Society and Culture 2021 HSC exam pack

Students should:

• clearly state the topic and hypothesis for investigation in the introduction
• ensure the topic choice is sociological
• establish the cross-cultural perspective and scope of continuity and/or change
• focus on the conceptual relevancy of the topic
• make evident the relationship between personal knowledge and public knowledge
• 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 do some or all the following:

• develop topics and ideas that allowed for appropriate and comprehensive exploration
• demonstrate cohesion and flow between chapters
• 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 (page 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 a narrative tone.

In better projects, students were able to do some or all the following:

• 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 them
• elaborate on the current sociological relevance of the topic
• 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
• 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 continuity and change 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 do some or all the following:

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

Students should:

• return to the hypothesis and original goals as outlined in the introduction
• apply course concepts to account for conclusions
• avoid repeating their introduction or re-stating conclusions from Central Material
• express the extent to which their hypothesis was confirmed or challenged
• reflect on how the project explicitly developed their social and cultural literacy
• 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 of the research findings
• reflect on the research process
• make a well-reasoned and reflective judgement 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
• 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 and concisely provide appropriate reasons as to why social change is considered a complex process, based on elements such as causes, rates, directions of and resistance to change occurring at different levels of society, (micro, meso and macro)
• integrate a relevant example of social change to illustrate reason/s provided for complexity
• apply relevant course concepts and language to enhance the clarity of explanation and demonstrate a thorough understanding of the nature of social change.

Areas for students to improve include:

• ensuring that entire question is addressed, moving beyond describing social change but addressing the reasons for complexity and using a relevant example to support response
• integrating the relevant example of social change throughout response to illustrate reason/s provided for complexity rather than adding an example at the end of the response.

Question 10

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear understanding of empowerment to make well-informed judgements on the extent this has influenced social change in the selected country
• integrate judgement/s throughout the response and support it with examples of detailed and specific evidence from the country of study.

Areas for students to improve include:

• unpacking the question to address the key words
• establishing effective judgement/s and using appropriate connectives to sustain the argument throughout the response
• reinforcing judgement/s at the conclusion of the response
• avoiding a narrative about the history of a country or retelling learnt content without applying it to the question
• applying appropriate examples consistent with judgements to develop clarity in the response.

Question 11(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly state the reasons for the existence of negative perceptions
• present a cohesive response supported by the effective integration of relevant example/s
• effectively apply course concepts such as stakeholders and values.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly demonstrating an understanding of the reasons for the negative perceptions of popular culture, moving beyond a description
• identifying and integrating specific example/s of popular culture
• applying specific terminology, such as, conflict, institutional power, and ideology.

Question 11(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• offer informed judgements about the influence of contemporary social values on the commodification of one popular culture
• support judgements with the application of appropriate examples, clearly showing an understanding of contemporary social values and commodification
• effectively apply relevant course concepts and terminology to support the argument concerning the relationship between contemporary social values and the commodification of one popular culture.

Areas for students to improve include:

• effectively addressing all aspects of the question, for example, ‘to what extent’
• applying and understanding appropriate course concepts such as, social values, commodification, paraphernalia, consumption, and commercialisation
• applying knowledge of one popular culture to clearly demonstrate the relationship between contemporary social values and commodification, rather than providing an historical narrative of the process of commodification
• demonstrating a balanced and logical response by integrating a range of appropriate and specific examples to support judgements.

Question 12(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• provide a variety of reasons that account for the existence of hierarchy within belief systems
• support the clearly stated reasons with examples from belief systems that demonstrated how and why there is the existence of hierarchy within belief systems
• clearly structure the response and consistently address the question.

Areas for students to improve include:

• engaging effectively with the instructive key word in order to form a clear response
• using accurate and specific examples of belief systems, as distinct from ideology
• structuring the response logically and cohesively to account for reasons as to why hierarchies exist within belief systems
• moving beyond descriptions of the question’s focus to make statements that clearly respond to the question with applied concepts.

Question 12(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a deep understanding of conflict within a belief system or ideology
• make clear and sustained judgements about the effectiveness of the belief system or ideology in resolving conflict. This consists of contrasting value judgements such as ‘both effective and ineffective’ or ‘moderately effective’
• apply the concepts throughout the response in a way that cohesively unpacked examples of conflict resolution, and/or a lack of them, within a belief system or ideology.

Areas for students to improve include:

• effectively addressing the focus of the question and avoiding descriptive narratives about the belief system or ideology
• integrating clear and detailed evidence that demonstrates social and cultural literacy to substantiate the assessment
• avoiding descriptive recounts of historical examples without making connections to the question.

Question 13(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• clearly link the reasons for social exclusion of individuals to the meso level of society or clearly demonstrate the reasons for social exclusion at the meso level of society
• support their understanding with the integration of specific examples
• integrate conceptual language appropriate to social exclusion, such as social mobility, social class, race and ethnicity, prejudice, and discrimination.

Areas for students to improve include:

• making appropriate connections between parts of the question
• detailing an example or examples to support ideas
• integrating appropriate course concepts throughout the response
• referencing data sources and other specific evidence to increase credibility of examples.

Question 13(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate an insightful understanding about the relationship between economic and political forces and their influence on the generation and maintenance of social inclusion in one country
• integrate appropriate data from a range of sources to support their understanding
• make appropriate judgements that enable strong connections to all parts of the question
• create a smoothly integrated response that allowed for the development of logical ideas in answering the question
• create a conceptual response that applies depth study concepts and course language.

Areas for students to improve include:

• supporting a response with detailed evidence and integrated examples
• using more than one example within the country identified to assist in creating a sustained response
• making detailed judgments regarding the influence of both forces in respect to generation and maintenance to social inclusion
• applying appropriate depth study course concepts in the response.

Question 14(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• show a clear understanding of internalisation, identifying the stages/process
• identify accurate reasons for internalisation as a response to social influence
• support their response with relevant examples
• account for internalisation as a response by linking the reasons for internalisation to the pressures of social influence.

Areas for students to improve include:

• applying an accurate understanding of internalisation
• avoiding discussion on types of social response that are not internalisation, for example, deindividuation and acquiescence
• detailing specific features with relevant examples that clearly illustrate the features of internalisation and social influence
• clearly explaining the process of social influence
• structuring response logically, supported by examples to show why and how an individual responds to social influence with internalisation.

Question 14(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• make informed judgements by applying a wide range of detailed and accurate examples from a clearly defined, appropriate, nonconformist group
• specifically address how both sanctions and peer pressure achieve social cohesion within the group
• unpack the nature of the social cohesion
• make a well-informed judgement in relation to effectiveness of both sanctions and peer pressure
• integrate highly relevant related course terminology and concepts such as values, power, deviance, and worldview
• clarify the type of sanctions discussed
• engage with both positive and negative types of peer pressure, where appropriate.

Areas for students to improve include:

• selecting a non-conformist group in line with syllabus requirements
• applying an accurate, clear definition of sanctions
• demonstrating effective communication by avoiding lengthy descriptions
• identifying how sanctions and peer pressure operate to achieve social cohesion
• taking a balanced and logical approach in unpacking both sanctions and peer pressure
• explicitly linking examples to judgements
• discussing social cohesion as it operates within a non-conformist group, rather than discussing the lack of cohesion the non-conformist group has with wider society.