Past Exam Questions: June 'Education'

Unit 5: Education

May/June 2002

1. (a) Explain, with examples, the meaning of self-fulfilling prophecy in relation to educational achievement (9)

(b) Assess the view that education continues to be dominated by patriarchal ideology. (16)

2. (a) Explain, with examples, the meaning of meritrocacy. (9)

b) Assess the extent to which education is linked to social mobility. (16)

May/June 2003

1. (a) Describe, with examples, the patterns of educational achievements of ethnic minorities. (9)

(b) Assess the factors that may explain differences in the educational achievements of ethnic minorities. (16)

2. (a) Describe the process of labeling in education. (9)

(b) Assess the Functionalist view that education in modern industrialized societies is based on meritocratic principles (16)

May/June 2004

1. (a) Describe, with examples, inequalities that may exist within schools. (9)

(b) Evaluate the extent to which factors outside school influence educational achievement.

2. (a) Describe, with examples, the nature of the hidden curriculum. (9)

(b) Evaluate the extent to which pupil attitudes may affect the outcome of their education. (16)

May/June 2006

1. (a) Describe, with examples, two sociological theories that explain the role of education. (9)

(b) Evaluate the contribution of feminist theories in understanding the educational achievement of school pupils. (16

2. (a) Describe, with examples, the influence of peer groups on educational achievement. (9)

(b) Evaluate the view that in modern industrial societies education systems are meritocratic.

May/June 2007

1. (a) (i) Define the term material deprivation. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of the way in which material deprivation can affect education. (6)

(b) Evaluate the claim that in modern industrial societies state education systems act as a means of social control. (16)

2. (a) (i) Define the term gender stereotyping (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of gender stereotyping taken from education.

(b) Evaluate the contribution of interactionists to an understanding of the educational process as experienced by pupils. (16)

May/June 2008

3. (a) (i) Define the term material deprivation. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of the way in which material deprivation can affect education. (6)

(b) Evaluate the claim that in modern industrial societies state education systems act as a means of social control. (16)

4. (a) (i) Define the term gender stereotyping (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of gender stereotyping taken from education.

(b) Evaluate the contribution of interactionists to an understanding of the educational process as experienced by pupils.

Past Exam Questions: November 'Crime and Deviance'

Unit 7: Crime and Deviance

Oct/Nov 2002

1. (a) Describe two reasons why official crime statistics may not reflect the true level of crime in society. (9)

(b) Assess the view that ‘low levels of recorded female crime are a reflection of their lack of criminal activity.’ (16)

2. (a) Explain, with examples, the meaning of anomie. (9)

(b) Evaluate the usefulness of the ‘New Criminology’ in explaining why people commit crime. (16)

Oct/Nov 2003

1. (a) Explain, with examples, how ‘the self-fulfilling prophecy’ may contribute to levels of crime in society. (9)

(b) ‘Crime is an activity undertake by the powerless in the society’. How valid is this as a description of the perpetrators of crime in society. (16)

2. (a) Explain, with examples, the limitations of official crime statistics. (9)

(b) Assess the usefulness of self-report and victim studies in explaining the nature of crime statistics. (16)

Oct/Nov 2004

1. (a) Describe, with examples, the process by which an individual accepts a master status. (9)

(b) ‘the mass media plays a key role in labeling certain acts as deviant.’ Explain and assess this statement. (16)

2. (a) Describe, with examples, the reasons why the old apparently commit fewer crimes than the young. (9)

(b) Evaluate the usefulness of Marxist theories in understanding levels of crime in society. (16)

Oct /Nov 2005

1. (a) Describe, with examples how sociologists carry out victim surveys. (9)

(b) Evaluate the usefulness of New Left Realism in explaining the nature of crime. (16)

2. (a) Describe, with examples, the types of delinquent sub-cultures that can be found in societies. (9)

(b) Evaluate the contribution of feminist theories to the study of rime and deviance (16)

Oct/Nov 2006

1. (a) Describe, with two examples, what is meant by master status in relation to crime and deviance. (9)

(b) Evaluate the view that some groups, such as the elderly and females, may have little involvement in criminal activity.

2. (a) Describe, with two examples, what is meant by anomie in relation to crime and deviance (9)

(b) Evaluate the view that crime and deviance is a necessary and inevitable feature o society (16)

Oct/Nov 2007

1. (a) (i) Define the term white collar crime. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of white collar. (6)

(b) Evaluate the view that in modern industrial societies criminal behaviour is primarily working class activity. (16)

2. (a) (i) Define the term labeling. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of labeling in relation to crime and deviance. (6)

(b) Evaluate the view that official statistics tell us more about the processes of law enforcement than they do about who commits crime. (16)

Oct/Nov 2008

1. (a) (i) Define the term stigma. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of the way in which a stigmatization may influence levels of crime and deviance. (6)

(b) Evaluate the claim that crime is the result of labeling by powerful groups. (16)

2. (a) (i) Define the term anomie. (3)

(ii) Identify and describe two examples of anomie in relation to crime and deviance (6)

(b) Evaluate the claim that deviant behaviour is the result of dysfunctional socialization. (16)

Oct/Nov 2009

1. (a) (i) Define the term white-collar crime. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of white-collar crime (6)

(b) Evaluate the view that criminality is predominantly working class activity. (16)

3. (a) (i) Define the term Chivalry Thesis.

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two limitations of official crime statistics.

(b) Evaluate the view that women commit vey little crime. (16)

Past Exam Questions: June 'Crime and Deviance'

Unit 7 : Crime and Deviance

May/June 2002

1. (a) Explain, with examples, the relative nature of crime and deviance (9)

(b) Evaluate the way in which studies has contributed to a sociological understanding of deviance. [16]

2. (a) Explain how the level of official crime statistics may be affected by the activities of law enforcement agencies. [9]

(b) Assess the view that crime is an activity largely undertaken by young working class males. [16]

May/June 2003

1. (a) Describe the influence of ‘moral panics’ on levels of crime. (9)

(b) ‘Levels of crime reflect levels of deviance’. Evaluate this proposition. (16)

2. (a) Explain why females appear to commit fewer crimes than males. (9)

(b) Assess the view that working class males are more likely to commit deviant acts than others. [16]

May/June 2004

1. (a) Describe, with examples, the way in which some behaviour is labeled as deviant. (9)

(b) ‘High levels of crime among some groups in society can be explained in terms of deviancy amplification.’ Evaluate this view. (16)

2. (a) Describe, with examples, the differences between sociological and biological theories of deviance. (9)

(b) Evaluate the view that crime is a result of the activities of law enforcement agents. (16)

May/June 2006

1. (a) Describe, with examples, how societal reaction can play a part in creating deviant behaviour.

(b) ‘Society’s responses to crime and deviance serve to reinforce social solidarity.’ Assess this view.

2. (a) Describe, with examples, the patterns of recorded crime amongst young males. (9)

(b) Assess the view that crime in society is a consequence of ideological denomination(16)

May/June 2007

1. (a) (i) Define the term moral panic. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of moral panic. (6)

(b) Evaluate the view that most crime in modern industrial societies is carried out by young working class men.[16]

2. (a) (i) Define the term social order. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of social order in relation of crime and deviance. [6]

(b) ‘There is no such thing as deviance in society other than in the mind of the observer.’ Assess this claim. [16]

May/June 2008

1. (a) (i) Define the term moral panic (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of oral panic. (6)

(b) Evaluate the claim that crime levels are influenced by the mass media. (16)

2. (a) (i) Define the term deviancy amplification (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of the way that deviancy amplification may influence levels of crime and deviance. (6)

(b) Evaluate the usefulness of interactionist studies in explaining the nature of crime and deviance in society. (16)

May/June 2009

1. (a) (i) Define the term status frustration (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of how status frustration may lead a person to commit crime. (6)

(b) Assess the view that high crime rates can be explained entirely in terms of deviancy amplification. (16)

2. (a) (i) Define the term deviant career. (3)

(ii) Identify and briefly describe two examples of the way in which social control may discourage deviance. (6)

(b) ‘The most important influence on crime rates is the power of ruling groups’. Assess this view. (16)