AQA Government & Politics May 2012
Government, politics and international relations discussion, revision, exam and homework help.
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AQA Government & Politics May 2012
I couldn't find a thread for it so thought I'd start one

How's everyone's revision going? What topics are you focussing on and what are you expecting to come up on the 25-markers?
I'm primarily focussing on Participation & Voting Behaviour and Pressure Groups for Unit 1, I might also try and plan some things for Electoral Systems in case one of my other two get a dodgy question
Unit 2 I like The British Constitution, The Core Executive and Multi-Level Governance
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Re: AQA Government & Politics May 2012
YAY A THREAD HAS BEEN MADE FOR THIS!
I'm resitting both Unit 1 and 2 and I am focusing on the same for Unit 1... I've not even touched electoral systems because I hated it!
For Unit 2 I am not sure whether to miss one out or not, still not decided.
I have no idea what is going to come up though and I was hoping to find someone who does, do you have any ideas?
Thanks and good luck.... 1 week to revise for unit 1!! -
Re: AQA Government & Politics May 2012
Hey!

Gah I hate electoral systems too! But I hate political parties even more, so I think it's a good back up to have in case the questions in Participation & Voting Behaviour or Pressure Groups are dire.
Would you advise doing all four for Unit 2 then?! I'm not retaking it's the first time I'm sitting it, so I'm kinda worried and nervous!
I always assumed everyone left one (or two if they're daredevils).
Absolutely no clue. I'm scared that if I did think something would come up and said about it, it'd probably tempt fate and not come up to spite me
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Re: AQA Government & Politics May 2012
Hello there!
Resitting GOVP2 for the second time.... (What can I say? Third time's the charm.... :P) We were a lazy class so we only managed to cover the British Constitution and Parliament. (And when I say lazy I mean really lazy - we were a class of 8! :P)
None of us could really get our heads around the concept of an unwritten constitution (which is a likely 25 mark question - whether or not we should have a written one) but since moving on to doing US Politics at A2 it's easier to understand so even if you have to retake you might even find it easier to sit.
Personally I only learnt two topics for both papers - (for Paper One we studied Participation and Voting Behaviour; Electoral Systems and Pressurel Parties and I learnt the first two) but I would recommend that if you're not confident with two then learn three - four's too much!
In terms of questions I think something about whether or not the House of Lords should be elected in will definitely crop up in the Parliament topic.
Urr from past experience for the voting behaviour topic (my favourite topic!
:P) it's vital to literally recite the four main different theories on how people vote off by heart. (So Party Identification Theory, -plus definitions of partisian alignment/dealignment-Sociological Theory -plus definitions of class alignment/dealignmnet-, Dominant Idealogy Theory and Rational Thinking Theory (...Think thats what it is called :P))
And that's all I can recall :P So how do people revise for politics? I just read the textbook :P Oh if anyone wants my notes (on a word document) for GOVP1 - Voting Behaviour and Electoral systems - i'll be happy to send them to you
(Well, at least I think that they are complete notes... not really sure haha
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Re: AQA Government & Politics May 2012
Hey guys, I wonder if anyone could give me a bit of info... I'm a private candidate taking all four units this summer (3A and 4A for A2) but I haven't been able to get hold of the questions that came up in January this year. I really want to know what they were as obv they won't be the same again next week...
For unit 1 I'm not doing voting behaviour (way too much info for me to get my head round!!) and unit 2 I'm focusing on The British Constitution and Parliament with core exec as a back up!
Any help would be much appreciated!
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Re: AQA Government & Politics May 2012I second this question! I need it too! And unit 3A if anyone is also an A2-taker please!(Original post by unknown123)
any one got the question paper for jan 2012 unit 1?
Last edited by halfbaked20; 13-05-2012 at 09:06. -
Re: AQA Government & Politics May 2012Please can I have the word document on the electoral systems, it would be very much appreciated?(Original post by APersonCalledClara)
Oh if anyone wants my notes (on a word document) for GOVP1 - Voting Behaviour and Electoral systems - i'll be happy to send them to you
(Well, at least I think that they are complete notes... not really sure haha
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Re: AQA Government & Politics May 2012Is there any chance I could have a peek at your notes too please?(Original post by APersonCalledClara)
Oh if anyone wants my notes (on a word document) for GOVP1 - Voting Behaviour and Electoral systems - i'll be happy to send them to you
(Well, at least I think that they are complete notes... not really sure haha
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Re: AQA Government & Politics May 2012Could I have the notes for the Voting behaviour document(Original post by APersonCalledClara)
Hello there!
Resitting GOVP2 for the second time.... (What can I say? Third time's the charm.... :P) We were a lazy class so we only managed to cover the British Constitution and Parliament. (And when I say lazy I mean really lazy - we were a class of 8! :P)
None of us could really get our heads around the concept of an unwritten constitution (which is a likely 25 mark question - whether or not we should have a written one) but since moving on to doing US Politics at A2 it's easier to understand so even if you have to retake you might even find it easier to sit.
Personally I only learnt two topics for both papers - (for Paper One we studied Participation and Voting Behaviour; Electoral Systems and Pressurel Parties and I learnt the first two) but I would recommend that if you're not confident with two then learn three - four's too much!
In terms of questions I think something about whether or not the House of Lords should be elected in will definitely crop up in the Parliament topic.
Urr from past experience for the voting behaviour topic (my favourite topic!
:P) it's vital to literally recite the four main different theories on how people vote off by heart. (So Party Identification Theory, -plus definitions of partisian alignment/dealignment-Sociological Theory -plus definitions of class alignment/dealignmnet-, Dominant Idealogy Theory and Rational Thinking Theory (...Think thats what it is called :P))
And that's all I can recall :P So how do people revise for politics? I just read the textbook :P Oh if anyone wants my notes (on a word document) for GOVP1 - Voting Behaviour and Electoral systems - i'll be happy to send them to you
(Well, at least I think that they are complete notes... not really sure haha
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Re: AQA Government & Politics May 2012None(Original post by Justin Beese)
Anyone got any question guesses?
you?
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Re: AQA Government & Politics May 2012
Well, what did everyone think of that?
I did Voting Behaviour and Pressure Group topics - only question I don't really know much about was the 10-marker of Voting Behaviour.
I basically ended up describing the valence model of issue-voting and attributing it to success of the televised elections, using the data from the extract as an example.
Second paragraph I did an 'against' argument, suggesting primacy factors could have caused the decline between the time of the poll and the GE, or suggesting that the poll could have been a margin of error.
Conclusion was that although it temporarily affected the voting behaviour and contributed to a rise in support for the Lib Dems, it ended up retracting to normal before the actual General Election, resulting in a 3rd place finish for the Lib Dems both on popular vote and amount of seats
My definition of social movements for the 5-marker on Pressure Groups could've been a bit shaky though, but I think my examples and referral to the extract were okay.

I always assumed everyone left one (or two if they're daredevils).