A2 Sociology
Religion Exam Technique
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
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.
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)
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)
How to score full marks 1 (a)
• Don’t 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)
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 Marx’s idea of religion
supplies the oppressed with an opiate and justify the
privilege of the ruling class.
• Could also use NRM. Halvey’s study of Methodism or
Niebhur on how a sect becomes upwardly mobile as its
members beliefs make them more ‘respectable’.
How to score full marks Q2
• Get to the question quickly so ensure that any definitions are linked
to the question clearly. Eg) Durkheim’s 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 sample’s 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 Weber’s 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.
Don’t 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 sociologist’s have said