Society and Culture 2019 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• clearly state the topic and hypothesis for investigation in the introduction
• ensure the topic choice is sociological in its nature
• establish the cross-cultural perspective and scope of continuity and/or change
• focus on the conceptual relevancy of the topic
• make a clear relationship between personal knowledge and public knowledge evident
• make evident the social and/or cultural significance of the topic
• adhere to the Personal Interest Project requirements regarding word limits.

In better projects, students were able to:

• develop topics and ideas that allow for appropriate and comprehensive exploration of the implications for all levels of society
• demonstrate cohesion between focus areas to ensure that chapters don't address ideas in isolation
• justify the contemporary relevance of a topic
• evaluate their research methods to validate the process of their research
• explain reasons for the chosen research methods and engage with validity/bias
• engage with the ethical practices of research (pages 21 of the Syllabus)
• demonstrate a high level of social and cultural literacy in their topic choice
• select a topic that provides enough scope for the development and application of course concepts and appropriate research methods.

Students should:

• further develop their personal connection to the topic
• critically reflect on the limits and challenges of research methods
• highlight the relationship between research findings and new paths of inquiry
• critically examine the sample demographics in relation to the validity of data
• reflect on the ‘Process of Research’ steps from pages 22-23 of the syllabus
• avoid diary entry formats or narrative tone.

In better projects, students were able to:

• identify specific forms of research appropriate to the development of their project
• reflect on the usefulness, validity and/or bias of sources
• account for the challenges in the Personal Interest Project and how they overcame these issues
• focus on the decision making process in relation to their research and topic development
• specify any ethical considerations relevant to the topic
• discuss the parameters of their topic
• demonstrate a conceptual overview of the process.

Students should:

• establish a context for inquiry through a synthesis of primary and secondary data concerning the need for sociological inquiry into the topic
• avoid using secondary research as a description of the topic
• use primary research to account for micro interpretations of macro issues
• avoid an historical, narrative recount
• integrate cross-cultural comparisons throughout
• identify the continuity and changes across micro, meso and macro levels and analyse these changes within the framework of course concepts
• sustain engagement with the hypothesis
• reflect on the limitations of research and validity
• develop deep analysis and cohesive arguments by not segmenting the central material into small parts
• consider where to appropriately integrate graphic forms.

In better projects, students were able to:

• make meaningful reference to visual sources, including pictures or graphs
• appropriately integrate personal experience
• effectively apply complex, academic language to succinctly express ideas
• provide a clear and thorough synthesis and critical analysis of their findings
• demonstrate a balance of primary and secondary research
• apply a high standard of authoritative research and connect this to the hypothesis
• succinctly acknowledge the reliability/validity/bias of primary or secondary material
• integrate their research effectively
• make sophisticated judgements consistently throughout
• explain the conceptual implication within a sociological framework
• integrate a range a perspectives to ensure a depth of research
• demonstrate an accurate and appropriate understanding of their chosen research method, for example, focus group, content analysis.

Students should:

• return to the hypothesis and original goals as outlined in the introduction
• apply course concepts to account for conclusions
• avoid repeating introduction or re-stating conclusions from Central Material
• express the extent to which their hypothesis was confirmed or challenged
• reflect on how the project has explicitly developed their social and cultural literacy rather than using a dot point from page 25 of the syllabus
• evaluate the process of their research in relation to their growth as a researcher
• analyse, rather than summarise their findings.

In better projects, students were able to:

• consider the social and/or cultural implications for the research findings
• reflect on the research process
• make a judgement that is reflective and linked to their hypothesis
• derive their conclusions based on genuine evidence conducted through the Personal Interest Project process
• show critical reflection and evaluation of their hypothesis and research.

Students should:

• accurately reference sources (Assessment and Reporting page 12)
• critically reflect on how research methods supported the construction of the Personal Interest Project.

In better projects, students were able to:

• reflect on the use of sources through the consideration of reliability, validity and bias
• explain the way in which the research contributed to the project
• reflect on primary and secondary research methods.

Students should:

• understand the key words of the question
• integrate relevant society and culture terminology into responses
• use the reading time effectively to plan their responses
• plan their extended responses on the lined section of the answer booklet with the heading ‘plan’
• provide a logical and cohesive response using appropriate society and culture information, ideas concepts and statistics
• provide examples, where appropriate, to support their response
• draw on conceptually driven knowledge to respond to the question, demonstrating both depth and range of course understanding
• be mindful of the suggested word length and achieve a flow of connected ideas.

Question 9

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly identify a theory
• demonstrate how that theory explains social and cultural continuity
• support the response with relevant and specific examples that effectively show continuity
• integrate appropriate concepts and language.

Areas for students to improve include:

• selecting an appropriate theory that can be applied to continuity
• integrating an example of continuity rather than an example of change and forcing it to suit the question.

Question 10

In better responses, students were able to:

• explicitly identify a tradition within one country
• qualify the rate and change, for example, moving towards, slowly, rapidly, increased by, transformative, evolutionary
• support the response with relevant and specific examples that demonstrated the role of tradition
• integrate other appropriate concepts, such as westernisation, society, culture, globalisation, change.

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding a narrative about change in a country
• applying appropriate examples to help gain clarity in the response, for example, the use of statistics.

Question 11

In better responses, students were able to:

• show a clear understanding of the ideology of the popular culture and reasons for the rejection of that ideology by specified groups (a)
• apply course concepts and language, for example, beliefs, values, traditions (a)
• apply a range of examples at the micro, meso and macro level (a)
• directly address the question in a well-structured, succinct and cohesive response (a)
• provide a detailed and coherent response that clearly addressed a future or a possible future for each example stakeholder (b)
• apply a range of stakeholders in the response and make a judgement regarding which was more likely to impact the future directions of the popular culture (b)
• explain each stakeholder and their role, for example, Producers, Consumers, Peers/Family, Media, Transnational corporations, Marketing (b)
• apply a wide range of relevant and accurate examples (b)
• use a qualifying term to make an informed judgement about the future, for example, likely, unlikely, possible, probable, trends (b)
• address the implications, both positive and negative, of the potential future (b)
• apply concepts such as micro, meso and macro and successfully integrate a range of examples related to each concept (b)
• integrate contemporary issues and concepts (gender, ethnicity and sustainability in particular) in order to determine potential future directions (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• using ONE popular culture as opposed to popular culture in general (a)
• establishing the ideology of the popular culture (a)
• identifying the groups and reasons for rejecting the ideology(b)
• sustaining a coherent argument in the introduction and throughout the response
• moving beyond historical narrative of the development of the selected popular culture or of stakeholder or continuities and changes to explicitly address the future directions (b)
• supporting argument with relevant, appropriate and contemporary examples (b).

Question 12

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate the features that distinguish ideologies and belief systems (a)
• present a well-structured explanation that clarifies the link between belief systems and ideologies and contrasting features (a)
• apply specific examples to demonstrate similarities and differences, by providing accurate information about a belief system and ideology(a)
• apply a range of relevant course concepts
• show understanding of the concepts of dissent and internal structure, and make connections between them (b)
• address the impact of dissent on the identified internal structure of one belief system or ideology (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• avoiding a description of the characteristics of belief systems and/or ideologies (a)
• linking examples of belief systems and ideologies to their explanation (a)
• addressing both the similarities and differences of belief systems and ideologies (a)
• using specific rather than generalised examples
• addressing the impacts, including cause and effect, of dissent on the internal structure of one belief system or ideology (b)
• developing a wider range of examples that can be adapted to support informed judgements (b).

Question 13

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate an understanding of the reasons for a pluralist society and culture, such as globalisation, migration, laws and legislation, human rights, dignity and respect (a)
• provide clear and appropriate examples that are applied specifically to the question (a)
• integrate appropriate conceptual language such as social cohesion, social inclusion and social mobility (a)
• provide detail of social inclusion in ONE country (b)
• make informed judgements about how effective the programs are by applying a range of examples (b)
• integrate conceptual language appropriate to social inclusion such as empowerment, social inclusion and hierarchy (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• integrating a specific example to support their understanding (a)
• showing appropriate connections between pluralist society and cultures and historical development (a)
• supporting responses with accurate data and utilising examples (b)
• addressing the question, rather than providing a description or historical recount (b)
• creating a logical response through a flow of ideas (b).
• integrating course language relevant to social inclusion and exclusion, for example, ethnicity, social differentiation, human rights, equality (b).

Question 14

In better responses, students were able to:

• show a clear understanding of the role of the media and the process involved in shaping social opinions, for example, through bias reporting (a)
• show an understanding of the power of the media (a)
• draw upon their understanding of agenda setting to explain the role of the media (a)
• clearly articulate attitudes toward nonconformists resulting from media reporting (a)
• demonstrate the cause and effect between the role of the media and the shaping of attitudes through features of their chosen examples (a)
• discuss an appropriate non-conformist group(s) (a)
• use ONE clearly defined group that is non-conformist in nature, such as Christiania, Amish, Sea Shepherd, Survivalists or Brujas (b)
• distinguish between historical and social development (b)
• clearly explore the relationships identified, that is, technology as an agent of change in subculture development consistent (b)
• make appropriate judgements about the role of technology in group development (b)
• differentiate between positive and negative perceptions of the group by the wider society (b).

Areas for students to improve include:

• making a specific link between the role of the media and how attitudes are shaped (a)
• applying an understanding of agenda setting (a)
• applying a range of appropriate related concepts (a)
• structuring the response logically to show why and how (a)
• applying syllabus prescriptions to their choice of a non-conformist group  (b)
• identifying the type of technology explored (b)
• demonstrating an understanding of the concepts of cohesion, power and authority in relation to the social development and historical development of one non-conformist group (b)
• integrating relevant examples (b)
• maintaining a focus on how technology has impacted the historical and social development of the group (b)
• considering the wide range of technologies according to the syllabus definition (b)
• separating technology from being synonymous only with media (b)
• avoiding a focus on historical events, such as Jonestown, Branch Davidians, Nimbin Aquarius Festival, in lieu of a non-conformist group (b).