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GCSE Sociology Paper 2 Question pack

REMEMBER

1 hour 30 minutes exam

90 marks

1 minute per mark

Four sections on the paper, ONLY ANSWER THREE

We’ve studied

Crime

Mass media

Social inequality

In each section there is:

2 x 1 mark questions

1 x 2 mark question

1 x 4 mark question

2 x 5 mark questions

2 x 12 mark questions – CHOOSE ONE

Learn your key vocabulary – you have a list for each module

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How to answer 4 mark questions….

The pattern of these questions is:

Explain what sociologists mean by………..

EG “Explain what sociologists mean by labelling.”

Sometimes the question may add when studying……

EG “Explain what sociologists mean by conformity when studying deviance.”

The marks are allocated as follows:

1 mark for basic statements about the question with little or no reference to the topic that the question’s set on. 2-3 marks for a partial or under-developed sociological explanation, possibly via an example, in which some general reference will be made to the topic that the question is set on. 4 marks for a clear explanation focused on the topic that the question is set on that uses examples from specifically relevant areas of sociology

How to start your answer:

In the context of (insert name of topic), (keyword) means………

Example: Social inequality section: Explain what sociologists mean by patriarchy. (4 marks)

DE

FIN

ITIO

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IN C

ON

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XT

In the context of Social inequality, patriarchy means

EX

AM

PL

E

EX

PL

AIN

TH

E

PR

OC

ES

S

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The Key terms – you MUST know ALL of these and use them

Crime and Deviance Agents/agencies of social control Anomie Antisocial behaviour Chivalry thesis Community service Computer crime Conformity Corporate crime Crime rate Dark figure Data protection Deviance Formal and informal social control Identity theft Indictable offence Judiciary Labelling theory Master status Official crime statistics Probation Recorded crime Relative deprivation Scapegoat Self-report studies Social control/sanctions Social construct Socially defined behaviour Social order Stereotype Sub-culture Surveillance Victim surveys White collar crime

Mass Media Agenda-setting Amplification Audience Bias Blog Broadsheet Censorship Content analysis Convergence Desensitised Digital media Folk devils Freedom of speech Gatekeeper Globalisation Hyper reality Hypodermic syringe model Identity Image Interactivity Mass popular culture Moral panic News value Old/new media Pluralism Popular press Propaganda Postmodern society Readership Semiology Social networking Spin doctor Stigmatising Substitute hearth Tabloid

Social Inequality Absolute poverty Achieved status Ageism Ascribed status Asylum seeker Culture of poverty Cycle of deprivation Dependency culture Environmental poverty Ethnic diversity Ethnic group Ethnic minority Glass ceiling Income Institutional racism Life chances Means testing Middle class Patriarchy Poverty trap Racial discrimination Racial equality Racial prejudice Racism Relative poverty Scapegoat Selective benefits Sex discrimination Sexism Social exclusion Social mobility Social security Socio-economic class Social stratification Stereotype Subjective poverty Underclass Unemployment Universal benefits Voluntary sector

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How to answer 5 Mark questions

DON’T FORGET: underline / highlight the key words in the question and then use them in your answer.

EG: Describe one way in which the status of the elderly may be lower than that of other age groups in society and explain how this may lead to discrimination against them.

DE

SC

RIB

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NEW PARAGRAPH

EX

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Mark scheme:

Describe one: 2 marks 1 mark for a partial description.

2 marks for an appropriate and more developed description

Explain: 3 marks 1-2 marks for a simple explanation linked to the description.

3 marks for a clear explanation explicitly related to the description AND relevant sociological theory / concepts.

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Social inequality 4 & 5 mark questions

4 mark

June 16 Explain what sociologists mean by relative poverty (4 marks) Jan 13 Explain what sociologists mean by patriarchy. (4 marks) June 12 Explain what sociologists mean by the glass ceiling. (4 marks) Jan 12 Explain what sociologists mean by the poverty trap. (4 marks) June 11 Explain what sociologists mean by social exclusion. (4 marks) Jan 11 Explain what sociologists mean by institutional racism. (4 marks)

5 Mark June 16 Describe one way in which a person may become part of a dependency culture and explain how this could be prevented. (5 marks) June 16 Describe one way in which governments have tried to reduce inequality between men and women in society and explain how successful this has been. (5 marks) Jan 13 A Describe one life chance which may be affected by an individual’s ethnicity and explain why this

happens. (5 marks)

Jan 13B Describe one consequence of poverty for an individual and explain why it may be difficult for the

individual to escape from this situation. (5 marks)

June 12A Describe one way in which governments have attempted to increase upward social mobility and explain why this may not have been successful. (5 marks) June 12B Describe one possible cause of social exclusion and explain why people often find it hard to escape from this situation. (5 marks)

Jan 12A Describe one way in which the status of the elderly may be lower than that of other age groups in society and explain how this may lead to discrimination against them. (5 marks) Jan 12B Describe one consequence of child poverty and explain why the problem of child poverty continues to exist. (5 marks)

June 11A Describe one way in which some minority ethnic groups have fewer life chances than others and explain why this appears to continue over time. (5 marks) June 11B Describe one reason why some sociologists use relative definitions of poverty and explain why some politicians might prefer to use absolute definitions. (5 marks)

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Jan 11A Describe one way in which governments have attempted to end gender discrimination in the workplace and explain why this policy might not have been successful. (5 marks) Jan 11B Describe one reason why people find themselves in poverty and explain why it might be difficult for them to get out of this situation. (5 marks)

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Mass media 4 & 5 mark questions

4 mark

June 16 Explain what sociologists studying the mass media mean by gatekeeper. (4 marks) Jan 13 Explain what sociologists mean by hyperreality. (4 marks) June 12 Explain what sociologists mean by the hypodermic syringe model. (4 marks) Jan 12 Explain what sociologists mean by political socialisation when studying the effect of the mass media on political opinion. (4 marks) June 11 Explain what sociologists mean by mass popular culture. (4 marks) Jan 11 Explain what sociologists mean by deviancy amplification. (4 marks)

5 mark June 16 Describe one way in which ordinary people can use digital media to promote political views and explain how this might make society more democratic. (5 marks) June 16 Describe one way in which the mass media can cause a moral panic and explain how this may lead to the labelling of particular groups in society. Jan 13 A Describe one way in which groups such as environmentalists might use digital media to promote their cause and explain how successful this might be. (5 marks) Jan 13 B Describe one way in which the mass media may amplify deviance and explain how this may affect some minority social groups. (5 marks) June 12A Describe one way in which the mass media can present a negative image of groups such as animal rights protesters and explain why this might cause problems in a democratic society. (5 marks) June 12B Describe one way in which digital media have given more power to ordinary people and explain why this may cause problems for governments. (5 marks) Jan 12A Describe one process through which editors and journalists can influence what appears in the news and explain why this might lead to bias when covering an event. (5 marks) Jan 12B Describe one way in which the mass media stereotype males and explain why some sociologists might argue that this is a problem. (5 marks) June 11 A Describe one way in which newspaper owners can influence how the news is presented and explain why this might lead to problems in a democracy. (5 marks)

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June 11B Describe one way in which digital media such as the internet have changed how we get information and explain why this may make it difficult for governments to control access to information. (5 marks) Jan 11A Describe one way in which politicians use the mass media to get their message across and explain why this media coverage might lead people to lose faith in the main political parties. (5 marks) Jan 11B Describe one way in which the portrayal of violence in the mass media is claimed to lead to an increased level of violence in society and explain why sociologists might find problems researching such a claim. (5 marks)

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Crime 4 & 5 mark questions

4 mark

June 16 Explain what sociologists mean by the chivalry thesis (4 marks) Jan 13 Explain what sociologists mean by a criminal stereotype. (4 marks) June 12 Explain what sociologists mean by white-collar crime. (4 marks) Jan 12 Explain what sociologists studying deviance mean by peer pressure. (4 marks) June 12 Explain what sociologists mean by labelling. (4 marks) Jan 11 Explain what sociologists mean by conformity when studying deviance. (4 marks)

5 mark June 16 Describe one way in which governments in the last 20 years have attempted to reduce offending by young people and explain how successful this has been. (5 marks) June 16 Describe one way in which sociologists measure crime in society and explain why this might not be an accurate measure of crime. (5 marks) Jan 13A Describe one advantage of victim surveys and explain why some sociologists have doubts about their use. (5 marks) Jan 13B Describe one way in which the police have tried to improve their relationship with minority ethnic groups and explain how successful this has been. (5 marks) June 12A Describe one police action that may lead to some members of minority ethnic groups being stereotyped as criminal and explain why this stereotyping occurs. (5 marks) June 12B Describe one reason why people in poverty are more likely to be victims of crime than the more wealthy and explain why this situation persists. (5 marks) Jan 12 A Describe one recent approach to reduce the number of violent crimes committed by young people and explain why this approach might not have been successful. (5 marks) Jan 12B Describe one way in which some sociologists believe that labelling can lead to deviant behaviour and explain why this might be a problem for certain groups within society. (5 marks) June 12 Describe one way in which governments have attempted to reduce racist behaviour in society and explain how successful this approach has been. (5 marks) June 12 Describe one reason why there is argument and debate about levels of violent crime in society and explain why this might make it difficult to reduce the public’s fear of such crimes. (5 marks)

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Jan 11A Describe one way in which the government collects statistics about the level of crime in society and explain why this might not be an accurate picture of the number of crimes committed. (5 marks) Jan 11B Describe one way in which recent governments have tried to reduce anti-social behaviour and explain how successful this approach has been. (5 marks)

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PEELing apart your essay

Crime: Discuss how far sociologists would agree that official statistics give an accurate picture of the levels

of crime in society.

Media: Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the audience decides what is seen and heard in the

mass media.

Inequality: Discuss how far sociologists would agree that Britain is now a classless society

For your question, identify at least FOUR points – there must be at least ONE in each column.

Sociologists WOULD agree Sociologists WOULD NOT agree

Introductions

Use the question at the beginning of your introduction for example;

How far sociologists would agree that official statistics give an accurate picture of the

levels of crime in society is debateable because

Or

How far sociologists would agree that Britain is now a classless society is

debatable because

Use the introduction to break down what the question is asking you;

Define any key terms it mentions – EG “Classless society”

Is there a theory it is talking about – EG Marxism / Functionalism / New Right

If statistics are involved, what is the key trend or pattern in this area? – EG Rising / Falling

/ Steady / High / low

Use the

words from

the

question as

a starter to

your first

sentence

Pointless picture of a

banana (teacher joke)

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Now PEEL the question apart

You need to do the following for EACH of your 4 points

PO

INT

theory or concept

EX

PL

AIN

what do sociologists think about this?

Is there a theory that can be linked?

EX

AM

PL

E

evidence from stats or a relevant example from real life

LIN

K

to the question and next paragraph

Conclusion starters

Your conclusion should address the essay question directly (weigh up all the

evidence/theories) and answer the ‘How far.’ part. E.g

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To a large/a small / some extent sociologists agree because...

To sum up it would appear that many/some sociologists agree/disagree…

In conclusion it would seem that most/few sociologists agree/disagree…

Mention any statistics that support your conclusion

Social inequality 12 mark Questions

June 16

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that government policies have been successful in

reducing child poverty over the last 30 years. (12 marks)

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that Britain is still a meritocracy. (12 marks)

Specimen

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that ethnic inequality is the most important cause of social division in modern Britain. CAGE

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that children born into poverty will grow up to be poor throughout their lives. CAUSES

June 11

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that there is still a traditional working class in Britain today. THEORY

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the causes of poverty lie in the attitudes and values of the poor themselves. CAUSES

Jan 12

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that there is less class inequality now than 50 years ago. THEORY

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that gender discrimination in the workplace remains an issue in Britain today. CAGE

June 12

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that Britain is now a classless society. THEORY

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that a person’s ethnicity is the most important factor affecting his or her life chances. CAUSES

Jan 13

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Discuss how far sociologists would agree that in Britain today a person’s status is based on his or her achievements. CAUSES

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that there is an underclass in Britain today. THEORY

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Mass media 12 mark questions June 16

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the content of the mass media is determined by its users. (12 marks)

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the mass media are the most important agency of social control in society today. (12 marks)

Specimen

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the image of women presented by the mass media tends to be stereotypical rather than realistic. CAGE

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the mass media is a more powerful agent of socialisation than the education system. ROLE

. June 11

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the mass media have replaced the family as the main agent of socialisation. ROLE

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the political views presented by the mass media are those of the rich and powerful in society. THEORY

Jan 12

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that an audience’s behaviour is directly affected by what it sees and hears in the mass media. MODELS

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the rapid growth of the internet and other digital media has increased freedom of speech in our society. ROLE

June 12

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that representations of women by the mass media are still largely stereotypical. CAGE

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the mass media are the most important agent of socialisation shaping people’s political opinions today. ROLE

Jan 13

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the audience decides what is seen and heard in the mass media. MODELS

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that violence in the mass media leads to violence in real life. MODELS

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Past short essay questions - crime

“Old” syllabus (these questions start “To what extent would sociologists agree” instead of “Discuss

how far sociologists would agree” – they mean the same thing though!)

June 2003

To what extent would sociologists agree that criminal or deviant behaviour is the result of parents failing to

socialise their children correctly?

June 2004

To what extent would sociologists agree that official criminal statistics by themselves do not give an

accurate picture of the extent of criminal behaviour?

June 2005

To what extent would sociologists agree that the young people who commit crimes do so because they

have different norms and values from the rest of society?

June 2006

To what extent would sociologists agree that the level of youth crime in an area depends on how well

parents control their children?

June 2007

To what extent would sociologists find official crime figures helpful in providing an accurate picture of how

much crime there is?

Current syllabus

June 16 Discuss how far sociologists would agree that the type of crime committed in Britain has changed

over the past 50 years. (12 marks)

June 16 Discuss how far sociologists would agree that negative labelling by wider society leads to deviant

and criminal behaviour by young people. (12 marks)

Specimen 2009

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that working class males are more likely to commit crimes

than other sections of society. (12 marks)

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that teenage criminal and deviant behaviour results from

parents failing to socialise their children correctly. (12 marks)

Jan 2011

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that women are less likely to commit crime than men.

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Discuss how far sociologists would agree that in Britain today working-class criminals are more

likely to be convicted than middle-class and upper-class ‘white collar’ criminals.

June 11

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that some ethnic groups appear to commit more crime than others because they are stereotyped.

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that most deviant and criminal behaviour in young people

results from peer group pressure.

Jan 12

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that most criminal behaviour is caused by poverty and

social deprivation.

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that official statistics give an accurate picture of the levels

of crime in society.

Jun12

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that what is seen as deviance arises from labelling by

society.

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that most anti-social behaviour is carried out by young

men.

Jan 13

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that deviant and criminal behaviour results from poor

socialisation in childhood.

Discuss how far sociologists would agree that women today are just as likely as men to commit

crime