Higher Modern Studies 2014 - Discussion and help thread

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Hi, I'm just wondering to those of you out there who do Modern Studies, how do you write for the knowledge and Understanding questions? What constitutes a good answer?

Is

•

State-a point

•

Explain- further drawing on knowledge

•

Example- Give a practical example

a good formula?

I'm most worried about Modern Studies, and the teachers have been poor, so there seem to have been some major gaps in the course. How can I revise this better?

Reply 21

lala4

Hi there,

I sat higher modern studies last year (C in the prelim) and came out with an A in the final exam. I had some poor teaching as well and ended up self teaching a bit. My essays were also fairly weak throughout the year but improved somewhat by May.

The formula you have there is brilliant, essentially all you need to do for your essays. Remember to include a lot of exemplification, it can really add a lot to an essay and shows the examiner that you know how to analyse when applying it to the points you have made.

To improve your revision, it all depends on how you prefer to learn. Last year i practiced several timed essays, made many mind maps for each topic and i also relied on TSR for predictions; almost all of our predictions were correct and i remember sitting in the exam hall looking at the paper and being so happy all my predictions were right. You could also try making flash cards. But to be honest i found mind maps and speaking with others about each topic and discussing it helped hugely.

Hoped i have helped somewhat. I am sitting AH this month... not looking forward to it ahahaha.

Good luck!

Reply 22

miz_sam

My teacher thinks it's going to be
A2 - are pressure groups a threat to democracy?
A4 - something to do with the impact of social class on voting behaviour, or voting behaviour in general
B - something to do with gender and race inequalities and a question to do with income and health
C9 - minorities and inequalities, possibly something to do with the American dream

Based on looking through past papers I think it's going to be:
A2 - pressure groups or powers of the pm
A4 - voting behaviour or a comparison of two of the more difficult to write about systems such as STV or regional list
B- income and health and the welfare state, or possibly something to do with government policies which combat inequalities
C9 - Minorities and inequalities, and/or policies which have been implemented to combat inequalities

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Reply 23

WithoutMuchHope

Thanks for your reply, and good luck with your advanced higher! I'm sure you'll do just as brilliantly as you did at higher.

I'm dropping Modern Studies next year, but I still plan to do a lot of practice this year to get a high grade (I actually got 100% in the prelim this year...). But I'm still very worried, though reading your post really makes me feel better. Who/how are the predictions made?

Reply 24

lala4

Original post by _Miriam_

Thank you, and i do hope so haha!

Ah ok, and yes totally understandable. If you got 100% in the prelim this year im sure you will get an A! There was just a thread on here and many of us doing H modern studies were predicting what would come up and we were correct :biggrin:

I think the majorty were just based on past papers and considering how likely it would be for each question to come up etc..

Reply 25

laurenmhari

Hello,
I'm sitting higher modern studies this year (terrified for the exam). Your formula looks good, I do one pretty similar ; PEAL (point, evidence, analysis, link to question).

I was wondering however, how many points/paragraphs do you do? I've been taught to do 3 (sometimes 4 depending on time) developed points but I've been reading some people do 5! What do you do and do you have any question predictions? :smile:

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Reply 26

laurenmhari

Based on past papers I predict :

UK political - voting behaviour (media/social class as isolated factor)
UK social issues - income on health, gender and race
USA - American Dream/ social and economic reforms
China - Opposition to CCP/ Human Rights

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Reply 27

laurenmhari

I am terrified😳
I have an American Dream essay - hope that's coming up!

What do you guys think will come up in UK social issues ?

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Reply 28

m00n

so i know i have probably left it a little late in learning everything... but i need help!

i'm trying to learn all my essays, and anyone who takes the subject knows that thats a lot of essays, does anyone have any ideas or help for me trying to learn the essays!??

incase anyone is wondering i'm doing decision making in scotland, USA, electoral systems and voting behaviour and health and wealth!

please help me, i have no hope!!! :colondollar:

Reply 29

Puddles the Monkey

Original post by m00n

What do you mean by you're trying to learn all your essays?

What in particular are you finding difficult? :smile:

Reply 30

JM1996

Original post by m00n

I wouldn't stress I haven't started either, I'm doing the same topics as you. I am planning on just doing an essay at a time learning just the key statistics/facts and the basis of the analysis so it's not to difficult.. Calm, it will be all good! Essays can interlink and you can use paragraphs from various other essays! :smile:

Reply 31

m00n

the actual learning, like processing and remembering the essays! i have most of them written out, just need effective ways to remember them!!

Reply 32

Evulgaris097

I'm not feeling too confident anymore. I just achieved A in my prelim but I feel the exam itself will be far more difficult. Not to mention I haven't done nearly enough revision recently.

Anyone got any predictions or has anyone's teacher made any for the questions coming up?

Reply 33

Christopher199

I don't really have any good predictions, my teacher said she didn't want to say since she wasn't exactly sure.

I'm very under prepared too. I've barely done any revision and the exam is 2 weeks on Tuesday...going to do a good pile of work today and hopefully this boosts my confidence :smile:

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Reply 34

laurenmhari

Original post by m00n

the actual learning, like processing and remembering the essays! i have most of them written out, just need effective ways to remember them!!

I'm having similar troubles although I think I'm getting the hang of it now

I've made plans for all possible questions (general plans that will work for each topic) for example; china (human rights plan, democracy plan, social and economic plan and an opposition to CCP plan)

Then I've turned the plans around and re-written them to see If I know them.

Also try answering past paper questions in timed conditions WITHOUT any plans/notes and you will soon see which parts you struggle with and then learn what you need to by doing mind maps/flash cards etc and it will eventually click! Well that's what I'm hoping 😏

Good luck!

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(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 35

Christopher199

Oh by the way, how much evidence do
you guys give after making a point and explaining it? My essays are insanely long, and I really do find it difficult to write a very long essay in the space of 22 minutes :frown:

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Reply 36

laurenmhari

Original post by Christopher199

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I do a point and then give one statistic/example :smile:

However sometimes when I'm analysing I put another one in if I have one! You really only need one good piece of evidence per point I've found! The essays I've had the best marks in had the fewest statistics and more developed analysis!

Good luck :smile:

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Reply 37

Christopher199

Original post by laurenmhari

I do a point and then give one statistic/example :smile:

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Thank you so much!! Good luck to you too!

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Reply 38

pringles123

Hi everyone! Just over 2 weeks left before the exam, AHHH.
What study topics are yous doing?
Do yous have any predictions for China, South Africa, DDM or Health and Wealth
Also whats your predictions for Paper 2?

Good luck it the exam xx