Higher Politics Assignment

Multiple Choice

Starter

How many marks do you think the Politics Higher Assignment is worth?

• 26

• 28

• 30

• 25

Higher Politics Assignment

I can choose a topic and research it independently while compiling a resource sheet.

I can describe the key components of a Higher Politics Assignment.

Success Criteria

I can understand the marking allocation for the Assignment.

I can understand the Assignment Criteria for Higher Politics

Learning Intentions

​•Introduction: 5 marks

•Knowledge content: 5 marks

•Analysis: 14 marks

•Conclusion: 4 marks

•Sources: 2 marks

Marking Allocation

1.Choose a topic

2.Begin researching

3.Create a plan

4.Write a detailed introduction

5.Write each aspect

6.Write a detailed conclusion

7.Create a source sheet

8.Revise and learn for the write-up

Planning

​Any topic that is a political issue that invites debate. This lends itself well to ‘To What Extent’ and ‘Discuss’ questions.

Do not try to amend a previous Modern Studies, RMPS or English essay – it must be a political topic. History topics are fine.

It is perfectly ok to use an existing SQA question from Higher Politics past papers, but remember those are only worth 20 marks so significantly more work is needed.

Choosing a Topic

Choosing a Topic

Issue to Avoid

Possible Ideas

​Power, Authority, Legitimacy

Direct vs Representative Democracy

Socialism vs Conservatism

Liberalism vs Nationalism

Executive vs Legislative (UK vs US)

Constitutions/Judiciary

Voting Behaviour (Theories)

Campaigning (Traditional/Modern)

Political Parties (Big/Small)

​•Brexit

•Independence

•Terrorism

•Death penalty

Question stems that ‘narrow’ the focus too much:
E.g. – US President style Q that has ‘foreign’ or ‘domestic’ in the question title, limits your ability to speak about issues in wider context.

Political Leaders

Media (Traditional/Modern)

Voting (Compulsory/Lowering Age)

House of Lords

Monarchy
Countries Relationships

Representation (Women/Minorities)

Electoral Systems (FPTP vs PR)

Issue clearly identified – 1 mark

Background to issue explained – 1 mark

Background to issue explained in detail – 1 mark

Demonstrate awareness of several points of view – 1 mark

Significance of the issue is explained – 1 mark

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​Introduction

Draw

Read over the example introduction and see if you can identify the following allocation of marks - you should be able to draw on your own image.

1.Issue clearly identified – 1 mark

2.Background to issue explained – 1 mark

3.Background to issue explained in detail – 1 mark

4.Demonstrate awareness of several points of view – 1 mark

5.Significance of the issue is explained – 1 mark

 

The candidate identifies the issue in the first paragraph, the background is explained in detail making reference to 2010 and 2017 general elections. A brief awareness of several viewpoints is given and the assignment topic is linked to the political concept of legitimacy.

Knowledge and Understanding marks are where the points are:

Relevant to the issue candidates have chosen

Developed (by providing additional detail, exemplification, reasons or evidence)

​
Identified an appropriate issue about which there are different points of view. Explained the background to the issue. Explained why the issue is important or what political concepts it relates to.

​What would knowledge (KU) look like in my assingment?

Word Cloud

How can you show analysis in your assignment? Think about the factors and impact of your issues? Write down two words that would show this.

What does analysis look like in practice?

What does analysis look like in practice?

Conclusions

Most candidates will generally score 2-3 marks for the conclusion. When writing the conclusion consider the words and phrases being used in the marking scheme to aid this.

Multiple Choice

Do referendums strengthen democracy? Discuss

 

In conclusion the referendums do strengthen democracy in some ways as this increase citizen involvement as the importance and the effect they have does increase voter turnout and political involvement. Popularity does strengthen democracy as also increases political involvement via media and increases involvement in young people when consequently gives a generation of more politically involved people. However, referendums can damage democracy as they make it easier for both sides to play to voter’s emotions and fears which may consequently change the result of an election. Referendums also damages democracy as the two options leave the voters with a dilemma if they do not know what to vote for as there is never a third option.

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Multiple Choice

The electoral system is outdated and in need of reform?

To conclude determining whether FPTP is outdated and in need of reform depends on the question of what is an electoral system for? Supporters of FPTP believe it is to create a single party government with a clear mandate and those against believe it should have a fairer outcome. On the on hand FPTPs ability to produce a strong single party government allows parties to hold a powerful government within the UK. However, it has been proven that FPTP does not always produce a single party government. For example, the current government which is a coincidence and supply deal between the conservative party and the DUP on the other hand FPTP underrepresentation is a large-scale issue as it can be seen as undemocratic as minority groups are not fairly represented within parliament, creating a more proportional system would increase legitimacy as smaller parties would be able to hand their voices heard inside of parliament and represent minority groups by doing so. Overall, FPTP is outdated and in need of reform. The introduction of the additional member system would retain the successful elements of FPTP and create a fairer and equal system for every citizen in the UK as an electoral system should be reflective of the people, not a selected group. The fear of changing to a new system, is projected onto us by the two main parties, conservative and Labour as they have a lot to fear and challenge in regards to a new system as it will no longer be reflected of two parties. However, the additional member system is already and successful in Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections meaning the result of its success can be more or less predicted.

• 1

• 2

• 3

• 4

Conclusions

Do referendums strengthen democracy? Discuss

 

In conclusion the referendums do strengthen democracy in some ways as this increase citizen involvement as the importance and the effect they have does increase voter turnout and political involvement. Popularity does strengthen democracy as also increases political involvement via media and increases involvement in young people when consequently gives a generation of more politically involved people. However, referendums can damage democracy as they make it easier for both sides to play to voter’s emotions and fears which may consequently change the result of an election. Referendums also damages democracy as the two options leave the voters with a dilemma if they do not know what to vote for as there is never a third option.

2 Mark

Conclusions

The electoral system is outdated and in need of reform?

To conclude determining whether FPTP is outdated and in need of reform depends on the question of what is an electoral system for? Supporters of FPTP believe it is to create a single party government with a clear mandate and those against believe it should have a fairer outcome. On the on hand FPTPs ability to produce a strong single party government allows parties to hold a powerful government within the UK. However, it has been proven that FPTP does not always produce a single party government. For example, the current government which is a coincidence and supply deal between the conservative party and the DUP on the other hand FPTP underrepresentation is a large-scale issue as it can be seen as undemocratic as minority groups are not fairly represented within parliament, creating a more proportional system would increase legitimacy as smaller parties would be able to hand their voices heard inside of parliament and represent minority groups by doing so. Overall, FPTP is outdated and in need of reform. The introduction of the additional member system would retain the successful elements of FPTP and create a fairer and equal system for every citizen in the UK as an electoral system should be reflective of the people, not a selected group. The fear of changing to a new system, is projected onto us by the two main parties, conservative and Labour as they have a lot to fear and challenge in regards to a new system as it will no longer be reflected of two parties. However, the additional member system is already and successful in Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections meaning the result of its success can be more or less predicted.

4 Mark

Categorize

Options (19)

The Guardian

The Times

The Washington Post

The New York Times

The Huffington Post

The Constitution

The Declaration of Independence

Wikipedia

BBC News

National Geographic

Planet Earth

Making a Murderer

The Rise of the SNP

The Expenses Scandal

The National Records of Scotland

The Lords Library

Andrew Haywood - Politcal Theory

The Terrrorism Act

The Politics Review

Organise these options as sources for assignment into the right categories.

Newspapers

Government Documets

Websites & Books

Documentaries

Should be aiming for 6 sources to evidence their arguments of their assignment.

Must refer explicitly to two sources throughout their assignment (2 marks)

E.G  - The guardian stated that [insert evidence]. A quote from The Financial Times in 2023 stated that [insert evidence].

Resource sheet can be made up of bullet points, quotes, statistics, graphs etc but can have no analytical language on it.

1 side of A4

No reference to “this is for paragraph 1" etc.

Maximum 250 word count [Excluding (Source A) hyperlink etc)

Source Sheets

Poll

Plenary

How confident are you to chose an assignment topic and start to conducting research?

• Not at all...

• A little...

• Confident...

The remainder of the period I would like you to consider some topic ideas that are of interest to you and could be suitable for your assignment. Carry out some initial research and on Tuesday at our in person meet up we can have further discussions and question stem ideas.

Remeber this is just the initial planning and if you change your mind next week that is fine.

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