion was evident in the part a questions and this was accounted for in the marking. • However there were obvious gaps in knowledge and this should be fairly easy to rectify with careful preparation and planning.
Options.......part b questions • As in other modules many candidates continue to argue for the view in the question rather than debate the view. Consequently they are very unlikely to achieve band 4 marks in either domain. Adopting this approach also means that they have failed to respond to the command words in the question. • Clear understanding of command words is a pre requisite of success
Improving performance • Learn key terms – these are the focus of questions • Read the questions carefully, noting commands and debates. • Plan answers following clear and logical order (use opening/ closing gambits to flag up skills) • Remain focussed throughout • Write a concluding paragraph
For further information, please contact the subject officer at the WJEC Joanna Lewis 245 Western Avenue Cardiff CF5 2YX joanna.lewis@wjec.co.uk