Exam-style question
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What evidence would allow a candidate to assess parallels, connections, similarities differences — aspects of politics and political information, including in relation to parallels, connections, similarities and differences? Use the relevant political concepts and evidence from Assessment objectives.
- A.an Act, convention, constitutional provision, ruling or institutional example explained for both the UK and USA before reaching a judgement.
- B.An unsupported claim about which country is more democratic.
- C.A historical detail with no connection to the approved comparison.
- D.A personal preference presented as proof of institutional effectiveness.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- The correct answer is an Act, convention, constitutional provision, ruling or institutional example explained for both the UK and USA before reaching a judgement.
- The extract shows the meaning of the argument; therefore its implication should be stated before evaluation.
Explanation
Why this works
an Act, convention, constitutional provision, ruling or institutional example explained for both the UK and USA before reaching a judgement. This is correct because AO3 evaluation must test viewpoints using an Act, convention, constitutional provision, ruling or institutional example rather than unsupported opinion.
Apply parliamentary sovereignty, codification, federalism, separation of powers, checks and balances, conventions and judicial review precisely. the UK constitution is uncodified and retains parliamentary sovereignty, whereas the US Constitution is codified, federal and based on a formal separation of powers.
A structural viewpoint emphasises formal rules; however, a rational or cultural viewpoint may explain how actors use those rules. Overall, judge the evidence from an Act, convention, constitutional provision, ruling or institutional example and explain whether different constitutional rules alter institutional checks and accountability for "AO2 Analyse aspects of politics and political information, including in relation to parallels, connections, similarities and differences.".
This shows how the political information should be interpreted, and therefore why its implication matters for the conclusion.
Common mistake
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