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2015 HSC Notes from the Marking Centre – Society and Culture

2015 Notes from the Marking Centre – Society and Culture

Introduction

This document has been produced for the teachers and candidates of the Stage 6 Society and Culture course. It contains comments on candidate responses to the 2015 Higher School Certificate examination, highlighting their strengths in particular parts of the examination and indicating where candidates need to improve.
This document should be read along with:

the Society and Culture Stage 6 Syllabus
the 2015 Higher School Certificate Society and Culture examination
the marking guidelines
Advice for HSC students about examinations
other support documents developed by the Board of Studies, Teaching and Educational Standards NSW to assist in the teaching and learning of Society and Culture in Stage 6.

Personal Interest Project

Candidates demonstrated strengths in these areas:

choosing topics that were sociological in nature and from a unique perspective
effectively demonstrating multiple perspectives throughout the central material to ensure depth of research
demonstrating a high level of social and cultural literacy
conducting a high standard of authoritative research and clearly applying this to the hypothesis
developing a clear and succinct hypothesis or research question that provided parameters for the research
identifying a clear cross-cultural perspective that was fundamental to the topic and integrated throughout
consistent analysis of research findings
making a strong connection to personal experience that was appropriately connected to substantial public knowledge
making judgements regarding the reliability, validity and bias of sources in the annotated resource lists
evaluating methods of research through critiquing findings with other research
analysing continuity and change throughout the Personal Interest Project
applying complex concepts appropriate to the topic and related to the syllabus
engaging with the research process throughout the log, reflecting on how and why the research took place and its effectiveness
integrating primary and secondary research into discussion within the central material
critically reviewing research methods throughout the conclusion while reflecting upon research findings
selecting an appropriate number of research methods to deliver useful, quality data for incorporation into the central material.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

identifying a connection to the course in the introduction to allow for a better understanding of the identified concepts
choosing topics that provide enough scope for the development and application of course concepts and appropriate research methods
clearly identifying the hypothesis in the introduction
ensuring that no identifying material about the candidate, teacher or school is included
using the log as a conceptual overview of the process, including specific details and critical reflection and evaluation, rather than in a sequential and diarised style
demonstrating the effectiveness of written communication through correct spelling, grammar, and formatting, effective integration of diagrams and demonstration of synthesis
triangulating primary research and secondary research to demonstrate understanding of the connections between personal experience and public knowledge
demonstrating and maintaining thorough and sustained synthesis
making judgements about research findings in the log
describing how the understanding of the hypothesis has developed in the log
addressing comprehensively the cross-cultural perspective and continuity and change throughout the central material
demonstrating an accurate and appropriate understanding of their chosen research methods, for example, content analysis, case study
ensuring that photographs, tables and graphs, are well integrated and enhance the communication of findings
acknowledging all research used in the central material
enhancing the integration and flow of the ideas within the central material with effective referencing (footnote or in text)
outlining in the conclusion how the topic has developed in relation to the hypothesis and including a critical reflection of the research process
including for each internet site, the URL and the most recent date the site was visited, along with an annotation that makes informed judgements on the usefulness, validity and bias of the information
meeting the syllabus requirements for the Personal Interest Project, including the correct components, font, spacing and word length as outlined in the Assessment and Reporting document.

Written examination

Section I: Social and Cultural Continuity and Change

Question 9

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

identifying social change at the macro level
giving examples of resistance to this change.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

ensuring that examples provided were of a macro level in society.

Question 10

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

identifying a country and a social theory
applying an accurate understanding of technology and how this has changed over time in the focus country
making a judgement about the validity of the social theory in explaining the role of technology
supporting the answer with relevant examples, course-specific language and Core topic concepts.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

ensuring the social theory is from the list in the syllabus
making clear and concise judgements
demonstrating social and cultural literacy in the response.

Question 11: Popular Culture

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

explaining how various forms of media influence the demand for popular culture
illustrating the result of this influence through appropriate and specific examples of popular culture, such as the increase or decrease in access and consumption of paraphernalia
applying a range of appropriate course concepts and language
demonstrating a detailed knowledge of a chosen popular culture, contemporary values and the nature of social change
making informed judgements on the ways popular culture expresses contemporary values that contribute to social change, supported by application of appropriate examples
constructing a sustained, logical and cohesive response and applying a range of appropriate course concepts.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

clearly demonstrating the relationship between the media and popular culture
effectively addressing all aspects of the question in a direct, concise and coherent response
supporting responses with appropriate and specific examples of media and popular culture
applying knowledge of a popular culture to address all parts of the question in a sustained, logical and coherent response, rather than providing a narrative or a learnt response
integrating a range of appropriate and specific examples to support judgements
applying appropriate course concepts
using appropriate language rather than informal or conversational language.

Question 12: Belief Systems and Ideologies

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

demonstrating the relationship between collective identity and values
using examples of values such as prayers in Islam, meditation/peace in Buddhism and baptism/love in Christianity
explaining the ways in which the philosophy of one belief system contributes to a collective identity
demonstrating understanding of values by providing micro, meso and macro examples that influence identity as a collective
making a clear and appropriate assessment of the effect of changing values on the collective identity of one belief system/ideology
integrating appropriate examples throughout the response to show the link between values and collective identity in one belief system
integrating course concepts throughout
demonstrating understanding of, and assessing the influence of authority in relation to ethical issues within that belief system/ideology
providing relevant examples to support an argument
applying the understanding of the concept of authority by including relevant and specific examples that clearly show the relationship to the belief system or ideology
making a clear judgement about the extent to which authority influences the ethical issues within the belief system /ideology
demonstrating a well-planned and organised logical flow of ideas.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

moving beyond just describing a value and/or how it reflects the belief as a collective identity
understanding the concept of values and collective identity
supporting the response with examples that illustrate their understanding
using related course concepts
showing the relationship between authority and ethical issues in society
integrating more detailed examples, consistently applying and integrating course concepts and language relevant to belief systems/ideologies rather than colloquial language
addressing the question rather than using prepared material.

Question 13: Social Inclusion and Exclusion

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

providing concrete and specific examples to illustrate the importance of social inclusion for one group
understanding concepts such as social inclusion and life chances
making the relationship between social inclusion and life chances clear
demonstrating an understanding of the relationship between limited access to modern technologies and social exclusion
providing concrete and specific examples of limited technologies and social exclusion in one country
providing sustained, clear and appropriate examples
integrating conceptual language appropriate to social exclusion.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

demonstrating skills in social and cultural literacy
using appropriate examples relevant to the question
writing in appropriate depth
understanding how social inclusion influences life chances
understanding the nature of modern technologies
supporting responses with accurate data
addressing the full intent of the question, rather than providing a description.

Question 14: Social Conformity and Nonconformity

Candidates showed strength in these areas:

demonstrating a thorough understanding of the intent of the question through carefully chosen and well-detailed example/s
clearly demonstrating applied knowledge and an in-depth understanding of how non-conformity can benefit wider society, such as by changing legislation
constructing a logical response that integrated depth study concepts to demonstrate a thorough understanding,
selecting an appropriate group that allowed enough scope to demonstrate how and why the group functions
constructing a cohesive response that integrated course concepts
integrating and effectively applying concepts such as deindividuation, deviance, values, world view, identity and agenda setting
making an informed judgement that demonstrated insight into the way group norms influenced cohesion and stereotypes
demonstrating insight into the relationship between norms or expected behaviour of a group, and the creation of cohesion and the generation of stereotypes by wider society.

Candidates need to improve in these areas:

integrating appropriate example/s to inform and support ideas in the response
demonstrating social and cultural literacy and understanding of a group rather than simply providing a description and criticism of the group
integrating appropriate concepts from the depth study into the answer to illustrate a thorough understanding of the group
creating a sustained and well-planned answer
making a more explicit and appropriate judgement
answering the question rather than providing irrelevant information
integrating appropriate example/s to inform and support ideas in the response.