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Modern StudiesQ&A by dot point
A short Q&A bank for every Scotland Modern Studies syllabus dot point. Each question and answer is drawn directly from our worked dot-point page, so you can scan key concepts before opening the long-form answer.
Assignment and Skills
- The skill of detecting bias, exaggeration and selective use of facts in written and statistical sources, and how to identify objective and subjective statements.2Q&A pairs
- The skill of drawing and supporting conclusions using two or more sources, synthesising evidence, and linking each conclusion clearly to the evidence that supports it.6Q&A pairs
- The source-handling skill of evaluating the reliability of sources, judging origin, authorship, purpose, date, sample size, publisher and corroboration to reach a supported overall judgement.3Q&A pairs
- The added value assignment, including choosing an issue with alternative views, researching from a range of sources, evaluating source reliability, and structuring a balanced report with a supported conclusion.4Q&A pairs
Democracy in Scotland and the UK
- The ways citizens participate in democracy beyond voting, including joining parties and pressure groups, the difference between insider and outsider groups, the methods pressure groups use, and the factors that make them effective.3Q&A pairs
- The voting systems used in Scotland and the UK, including First Past the Post and the Additional Member System, their advantages and disadvantages, and how they affect representation and government formation.2Q&A pairs
- The role of the traditional and new media in democracy, how the media informs and influences voters and politics, debates about bias and ownership, and the impact of social media on participation.4Q&A pairs
- The place of Scotland within the UK and alternatives for its governance, including the status quo, further devolution and independence, the 2014 referendum, the powers of the Scotland Act 2016, and the implications of leaving the EU.2Q&A pairs
- The structure of the Scottish Parliament, the role of MSPs and the First Minister, how Bills become law, and the committee system that scrutinises the Scottish Government.3Q&A pairs
- The nature of the UK constitution, the sovereignty of the UK Parliament, the devolution settlement under the Scotland Acts, and the difference between reserved and devolved powers.3Q&A pairs
- The factors that influence voting behaviour, including social class, age, gender, geography, partisanship and the media, and how election campaigns and the conduct of campaigns shape how people vote.2Q&A pairs
International Issues
- The nature, causes and effects of a significant world issue such as conflict, terrorism, poverty or disease, and the impact it has on individuals, countries and the wider world.3Q&A pairs
- The USA as a world power, including its political, economic, military and cultural influence, its place in international organisations, and its relationships with other countries.3Q&A pairs
- The responses of individual countries and international organisations to a significant world issue, including the UN, NATO, the EU and NGOs, and an evaluation of how effective these responses are.2Q&A pairs
- The political system of the USA, including the separation of powers between the President, Congress and the Supreme Court, federalism, checks and balances, and how citizens participate.2Q&A pairs
- The social and economic issues facing the USA, including inequality and poverty, differences between ethnic groups, health and education, and government responses to these issues.2Q&A pairs
Social Issues in the UK
- The nature and evidence of crime in the UK, the groups most affected as victims and offenders, and the main theories explaining the causes of crime including social, economic and individual factors.2Q&A pairs
- The ways society and government respond to crime, including the police, the Scottish courts and sentencing, prison and alternatives to custody, and how effective these responses are at reducing reoffending.2Q&A pairs
- The ways the UK and Scottish governments respond to social and economic inequality, including the welfare state, benefits, the NHS and targeted policies, and how effective these responses are.3Q&A pairs
- The nature and evidence of social and economic inequality in the UK, the groups most affected, and the main explanations for inequality including individualist and collectivist views.4Q&A pairs
- The impact of crime on victims, offenders and their families, communities, the economy and public services, and wider society, including the link between crime and deprivation in Scotland.2Q&A pairs