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Edexcel Government & Politics - Unit 1 06/06/16

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Reply 20
Original post by jamestg
Nope.


im behind

i hope to have all most notes done by april so that gives me two months to learn them throughly and do past papers!
Original post by Shaziye
Has anyone got notes on pressure groups
. 👍🏻👍🏻
Thank you 😊
(edited 8 years ago)
I did my mock earlier. We had to do one question from Unit 1 and one from Unit 2. I knew quite a lot of information that was needed but my timing was a bit off. I did Unit 2 first because I was more confident on it than Unit 1, but I spent just a bit too much time doing it so I ran out of time on Unit 1. Just need to wait a week and a bit to find out how I did!
In a couple of weeks I'll be making sure my notes are all up to date and then I'll start mind maps, flashcards etc.
Does anyone have any other revision methods?
Original post by Audrey18
you need to have interest to get yourself started on the topics in govt and politics. if you don't possess the drive then you can do good if you have really excellent notes from someone so all you gotta do is just memorize the content and replicate it in the exams.


I am very interested and actively involved and a member of a political party and have been for over a year, just the content of the course is so dull, must just be me, yes that's what I intend on doing
Reply 25
Original post by xxvine
Have you guys made all your notes

It's a work in progress but... *takes deep breath*

On a serious note, nah not really. Our class has just leapt onto Unit 2 and I'm packed with other subjects as it is. So... sometime... I think?

But looking around the internet for helpful Unit 1 revision notes, I've found this helpful puppy - http://www.slideshare.net/mattbentley34/as-politics-revision-guide-unit-1.

Only been few days so I haven't crunched through the whole thing, don't hammer me if contains outdated content, but it looks very helpful and gives key dates and valuable examples. Again, I'd personally recommend revising from multiple sources, but this one is definitely at least worth checking out. I already downloaded and printed it. It's essentially a complete unit 1 revision booklet.

Hope it helps :smile:
Original post by espicton98
I am very interested and actively involved and a member of a political party and have been for over a year, just the content of the course is so dull, must just be me, yes that's what I intend on doing


Being involved in a political party is not enough and frankly a waste of time. Focus on the textbook and the contents in it cos that is what you're gonna be examined on. Nothing else matters.

Original post by xxvine
im behind

i hope to have all most notes done by april so that gives me two months to learn them throughly and do past papers!


Why and how are you behind? It is indeed distressing to know that you're behind. You often gave me the impression that you were well ahead of the others on this forum.
Reply 27
Original post by Audrey18
Being involved in a political party is not enough and frankly a waste of time. Focus on the textbook and the contents in it cos that is what you're gonna be examined on. Nothing else matters.



Why and how are you behind? It is indeed distressing to know that you're behind. You often gave me the impression that you were well ahead of the others on this forum.


not at all
not all my notes are done.....

havent even made notes for unit 2....but i hope to have em all done by the end of march

tbh revision is down to quality not quantity...a lot of people i have spoken to did minimal revision and like a couple of weeks before but because they knew how to answer the questions in terms of technique and had good memories...they all got A's. I wish i can be like them!
Reply 28
Original post by JessieTaylor98
I did my mock earlier. We had to do one question from Unit 1 and one from Unit 2. I knew quite a lot of information that was needed but my timing was a bit off. I did Unit 2 first because I was more confident on it than Unit 1, but I spent just a bit too much time doing it so I ran out of time on Unit 1. Just need to wait a week and a bit to find out how I did!
In a couple of weeks I'll be making sure my notes are all up to date and then I'll start mind maps, flashcards etc.
Does anyone have any other revision methods?


thats the thing...its the timing that gets me

to be able to write an essay in 25 mins scares me!
Original post by xxvine
not at all
not all my notes are done.....

havent even made notes for unit 2....but i hope to have em all done by the end of march

tbh revision is down to quality not quantity...a lot of people i have spoken to did minimal revision and like a couple of weeks before but because they knew how to answer the questions in terms of technique and had good memories...they all got A's. I wish i can be like them!


I see. I've observed you for quite some time now and I think you're actually really smart. I'm gonna throw a question at you for each of the topics in Unit 2. I'm certain you can answer them with ease.

Unit 2.1 : The UK Constitution
In the absence of a written Constitution, what mechanisms are in place to limit government's ever increasing powers?

Unit 2.2 : Parliament
Parliament can pass any law it wants no matter how ridiculous it is. To what extent is this true?

Unit 2.3 : The Prime Minister and Cabinet
Cabinet meetings are secret. Discuss.

Unit 2.4 : The judiciary and civil liberties
Do judges make law?
@xxvine why have you chosen not to answer the questions I posed to you in the post above? No point running away buddy.
Reply 31
Original post by DenKodz
It's a work in progress but... *takes deep breath*

On a serious note, nah not really. Our class has just leapt onto Unit 2 and I'm packed with other subjects as it is. So... sometime... I think?

But looking around the internet for helpful Unit 1 revision notes, I've found this helpful puppy - http://www.slideshare.net/mattbentley34/as-politics-revision-guide-unit-1.

Only been few days so I haven't crunched through the whole thing, don't hammer me if contains outdated content, but it looks very helpful and gives key dates and valuable examples. Again, I'd personally recommend revising from multiple sources, but this one is definitely at least worth checking out. I already downloaded and printed it. It's essentially a complete unit 1 revision booklet.

Hope it helps :smile:


Are those notes for Edexcel
Because a lot of it is in voting behaviour and I dont think its part of the Edexcel syllabus!
I didn't see much on referendums or different types of democracy.
Reply 32
Original post by Audrey18
@xxvine why have you chosen not to answer the questions I posed to you in the post above? No point running away buddy.


Lol I'm not running away...my answers to those questions wouldn't be the best so I know I have to do more revision

Also I'm not learning the judiciary
Original post by Audrey18
I see. I've observed you for quite some time now and I think you're actually really smart. I'm gonna throw a question at you for each of the topics in Unit 2. I'm certain you can answer them with ease.

Unit 2.1 : The UK Constitution
In the absence of a written Constitution, what mechanisms are in place to limit government's ever increasing powers?

Unit 2.2 : Parliament
Parliament can pass any law it wants no matter how ridiculous it is. To what extent is this true?

Unit 2.3 : The Prime Minister and Cabinet
Cabinet meetings are secret. Discuss.

Unit 2.4 : The judiciary and civil liberties
Do judges make law?


1) parliamentary majorities, HoL, EU, complex legislative processes, VONC

2) is true - party whips, CR (significant number of MPs are members of govt), large majorities
isn't true - HoL, small majorities, EU

3) ??? is this for edexcel?

4) I've only just started it but I'll give a few points and educated guesses

yes - legal precedent, law lords/supreme court, committees
no - parliamentary sovereignty, EU, HoL
Original post by xxvine
Lol I'm not running away...my answers to those questions wouldn't be the best so I know I have to do more revision

Also I'm not learning the judiciary


I'm sure you would be able to have a go! I haven't looked at chapter one of unit two in months but managed to come up with a few basic points!

The nice thing about politics is that it's quite synoptic and if you have the basic ideas in your mind, you'll be able to bullsh*t your way through some sticky situations without losing too many marks!
Original post by Audrey18
Being involved in a political party is not enough and frankly a waste of time. Focus on the textbook and the contents in it cos that is what you're gonna be examined on. Nothing else matters.
.


nonononononooonononononononoonononon

Being a member of a political party is good. You have access to people around you who are actually in politics and you're immersed in their policies which is important not only for the political party chapter but others too.

If you just rely on the textbook, you are unlikely to get above a B. To be able to get those extra marks on AO1 (political knowledge, I think) you have to know recent examples, that are fairly detailed. For example you wouldn't say "Cameron lost a vote in 2012" when talking about parliamentary majorities. You would say "Cameron lost a vote on the topic of conducting air strikes on the Syrian government in 2012", it would be even better if you could get a stat.

Just like you wouldn't say "there are some MPs with less than 50% of their constituency's support". You would say "There are many MPs who don't conduct a majority of their constituency's support including Tristram Hunt, the Labour MP for Stoke on Trent, who only had 40% of the vote in the 2015 General Election".

Stuff like this you do not get from the textbook, or if you do they're not recent. After all it's not a history exam.
Hey,
Did the exam last year with hardly any revision I got a C for unit 1 and a B for unit 2; so I'm resitting unit 1. Most important is to get your timings right and understand all the questions in and out.

I used Neil Mcnaughton notes book- it's on Amazon which is amazing as it condenses everything but is still so good!!
Has anyone got A2 politics notes
Original post by jamestg
nonononononooonononononononoonononon

Being a member of a political party is good. You have access to people around you who are actually in politics and you're immersed in their policies which is important not only for the political party chapter but others too.

If you just rely on the textbook, you are unlikely to get above a B. To be able to get those extra marks on AO1 (political knowledge, I think) you have to know recent examples, that are fairly detailed. For example you wouldn't say "Cameron lost a vote in 2012" when talking about parliamentary majorities. You would say "Cameron lost a vote on the topic of conducting air strikes on the Syrian government in 2012", it would be even better if you could get a stat.

Just like you wouldn't say "there are some MPs with less than 50% of their constituency's support". You would say "There are many MPs who don't conduct a majority of their constituency's support including Tristram Hunt, the Labour MP for Stoke on Trent, who only had 40% of the vote in the 2015 General Election".

Stuff like this you do not get from the textbook, or if you do they're not recent. After all it's not a history exam.


Your stats are interesting but i guess whats important is if the student can pull everything together come exam day.

Original post by xxvine
Lol I'm not running away...my answers to those questions wouldn't be the best so I know I have to do more revision. Also I'm not learning the judiciary


you're not going to achieve anything by doing 'more revision'. what you need to do is to participate on this thread. you will learn much more than just sitting alone in your room daydreaming about that A* grade that will miraculously drop from the sky and onto your lap. It doesn't work that way.

Original post by lulucoco98
Hey,
Did the exam last year with hardly any revision I got a C for unit 1 and a B for unit 2; so I'm resitting unit 1. Most important is to get your timings right and understand all the questions in and out. I used Neil Mcnaughton notes book- it's on Amazon which is amazing as it condenses everything but is still so good!!


Tell us more about your journey and what you're doing for A2?

Original post by Shaziye
Has anyone got A2 politics notes


How did AS go for you? What grade did you get and did you, like many on this forum here studied very little and scrapped through?
Original post by Audrey18
Your stats are interesting but i guess whats important is if the student can pull everything together come exam day.



you're not going to achieve anything by doing 'more revision'. what you need to do is to participate on this thread. you will learn much more than just sitting alone in your room daydreaming about that A* grade that will miraculously drop from the sky and onto your lap. It doesn't work that way.



Tell us more about your journey and what you're doing for A2?



How did AS go for you? What grade did you get and did you, like many on this forum here studied very little and scrapped through?



I'm retaking As but I got a a B at first. You need to do every single past paper and they tend to repeat it every year and use the PEE technique. There's also a book which I found called the edexcel AS uk government and politics notes book which is good and gives examiners report which is a good thing, however it may not be up to date.

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