Society and Culture 2017 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• ensure that their PIP topic has a direct relationship to the Society and Culture course
• move beyond description of an issue and analyse research results in relation to the implications of the results
• make clear and detailed judgements related to the usefulness, bias, reliability and validity of each primary and secondary source
• ensure that the log has sufficient detail on the research conducted and includes critical reflection that leads to subsequent research actions
• demonstrate clarity of the hypothesis and a concise focus
• demonstrate genuine research methods that provide data to correlate secondary evidence
• avoid lengthy description and lengthy quotes that are not analysed
• apply social and cultural research methods appropriately to the area of research
• reference sources correctly to avoid plagiarism
• structure paragraphs to communicate ideas effectively
• choose topics which enable authentic research that allows for evidence of personal experience and public knowledge
• apply ethical considerations to topic choice and research methods
• ensure that any theorists or theories are appropriate for their topic and effective in expanding upon understandings and findings
• ensure that any images/figures or graphs are labelled and effectively referred to in text.

In the better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a strong connection to personal experience that is appropriately connected to substantial public knowledge
• apply appropriate theories to further develop ideas
• successfully integrate primary and secondary research into discussion within the Central Material and correctly reference and use this to demonstrate the integration of secondary and primary sources
• integrate complex concepts and demonstrate their interrelationship
• demonstrate a high standard of academic research with a uniqueness of topic, design or execution
• provide evidence of an effective research process, integrating both their primary and secondary research findings with appropriate writing, editing and synthesis
• derive a conceptually driven PIP topic from the interrelationships within and between concepts
• correctly reference sources with reflective annotations
• apply images, graphs and/or tables to enhance communication
• make informed judgements that are reflective of their research findings
• critically reflect on research methods across all sections of the PIP
• draw on contemporary issues, enabling relevancy and critical analysis
• use citations throughout the central material to demonstrate highly effective communication
• provide implications of the research which is then applied conceptually to what this might mean for wider society
• consistently apply social and cultural research methods with a balanced integration between primary and secondary sources, allowing for correlation of data
• clearly integrate a cross-cultural component, along with continuity and change.

Students should:

• present a well-organised and well-structured response that applies course-specific language
• integrate a range of appropriate and specific examples to support judgements
• effectively apply course concepts
• organise a clear and well-constructed, logical and cohesive response that maintains judgements throughout
• create a logical flow of ideas
• structure responses to demonstrate a sustained argument that clearly answers the question
• avoid narrative and description
• use the number of lines provided
• address the key concepts in the question and apply them accurately.

Students should expect:

• questions from any part of the syllabus
• to apply their focus studies as a framework within which to answer the question
• to integrate the knowledge, understanding and skills developed through studying the course across each question
• to answer both Part A and B for both of their depth studies.

Students can prepare for this examination by:

• ensuring their focus studies in each depth study cover all relevant syllabus dot points in sufficient detail to complete a sustained argument
• practising past HSC papers in the allocated 2 hour time period
• applying the fundamental concepts and specific depth study concepts to each dot point in the syllabus
• ensuring they have a contemporary example that is relevant to each section of the syllabus.

In better responses, students were able to:

• address all the dimensions or parts of the question
• demonstrate social and cultural literacy engage with the key words to clearly answer the question
• present a well-organised response that applies contemporary examples.

General feedback

In better responses, students were able to:

• answer the question succinctly
• provide clear examples to support the application of the course concepts.

Question 9

In better responses, students were able to:

• accurately identify two characteristics of quantitative research
• provide characteristics and examples drawn from quantitative research
• present two different characteristics of quantitative research.

Question 10

In better responses, students were able to:

• apply an accurate understanding of power in a country
• provide specific features and characteristics of power
• distinguish between legitimate and illegitimate power
• make clear and concise alignments of power to the country using contemporary examples.

Question 11

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a correct syllabus-based social change theory
• apply their understanding of the theory to social change
• explicitly state the country they are using in the response
• support the response with relevant, contemporary, and specific examples that directly relate to one of the listed aspects.

General feedback

In better responses, students were able to:

• address all parts of the question in a sustained, logical and coherent manner, rather than providing a narrative or descriptive response
• identify a contemporary issue that relates to their focus study
• connect the issue to the use of the research method
• choose and apply appropriate course concepts to their response
• make a judgement that links to the evidence to demonstrate knowledge of the course content
• apply Society and Culture concepts and course-specific language such as conflict, dissent, globalisation, technologies, continuity and change.

Question 12(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly demonstrate their understanding of a contemporary issue in popular culture through the application of content analysis; these responses demonstrate a strong understanding of the prescribed research method
• provide responses that demonstrate a discussion of a range of appropriate contemporary issues and examples
• show why content analysis is appropriate and how this method would be applied/conducted.

Question 12(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• make informed judgements on the role gender construction and/or deconstruction plays in the global acceptance of a popular culture
• apply appropriate examples drawn from a genre listed in the syllabus and from contemporary society.

Question 13

In better responses, students were able to:

• refer to specific belief systems, such as Buddhism, Islam and Hinduism; or Ideologies such as feminism, democracy or environmentalism.

Question 13(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a detailed understanding of interview as a research method
• refer to characteristics of the interview method such as being qualitative and time-consuming in nature
• demonstrate how the data collected from interview could be used and analysed within the belief system/ideology
• address the ethical implications and validity of the interview as a method of research.

Question 13(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• recall core elements of stories and myths of the belief system/ideology while connecting to the wider society
• apply specific examples and accurate details to support points rather than just presenting the narratives surrounding myths and stories.

Question 14(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear understanding of data analysis as a research method and how it could be used to investigate a contemporary issue
• apply the features of data analysis to demonstrate an understanding of how it can be used to investigate an issue.

Question 14(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear and explicit understanding of the importance of both employment and the social justice system as socially valued resources for the inclusion of one group in one country
• demonstrate knowledge of the significance of both employment and the social justice system to society
• choose appropriate examples to integrate into the response and link these strongly to employment and the social justice system.

Question 15(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• identify a contemporary issue associated with social conformity and nonconformity
• demonstrate knowledge of the research method of observation
• address the way the research method of observation could be used, using a specific example.

Question 15(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• organise their response effectively by applying appropriate example(s) to support an understanding of the links between the role of status and responsibility in defining identity
• integrate examples from one sub-cultural group, for example, Christiania and the Amish, that support the defining of identity
• apply course concepts to demonstrate knowledge of the course content and the links between status, responsibility and identity,  for example, official and unofficial leadership
• sustain judgements throughout the response to demonstrate the relationship between the sub-culture group, course concepts and the focus of the question
• clarify the specific group they are studying,  for example, Western Sydney Wanderers
• engage with the key words in the question – role of status and responsibility in defining identity.