Modern Studies National 5

Vale of Leven Academy

The National 5 Modern Studies course has three areas of study: Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom; Social Issues in the United Kingdom; International Issues. There is considerable flexibility in the themes which can be studied within each area in order to allow for personalisation and choice.

Skills, knowledge and understanding for the course

The following provides a broad overview of the subject skills, knowledge and understanding developed in the course:

 developing and applying detailed skills, knowledge and understanding in political, social or international contexts

 with guidance, researching and using information collected from a range of sources about contemporary issues which are mostly familiar

 using a range of sources of information to support and oppose views

 giving detailed justifications for decisions

 giving detailed support for valid conclusions

 demonstrating knowledge and understanding of the main democratic processes, institutions and organisations which make up political life in Scotland and/or the UK by giving factual descriptions and detailed explanations

 demonstrating knowledge and understanding of a major social issue in Scotland and the UK, focusing on either social inequality or crime and the law, by giving factual descriptions and detailed explanations

 demonstrating knowledge and understanding of an international issue, relating to either a significant world power or contemporary world issue, by giving factual descriptions and detailed explanations

Course assessment structure: question paper

Question paper 80 marks

The question paper allows candidates to demonstrate application of the following skills and breadth of knowledge and understanding from the skills, knowledge and understanding for the course assessment section:

 supporting and opposing a view using a limited range of sources of information

 making and justifying a decision using a limited range of sources of information

 drawing and supporting conclusions using a limited range of sources of information

 giving detailed descriptions and explanations with some analysis

The question paper has three sections. Each section has two optional parts and in each option, candidates must answer four questions: three questions assess knowledge and understanding; the fourth question assesses evaluating skills using sources.

Each section comprises restricted/extended-response questions requiring candidates to draw on the knowledge and understanding and apply the skills acquired during the course. There is differentiation within each question.

Section 1: Democracy in Scotland and the United Kingdom

Candidates have the option of answering questions on democracy in Scotland or democracy in the United Kingdom.

Section 2: Social Issues in the United Kingdom

Candidates have the option of answering questions on social inequality or crime and the law.

Section 3: International Issues

Candidates have the option of answering questions on world powers or world issues.

The question paper component has 80 marks out of a total of 100 marks for course assessment. The question paper is therefore worth 80% of the overall marks for the course assessment.

Specimen question papers for National 5 courses are published on SQA’s website. These illustrate the standard, structure and requirements of the question papers candidates sit. The specimen papers also include marking instructions.

Course assessment structure: assignment

Assignment 20 marks

The assignment allows candidates to demonstrate challenge and application by demonstrating the following skills, knowledge and understanding:

 choosing, with minimum support, an appropriate Modern Studies topic or issue

 finding at least two sources, of different types, as independently as possible, and collecting relevant evidence from them

 evaluating the effectiveness of the two sources used, commenting on their specific strengths and weaknesses

 applying Modern Studies skills to the evidence collected

 drawing on knowledge and understanding to explain and analyse key features of the topic or issue

 reaching a well-supported conclusion, supported by evidence, about the topic or issue

Candidates use specified resources during the production of evidence stage. A structured template is available for the production of evidence.

The assignment component has 20 marks out of a total of 100 marks for course assessment. The assignment is therefore worth 20% of the overall marks for the course assessment.

Setting, conducting and marking the assignment

The assignment is set by centres within SQA guidelines. SQA provides a brief for the generation of evidence to be assessed. Candidates have an open choice of contemporary

Modern Studies topic or issue to research. Evidence is submitted to SQA for external marking. All marking is quality assured by SQA.

The assignment has two stages:

 research

 production of evidence

Time

In the research stage, candidates choose a topic or issue which allows them to analyse a contemporary issue. They research the issue and organise their findings to address the topic, using the specified resources collected during their research to support them in the production of evidence. The research stage is designed to be capable of completion over a notional period of 8 hours.

Candidates should undertake the research stage at any appropriate point in the course. This will normally be when they have developed the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding.

The production of evidence for assessment must be completed within 1 hour and in one sitting. Candidates should undertake the production of evidence stage in time to meet the submission date set by SQA.

Supervision, control and authentication

The research stage is conducted under some supervision and control. This means that, although candidates may complete part of the work outwith the learning and teaching setting, assessors should put in place processes for monitoring progress and ensuring that the work is the candidate’s own and that plagiarism has not taken place. For example:

 interim progress meetings with candidates

 questioning

 candidate’s record of activity/progress

 assessor observation

The production of evidence stage is conducted under a high degree of supervision and control. This means that candidates:

 must be in direct sight of the assessor (or other responsible person) during the assessment

 must not communicate with each other

 should have access only to their Modern Studies Research Sheet

Resources

During the research stage, there are no restrictions on the resources to which candidates may have access. During the final production of evidence stage, candidates should have access only to their Modern Studies Research Sheet.

The purpose of the Modern Studies Research Sheet is to help candidates in presenting the findings of their research and applying their skills, knowledge and understanding. The Research Sheet is not marked. However, it must be included with the assignment from the candidate.

Reasonable assistance

Assessors should provide reasonable guidance on the types of topic or issue which will enable candidates to meet all the requirements of the assignment. They may also guide candidates as to the likely availability and accessibility of resources for their chosen topic or issue.

Candidates should work on their research with minimum support from the assessor.

Assessors must exercise their professional responsibility in ensuring that evidence submitted by a candidate is the candidate’s own work.

Candidates must undertake the production of evidence independently. However, reasonable assistance may be provided prior to the production of evidence taking place. The term ‘reasonable assistance’ is used to try to balance the need for support with the need to avoid giving too much assistance. If a candidate requires more than what is deemed to be ‘reasonable assistance’, they may not be ready for assessment or it may be that they have been entered for the wrong level of qualification.

Reasonable assistance may be given on a generic basis to a class or group of candidates, eg advice on how to develop a project plan. It may also be given to candidates on an individual basis. When reasonable assistance is given on a one-to-one basis in the context of something that a candidate has already produced or demonstrated, there is a danger that it becomes support for assessment and assessors need to be aware that this may be going beyond reasonable assistance.

In the research stage, reasonable assistance may include:

 directing candidates to the instructions for candidates

 clarifying instructions/requirements of the task

 advising candidates on the choice of a topic or issue

 advising candidates on possible sources of information

 arranging visits to enable gathering of evidence

 interim progress checks

In preparing for the production of evidence stage, reasonable assistance may include advising candidates of the nature and volume of specified resources which may be used to support the production of evidence.

At any stage, reasonable assistance does not include:

 providing the topic or issue for the candidate

 directing candidates to specific resources to be used

 providing model answers

 providing detailed feedback on drafts, including marking

Evidence to be gathered

The candidate evidence required for this assessment is:

 completed assignment produced under a high degree of supervision on the Modern Studies report template

 the Modern Studies Research Sheet which is limited to two single-sided sheets of A4

If a candidate does not submit a Research Sheet, a penalty of 4 marks out of the total 20 marks is applied.

Volume

There is no word count for the assignment; however the Research Sheet is limited to two single-sided sheets of A4.