Some observations, advice and guidance for the AQA A-level Topics

in Sociology: Option A1: Culture and Identity, 4th June pm

WORD OF WARNING. I am not an AQA Examiner and this advice is not

approved by the AQA Exam Board. However I am an experienced teacher, HOD,
ex-Chief Examiner, examiner and textbook author who taught AQA Sociology for
over thirty years. So hopefully you’ll find this guidance useful.

This document does NOT aim to predict 2019 questions. Be aware that examiners
have the right to ask you a question on any aspect of the specification even if a
similar question was asked in the previous year. This means that you need to
revise all aspects of the specification. However this document aims to guide and
advise you on what you can do to maximise your marks.

The 2017 exam questions: Topic A1: Culture and Identity

(1) Outline and explain two ways in which subcultures may be related to the
consumption of goods and services. (10 marks)
(2) Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways in which changes in
patterns of work may have influenced gender identities in the last 60 years
or so. (10 marks)
(3) Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate interactionist
explanations of how an individual’s sense of self is socially constructed.
(20 marks)

The 2018 exam questions

(1) Outline and explain two reasons why leisure choices may vary across
different age groups. (10 marks)
(2) Applying material from Item A, analyse two ways an individual’s sense of
self may be affected by their sexuality. (10 marks)
(3) Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the Marxist
view of the role of the socialisation process. (20 marks)

Some general advice (taken from the Examiner’s Report)

 Time management is essential. You should be spending the same amount of
time on Section B questions as you do on Section A questions.
 There is no need to write introductory or conclusive paragraphs for 10-mark
questions.
  If you are asked for ‘two’ ways, make sure the examiner can clearly see the
‘two’ things, perhaps by starting a new paragraph for the second point.
 There is no need for any evaluation in the 10-mark questions.
 It is important to develop each of the two points made in response to the 10-
mark questions with the use of illustrative examples which themselves must
make use of sociological concepts, evidence and theory.
 Don’t leave the 20-mark questions to last because this often results in the
response to the 20-mark Section B question being unfinished and/or being less
developed (because less thought has been applied to it). There is nothing
wrong with doing the 20-mark question BEFORE the 10-mark question so
long as you clearly note the number of the question in the margin.
 A wide range of material needs to be covered in your response to a 20-mark
question. You cannot include everything so you will need to be selective.
There is nothing wrong with including detailed references to 1-2 theories.
This is often better than making vague references to 5-6 theories.
 Evaluation is essential to your response to the 20-mark question but make
sure it is specifically geared to the question asked rather than just a list of
strengths and weaknesses you have learned by rote.

Areas to revise for the 2019 examination

Possible 10-mark question: Outline and explain OR analyse two differences
between mass culture and high culture.

Possible 10-mark question: Outline and explain OR analyse two aspects of folk
culture that exist in the UK.

Possible 10-mark question: Outline and explain OR analyse two ways in which
upper-class children are socialised into high culture.

Possible 10-mark question: Outline and explain OR analyse two ways in which
male and female children are socialised into gender roles.

Possible 10-mark question: Outline and explain OR analyse two ways that
families may employ religion as an agent of socialisation as a part of the child-
rearing process.

Possible 10-mark question: Outline and explain OR analyse two examples of

values that are important aspects of culture in the UK today.

Possible 10-mark question: Outline and explain OR analyse two ways in which
norms reflect values in the UK today.
Possible 10-mark question: Outline and explain OR analyse two ways in which
society helps to socially construct the identity of disabled people.

Possible 10-mark question: Outline and explain OR analyse two ways in which
ageism can contribute to the identity of both young and elderly people.

Possible 10-mark question: Outline and explain OR analyse two ways in which
globalisation affects identity in a postmodern world.

Possible 10-mark question: Outline and explain OR analyse two ways in which
ethnic minority culture and identity differ from mainstream culture in the UK

Possible 10-mark question: Outline and explain OR analyse two differences

between working-class culture and middle-class culture in the UK.

Possible 20-mark question – evaluate the feminist view of how gender role
socialisation.

Possible 20-mark question – evaluate the functionalist view that families are
personality factories.

Possible 20-mark question – evaluate the view that identity is socially constructed
via interaction and interpretation.

Possible 20-mark question – evaluate the social action theory of identity.

Possible 20-mark question – evaluate the structuralist view that identity is

imposed on people by social factors beyond their control.

Possible 20-mark question – evaluate postmodernist views on the role of

individualism and globalisation on the social construction of identity.