AQA GOV3A and GOV4A

Hey guys!

I'm doing both GOV3A and GOV4A in June! I've decided to focus on the following topics:

GOV3A
- Political Parties
- Voting Behaviour
- Pressure Groups (not so confident)

GOV4A
- US Constitution
- Executive
- Supreme Court

Today I was doing notes on the "Key Concepts" of the political parties section and found it didn't really link in with the other stuff in the political parties topic, i.e. the key concepts of "neoliberalism and neoconservatism", the latter of which mainly focused on the 'hawkish' foreign policy of the Bush administration? Bit weird for a political parties question.

Anyway, what are you guys doing?

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Reply 2

Robin Jameson

5

Original post by StartingTheParty

Hey guys!

I'm doing both GOV3A and GOV4A in June! I've decided to focus on the following topics:

GOV3A
- Political Parties
- Voting Behaviour
- Pressure Groups (not so confident)

GOV4A
- US Constitution
- Executive
- Supreme Court

Today I was doing notes on the "Key Concepts" of the political parties section and found it didn't really link in with the other stuff in the political parties topic, i.e. the key concepts of "neoliberalism and neoconservatism", the latter of which mainly focused on the 'hawkish' foreign policy of the Bush administration? Bit weird for a political parties question.

Anyway, what are you guys doing?

I studied AQA government and politics during my time at sixth form! I can tell you that in unit 4A, doing the constitution and the supreme court units are best (as you're doing) because they're very closely attached! however, I did the legislature unit (congress) in my paper due to the partisanship and how congress are also very close to the constitution (they amend it, for one thing more than state conventions!) Legislative/supreme court/constitution all go hand in hand! Anyway, I did it that way and came out with an A :')

Reply 3

Hodan1996

Do you think it's wise to selectively revise just 3/4 topics for each exam? I'm really struggling to look over all of them in extreme detail and I'm thinking it'll be easier

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Reply 4

Endless Blue

19

I'm doing Political Parties and PGs for 3A and Constitution and Presidency for 4A. I only revised two topics in detail last year which worked out well as I prefer to cover them in greater detail rather than spreading myself too thinly over 3-4 and then choosing the best on the day.

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Reply 5

GTSwattsy

1

What topics do you guys think will come up? I reckon within the Electoral Process and Direct Democracy section Congressional elections or the Electoral College is likely to come up!

Reply 6

aaronfrancis96

2

For GOV4A i'm going to focus on the Executive, and the Supreme Court. Will also plan for Constitution but it is not my favourite!

Reply 7

Taliahart

9

Hey, any ideas about what could come up on 4A executive 30 marker?

I think it might be something like the vice president or cabinet!

Reply 8

ellskell3

Sat 3a today and predicted both 10 marks and the essay correctly with me doing voting behavior and electoral process

Sitting 4a on Friday and doing Congress (10 mark on pork barrel politics and 30 mark on gridlocks emphasis on congress) and the Supreme Court (10 mark the power of judicial review and 30 mark the supreme court as guardians of the constitution)

Reply 9

meemstd

Any thoughts on the Constitution question? I'm guessing as Federalism/BoR's came up last year, it's more likely to be something along the lines of Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances or Rigidity/Flexibility, or interpretation?

Reply 10

Endless Blue

19

Original post by Taliahart

Hey, any ideas about what could come up on 4A executive 30 marker?

I think it might be something like the vice president or cabinet!

There wouldn't be a 30 marker on the VP, plus it came up last year as 10. The only thing beside presidential power that could come up for 30 marks is debate around the cabinet/EXOP role. I think cabinet/exop could come up as 10, though.

Reply 11

Taliahart

9

Original post by Endless Blue

There wouldn't be a 30 marker on the VP, plus it came up last year as 10. The only thing beside presidential power that could come up for 30 marks is debate around the cabinet/EXOP role. I think cabinet/exop could come up as 10, though.

Why wouldn't there be a 30 on the VP?

If Cabinet/ EXOP did come up in 30 would you argue that EXOP has much more power than cabinet?

Reply 12

Endless Blue

19

Original post by Taliahart

Why wouldn't there be a 30 on the VP?

If Cabinet/ EXOP did come up in 30 would you argue that EXOP has much more power than cabinet?

Well, can you think of a 30 mark question they could realistically ask? It barely features on the spec and there's not really enough there for them to give a 30 marker imo. It would be an absolute bloodbath and every 30 marker to date has been on Presidential power so I just don't see it.

I still think EXOP or Cabinet will come up for 10 but have just planned for the 30 in case as the spec says "debates concerning the relative influence [of both]". Yes, I'd probably conclude that EXOP is much more powerful now as evidenced under Obama.

Reply 13

Taliahart

9

Original post by Endless Blue

Well, can you think of a 30 mark question they could realistically ask? It barely features on the spec and there's not really enough there for them to give a 30 marker imo. It would be an absolute bloodbath and every 30 marker to date has been on Presidential power so I just don't see it.

I still think EXOP or Cabinet will come up for 10 but have just planned for the 30 in case as the spec says "debates concerning the relative influence [of both]". Yes, I'd probably conclude that EXOP is much more powerful now as evidenced under Obama.

That's true, the only one I could think of is "The Vice President has no power" Discuss.

Thank you!

Reply 14

ivybeetroot

Original post by meemstd

Any thoughts on the Constitution question? I'm guessing as Federalism/BoR's came up last year, it's more likely to be something along the lines of Separation of Powers/Checks and Balances or Rigidity/Flexibility, or interpretation?

I think most likely is checks and balances/the process of getting legislation through. I don't have a lot of interpretation so I hope to god it's not that! :confused:

Reply 15

aaronfrancis96

2

Theres a possibility that they could focus the Executive question on Foreign Policy

Reply 16

meemstd

Original post by ellamorr

I think most likely is checks and balances/the process of getting legislation through. I don't have a lot of interpretation so I hope to god it's not that! :confused:

Interpretation is okay, though! You can talk about SCOTUS (Judicial Review), as well as it's rigidity vs. flexibility, loose/strict constructionism - thinking it through, it reads much more like a SCOTUS question, actually, so maybe not!

What do you by 'getting legislation through'? Like, amendments or?

Reply 17

ivybeetroot

Original post by meemstd

Interpretation is okay, though! You can talk about SCOTUS (Judicial Review), as well as it's rigidity vs. flexibility, loose/strict constructionism - thinking it through, it reads much more like a SCOTUS question, actually, so maybe not!

What do you by 'getting legislation through'? Like, amendments or?

As in the legislative process, through all the committees and various stages and if this is an effective way for it to work. I think rigidity/flexibility is very possible. I'm not sure about the constructionism as I know nothing about it having only learnt the two topics :confused:

I'm sure it'll be fine as 3A wasn't too bad, there's a limited number of things to ask about the Constitution topic.