A2 Sociology

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A2 Sociology

• Religion Exam Technique

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Modules

• You will do two exams and one piece of
  coursework.
• Exam modules are religion and the synoptic module
  of Crime and Deviance.
• In the Religion exam you have an hour and a half.
  
• You should devote about 60 mins to the essay, 15
  mins to b, 10 to a, leaving 5 for checking etc

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Religion Exam

• The paper will provide one item.
• But unlike the AS exam the questions are split
  into two parts with one item.
• There are 2 short questions asked.
• There are two essay questions you pick ONE.
• This exam is worth 15 of your a level mark.

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Part one

• 1 (a) Identify and briefly describe two
  differences between a church and a sect (Item A
  line 8) (8)
• (b) Using material from item A and elsewhere,
  briefly examine some of the reasons why certain
  types of religious beliefs appeal to members of
  certain social groups. (Item A) (12)

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Part two

• 2. Religion today is not in decline rather
  religious beliefs and practices are simply
  undergoing change Assess this view in light of
  sociological evidence and arguments. (40)
• OR
• 3. Assess arguments and evidence for the view
  that in complex societies, religion is more
  likely to be a source of conflict and social
  division than of harmony and social integration.
  (40)

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How to score full marks 1 (a)

• Dont go into too much detail about the features
  of one type of organisation that you forget to
  say how it differs from the other type.
• You could say that in many sects there is less
  division between the leaders and the members
  (partly because of the higher level of commitment
  and knowledge that sects require just to be a
  member) eg) sects have forms of rotating
  leadership conducting services.
• You could also look at other differences. Eg
  Troeltsch argues churches are closely linked to
  the state sects are often persecuted by the
  state( frequently with the backing of the church)

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How to score full marks 1b

• Must do a brief conclusion to bring it together.
  You could use it to make explicit the main points
  about the poor, about social change and
  marginalisation, about the better off.
• Use the item. Use it to help you get started. And
  you can use it to think about the church/ sect
  distinction sects have ideas about appeal to the
  poor churches are conservative so they attract
  the privileged.
• Make use of sociological theories of religion.
  Weber theodicy of disprivilege Or Marxs idea
  of religion supplies the oppressed with an opiate
  and justify the privilege of the ruling class.
• Could also use NRM. Halveys study of Methodism
  or Niebhur on how a sect becomes upwardly mobile
  as its members beliefs make them more
  respectable.

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How to score full marks Q2

• Get to the question quickly so ensure that any
  definitions are linked to the question clearly.
  Eg) Durkheims def of religion makes it
  impossible to be in decline because its such a
  broad term.
• Make a clear distinction between religious
  beliefs and practices and deal with each one in
  turn.
• Religious practices. Which religious experiences
  are new or changing? Consider the problems of
  measuring them to see if they are declining, and
  the problems of addressing their meaning, which
  the item touches on.
• Religious beliefs. The samples opening remarks
  about definitions could come in here to discuss
  what counts as religious. NRMs could be better
  used by examples. Could refer to Herzberg who
  looked at American religion and link it to
  Webers definition from the beginning.
• Conclusion needed you could argue that religion
  is declining and changing. The changes are
  symptoms of its decline (Wilson argues) You
  should touch on belief and practice as the
  questions specifies both.

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Dont forget

• When asked to briefly examine it is a good idea
  to bring in both evidence from examples or
  studies and arguments and concepts from theories.
• Answers to briefly examine do benefit from a
  brief conclusion.
• Material that you might be familiar with from one
  context can often be used in another. Eg)
  knowledge of sects can be used for Qs on types of
  religious organisation, secularisation and
  religious and social change.
• Qs on theories on religion, secularisation or
  religious movements can often use the same ideas
  and studies but for different purposes. So know
  the material and how to apply it.
• Assess Qs mean you need to focus on evaluation
  making judgements based on arguments and
  evidence not just describing what sociologists
  have said