Higher Modern Studies exam help

Hello, I really struggle with Modern Studies (mainly due to my teacher being truly awful), so I was wondering, could I get away with only studying pressure groups and brexit for the democracy topic?

Also can somebody please explain the 12 marker structure, as I have only been taught the 20 marker

Reply 1

Daniel_Ryrie

I can't say how many essays you can get away with studying as I did my revision last year when there were modifications in place due to covid, but you would need to find out how many different essays can come up in the exam for each topic, and then study just enough so as it is guaranteed you would be able to answer at least one essay question for each topic. As for the 12 marker, you don't need an introduction or conclusion as you do with the 20 marker. Instead you just do main body paragraphs; 8 marks of knowledge and 4 marks of analysis and/or evaluation. For my 12 markers last year I just did knowledge, example, analysis twice per paragraph and did three paragraphs. Assuming all the information you put in is correct and your analysis is on point that should end up being well over 12 marks. My teacher always advised doing 4 paragraphs for each essay, but when it came to the 12 marker I just didn't have time, but I got away with 3 paragraphs every time I did a 12 marker, so I wouldn't worry about trying to do 4 paragraphs.

Reply 2

Avery7320

Original post by zoestudent123

Hello, I really struggle with Modern Studies (mainly due to my teacher being truly awful), so I was wondering, could I get away with only studying pressure groups and brexit for the democracy topic?
Also can somebody please explain the 12 marker structure, as I have only been taught the 20 marker

Hi unfortunately only learning two 20 markers for democracy would be a risk. As there are 3 questions and 6 possible topics, you have to learn 4 essays to guarantee at least 1 coming up.

However, due to course overlap governance and Brexit won't bother come up. This means if you learn 3 of-pressure groups, electoral systems, holding govt to account and voting behaviour- one is guaranteed to come up and you only need to learn 3.

Happy to give you my snap if you have any questions

Reply 3

Matilda42

Original post by Avery7320

Hi unfortunately only learning two 20 markers for democracy would be a risk. As there are 3 questions and 6 possible topics, you have to learn 4 essays to guarantee at least 1 coming up.
However, due to course overlap governance and Brexit won't bother come up. This means if you learn 3 of-pressure groups, electoral systems, holding govt to account and voting behaviour- one is guaranteed to come up and you only need to learn 3.
Happy to give you my snap if you have any questions

how do you know governance and brexit isn’t coming up? xx

Reply 4

zanderdrennan

Original post by Matilda42

how do you know governance and brexit isn’t coming up? xx

hey, I'm doing advanced higher and got an A at higher. The 12 markers you don't get marked for structure if I remember correctly, so you leave out a conclusion and an introduction, thus you only write 3 paragraphs with detailed analysis and evaluation and with knowledge and examples. Last year I only learned 3 essays as I was pretty confident they would come up and they did! however I know other people who did that too and their questions didn't come up- so its a risk you will have to take. id recommend generalising your evaluation (adv and disadvantages) and your examples so you can use them in the same essays. There is usually a pattern with higher mods, so you can predict what is most likely to come up. Im assuming the person you replied to meant that since they came up in the pervious 2 years, its likely the SQA won't ask the same question for the 3rd year in a row, thus another essay will be more likely to come up. Id recommend only learning 20 marker essays for each section as you don't know what will be the 12 marker. So in the exam remember your 20 markers and the section that is 12 marks- leave out the introduction, conclusion and 4th paragraph- so your only doing 3. Id recommend looking at all past paper questions and see which ones haven't been asked in a while- as they would be more likely to come up, but learning all essays would be the best thing to do. Best of luck with your exam!