Introduction
Level 3, Year 1 (2004/2005)
Level 2, Year 2 (2003/2004)
Level 2, Year 1 (2002/2003)
Level 1, Year 2 (2001/2002)
Level 1, Year 1 (2000/2001)
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Introduction to Social Sciences
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What are the purposed of ethnic monitoring? Give examples of its use. Outline the difficulties in implementing ethnic monitoring, including those that arise in accurately classifying an individual's 'race'. |
B |
Planning and organisation of material:
This is appropriately organised in a way which identifies all the major issues.
Use of sources:
You have shown a good awareness of a range of useful materials.
Analysis:
Your analysis touches on the major issues and shown a good understanding and knowledge of the area. Sometimes points needed elaboration (the issue of the input from ethnic minorities as groups including individual being one).
Presentation:
A readable account which generally fits the style required of academic writing.
Overall comments:
A good piece of work that is usefully illustrated with appropriate examples.
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| 2 |
Minority parties in Britain call for electoral reform whereas the two major parties tend to favour retaining the existing system. Do you consider that the strengths of proportional representation outweigh the advantages of simple majority voting? |
C |
Planning and organisation of material:
This assignment has been organised very effectively so as to (at the least) touch upon most of the key arguments about electoral reform, and to offer balanced examination of them.
Use of sources:
A good range of appropriate academic sources has been used to supply arguments, but not to furnish supporting detail.
Analysis:
This is the weakest aspect of the assignment: the main arguments are described in principle, but little specific evidence is produced which would test them, and bring out the subtler points about the criteria by whch electoral systems should be judged.
Presentation:
The style of this assignment is clear, readable and appropriate. It makes the best use of the material being presented, and is a strength to build upon in future essays.
Overall comments:
This is frustratingly close to the next grade bracket. Have the confidence to explore the arguments by using more detailed exmaple and you'll do much better.
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| 3 |
The economic organisation of a Prisoner of War camp
to be answered in conjuction with Radford's account of life in a PoW camp. |
A |
Planning and organisation of material:
Evidence of careful reading of the case study.
Use of sources:
Proper, detailed use of the case study as a source of evidence.
Analysis:
Although this work is all of high quality you could have looked sideways for some additional information from the text book, e.g. the functions of money.
Presentation:
Clear, neat and easy to read.
Overall comments:
This was a fully developed, thoughtful, and systematic response to the case study. Excellent work.
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| 4 |
What evidence is there that the UK secondary education
system is inadequately addressed to the needs of particular
groups of children? Give illustrations of this.
Using the concepts introduced in your course also consider both:
1. What political channels exist for different groups of people to influence the provision of education and how
effective are they?
2. Explain the economic principles behind the system of Local Management of Schools outlined in DES Circular 7/88
on the implementation of this aspect of the Education Reform Act 1988. What effect did these changes have on the
quality of secondary education. |
A |
Planning and organisation of material:
Well planned, fully developed essay though matches the various sections of the question.
Use of sources:
Sources are cited throughout the essay. The range of sources and the use made of them is impressive. Try to give page number for direct quotation in future work.
Analysis:
The essay was well balanced and also a good mixture of description and analysis. Some of the points you made about the curriculum were good. The final section could have been more critical and backed by some statistical information from (say) 'Social Trends'.
Presentation:
Clearly presented and well written.
Overall comments:
This is a well structured essay with a good balance of analysis and description. The final section could have been more effective had it been critical and backed by further evidence.
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