The Student Room Group

Sciences are easier than humanities....

OK basically in my opinion, actually not in my opinion, it is a fact that it is by far easier to get an 'A' in a science subject than an 'A' in a humanity subject. Firstly science subjects is just cramming in facts and figures and just using that in the exam, especially in something like maths, whereas in humanities there is that element but just cramming in your text will not be enough whereas for a science subject it will be. Secondly Humanity subjects are subjective, there usually is no real way to distinguish candidates as something they write could be wrong in someones eyes and right in someone elses eyes, whereas sciences its just one right answer.

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You've obviously never heard of AQA's wonderful 'How Science Works' sections.
In humanities, there's cramming. Can just parrot out some facts and figures... can do that for psychology too. But physics and maths? Nah, have to understand the stuff, otherwise you can't do it. You can't blag your way through it either, because it isn't subjective; one right answer!
Reply 3
Ultimate1
Secondly Humanity subjects are subjective, there usually is no real way to distinguish candidates as something they write could be wrong in someones eyes and right in someone elses eyes, whereas sciences its just one right answer.


So the crux of your argument is that humanities marking is BS?

Keep trollin, trollin, trollin, c'mon!
I agree. (depends what humanities subjects though)
Reply 5
Yep, cant blag your way through a Physics or Maths paper. Id know...ive tried it.
Reply 6
Alex M2
So the crux of your argument is that humanities marking is BS?

Keep trollin, trollin, trollin, c'mon!


haha basically
Reply 7
Ultimate1
OK basically in my opinion, actually not in my opinion, it is a fact that it is by far easier to get an 'A' in a science subject than an 'A' in a humanity subject. Firstly science subjects is just cramming in facts and figures and just using that in the exam, especially in something like maths, whereas in humanities there is that element but just cramming in your text will not be enough whereas for a science subject it will be. Secondly Humanity subjects are subjective, there usually is no real way to distinguish candidates as something they write could be wrong in someones eyes and right in someone elses eyes, whereas sciences its just one right answer.

Yes you're right in the mark schemes for humanities being more objective and one marker can interpret differently to what another one would resulting in an undeserved grade, but it is easier to waffle on about something and go out on a limb in humanities subjects. In science and maths subjects, there are right or wrong answers and no room to improvise or compromise. In humanities subjects, anything that sounds vaguely okay gets you marks if can be backed up by twisting quotations or sources the way you want to.

Because of this, it is easier to blag and get good marks in humanities subjects than science subjects, as what you say in humanities subjects doesn't even have to be right or even on course of correctness if you can waffle and twist things. In science you either know how to do it or you don't, you can't make anything up like you can in humanities. People make things up in humanities subjects all the time and get high marks because it is easier to twist and manipulate something you don't understand into something that can't be proved right or wrong so you get marks for it.

For example in English I can say that Romeo is bisexual and confused for his love for Juliet with his romantic love for Mercutio and find some quotes I can interpret to back me up. In chemistry I can't say the oxygen chemically bonded with the magnesium because they are the best of friends and want to have a party.
fretter778
You've obviously never heard of AQA's wonderful 'How Science Works' sections.


This.

It may be the case that the sciences have a more clear cut syllabus but it takes a lot longer to prepare for these exams than say and english lit exam which you could turn up to having simply read the books (and I suppose you could even try to blag something even if you hadn't)
Reply 9
Urm...no. I did Further Maths, Physics and Chemistry and it wasn't just learning facts and figures. I'd have thought that most of the humanitites would be all to do with that kind of thing (eg. names and dates for history/politics). If anything, I learnt few facts and figures for sciences (apart for complex ion colours... grr) and instead had to concentrate on the methods etc. used to arrive at answers - eg. being able to show using data that g = 9.81 at the earth's surface. Particularly in Maths you can't just learn loads of stuff - everything you'd need to know is in the formula book and its all about your thought process.
Secondly, how does being subjective necessarily make them harder - surely it means that there are more correct answers? (or at least you can blag it if you don't know the real answer)
I think that very much depends on the specific subjects in question.

However, I generally agree; I found Psychology much easier than English Lit, because all I needed for psychology was the ability to memorize lots of info, whereas with English there's a technique to it that not everyone can grasp so easily. Though as someone has said, there's no blagging it in science subjects, so it's swings and roundabouts.
Reply 11
All I'm gonna say is that Humanities pwn Sciences. In sciences its just remembering a stupid formula and then applying it, I mean whats so hard about that? And before someone says I'm trolling (Actually someone has already) I'm not, I'm simply stating not opinion, FACT.
Antifazian
I think that very much depends on the specific subjects in question.

However, I generally agree; I found Psychology much easier than English Lit, because all I needed for psychology was the ability to memorize lots of info, whereas with English there's a technique to it that not everyone can grasp so easily. Though as someone has said, there's no blagging it in science subjects, so it's swings and roundabouts.


Yes, I found that with psychology. I found it was taught more as a humanities than a science. I mean, there were more similarities between Psychology and RS than Psychology and Maths/Physics.
Ultimate1
All I'm gonna say is that Humanities pwn Sciences. In sciences its just remembering a stupid formula and then applying it, I mean whats so hard about that? And before someone says I'm trolling (Actually someone has already) I'm not, I'm simply stating not opinion, FACT.


In physics, we're given the formulas. It's all on the understanding.
Ultimate1
All I'm gonna say is that Humanities pwn Sciences. In sciences its just remembering a stupid formula and then applying it, I mean whats so hard about that? And before someone says I'm trolling (Actually someone has already) I'm not, I'm simply stating not opinion, FACT.

Formulas are giving, by your logic then everyone would be good at Science.

Also, I could give someone who is really crap at maths a ton of formulas and they can still suck at A level maths.
Reply 15
Yeah but you can't BS in a science exams.......

Ahhhh i'll never forget my little made up town of Cossa Diaby for my Geog GCSE :rolleyes:
Reply 16
Fact: All A-levels are too easy if you do any work at all.
Well that's a load of crap!
You can bullshyt a humanity subject exam and still get an A*/A, yet you cant bullshyt a science subject exam and expect to get an A*/A.
Plus, it was proven that Science subjects are more respected at A-level because of their content and exam style questions!
Ultimate1
All I'm gonna say is that Humanities pwn Sciences. In sciences its just remembering a stupid formula and then applying it, I mean whats so hard about that? And before someone says I'm trolling (Actually someone has already) I'm not, I'm simply stating not opinion, FACT.


Im sorry but i find maths is a skill. Sure there are loads of equations you have to learn and apply but then theres algabraeic manipulation, proving and just tonnes of **** you have to understand! Whats the point in learning equations if cant even understand them and thats what they test you on, understanding. Eg sketching complex graphs. Doesnt sound that bad but **** it can be hard and you cant just remember every single known function and all the transformations. Suck my balls humanities are easier, I got A* in religious studies without studying. You could never do that in science or maths.
Stating that one is universally harder than the other is just foolish.