This discussion is now closed.

Check out other Related discussions

AS Edexcel Politics 10th January = how was it?

astudent1990

To the mods: 12 hours have passed (the exam was 1 in the afternoon)

How did you find it?

Was expecting Electoral reform to come up but it didn't for unit 3.

Unit 2 was not that easy.

Which questions did you all do?

Reply 1

Exams06

For me, Unit 1 was not bad, fairly easy questions to answer.

Unit 2 was really hard I thought. I did the questions on Parliament and the Judiciary, but I didn't write as much as I wanted.

I did the EU question for Unit 3, I was writing so much I needed an extra sheet which is never a bad sign.

I just hope they lower the grade boundaries for Unit 2 because it was so hard, otherwise I will have to do another retake.

Reply 2

astudent1990

OP

Did you fill up all the pages for unit 2? I'm concerned that I did not write enough...

I only filled up the booklet on unit 3, but didn't do extra.

Also did constitutions.

Which points did you mention if you can remember... for unit 3?

Reply 3

Exams06

On Unit 2 I didn't write that much, especially for question b. I found it harder than the other units to write points for, then explain them using an example.

For the first two questions of Unit 3 I just used the source to make a point, then used an example. For part c I listed the views that the major parties in the UK have on the EU. For part d I explained the advantages and disadvantages of further EU integration.

Reply 4

SuperSam_Fantastiche

16

I thought that I couldnt have got a better paper for unit 2, i did Constitution and Parliament

I spent so long writing my first part C that I had to write the other one in bullet points though :frown:

Remembered a lot more than I expected to :biggrin:

Reply 5

kitty_ramone

I sat Unit 3 - did the constitutional reform one though. That topic and EU are my worst so needless to say I wasn't happy when I opened the paper.

I'm not sure how well I did :frown:

.

Reply 6

Conkermon

11

Did Unit 1 and 3, think both went fairly well.

What questions did you do for unit 1? I did pressure groups (obviously) and parties, think they were good questions, though "to what extent have pgs become more important in recent years" found it hard to strike an even balance. What arguments are there that they haven't become more important in recent years? Other than that they will never be able to replace parties?

I chose constitutional reform for 3, bit worried i spent loads of time on C talking about devolution when maybe devolution in that much detail wasn't required.

Reply 7

SuperSam_Fantastiche

16

Conkermon

"to what extent have pgs become more important in recent years" found it hard to strike an even balance. What arguments are there that they haven't become more important in recent years? Other than that they will never be able to replace parties?

The Prime minister now pays more attention to his expert pals than popular opinion =]

Although I'd have found that one hard too. With my 30 marker on the constitution, i knew exactly what i wanted to write but it just wouldn't go down on the page quick enough D:

Reply 8

Conkermon

11

SuperSam_Fantastiche

The Prime minister now pays more attention to his expert pals than popular opinion =]

Although I'd have found that one hard too. With my 30 marker on the constitution, i knew exactly what i wanted to write but it just wouldn't go down on the page quick enough D:

Damn I can't have got better than level 2 on that then, not enough balance :frown:

.

Reply 9

misswilliams

16

I sat Unit 1 and did democracy :rolleyes:

and pressure groups

I think I did o...k. I've never sat an Edexcel exam or Politics one before so I'm not so sure...

Maybe a C/D? I'm not predicting any higher, questions were ok though :smile:

I don't think my Maggie Thatcher joke will go down to well though, I was in a bit of a strange mood yesterday :redface:

Reply 10

vixky!

13

I sat unit 1 and think it went okay.

I answered the questions on pressure groups and political parties.

Was so happy about the A questions (define a political party, and outline 2 types of pressure group)! I reckon I got enough down for them.

Was okay with the B questions (3 differences between Labour & Conservative policies, and reasons why it's hard to differentiate between pressure groups and parties). Hopefully I got the right things down!

I hated the C question for pressure groups (how have pressure groups become increasingly important), I thought it was horrible. I rambled on about how they are kind of more important, but not necessarily "increasingly" as they've had success in the past and the work may not always be public.

I was happier with the C question for political parties (to what extent have the Labour party abandoned their socialist background) as we did a practice essay "how new is New Labour?". I talked a lot about the change in Clause IV. Maybe too much.

I am so worried about it though. I put so much pressure on myself before hand, I think I did about 10 hours of revision in total for the 2 days before the exam and still don't feel like I did enough.

aaaaaaaah. I guess we'll just wait and see.

Reply 11

Conkermon

11

Sounds like you did ok, did the same questions as you. Definitely agree that the parties C was better than pressure groups. Do you think you addressed the "to what extent" aspect well enough? That's my main concern.

Reply 12

westhamrock

I did unit 1 and 2. Unit 2 was good. But Unit 1 question 'c' on elections think i screwed up on. Was about how PR system has effected UK.... i wrote all about AMS in Scotland which i think was good, but then i wrote some rubbish about SV helping Livingstone secure Mayor, is that made up, or aload of rubbish. I wrote it because i thought i had to write more then just AMS. What u all reckon, ones who done the exam?

Reply 13

Shanuti

I did Parties and Pressure Groups. New/Old Labour is a steal of a question, and I was very surprised to see it. Happy, too.

Pressure Groups, not so much. To What Extent I found very difficult, and I was restricted to talking about how only larger groups had benefitted from Parties needing the specialist knowledge, how larger groups were the only ones peopel knew enough about to consider joining, and how their percieved success has declined since Top Up Fees, Iraq and Fox Hunting marches failed to halt Government action.

Reply 14

vixky!

13

Conkermon

Sounds like you did ok, did the same questions as you. Definitely agree that the parties C was better than pressure groups. Do you think you addressed the "to what extent" aspect well enough? That's my main concern.

I'm don't really think so to be honest. I kind of gave reasons WHY they were important, then tried my best to link it somehow to the question.

Reckon that was my worst question. :frown:

Reply 15

astudent1990

OP

My mate did pressure groups and wants to know what everyone put for question c)

He said that he didn't have time to balance it so only wrote one side :s-smilie:

For a) unit 3 I only paraphrased most of the first paragraph... what points did you have to make to to get full marks?

Reply 16

Conkermon

11

vixky!

I'm don't really think so to be honest. I kind of gave reasons WHY they were important, then tried my best to link it somehow to the question.

Reckon that was my worst question. :frown:

Ah well, seems like it was the worst for most of us, I don't really understand how it works but if everyone performed poorly on it will the boundaries be lower?

This is from Jan 2004 when the same question came up:

"c) To what extent have pressure groups become more important in recent years? (30)

Level 3 responses (21-30 marks) should explain two arguments on each side of the debate with examples.

This most certainly acted as the differentiator with only a handful of scripts getting towards Level 3 marks. The main problem was that most candidates had clearly worked on specimen answers to previous questions such as 'Do pressure groups help of hinder democracy?' or 'Why are some pressure groups more powerful than others?'. It was not uncommon to read as the opening sentence 'some pressure groups are more powerful than others because Weak scripts offered no examples at all. Consequently the majority of scripts fell into basic Level 2 marks, mainly because they failed to address the question asked. More relevant answers said that pressure groups were important because membership of parties was falling: 'people join pressure groups rather than parties' or the slightly more perceptive 'as party membership falls people turn to pressure groups as they are more representative'.

Level 3 scripts developed this point along the lines that 'many young people are disillusioned with political parties because of corruption and sleaze and so turn to pressure groups as a way of being involved with politics eg Greenpeace'. Or, 'young people are looking for more ways of participating and they see pressure groups as a way of doinq so'. "

I didn't explain 2 points on either side well :frown:

Just many points on 1 side an 1 poorly explained on the other.

Reply 17

astudent1990

OP

Time will tell... My mate did mention about falling party membership and increasing pressure group membership at least :p:

Do you remember all the questions for unit 3?

Reply 18

vixky!

13

Conkermon

Ah well, seems like it was the worst for most of us, I don't really understand how it works but if everyone performed poorly on it will the boundaries be lower?

This is from Jan 2004 when the same question came up:

"c) To what extent have pressure groups become more important in recent years? (30)

Level 3 responses (21-30 marks) should explain two arguments on each side of the debate with examples.

This most certainly acted as the differentiator with only a handful of scripts getting towards Level 3 marks. The main problem was that most candidates had clearly worked on specimen answers to previous questions such as 'Do pressure groups help of hinder democracy?' or 'Why are some pressure groups more powerful than others?'. It was not uncommon to read as the opening sentence 'some pressure groups are more powerful than others because Weak scripts offered no examples at all. Consequently the majority of scripts fell into basic Level 2 marks, mainly because they failed to address the question asked. More relevant answers said that pressure groups were important because membership of parties was falling: 'people join pressure groups rather than parties' or the slightly more perceptive 'as party membership falls people turn to pressure groups as they are more representative'.

Level 3 scripts developed this point along the lines that 'many young people are disillusioned with political parties because of corruption and sleaze and so turn to pressure groups as a way of being involved with politics eg Greenpeace'. Or, 'young people are looking for more ways of participating and they see pressure groups as a way of doinq so'. "

I didn't explain 2 points on either side well :frown:

Just many points on 1 side an 1 poorly explained on the other.

I can't even remember what I wrote now... don't think I explained two sides properly for each though.

What do they mean by Level 2 and Level 3? Is that A and B grades or something?

Reply 19

astudent1990

OP

A really rough guess as to what the qusetions were... Constitutional reform a) what was the attitude towards constitutional reform after the 20th century b) what are the criticisms of constitutional reform? c) how has the Conservative party's view on constitutional reform changed in recent years d) can't remember :rolleyes:

AS Edexcel Politics 10th January = how was it?

Related discussions

Latest

Trending

Trending

Articles for you