2. Understanding Standards: An overview of course assessment
Modern Studies
National 5
An overview of course assessment
RGB colours for text
Purple = R204 G153 B209 & Dark Blue =R0 G51 B102

3. What this presentation covers
overall structure of the revised National 5 Modern Studies course assessment
what is changed/unchanged
detailed overview of each component
general guidance on preparing candidates for assessment

4. Structure of course assessment
Two components
Component 1: Question paper
Component 2: Assignment

5. An overview of what is changed/unchanged
Question paper
Increase in number of marks from 60 to 80
Increase in number of questions
Question paper now worth 80% of overall grade
Increase in time allocated from 1 hour 45 minutes to 2 hours 20 minutes

6. An overview of what is changed/unchanged
Assignment
20 marks
No changes to marks/structure/requirements
Three sections – Research Methods, Findings and Conclusions
NB – Change only in weighting from 25% to 20%

7. Component 1 – Question paper
Three sections – 6 parts
Section 1 – Democracy in Scotland and the UK
Part A – Democracy in Scotland
Part B – Democracy in the UK
Section 2 – Social Issues in the UK
Part C – Social Inequality
Part D – Crime and the Law
Section 3 – International Issues
Part E – World Powers
Part F – World Issues

8. Component 1 – Question paper
Content based on revised course specification
Combination of knowledge and understanding and source evaluation questions
Describe, in detail …
Explain, in detail …
Conclusions, Decision Making, Support and Oppose

9. Component 1 – Question paper
80 marks will be divided between the 3 sections of the paper
28/26/26 – rotational basis
Knowledge and Understanding = 50 marks
Skills = 30 marks
Describe, in detail – 4 or 6 marks
No change
Explain, in detail – 6 or 8 marks

10. Component 1 – Question paper
Allocation of 28/26 marks in a range of ways
For example, 26 marks could be made up of one 4 mark describe question and two 6 mark explain questions with one 10 mark source evaluation question
There will be an element of choice in the section worth 28 marks to allow for greater course coverage to be examined

11. Component 1 – Question paper
Source evaluation
Three source evaluation questions remain
Only one source evaluation question per section – all candidates will complete the same three questions
All three source evaluation questions now worth 10 marks
Conclusions – four bullet point prompts as opposed to three
Decision Making – no change
Support and Oppose – wording of question changed to omit “Selective in the Use of Facts”

12. Component 2 – Assignment
20 marks
No changes to marks/structure/requirements
Three sections
B: Research Methods – 10 marks
C: Findings – 6 marks
D: Conclusions – 4 marks
1 hour for completion under exam conditions
Research evidence should be submitted with assignment
NB – No marks will be awarded for a generic description of research methods

13. General guidance
Refer to the Course Specification for mandatory content to be examined in the question paper:
Assignment
Appropriate Modern Studies topic
Candidate research evidence is essential – no more than two sides of A4
Copying from research evidence/plan without any evaluation/analysis will be awarded 0 marks

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