2. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 1 > THE DECISION-MAKING EXERCISE

3. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 2 What is the Decision-Making Exercise? The Decision-Making Exercise (or DME) is an exercise which tests your skill in EVALUATING complex source materials. It makes up Paper 2 of your Higher Grade Exam. It is also tested as a NAB for the Social Issues module during the course. You MUST pass this to ensure a full qualification in your Higher Grade course. The DME relates to STUDY THEME 2 of the course – ‘Wealth and Health Inequalities in the United Kingdom’.

4. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 3 The DME has 2 assessable parts: Part 1 - Evaluating Questions (worth 10 marks) Part 2 - A Written Report (worth 20 marks) Total 30 marks. You will have 1 hour and 15 minutes to complete the paper The DME in the SQA Exam The DME as a NAB Y our Prelim Exam may be set up to include the DME (Paper 2) as a NAB. If you pass the REPORT part of Paper 2, you have passed your NAB! If you fail the report part of Paper 2, you will complete your NAB re-assessment in class time – you will get a maximum time of 1 hour to complete it.

5. 4 How to tackle the DME – SQA Exam (1) STEP 1 Answering the Evaluating Questions (Part 1) Tackle these first! By doing this, it gives you the opportunity to read through each source carefully before attempting the more difficult report. There are 3 main sources – Sources A and B (opposing views) and Source C (Statistical Info.) Spend no more than 20 minutes on the evaluating questions; keep your answers short and relevant to what you have been asked. No prior personal knowledge is required – use only the sources you are directed to in the question. This exercise gives you an opportunity to pick up marks easily.

6. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 5 How to tackle the DME – SQA Exam (2) Answering the Evaluating Questions (cont.) The questions are based on source material provided within the exam paper. These resources might be newspaper articles, viewpoints, statistical tables etc. You will be required to be able to:  detect and explain examples of bias, exaggeration, selective use of facts etc.;  make comparisons between and within sources;  use evidence to support a given point of view.

7. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 6 How to tackle the DME – SQA Exam (3) What Are You Looking For? (Part 1) Contradictions Inaccuracies Omissions Trends Differing viewpoints Exaggeration Selective use of facts Bias Reliability of sources

8. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 7 How to tackle the DME – SQA Exam (4) REMEMBER! Use only the sources you are directed to in the question Use ALL the sources you are directed to. Do not add any personal KU. You do not have to write a great deal! Get through these quickly and efficiently - a maximum of 20 minutes!

9. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 8 How to tackle the DME – SQA Exam (5) THE REPORT (Part 2) STEP 2 Once you have completed your evaluating questions, it is time to move on to THE REPORT. This is the most important part of PAPER 2 You should spend about 55 minutes – 1 hour on this – 15 – 20 minutes for PLANNING (this is vital!) and 40 – 45 minutes for WRITING THE REPORT.

10. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 9 How to tackle the DME – SQA Exam (6) THE REPORT – What is it? (cont.) The report is actually the main Decision- Making Exercise. Here, you are required to “act out a role” eg. a “Government adviser, an “expert” etc. You will be given a task eg. as a health ‘expert’ you will have to write a report on a course of action to take in response to a question…… eg. There is a budget of £20m – you have to advise to build a clinic in an area of high deprivation or use the money to reduce the local hospital’s waiting lists………………. You must make a DECISION as to which course of action to take. You must use the SOURCES to support your decision. You should also include some appropriate KU in your report

11. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 10 How to tackle the DME – SQA Exam (7) Planning the Report (cont.) AppropriateTitle Role and Remit Your decision Arguments to support your decision then reasons for rejecting other option Possible difficulties A developed conclusion / signature Written in the style of a report.

12. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 11 How to tackle the DME – SQA Exam (8) Tackling the Sources (cont.) Read the question over again carefully, making sure that you know what to do. Pick the option you are going to support - then make your decision. Take TWO HIGHLIGHTER PENS. Use one colour to highlight on your source booklet all the points that AGREE with your decision. Then highlight all the OPPOSING ARGUMENTS a different colour. On your plan, summarise briefly the main points that support your decision and the sources they are from. Do the same for the points that present the other side of the argument. Look to see if points made in Sources A and B are backed up by statistics in Source C. Look for flaws in the opposing arguments that you can exploit. Look for opportunities for inserting any personal KU and abbreviate these into your plan.

13. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 12 How to tackle the DME – SQA Exam (9) Writing the Report You MUST demonstrate an awareness of your role when writing the report. You MUST quote the sources you are getting your arguments/ information from eg. “As can be seen from SOURCE A………” Quote supporting statistics or key phrases if you can. Try to cross-reference sources. For example, if you support the arguments for SOURCE A, try to see if any of the statistics from SOURCE C back up your evidence from SOURCE A. Try to see Sources A and B as the MAIN sources and SOURCE C (statistics) as the supporting sources. Make use of ALL the sources, not just one or two! DO NOT LIST POINTS without further explanation.

14. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 13 How to tackle the DME – SQA Exam (10) Writing the Report (cont.) Look for opportunities to put in relevant background knowledge (ie. KU) It does not have to be a lot (eg. some key pieces of information, the name of a key report and what it dealt with etc). But you MUST include some background knowledge (KU) if you want a good pass! Your report must have a GOOD STRUCTURE (eg. written under appropriate sub-headings etc.) – This is where planning is important! Finally, your conclusion should re-state your decision. Also briefly re-state the main argument that helped you reach your decision and perhaps a brief secondary supporting point. Sign your report with your professional title underneath.

15. Higher Grade Modern Studies - Evaluating Complex Sources 14 How to tackle the DME – SQA Exam (11) Finally…Some Common Mistakes! Structuring the report poorly - for example, like an essay. (Remember, reports have titles, sub-headings etc.) Writing over-long, rambling introductions Not using ALL the sources Not cross-referencing sources. Not putting in any background knowledge. Putting in too much background knowledge! Remember that, first and foremost, it is an exercise which tests your ability to evaluate complex sources! Listing points rather than explaining arguments. Being over-repetitive (result of bad planning!). Writing vague, over-simple conclusions. Failing to sign the report.

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