1. So…what do you actually have to do in General Studies?
 Read and analyse text, images, data
 Base your ideas on evidence from the paper (source material)
 Draw conclusions from what you read/see
 Grasp that there are different types of knowledge, e.g. fact, opinion, belief
 Write with accuracy and control

2. AS Paper 1
 Based on ‘Cultural and Social Domains’ with questions on topics as diverse as politics,
public/private sector, crime, unemployment, transport etc.
 2 hours long with 120 marks available in total. As such, you should be spending
approximately a minute per mark.
 Worth 70% of the overall AS mark (the other 30% is based on The Scientific Domain
Paper - more of that fun in future sessions)
 Two sections based on source material with questions normally ranging from 3 – 15
marks. The other two sections are 30 mark essay-style questions

3. AO1 Demonstrate Knowledge
Demonstrate relevant knowledge and understanding of a range of issues
AO2 Analysis and Evaluation
Look at evidence and draw conclusions
AO3 Understanding Knowledge
Demonstrate understanding of different types of knowledge
AO4 Communication
Communicate clearly and accurately

4. AO1 AO2 AO3 AO4
A/B
Performance
Descriptors
Demonstrate
focused
knowledge and
understanding
of a range of
issues
Provide
evidence of
selecting,
interpreting and
applying
relevant
information
Organise
evidence to
support
arguments
Draw reasoned
conclusions
Identify
different types
of knowledge
and make
relevant
comments
Communicate
accurately,
clearly and
fluently, using
appropriate
language and
structure.

5. We’re going to begin by focusing on the short-mark questions that make up Section A and
Section C of the ‘Cultural and Social Domains’ AS Paper.
On most papers there are a number of 3-mark questions. These are normally quite
straightforward but to get all of the marks available answers must be elaborated upon and
exemplified.

7. What’s wrong with this as an answer?
Artists release/publish and/or perform their music, and
people are able to play it, hear it, or see it.

8. To gain the full marks for these
questions you need to:
1. explain
2. exemplify
3. elaborate
This is fairly similar to the FEC structure, albeit without a ‘feature’ as such.

9. Artists release/publish and/or perform their music, and
people are able to play it, hear it, or see it. Recorded media
are used for its release or a website for downloading or
viewing work. There is no concern about success, simply
completing the work and making it available to the public.
Equally it can be produced for the artist’s own pleasure
without regard for its reception by others.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

10. Artists release/publish and/or perform their music, and
people are able to play it, hear it, or see it. Recorded media
are used for its release or a website for downloading or
viewing work. There is no concern about success, simply
completing the work and making it available to the public.
Equally it can be produced for the artist’s own pleasure
without regard for its reception by others.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

11. Artists release/publish and/or perform their music, and
people are able to play it, hear it, or see it. Recorded media
are used for its release or a website for downloading or
viewing work. There is no concern about success, simply
completing the work and making it available to the public.
Equally it can be produced for the artist’s own pleasure
without regard for its reception by others.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

12. Artists release/publish and/or perform their music, and
people are able to play it, hear it, or see it. Recorded media
are used for its release or a website for downloading or
viewing work. There is no concern about success, simply
completing the work and making it available to the public.
Equally it can be produced for the artist’s own pleasure
without regard for its reception by others.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

14. What’s wrong with this as an answer?
The evolution of a work of art if, for many, a personal
experience therefore exposure and success can be
intimidating. All of these issues go against the intimate and
personal engagement that an artist has with their work.
no example

15. The evolution of a work of art if, for many, a personal
experience therefore exposure and success can be
intimidating. All of these issues go against the intimate and
personal engagement that an artist has with their work.
Success can bring with it expectations for the future, a
demand for consistency, the need for explanation and
justification.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

16. The evolution of a work of art if, for many, a personal
experience therefore exposure and success can be
intimidating. All of these issues go against the intimate and
personal engagement that an artist has with their work.
Success can bring with it expectations for the future, a
demand for consistency, the need for explanation and
justification.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

17. The evolution of a work of art if, for many, a personal
experience therefore exposure and success can be
intimidating. All of these issues go against the intimate and
personal engagement that an artist has with their work.
Success can bring with it expectations for the future, a
demand for consistency, the need for explanation and
justification.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

18. The evolution of a work of art if, for many, a personal
experience therefore exposure and success can be
intimidating. All of these issues go against the intimate and
personal engagement that an artist has with their work.
Success can bring with it expectations for the future, a
demand for consistency, the need for explanation and
justification.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

20. Society will lose some dignity as a group of people (the
elderly) is being singled out and treated unfairly compared to
others. This reflects badly on society as a whole and suggests
a split between the young and the old. The young may
patronise the old, resent this and create tension and friction.
The old are regarded as having a lower status, or even inferior
character, to younger people. As a result, everyone loses out
through the elderly’s experience being lost.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

21. Society will lose some dignity as a group of people (the
elderly) is being singled out and treated unfairly compared to
others. This reflects badly on society as a whole and suggests
a split between the young and the old. The young may
patronise the old, resent this and create tension and friction.
The old are regarded as having a lower status, or even inferior
character, to younger people. As a result, everyone loses out
through the elderly’s experience being lost.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

22. Society will lose some dignity as a group of people (the
elderly) is being singled out and treated unfairly compared to
others. This reflects badly on society as a whole and suggests
a split between the young and the old. The young may
patronise the old, resent this and create tension and friction.
The old are regarded as having a lower status, or even inferior
character, to younger people. As a result, everyone loses out
through the elderly’s experience being lost.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

23. Society will lose some dignity as a group of people (the
elderly) is being singled out and treated unfairly compared to
others. This reflects badly on society as a whole and suggests
a split between the young and the old. The young may
patronise the old, resent this and create tension and friction.
The old are regarded as having a lower status, or even inferior
character, to younger people. As a result, everyone loses out
through the elderly’s experience being lost.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

25. ‘Huge’ suggests a significant change. ‘Revolution’ suggests a
complete and necessary change that is radical and significant.
A ‘demographic revolution’ occurs when the age profile of
society changes – from high birth rates to low birth rates, or,
in the case of the elderly, increasing longevity due to
improvements in healthcare and nutrition. This may mean a
population change in the country. The elderly will bring their
skills, energy and experience into society.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

26. ‘Huge’ suggests a significant change. ‘Revolution’ suggests a
complete and necessary change that is radical and significant.
A ‘demographic revolution’ occurs when the age profile of
society changes – from high birth rates to low birth rates, or,
in the case of the elderly, increasing longevity due to
improvements in healthcare and nutrition. This may mean a
population change in the country. The elderly will bring their
skills, energy and experience into society.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

27. ‘Huge’ suggests a significant change. ‘Revolution’ suggests a
complete and necessary change that is radical and significant.
A ‘demographic revolution’ occurs when the age profile of
society changes – from high birth rates to low birth rates, or,
in the case of the elderly, increasing longevity due to
improvements in healthcare and nutrition. This may mean a
population change in the country. The elderly will bring their
skills, energy and experience into society.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

28. ‘Huge’ suggests a significant change. ‘Revolution’ suggests a
complete and necessary change that is radical and significant.
A ‘demographic revolution’ occurs when the age profile of
society changes – from high birth rates to low birth rates, or,
in the case of the elderly, increasing longevity due to
improvements in healthcare and nutrition. This may mean a
population change in the country. The elderly will bring their
skills, energy and experience into society.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate

29. There are normally also 5 or 6 mark questions in Section A and Section C of this paper. The
formula for answering these is the same: explain, exemplify, elaborate.

30. Artists may be regarded as iconic and act as role models,
particularly to the young who may be slightly more
impressionable and easily influenced. Therefore they have a
responsibility to live up to this status in respect of their
morals, attitudes, and behaviour.
1. Explain
2. Exemplify
3. Elaborate
*you’d need to do this three times to get six marks

31.  Artists can reflect the mood and character of
the people and therefore feel the pressure to
produce works that truly reflects this need.
 Artists may feel the need to conform with the
accepted practices of his/her art whereas they
may want to rebel and be controversial.
Task: Provide exemplification for the two above points from the mark scheme