Exam Technique

Using Answer Templates

A-Level Sociology: Exam Technique

Developing and Using

Answer Templates.

Structuring Your Answers.

Page 1

Exam Technique
Using Answer Templates
At A-level, part of the problem that students have with answering
examination questions is not a lack of knowledge or ability. On the
contrary, able students with a good level of knowledge frequently find that
the answers they provide under examination conditions do not attract the
marks they expect, even though they wrote solidly for the duration of the
exam. There are two main reasons for this:
a. They did not answer the question. That is, they did not follow the
instructions given in the question.
b. They did not use all of the skills required by the examiner. The
main fault here is that such students did not interpret, apply and
evaluate the knowledge they supplied in their answer.
It is important, therefore, to understand that any examiner demands that
you do certain things. In basic terms, the rules of the examination
game are that you:
a. Answer the question that has been set (rather than one you
would prefer had been set) and
b. You use the skills the examination board has demanded of the
successful student.
In an A-level Sociology examination, a student is required to demonstrate
the following skills:
a. Knowledge
b. Interpretation
c. Application
d. Evaluation
e. Understanding
If an examiner demands these things - and rewards you according to how
successful you are in providing them - it makes sense to ensure that you
know exactly how to play by the examination rules. In order to achieve
this you need to practice (which is where the work set by your lecturer is
important).

Unfortunately, although students do practice answering questions, they

frequently fail to understand that the rules set by the examiner can be a
Page 2

Exam Technique
Using Answer Templates
massive help to them. The examiner, rather than being their enemy should
be seen as a very good friend. This is because they have been kind
enough to state clearly the basic rules that must be followed if a good
mark is to be awarded.
The successful student is not, therefore, always the most intelligent or
most able. The successful student is invariably the person who:
Understands the rules and
Uses these rules to construct an answer.
In the following, therefore, what I aim to do is to demonstrate a basic
technique for answering questions (especially, although not exclusively,
essay-type questions) that, once learnt, can be used and adapted
throughout the duration of your course to prepare you thoroughly for your
examination. This technique involves remembering three simple questions,
namely:

What (do I know about the question)?

Why (is this information significant to the question)?
How (can this information be applied to the question)?
Before we look at the technique in more detail, however, we need to
understand what is meant by the idea of skills.
a. Knowledge: The things you know (theories, explanations, facts...
b. Interpretation: What each piece of knowledge means.
c. Application: Examples of how this knowledge can be applied.
d. Evaluation: Conclusions about the value / significance of the
knowledge used. Arguments that may contradict the views you have
interpreted.
e. Understanding: All of the above, combined to provide a clear,
concise, answer to the question.

The What, Why and How? Template.

In basic terms, when you ask yourself these three questions you are
forcing yourself to consider the skills required by the examiner. Not only
Page 3

Exam Technique
Using Answer Templates
will you then score marks for your use of all the required skills, you will
also use your understanding of these skills to create a solid structure that
can be applied to any question.
What we are about to do, therefore, is to use the examiners rules to
create a basic template that can be used to structure any answer clearly
and appropriately. With minor variations you will develop as you use and
personalise the template, you will find that, providing you have some
sociological knowledge (theres always a catch to these things) and you
use that knowledge sensibly and intelligibly, this template will enable you
to create answers quickly and effectively throughout your course.
By the time you have to face your final examinations, the template will be
so ingrained on your mind that using it will be second nature. If you have
practised it enough you will find that you automatically use it to answer
the questions set.
Initial Preparation.
To use the template I am about to describe successfully, it is necessary to
do some initial preparation. This involves doing two things:
a. Looking at a question and deciding what it is asking you to do.
b. Identifying the basic knowledge around which your answer will be
based.
The question I have chosen to illustrate the template is taken from the
Education section of the syllabus and relates to the question of
Differential Educational Achievement.
Some sociologists have argued that differential educational
achievement on the basis of factors such as social class, gender
and ethnicity is the result of factors outside the school. Other
sociologists have argued that what happens inside schools is the
most significant factor in explaining educational differences.
Evaluate both of these types of argument (12 marks).
In the above question, you have to identify knowledge relating to various
factors inside and outside the school that may affect levels of educational
achievement. Your first task, having decided what the question is asking
you to do, is to identify knowledge that can be used in your answer.
Thus, you might quickly identify the following knowledge:
A. Outside School factors.

2. Cultural deprivation.
3. Parental attitudes to
education.

1. Material deprivation.
Page 4

Exam Technique
4. Primary / Secondary
socialisation.

Using Answer Templates

2. Self-fulfilling prophecy.

B. Inside school factors.

1. Teacher labelling.
By doing this initial (and necessary) planning you have completed the
What? part of you answer. The next thing to do is to start writing your
answer based around your plan. You will use each of the ideas youve
identified (your knowledge) as the basis for a paragraph in your answer.
Having done this basic planning, you can now use the answer template
illustrated below to develop a completed answer.
The answer template provides you with a series of prompts and stock
phrases that can be used to:
a. Clearly and consistently structure your answer to any question.
b. Ensure that you use all of the skills required by the examiner.
The answer template cannot, of course, provide you with the necessary
knowledge involved in any answer - hence the importance of initial
planning when you set-out to answer a question.
Finally, it is not suggested that you follow the template without question
(although it will be useful to stick to it initially to help you practice
structuring your answer. As you become more skilled and confident you
can adapt the stock phrases to your personal style, while still ensuring
you use the necessary skills.
Note: The writing in bold text is the standard text of each paragraph. Any
words in CAPITAL LETTERS are those you would put into the spaces
provided in the template (see the blank template if you dont understand this).
The text in [square brackets] is there to show you how the various skills
required by the examiner can be used to structure your answer and would not
be included in an actual answer.

[Knowledge: What do I know about the question?]

Page 5

Exam Technique
Using Answer Templates
The FIRST idea we can examine in relation to FACTORS OUTSIDE THE
SCHOOL THAT MAY BE A SOURCE OF DIFFERENTIAL EDUCATIONAL
ACHIEVEMENT is MATERIAL DEPRIVATION.
[Interpretation: Why do I think this knowledge is significant?]
The basis of this idea is that FACTORS SUCH AS POVERTY, LACK OF
PRIVACY AT HOME, LACK OF SCHOOL MATERIALS ETC. SIGNIFICANTLY
AFFECT THE ACHIEVEMENT OF SCHOOL PUPILS.
[Application: How can I apply these ideas to the question?]
For example, writers such as DOUGLAS (THE HOME AND THE
SCHOOL, 1964) found that THERE WAS A STATISTICAL CORRELATION
BETWEEN LIVING IN POVERTY AND A LACK OF EDUCATIONAL
ACHIEVEMENT (AS MEASURED IN EXAMS, FOR EXAMPLE). This is
significant in terms of the question because IT SUGGESTS AN
EMPIRICAL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN MATERIAL DEPRIVATION AND
EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENT.
[Evaluation: How can I criticise this knowledge? What conclusions can I
draw?]
However, one problem with this argument is NOT ALL CHILDREN FROM
POOR HOME BACKGROUNDS FAIL IN THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.
[Criticism]
This suggests we can conclude from this THAT EITHER POVERTY IS
NOT A CAUSE OF EDUCATIONAL FAILURE OR SOME OTHER FACTOR
HAS TO BE PRESENT IN ADDITION TO POVERTY. [Conclusion]

If we put the above together as you would write it as an answer to the

question (excluding the comment lines), your paragraph will look like:
The first idea we can examine in relation to factors outside the school
that may be a source of differential educational achievement is
material deprivation. The basis of this idea is that factors such as
poverty, lack of privacy at home, lack of school materials, etc.
Page 6

Exam Technique
Using Answer Templates
significantly affects the achievement of school pupils. For example,
writers such as Douglas(The Home and the School, 1964) argue that
there was a statistical correlation between living in poverty and a lack
of educational achievement (as measured in exams, for example). This
is significant in terms of the question because it suggests an empirical
relationship between material deprivation and educational
achievement. However, one problem with this argument is not all
children from poor home backgrounds fail in the education system.
This suggests we can conclude from this that either poverty is not a
cause of educational failure or some other factor has to be present in
addition to poverty.
Introduction and Conclusion.
We can use a similar technique to that used for the creation of paragraphs
(body text) when we consider how to create Introductory and
Concluding paragraphs.
An Introduction template, therefore, is as follows:

In this answer I am going to discuss [REWRITE RELEVANT PARTS OF

THE QUESTION].
This means I will have to [SAY WHAT THE QUESTION MEANS TO YOU].
I plan to structure my answer in the following way [BRIEFLY OUTLINE /
DESCRIBE THE ARGUMENTS, IDENTIFIED IN YOUR PLAN, THAT YOU
WILL DISCUSS].
We can begin, therefore, by looking at [FIRST THING YOU PLAN TO
DISCUSS].
If you are not confident about writing Introductory paragraphs, you might
like to think about writing the Body Text and Concluding paragraphs first
in rough.
When you are happy with the overall structure of your answer you can
then write the introduction and copy everything out as a final draft.

A Conclusion template, on the other hand, is as follows:

In this answer I have examined [REWRITE RELEVANT PARTS OF THE
QUESTION].
Page 7

Exam Technique
Using Answer Templates
From the arguments I have discussed, the following conclusions can be
drawn:
[SUMMARY OF CONCLUSIONS MADE IN THE BODY OF YOUR ANSWER].
Finally, therefore, I can conclude by saying that [PROVIDE AN OVERALL
ANSWER TO THE QUESTION IN ONE OR TWO SENTENCES].
The final sections of this document provide you with:
An annotated Body Text template
Blank templates that can be photocopied and the relevant ideas
copied into the spaces provided as a rough draft of your answer.
Alternatively, it is cheaper - and good practice - to copy the format of the
template prompts and stock phrases as you write the rough draft of your
answer.

Annotated Body Text Template.

The [NUMBER] idea we can examine in relation to [WRITE IN THE PART
OF THE QUESTION YOU ARE CURRENTLY ANSWERING]
is [IDEA YOU ARE GOING TO DISCUSS].
The basis of this idea is that [BRIEFLY DISCUSS YOUR
INTERPRETATION OF THIS IDEA IN TERMS OF THE QUESTION].
Page 8

Exam Technique

Using Answer Templates

For example, writers such as [NAME OF A RELEVANT STUDY]

argue that [OUTLINE WHAT THEIR ARGUMENT SHOWS].
This is significant in terms of the question because [SAY HOW IT IS
RELEVANT IN TERMS OF THE QUESTION - WHAT DOES THE STUDY
PROVE, FOR EXAMPLE?].
However, one problem with this argument is [A RELEVANT CRITICISM OF
THE IDEA YOU IDENTIFIED AT THE START OF THE PARAGRAPH].
This suggests we can conclude from this that [YOUR CONCLUSION
BASED ON WHAT YOUVE JUST DISCUSSED].

BLANK BODY TEXT ANSWER TEMPLATE

The

idea we can examine in relation to

is
The basis of this idea is that
Page 9

Exam Technique

Using Answer Templates

For example, writers such as

argue that

This is significant in terms of the question because

However, one problem with this argument is

This suggests we can conclude from this that

BLANK INTRODUCTION ANSWER TEMPLATE

In this answer I am going to discuss
This means I will have to
I plan to structure my answer in the following way:

Page 10

Exam Technique

Using Answer Templates

We can begin, therefore, by looking at

BLANK CONCLUSION ANSWER TEMPLATE
In this answer I have examined

From the arguments I have discussed, the following conclusions can be

drawn:

Finally, therefore, I can conclude by saying that

Page 11