Paper 1 Review Lecture

JC2 Prelim Exam 2019

Overview of Lecture
Review of the four most popular essay
questions attempted

• Analysis of question
• Markers’ comments
• Handling of question requirements
General administration
• Please put away your mobile phones.

• Do take out your P1 essays (including the question paper). You can
take down relevant notes on the remaining pages of the 12-page
answer booklet.

• We will be referring to the GP revision cards. Do indicate which

page(s) that we are making specific references to.
 Q7: ‘In an age of technology, it is easier than ever before
to commit crime.’ Do you agree?
Key Terms Clarification
In an age of In the modern world where technology is prevalent, there is ease of access
technology to technological devices in various domains such as communication,
business, law enforcement, etc. Technology refers to machinery and
equipment developed from the application of scientific knowledge.

easier less difficult / involves less effort / have more opportunities

than ever compared to at any time before / the past
commit crime carry out an action that is deemed injurious to the public welfare or morals
or to the interests of the state and that is prohibited and is punishable by
law
Q7: ‘In an age of technology, it is easier than ever
before to commit crime.’ Do you agree?
Strengths
• Addressed the parameters of how technology is used and the
prevailing conditions in which technology is used.

• Clarified what crime was, instead of what crime should be, or is

claimed to be.

• Provided a good mix of landmark, contemporary and current

examples which were used to develop the topic sentences.
Q7: ‘In an age of technology, it is easier than ever
before to commit crime.’ Do you agree?
Weaknesses
• Provided dubious references to ‘reports’ and ‘articles’
• Note: Students, please do not spread fake news and make up these ‘reports’
and ‘articles’. As you proclaimed, it is a ‘crime’.
• Failed to engage the key words ‘ease of committing crime’ with
discussions frequently merely repeating claims about higher crime
rates or focused on apprehending criminals after a crime has been
committed.
• Provided example-driven reasoning based on examples from
lecture/tutorial notes without sufficient regard for the parameters of
the question.
Q7: ‘In an age of technology, it is easier than ever
before to commit crime.’ Do you agree?
How to do better
• Refer to GP Revision Cards. (Page 2/18)
A good topic sentence contains aspects of the key words for a more nuanced
engagement of the question.
Things to consider include the Types, Features, Functions, Impacts, Regulation
and/or Context of key words.

• Worked e.g. in the Revision Cards

Is regulation of the media desirable in your society?
Feature of media: wide reach
Feature of your society: multi-racial society with a fragile social fabric
Therefore, is regulation desirable? [Refer to the suggested TS]
Let us try to put the above into practice.
 A good topic sentence contains aspects of the
key words
• Q7: ‘In an age of technology, it is easier than ever before to commit
crime.’ Do you agree?

GP Revision Cards p2 Some Features/Functions/Impacts

(In) an age of technology
Allows people to have power and control
Types
Features Allows people to have greater efficiency in what they
do
Functions Easier to commit
Allows people to gain greater accessibility to
Impacts information, as well to other people crime?
Regulation Allows people to be “everywhere”, since technology is
highly pervasive in this age
Context
Allows people to be “anonymous”, since technology is
highly dynamic in this age
 Q7 ‘In an age of technology, it is easier than ever
before to commit crime.’ Do you agree?
Answering the question (p11 of essay guide)
Topic sentence 1: Using the feature of
access/accessibility in an age of technology
• The age of technology has provided criminals with
easy access to an abundance of information, which
facilitates criminal activities, more so than ever.

Topic sentence 2: Using the feature of power/control

in an age of technology
• The affordances of technology also facilitate the
establishment of complex criminal networks across
borders.
Application to other A level questions
(whereby the age of technology implies a period in the modern
world where technology is prevalent)
• 2003: Does the modern world place too much reliance
on technology?
• 2006: Does modern technology always improve the
quality of people’s lives?
• 2015: ‘Books serve little purpose in education as
technological developments become more
sophisticated.’ How far do you agree?
Some Features/Functions/Impacts
(In) an age of technology
Allows people to have power and
control
Allows people to have greater
efficiency in what they do
Allows people to gain greater
accessibility to information, as well
to other people
Allows people to be “everywhere”,
since technology is highly pervasive
in this age
Allows people to be “anonymous”,
since technology is highly dynamic in
this age
 Q11: Discuss the view that science and technology
is key to your society’s success.
Key Terms Clarification
science knowledge from the careful study of
the structure and behaviour of the
physical world especially by watching, measuring, and
doing experiments, and
the development of theories to describe the results of
these activities
technology the application of scientific knowledge for practical purposes
key of crucial or central importance
your society discussion to be contextualised to Singapore (non-Singaporeans
can choose to base the discussion on their society)
Q11: Discuss the view that science and technology
is key to your society’s success.
Strengths
• Candidates were able to give a reasonably relevant answer. They
concentrated on the subject matter, which is science and technology.

• They also provided adequate illustrations to support their answers.

• These candidates also concentrated on the local context-Singapore.

Q11: Discuss the view that science and technology
is key to your society’s success. Weaknesses

• The primary reason most responses were inadequate was that ‘your
society’s success’ was not adequately interpreted. Most scripts engaged in
vague discussions about the benefits technology had in Singapore without
any clear link to success evident or implied.

• ‘Science’ was often ignored in the responses and candidates are reminded
that in any question with both ‘science’ and ‘technology’, their responses
should engage both key words.

• The word ‘key’ was another stumbling block for students, with many
hijacking the essay when attempting to provide balance by discussing
another factor (e.g. governance) without any reference to science and
technology.
 Q11: Discuss the view that science and technology
is key to your society’s success.
How to do better
• Refer to GP Revision Cards. (Page 7/18)
Evaluation strategies for P1 and AQ
- How do we show that something is key (in achieving success)?

• Details in the Revision Cards

Varying degrees of applicability/Points of View (criteria of success)
• Causes in your society (Root cause) S&T leading to success
• Unique context of your society S&T’s response in influencing the level of success
• Degree of impact (Long Term-Short Term) S&T’s extent in influencing the level of success
How to demonstrate if something is key (to success)
Varying degrees of applicability/Points of View (criteria of success)
• Causes in your society (Root cause) S&T leading to success
• Unique context of your society S&T’s response in influencing the level of success
• Degree of impact (Long Term-Short Term) S&T’s extent in influencing the level of success

Answering the Question: Discuss the view that science and technology is key to your society’s success. (P19)

Leader Driver Contributor

Provides control and power
(Cause-Effect)
TS: Science and technology is key to
Singapore’s success as it enables us to
innovate groundbreaking solutions for
the world’s pressing problems. Doing so
would grant Singapore the competitive
edge needed for her to remain successful
in the years to come.
Provides the means to be efficient
(Unique Context)
TS: Singapore as a small nation faces
many unique challenges, and science and
technology has been and will continue to
be essential in helping us address these
concerns.
Provides the resources for something to
be carried out (Degree of impact)
TS: A fundamental understanding of
science and technology equips us with
sound knowledge that is crucial to
prevent dubious theories from
misleading the nation and hindering
success. Sound information is required
for people to make better decisions and
this is essential groundwork for a
successful nation.
Application to other A level questions
Leader Driver Contributor
Provides control and power Provides the means to be efficient Provides the resources for something to
(Cause-Effect) (Unique Context) be carried out (Degree of impact)

• 2010: ‘The key to good health is lifestyle rather than medicine.’ How far do you agree?
• 2012: ‘The key criterion for good government is how well the economy is managed.’ Is this a
fair assessment?

• 1999: Is a sound knowledge of science and technology essential for a well-educated person in
today’s world?
• 2011: ‘Taking risks is an essential part of life and should be encouraged.’ Discuss.
• 2018: How far is failure an essential part of success?

Note:
• Clarification- Key means to be of crucial or central importance, essential
• Primacy- You need to establish a clear link between the word “key” or “essential”, and the
subject matter(s) to be discussed. You cannot hijack the question by insisting that something
else is key/essential without referring to the subject matter(s) in question.
Q9: Does censorship still have a place in this
digital age?
Key Terms Definition

Censorship the suppression or prohibition of any part of books, film

news etc. that are considered obscene, politically
unacceptable or a threat to security. Censorship can be
conducted by a government, private institutions, and
corporations.
Still have a Continues to have a role / relevance / be useful / be
place pertinent / remain suitable
Digital age The information age where interconnectivity provided
by technology allows the ease of transfer of and access
to various types of information and news
Definitional Issues: What isn’t censorship?
• Not the same privacy issues (where companies store your data)
• Governments are not “censoring” companies when they have laws that
prevent them from keeping your data.
• Not all laws and regulations are censorship – they are mere subset
• Laws that prevent companies from taking your NRIC – not censorship.
The following questions are different:

Does censorship have a place?

Does censorship still have a place today?
Does censorship still have a place in this
digital age?
Does censorship have a place?
Does censorship still have a place today?
Does censorship still have a place in this
digital age?
Student Tendency to treat questions as if they
were pros and cons of the topic – ignoring all
keywords other than the topic
>>What are the pros and cons of censorship
Does censorship have a place?
• What are the pros and cons of censorship?

Does censorship still have a place?

• Censorship used to have a place. Does it continue to have a
place or not – given some developments in the present?

Does censorship still have a place in the digital

age?
• Censorship used to have a place. Does it continue to
have a place or not – given some developments in the
digital age?
Does censorship have a place?

Does censorship still have a place today?

Does censorship still have a place in this

digital age?
STILL: the same mistakes as MYE
• Do schools still have value
today?
• Lack of engagement with
keyword still
• Still implies that they had value
in the past.
• But the new context of today
now forces us to question & re-
examine schools to see if role of
schools remains constant
• Does censorship still have a
place in this digital age?
• Lack of engagement with
keyword still
• Still implies that they had value
in the past.
• But the new context of this
digital age now forces us to
question & re-examine the role
censorship to see if it still has a
place
Understanding the Question Requirements
Digital Age
Does censorship still have a place in this digital age?

Caxton
Prints VPNs Baby
books in Radio
Gossip Invented Shark
England Stations The first Encrypted
exists 1996 Song on
1476 formed internet 1995 Messaging
1000 BC Youtube
1930s ~2010

Socrates invents Today

David Kolb – Khan
Socratic Oxford ICT in Academy Kahoots
University Experiential
questioning Education formed 2013
founded Learning 1970s
400 BC takes off 2008
1096 ~2000s
Do schools still have value today?
 Understanding the Question Requirements
Digital Age
Does censorship still have a place in this digital age?
Caxton
Prints VPNs Baby
books in Radio
Gossip Invented Shark
England Stations The first Encrypted
exists 1996 Song on
1476 formed internet 1995 Messaging
1000 BC Youtube
1930s ~2010

Socrates invents Today

David Kolb – Khan
Socratic Oxford ICT in Academy Kahoots
University Experiential
questioning Education formed 2013
founded Learning 1970s
400 BC takes off 2008
1096 ~2000s
Do schools still have value today?
 What is the impact of the digital age on
censorship?
Some Features/Functions/Impacts Impact on Censorship (leaning towards ‘no place’)
(In) an age of technology
Allows people to have power and People have the power through technology (VPNs) to
control bypass censors
Allows people to have greater
People can get better and more efficient at bypassing censors –
efficiency in what they do
government plays catch-up
Allows people to gain greater
accessibility to information, as well Information is never truly censored – it can be accessed somehow –
to other people including dangerous information and people (ISIS)
Allows people to be “everywhere”, Our heavy reliance on tech as it is so pervasive, results in total
since technology is highly pervasive surveillance and total control over information (in some countries by
in this age their government)
Allows people to be “anonymous”,
since technology is highly dynamic in Difficult to censor someone who is “anonymous” - hard to prosecute
this age
 What is the impact of the digital age on
censorship?
Some Features/Functions/Impacts Impact on Censorship (leaning towards ‘no place’)
(In) an age of technology
Allows people to have power and People have the power through technology (VPNs) to
control bypass censors
Allows people to have greater
People can get better and more efficient at bypassing censors –
efficiency in what they do
government plays catch-up
Allows people to gain greater
Context drives issues
accessibility to information, as well
to other people
Information is never truly censored – it can be accessed somehow –
including dangerous information and people (ISIS)
Allows people to be “everywhere”, Our heavy reliance on tech as it is so pervasive, results in total
since technology is highly pervasive surveillance and total control over information (in some countries by
in this age their government)
Allows people to be “anonymous”,
since technology is highly dynamic in Difficult to censor someone who is “anonymous” - hard to prosecute
this age
Opposite of Still: No Longer
Possible Stands:
• Yes, censorship still has a place
in this digital age
• It still remains relevant, useful,
effective despite the context
• It is even more relevant and
useful given the context of the
digital age
• No, censorship no longer has a
place in this digital age
• It used to have a place but the
context has rendered it obsolete,
ineffective and largely useless at
stopping the flow of information
Opposite of Still: No Longer
Incorrect Topic Sentence / Idea :
Censorship no longer has a place because it hinders people’s right to
information, which is bad.

But censorship has always and will always hinder people’s

right to information – that is the function of censorship.

It doesn’t explain why censorship no longer has a place in

the digital age.
 Are you still

A-Level Questions with “Still” paying

attention?

Past A level Questions

Do handicrafts still have value when machine-produced goods are so readily available? 2018
In times of economic hardship, should a country still be expected to provide financial or 2014
material aid to others?
Should a love of one’s country still be encouraged? 2009
Is there still place for charity in today’s world? 2006
Is the idea of having one partner for life still a realistic one? 2001
Does pride in one’s country still have a place In the modern world? 1999

Note how each of these questions has a similar implied contrast

to the past – their question requirement is very similar to Q9.
In Summary
Strengths
• Understanding of censorship, and examples for and against
Weaknesses
• Lack of engagement with ‘still’
• Poor understanding of the ‘no longer’ arguments
• Lack of engagement with ‘digital age’ context
Q3 How far is sustainable living a realistic goal
in your society?
Key Terms Definition

Sustainable Describes a lifestyle that attempts to reduce an

Living individual’s or society use of the Earth’s Natural
Resources
Realistic Goal A goal that has a significant chance of success while
taking into account the resources and circumstances
faced: a goal that can be actualised
Your society Discussion must be contextualised to your society
(Singapore or your home country)
What isn’t sustainable living?
• Not the same as sustainable development (Geography students take
note and don’t go off tangent)
• Sustainable development should be linked to how it affects our living (our
lifestyle).
• E.g. Government introducing car-lite policies >> affects our lifestyle (we will
choose eco-friendly transportation)
• E.g Businesses creating green products >> affects our lifestyle (we can make
green choices in our consumption)
• Not the same as “living a long time” (Poor definition)
What is a sustainable lifestyle? [SCOPE]
Reducing Carbon Footprint

Use less finite resources Housing

Taking less airplanes
Use more renewables
Waste
Transport
management

Cycling or Walking
Sustainable
Living

Consumer
Food / Diet
Habits

Energy
Consumption
What is a sustainable lifestyle? [SCOPE]
Reducing Carbon Footprint Living in a smaller house

Use less finite resources Housing Materials are renewable

Use more renewables
Waste
Transport
Managment

Sustainable
Living

Consumer
Food / Diet
Habits

Energy
Consumption

Use less air-conditioning

What is a sustainable lifestyle? [SCOPE]
Reducing Carbon Footprint

Use less finite resources Housing

Use more renewables

Waste
Transport
Management

Sustainable
Living
Eating less meat/beef
Consumer
Food / Diet
Habits
Buy less packaging
Energy
Consumption
 Understanding the Question Requirements
Buy &
Throw Away
Society

Sustainable Living
Where we are now Can we reach this? in my society

Reliant on
Fossil Fuel
 Understanding the Question Requirements
Pragmatic
Buy & Government putting
Throw Away economy before
Society environment

Can we Growth
Sustainable Living
Where we are now reach ROAD BLOCKS in my society
this?

Consumeristic
Reliant on Singaporeans – love
Fossil Fuel eating meat

Slacktivism

UNREALISTIC
 Understanding the Question Requirements

Investment
Buy & into Green
Throw Away tech Forward looking
Society government

Sustainable Living
Where we are now We can achieve this! in my society

“Woke” Singaporeans
Reliant on
Fossil Fuel Climate Change
2019 rally
attendees

REALISTIC
 Passing
What is a realistic goal? GP is
realistic
goal!

• Realistic vs Unrealistic • Evaluation required (RC

pg 7)
• Achievable vs Idealistic • Strengths and
• Can be successful vs Weaknesses
Will never be successful • EV Lenses
Realistic Questions
Past A level Questions
In an age of rapid technological advancement, is a single career 2018
for life realistic?
‘Gambling on sport undermines its spirit and should be 2014
banned.’ How realistic is this position?
How far is increased prosperity for all a realistic goal in your 2013
society?
Is the elimination of global poverty a realistic aim? 2009
Note how each of these questions has a similar focus on
achievability / realism. The question requirement is very similar.
In Summary
Strengths
• Understanding of Sustainable Living & the policies related to it
through various stakeholders
• Evaluation of policies and initiatives – to see if they were successful or
could continue to be successful
Weaknesses
• Confusion over sustainable living vs sustainable development
• Small scope of sustainable living -
• Purely focusing on what sustainable living is, rather than considering
the keyword realistic
 BOOSTER SESSIONS
Qn Paper and Insert to be Answer Scheme, Lecture Slides Paper
uploaded by and Lecture Recording to be
uploaded by
T4W3 [Oct 4, Fri], 5pm T4W4 [Oct 9, Wed], 5pm 2017 IJC Conformity
[Double Passage]

T4W4 [Oct 11, Fri], 5pm T4W5 [Oct 15, Tues], 5pm 2015 ACJC Nostalgia
[Single Passage]

T4W5 [Oct 18, Fri], 5pm T4W6 [Oct 22, Tues], 5pm A 2019 Prelim Paper

T4W6 [Oct 25, Fri], 5pm T4W7 [Oct 29, Tues], 5pm 2016 A level Tourism
[Single Passage]
Current Affairs Quiz 2019
Top Three Positions JC2
The top three CGs are
First position 230
Second position 206
Third position 225