Society and Culture 2022 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 a topic and ideas that are inherently sociological and allow for appropriate and comprehensive exploration and application of relevant concepts
• demonstrate social and cultural literacy in their topic choice
• select a contemporary approach to a topic
• create a strongly formed hypothesis that allowed for clarity and direction
• select a topic that provides enough scope for the development and application of course concepts and appropriate research methods
• explain reasons for their chosen research methods and engage with validity/bias
• engage with ethical practices of research (page 21 of the syllabus)
• evaluate their research methods to validate the process of their research.

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 (pages 22-23 of the syllabus)
• avoid diary entry formats or a narrative tone.

In better projects, students were able to:

• demonstrate a conceptual overview of the process
• identify specific forms of research appropriate for the development of their project
• reflect on the research process and account for critical decisions that led to the development of their topic and research methods
• evaluates the usefulness, validity and/or bias of sources
• reflect on the challenges in the Personal Interest Project and how they overcame them
• elaborate on the current sociological relevance of the topic
• reflect on their personal connection to the topic
• focus on the decision-making process in relation to their topic development and research
• specify any ethical considerations relevant to the topic
• discuss the parameters of their topic.

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 a 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:

• provide a clear and sustained synthesis and critical analysis of their findings
• appropriately integrate personal experience and public knowledge
• integrate research effectively by triangulating and correlating data across the Central Material
• make complex judgements
• explain the conceptual implications within a sociological framework
• integrate a range of perspectives to ensure a depth of research
• choose the research methods that best support finding answers to the research question(s) – different sub‑questions may require different research methods, for example, secondary research and questionnaires
• apply a high standard of authoritative research and connection this to the hypothesis
• demonstrate an accurate and appropriate understanding of their chosen research methods, for example, focus groups, content analysis
• succinctly acknowledge the reliability/validity/bias of primary and secondary material
• effectively apply complex academic language and appropriate concepts to succinctly express ideas
• make meaningful reference to and analysis of visual sources, including pictures or graphs, if or where appropriate
• apply a consistent system of footnoting, acknowledging and citing both primary and secondary research
• demonstrate cohesion and flow of ideas throughout the Central Material.

Students should:

• return to the hypothesis and original goals as outlined in the Introduction
• apply course concepts to account for conclusions
• avoid repeating the 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
• 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, with a consideration of validity, bias, and reliability
• reflect on how social and cultural literacy was demonstrated throughout the Personal Interest Project process.

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:

• demonstrate clear and appropriately detailed annotations that evaluate how the sources contributed to the project
• 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:

• demonstrate clearly and concisely the differences between evolutionary change and transformative change, referring to elements such as, rate, direction and scale of change
• integrate a relevant example(s) to illustrate the difference between evolutionary and transformative social change. Examples of evolutionary change such as, the ongoing pursuit of gender equality, and transformative change such as, the 1967 Referendum
• apply relevant course concepts and language to enhance the clarity of explanation, and demonstrate a clear understanding of evolutionary and transformative social change.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly defining or showing an understanding of the key words in the question
• moving beyond an outline of evolutionary and transformative change to applying an understanding and clearly distinguishing between these two forms of change
• supporting the response with use of a relevant example(s).

Question 10

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a clear understanding of selected social theory to make well-informed judgements on the suitability of this theory to explain continuity in one aspect of the country studied
• integrate judgement(s) throughout the response and support judgement(s) with examples of detailed and specific evidence from the country of study
• plan and present a sustained, logical and cohesive response effectively applying relevant course language and concepts.

Areas for students to improve include:

• developing their understanding of how selected social theory can explain continuity rather than change in selected country
• planning their response, including unpacking the question to address the key words
• establishing effective judgement(s), using appropriate connectives to sustain the argument throughout the response and reinforce judgement(s) at the conclusion
• avoiding a narrative about the history of a country or retelling learnt content without applying it to the question
• applying appropriate examples to develop clarity in the response.

Question 11(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• offer a comprehensive explanation of how heroes influence the consumption of one popular culture
• present a cohesive response that effectively integrates example(s) to demonstrate the influence of heroes on popular culture consumption
• effectively apply course concepts such as, commodification, paraphernalia, consumption, values and beliefs.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly demonstrating an understanding of how heroes influence the consumption of one popular culture
• identifying and integrating specific example(s) from their chosen popular culture
• effectively applying relevant course concepts and language to support the explanation of the influence of heroes on the consumption of one popular culture. 

Question 11(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a deep understanding of the relationship between one popular culture and social change
• support judgements with the application of a wide range of detailed and accurate information and effectively integrate appropriate example(s) 
   
• effectively apply relevant course concepts and language to support the discussion of the relationship between one popular culture and social change.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly addressing social change as distinct from change more generally
• effectively addressing all aspects of the question in a logical, sustained and coherent response
• applying appropriate course concepts, such as social values, commodification, paraphernalia, consumption, and commercialisation
• demonstrating a balanced and logical analysis by integrating appropriate and specific example(s) to support informed judgement(s).

Question 12(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of how values and the ways of perceiving the world are expressed by ideologies
• present a well-structured explanation that effectively integrates specific and accurate example(s) to clarify how values and the ways of perceiving the world are expressed by ideologies, such as feminism and suffrage
• integrate and effectively apply a range of relevant course concepts and language.

Areas for students to improve include:

• clearly focusing on ideologies, as distinct from belief systems
• applying accurate and specific example(s) of how values and worldviews are expressed by ideologies.

Question 12(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate a deep understanding of the importance of rituals, symbols and customs in relation to one belief system or ideology over time
• develop a range of detailed examples that support well-informed judgements
• support the response with accurate information specific to one belief system or ideology
• integrate a range of relevant concepts, such as globalisation, modernisation and technologies.

Areas for students to improve include:

• effectively addressing the focus of the question and avoiding historical narratives of the belief system or ideology and/or how these have changed over time
• communicating detailed understanding of the significance of rituals, symbols and customs over time in relation to ONE belief system or ideology
• supporting the response with accurate, detailed and relevant information.

Question 13(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate comprehensive understanding of how access to socially valued resources influence an individual’s life chances
• support their understanding with the integration of specific example(s), including contemporary data
• integrate conceptual language appropriate to life chances, such as social exclusion, social mobility, prejudice, and discrimination. 

Areas for students to improve include:

• making appropriate, deeper connections between the concepts in the question to achieve a more thorough explanation 
• applying the example(s) to support ideas related to the question
• integrating appropriate course concepts throughout the response
• referencing data sources and specific evidence to increase credibility of example(s).

Question 13(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• demonstrate an insightful understanding of the implications of the influence that perceptions have on prejudice and discrimination for one group
• support their response with wide-ranging evidence whilst sustaining a focus on the question and its concepts
• achieve greater conceptual depth in their analysis by applying course concepts when making judgements about the influence of perceptions.

Areas for students to improve include:

• increasing the breadth and depth of example(s) used to support the response
• applying concepts to unpack points made about the question with regards to how and why
• demonstrating a deeper understanding of prejudice and discrimination faced by a group, through the inclusion of examples that clearly connect it to ideas and perceptions held about the group by others.

Question 14(a)

In better responses, students were able to:

• show a clear understanding of values
• explicitly engage with how values determine the boundaries between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour. For example, showing the process by which values operate, their impact, how they shape boundaries, and the distinction between appropriate and inappropriate behaviour
• demonstrate understanding that values and boundaries around appropriate and inappropriate behaviour are socially/culturally constructed
• support their response with detailed example(s), with relevant features drawn out and unpacked effectively to illustrate point(s).

Areas for students to improve include:

• detailing specific features within appropriate example(s)
• applying an understanding of values and their relationship to socially and culturally constructed ideas of appropriate and inappropriate behaviour(s)
• clearly explaining the process of determining boundaries between appropriate and inappropriate behaviours
• using course-specific example(s) of behaviour related to conformist and/or nonconformist groups and/or individuals.

Question 14(b)

In better responses, students were able to:

• make well-informed judgements by applying a wide range of detailed and accurate example(s) from a clearly defined, appropriate group
• address the practical and conceptual effects of negative and positive interactions of the group and the wider society
• sustain a conceptual engagement with the question throughout the response
• integrate highly relevant related course concepts and language, such as, stereotypes, agenda setting, technologies, worldview, perceptions and cohesion.

Areas for students to improve include:

• demonstrating effective communication by avoiding lengthy descriptions 
• demonstrating an understanding of relevant concepts and avoiding confusion between interactions and perceptions
• expanding on the effects of the interactions by considering the implications for the group internally and in the wider society
• integrating a range of detailed example(s) to support informed, sustained judgement(s)
• taking a balanced and logical approach to unpacking both positive and negative interactions
• explicitly engaging with all components of the question and maintaining that focus throughout the response.