Medium4 marksExtended Response
AQA GCSE · Question 02.2 · Active Citizenship
Discuss why you decided upon the type of action you carried out.
Discuss why you decided upon the type of action you carried out.
How to approach this question
Start by stating the action you took (e.g., wrote a letter, started a petition, organised a fundraiser). Then, explain the reasons for your choice. Why was this action suitable for your specific issue? You could also discuss why you rejected other possible actions. Use phrases like 'I chose this because...' and 'This was more appropriate than...' to structure your answer.
Full Answer
This question assesses your ability to think strategically about citizenship action. Different actions are appropriate for different goals. A petition is good for demonstrating public support. Lobbying a specific person is good for influencing a decision-maker. Fundraising is necessary if you need money. A good answer will explain the logic behind the choice of action, linking it clearly to the overall aim of the investigation. For example, if the aim was to raise awareness, a social media campaign might be chosen. If the aim was to change a policy, lobbying a councillor or MP would be more direct. Showing that you considered and rejected other options demonstrates a higher level of understanding.
Common mistakes
Simply describing the action without explaining the reasons for choosing it. The question asks 'why', so the justification is the most important part of the answer.
Practice the full AQA GCSE Citizenship Studies Paper 1
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