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AQA A2 RST3A and RST4A - 6th June + 14th June respectively

Hi guys

I'll be doing the above exams in the summer. Does anyone have any advice on revision for RST4A, especially with exam technique? Is anyone else taking these exams with me?

We can share exam notes in the run up to the exams. :smile:

Good luck.

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I'm doing RST3A too - I think it all depends on what unit you're doing - IF you're really good at remembering names and changes to ethical theories do 'Virtue Ethics' and probably 'science and tech', if you're into more the historical/religious aspect of it all do 'Libertarianism, free will and determinism' and sexual ethics (I'm going to do the Libertarianism and sexual ethics I think....)
Original post by silverbubblegum
I'm doing RST3A too - I think it all depends on what unit you're doing - IF you're really good at remembering names and changes to ethical theories do 'Virtue Ethics' and probably 'science and tech', if you're into more the historical/religious aspect of it all do 'Libertarianism, free will and determinism' and sexual ethics (I'm going to do the Libertarianism and sexual ethics I think....)


My teacher only teaches the first three units, so I won't be attempting the science and technology question anyway. I was thinking of doing 'Virtue Ethics' and 'Libertarianism, free will and determinism' because my teacher thinks the sexual ethics question is the hardest to score top marks on. We haven't even finished the syllabus, how about you?
Original post by suicidaloverbusiness
My teacher only teaches the first three units, so I won't be attempting the science and technology question anyway. I was thinking of doing 'Virtue Ethics' and 'Libertarianism, free will and determinism' because my teacher thinks the sexual ethics question is the hardest to score top marks on. We haven't even finished the syllabus, how about you?


We havent finished it either, but she's giving us a few taster sessions to see if anyone wants to go off and learn about it ourselves - I'm thinking its a bit too like utilitarianism though..... But sad times about sexual ethics =/ I would've thought it would have been Libertarianism that was harder to score top marks on cos its the first topic taught
Reply 5
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yaboy
Original post by silverbubblegum
We havent finished it either, but she's giving us a few taster sessions to see if anyone wants to go off and learn about it ourselves - I'm thinking its a bit too like utilitarianism though..... But sad times about sexual ethics =/ I would've thought it would have been Libertarianism that was harder to score top marks on cos its the first topic taught


are any of the exams you mentione the religous experiences or Islam paper?
Original post by yaboy
are any of the exams you mentione the religous experiences or Islam paper?


I believe RST4A is the religious experience paper? What topics have you learnt?
Original post by silverbubblegum
We havent finished it either, but she's giving us a few taster sessions to see if anyone wants to go off and learn about it ourselves - I'm thinking its a bit too like utilitarianism though..... But sad times about sexual ethics =/ I would've thought it would have been Libertarianism that was harder to score top marks on cos its the first topic taught


She said that Libertarianism has a lot of content, but it's quite easy, especially if determinism comes up. Looking back at the topic, I wasn't too confident with everything. I think I might learn the sexual ethics topic as a back up. But i'm pretty sure i'll choose virtue ethics.

What's your second paper?
Original post by suicidaloverbusiness
She said that Libertarianism has a lot of content, but it's quite easy, especially if determinism comes up. Looking back at the topic, I wasn't too confident with everything. I think I might learn the sexual ethics topic as a back up. But i'm pretty sure i'll choose virtue ethics.

What's your second paper?


RST4B - the religious fundamentalism synoptic paper
Original post by silverbubblegum
RST4B - the religious fundamentalism synoptic paper


How are you finding the synoptic element? I'm really struggling with RST4A, purely because of the fact that you need to have learnt all the content before attempting any proper essays.
Reply 10
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yaboy
Original post by suicidaloverbusiness
How are you finding the synoptic element? I'm really struggling with RST4A, purely because of the fact that you need to have learnt all the content before attempting any proper essays.


its pretty simple once you get useto to it, just a bunch of key terms under each topic like in revelations you need to know proposition revelations then link an example like Quran Muhammad received on the night of power in the form of a vision etc and you will get the marks. This essay is pretty much 90% knowledge
Original post by yaboy
its pretty simple once you get useto to it, just a bunch of key terms under each topic like in revelations you need to know proposition revelations then link an example like Quran Muhammad received on the night of power in the form of a vision etc and you will get the marks. This essay is pretty much 90% knowledge


Ah, I see. It's probably the lack of essay practice that's getting me worked up.
Reply 12
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yaboy
Original post by suicidaloverbusiness
Ah, I see. It's probably the lack of essay practice that's getting me worked up.


yeh these essays are very long tbh. Some of the 30 markers are pretty tricky but once you know the knowledge the essay structure is pretty much key term definition of it, example and then linking it all
Original post by yaboy
yeh these essays are very long tbh. Some of the 30 markers are pretty tricky but once you know the knowledge the essay structure is pretty much key term definition of it, example and then linking it all


Oh the 30 markers aren't too bad. It's the 45 marker that worries me.
Original post by suicidaloverbusiness
Oh the 30 markers aren't too bad. It's the 45 marker that worries me.


I'm the opposite - with 45 markers for my synoptic paper it's literally just laying out what happened, putting in the names of some scholars who've defined Fundamentalism/why its caused etc. So all in all quite easy. I'm not as good at the 30 marks so I've been trying to do as many as possible over half term
Original post by silverbubblegum
I'm the opposite - with 45 markers for my synoptic paper it's literally just laying out what happened, putting in the names of some scholars who've defined Fundamentalism/why its caused etc. So all in all quite easy. I'm not as good at the 30 marks so I've been trying to do as many as possible over half term


My teacher's pretty good at explaining exam technique for the 30 marker. To get the top marks you need to include a couple of scholars and synoptic points. The rest is just explaining in depth and ensuring the essay flows well.
Reply 16
Avatar for DelBoy12
DelBoy12
2
Hows everyones revision going?
Been doing self-study for both these topics since there is only 3 of us who are doing A2 Religious Studies!
Havnt really done anything at all on Religious Experience...
Original post by DelBoy12
Hows everyones revision going?
Been doing self-study for both these topics since there is only 3 of us who are doing A2 Religious Studies!
Havnt really done anything at all on Religious Experience...


I've trying to get my revision into place for RST4A, but i've not done much on RST3A. How about you? How have you been self-studying and how do you get hold of resources without a teacher?
Reply 18
Avatar for DelBoy12
DelBoy12
2
Original post by suicidaloverbusiness
I've trying to get my revision into place for RST4A, but i've not done much on RST3A. How about you? How have you been self-studying and how do you get hold of resources without a teacher?


Essentially I started yesterday and revised Virtue Ethics. Will be doing Science and Tech tomorrow I think, and then will do a few essay questions throughout the next two weeks and then go through and highlight them etc.

Basically, we were offered Religious Studies AS level in year 12, only doing the first module RST01 in June. In september I dropped German and still wanted to do 4 A-Levels and asked we were given the option of doing RST02 in January and from Jan onwards we would "self-study" for the A2 modules. So, my AS teacher just gives us resources but tbh she has hardly done anything...
Original post by DelBoy12
Essentially I started yesterday and revised Virtue Ethics. Will be doing Science and Tech tomorrow I think, and then will do a few essay questions throughout the next two weeks and then go through and highlight them etc.

Basically, we were offered Religious Studies AS level in year 12, only doing the first module RST01 in June. In september I dropped German and still wanted to do 4 A-Levels and asked we were given the option of doing RST02 in January and from Jan onwards we would "self-study" for the A2 modules. So, my AS teacher just gives us resources but tbh she has hardly done anything...


Oh I see, that sounds rather frustrating, but then again I can empathise to a degree. I haven't completed the RS A level in the conventional way. I started off doing OCR RS and completed the Philosophy unit the year before the last in January, but was in hospital for the rest of the year. I moved sixth forms when I was discharged and they only offered the AQA A level, so I had to self teach myself the Ethics AS unit for the January that just went. But, i'll be doing the AQA A2 exams this June and i've had teachers for them. If that all makes sense. :rolleyes:

I'm going to focus on Virtue Ethics and Libertarianism, free will and determinism. I'm doing Perceptions of the Ultimate Reality for RST4A. Which topic are you doing?

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