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The Learner Guide for Cambridge IGCSE™ and O Level Global Perspectives outlines the course structure, assessment components, and aims of the program. It consists of three components: a written exam, an individual report, and a team project, each focusing on global issues from various perspectives. The guide emphasizes the importance of research, analysis, collaboration, and reflection in understanding and addressing global challenges.

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0% found this document useful (0 votes)
20 views

Learner Guide - gp

The Learner Guide for Cambridge IGCSE™ and O Level Global Perspectives outlines the course structure, assessment components, and aims of the program. It consists of three components: a written exam, an individual report, and a team project, each focusing on global issues from various perspectives. The guide emphasizes the importance of research, analysis, collaboration, and reflection in understanding and addressing global challenges.

Uploaded by

saina
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Learner Guide

Cambridge IGCSE™
Global Perspectives 0457
Cambridge O Level
Global Perspectives 2069
For examination from 2025
© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2024 v1
Cambridge Assessment International Education is part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment. Cambridge
University Press & Assessment is a department of the University of Cambridge.
Cambridge University Press & Assessment retains the copyright on all its publications. Registered centres are
permitted to copy material from this booklet for their own internal use. However, we cannot give permission to centres
to photocopy any material that is acknowledged to a third party even for internal use within a centre.
Contents

About this guide................................................................................................................................................................ 4


1. What you need to know................................................................................................................................................ 5
2. What will be assessed.................................................................................................................................................. 8
3. Component 1 – Specimen answer............................................................................................................................... 9
4. Component 2 – Specimen answer............................................................................................................................. 16
5. Component 3 – Specimen answer............................................................................................................................. 25
6. Advice and preparation............................................................................................................................................... 31
7. Study skills................................................................................................................................................................. 34
Learner Guide

About this guide


This guide explains what you need to know about your course and examinations. You should use this guide alongside
the support of your teacher.
Download and save the document to a desktop computer to be able to explore the interactive tools including the ability
to make notes and use the checklists.

The Learner Guide will help you to:


9 understand how you will be assessed

9 understand the skills you need to have

9 prepare for your Cambridge examinations

9 plan your coursework components

9 research effectively.

The aims of the course are to help you:


9 become independent and ready to take your place in an ever-changing, information-heavy, interconnected world

9 analyse and evaluate global issues and their causes, consequences and suggest possible courses of action

9 consider sustainability when analysing issues and suggesting courses of action

9 research and reflect on issues from different perspectives, independently and with others

9 work independently as well as part of a team, taking responsibility for your own learning

9 consider important issues from different perspectives and reflect on the links between these

9 assess information available to you and support your judgements with evidence and reasoning

9 communicate with others effectively and appropriately.

Cambridge IGCSE / O Level Global Perspectives gives you opportunities to find out about, and reflect on, key global
issues from different perspectives: personal, local / national and global.
It offers you opportunities to explore global issues you are interested in; to work independently and to research on
your own. It also gives you the chance to build your team-working skills, collaboration and co-operation as you work
with others to explore solutions to local issues.
The course is not about getting everybody to think identically; it is about finding out what others think and feel about
the global issues of today, reflecting on different perspectives and taking others’ ideas into consideration.

4
Learner Guide

1. What you need to know


This section gives you an outline of the syllabus content for this course. Ask your teacher for more detail about the
course.

The course is made up of three components.

Component 1
Written Exam
This is a formal examination. You will have 1 hour 25 minutes to complete the whole examination and will be given
source material to read. Read the booklet carefully and you must answer all four questions.
The source material will include claims, arguments and evidence from different perspectives on a global issue from
the topic list.

Component 2
Individual Report
This component is coursework. Choose a topic from the list. When you have chosen your topic, do some general
research to identify any issues related to the topic. For the Individual Report an issue means a problem or a cause
of disagreement. Choose only one issue to concentrate on and to research in depth. Your issue should be of
global importance and your question should be about the issue. The easiest questions to ask and answer (and to
research) are questions which can be answered yes or no.
Decide on a research question and research different perspectives on this issue and then present your findings in
the form of an essay (1500–2000 words).

Component 3
Team Project
This component is coursework. Work with a team of other learners to decide on a relevant local issue that you
would like to address. All learners should research the issue in advance and collaborate and co-operate to decide
on a suitable project. Work together to plan and carry out the project to achieve the agreed aim.
The Team Project has two elements:
• Team Element
• Personal Element
Team Element
The team collaborates to produce one Explanation of Research and Planning and one Evidence of Action.
The Explanation of Research and Planning: 10 marks
This is a piece of writing produced by your whole team. It should include:
• the topic your team has chosen
• a local issue your team wants to address
• what each team member will research
• An outline of the action your team will take
• the plan of action
• the roles and responsibilities of team members
• how your team will evidence your action
• how your team will measure the success of your action.
The Explanation of Research and Planning should be between 300 and 400 words. Any writing after the first 400
words will not be read or credited.

5
Learner Guide

The Evidence of Action: 5 marks


Each team submits an Evidence of Action for their Team Project to show what they have done. The Evidence
of Action can take any appropriate form such as posters, leaflets, web pages, videos (10 minutes maximum),
presentations or photographs of an event. This is something that has been produced during the action. it should
not include evidence of research or initial meetings to discuss the project. All members of the team will be awarded
the same mark for the Explanation of Research and Planning and for the Evidence of Action.
Collaboration: 10 marks
Your teacher will observe you and give a mark to your team for collaboration. There are 5 marks for how well the
whole team works together and 5 marks for how you have collaborated with the rest of your team.
Your teacher will be looking for the following aspects of good collaboration:
• clear communication between team members
• sharing and developing ideas
• agreeing targets and deadlines
• solving problems
• being flexible when required
• dividing tasks between team members and recognising all members’ contributions
• asking for and giving support to others when needed.

Personal Element
Reflective Paper: 45 marks
Each member of the team will write and submit a separate Reflective Paper. The Reflective Paper can be up to
1000 words. Any writing after the first 1000 words will not be read or credited. You will be assessed on your skills in
research, analysis and evaluation, reflection and communication.
You will receive your own mark for your Reflective Paper, as you will complete this on your own.

Topic list
This topic list is for all three components.

Arts in society Law and criminality


Change in culture and communities Media and communication
Climate change, energy and resources Migration and urbanisation
Conflict and peace Political power and action
Development, trade and aid Poverty and inequality
Digital world Social identity and inclusion
Education for all Sport and recreation
Employment Technology, industry and innovation
Environment, pollution and conservation Transport, travel and tourism
Globalisation Values and beliefs
Health and wellbeing Water, food and agriculture

Always check the syllabus for the year you are taking the examination which is available at
www.cambridgeinternational.org

6
Learner Guide

How you will be assessed


You will be assessed using three components:
• Component 1 – Written Exam
• Component 2 – Individual Report
• Component 3 – Team Project
This table summarises the key information about each component.

Component Time and Details Percentage of


marks qualification

Component 1 1 hour 25 This is a formal examination. You will sit the exam under 35%
minutes examination conditions.
Written Exam
70 marks Answer all four questions based on a range of sources.
Sources will present a global issue from a range of
perspectives, personal, local and/or national, global.
(See list of topics.)
Question 1 (18 Marks) has three or four parts. You should
read the sources and analyse information, arguments and
perspectives about the issue.
Question 2 (16 marks) has two parts. You should evaluate
research in one of the sources and suggest ways to research
or test a claim.
Question 3 (16 marks) is based on a source that presents
different arguments about the issue. You should analyse
and evaluate the different arguments and make a judgement
about their quality.
Question 4 (20 marks) is based on all the sources in
the Insert. You should assess actions and explain your
judgements with reasons and advice.
Component 2 60 marks Research one global issue on a topic from the list provided. 30%
Individual (your teacher Research different perspectives – local and / or national, and
Report will give you the global on your chosen issue.
deadline date)
(Coursework) Reflect on your own personal perspective.
Submit a report on your research. You choose your own title.
The report is written in essay-style and must be between
1500–2000 words.
Component 3 Team Element Work in a team to choose a topic and identify a local issue. 35%
45 marks Work together to develop a project that will help on the local
Team Project
issue.
Personal
(Coursework)
Element 45 Team Element: As a team you produce one Explanation
marks of Research and Planning (of 300–400 words) and one
Evidence of Action. Your teacher will also observe you
Total 70 marks
collaborating in your team.
(your teacher
Personal Element: Write a Reflective Paper on your own
will give you the
research for the project, your learning from the project, your
deadline date)
own contribution and the experience of working with others.
(750–1000 words)

7
Learner Guide

2. What will be assessed


The areas of knowledge, understanding and skills that you will be assessed on are called assessment objectives
(AOs).
The examiners take account of the following skills areas in the components:
• Research, analysis and evaluation
• Reflection
• Communication and collaboration
It is important that you know the different weightings (%) of the assessment objectives, as this affects how the
examiner will assess your work.

Assessment Weightings What do you need to be able to do?


objectives (AO) (%)
AO1 Research, 68% • research global issues, their causes, consequences and possible
analysis and course(s) of action
evaluation • use evidence to support claims, arguments and perspectives
• identify and analyse issues, arguments and perspectives
• analyse and evaluate the evidence and reasoning used to support
claims, arguments and perspectives
• analyse and evaluate sources and/or processes to support research,
arguments, perspectives and an outcome
• support an argument, a perspective, or course(s) of action with logical
reasoning.
AO2 Reflection 15% • think about different perspectives objectively and with empathy
• support personal perspective(s) with evidence and reasoning
• think about how research, engagement with different perspectives and
working as part of a team, have influenced personal learning.
AO3 17% • select and present relevant arguments, evidence and perspectives
Communication clearly and with structure
and collaboration • present research, and include citations and references
• contribute to the Team Project.

8
Learner Guide

3. Component 1 – Specimen answer


This section takes you through a specimen answer from Component 1 Written Exam – Specimen Paper Question 4.
It will help you to see how to identify command (instruction) words within Question 4 and to understand what is required
in your response.

All information and advice in this section is specific to the example question and
response being demonstrated. It should give you an idea of how your responses might
be viewed by an examiner but it is not a list of what to do in all questions. In your own
exam, you will need to pay careful attention to what each question is asking you to do.

Question 4 (20 marks) 7

4 A government wants to reduce hunger for people living in poverty.

The following actions are being considered:

• Provide free food in areas of poverty.


• Invest in new farming technologies.
• Train people to grow and sell food in local areas.

Which one of these actions would you recommend to the government, and why?

In your answer, you should:

• state your recommendation


• give reasons and evidence to support your choice
• use the material in the sources and/or any of your own ideas
• consider different arguments and perspectives.

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[20]
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Learner Guide

Insert 2

Source 1

The United Nations has a sustainable development goal to end hunger and poor nutrition. There has
been progress towards this goal globally.

However, over 2 billion people suffer from food insecurity. This means they cannot get enough food on
some days of the year. In 2021 the United Nations estimated that 800 million people regularly suffered
from hunger and poor nutrition.

Causes of hunger and poor nutrition


• Poverty and unemployment
• Food shortages
• Extreme weather and climate change
• Food waste
• War and conflict
• Unfair international trade

Source 2

We are a food charity campaigning against world hunger.

Pandemics and rising food prices mean that food shortages are affecting more people. Worldwide,
about 25 per cent of children do not get the food they need to grow and thrive – to become healthy
adults and fulfil their dreams. Hunger always destroys health, education and employment.

We must have compassion and care for everyone. We must not ignore their struggle to survive. Join us
and bring hope to the hungry. Support our food programmes and help millions every year.

Protest about hunger. Donate to the United Nations World Food Programme. When people come
together and demand change, extraordinary things happen. Together, we can build a better world
where everyone has a right to food.

Adapted from a food charity website accessed in 2021

Source 3: A school student’s research project

I wanted to learn about action to end world hunger. To get some ideas, I decided to talk to the manager
of a local food project in my city. Mrs Blum was enthusiastic about the success of her work and gave
me permission to do the case study.

The interview took place in her city farm – a large garden of an old house. There were gardeners from
the project working near to where the interview took place. Sometimes this made it difficult to hear
what we were saying. At other times the gardeners could also hear our conversation. I wrote some
notes to help me remember what she said.

Mrs Blum said: ‘We do not want to give away free food and make people dependent. Let’s help them
to solve problems for themselves and give them dignity. We teach people how to grow and sell healthy
food in the market to earn money. Most people enjoy growing their own food.’

From a school research project in Europe, 2021

10
Learner Guide

Source 4: A radio debate about food production

Grace

There is a revolution in food production. My father is a farmer and he says that more food can be
produced so that everyone can eat. New technologies can solve food shortages and hunger across the
world.

Self-driving tractors linked to satellites can work all day and night to produce more food. Computers
can gather data about the weather and soil conditions. This helps farmers know the best time to plant
seeds and use fertiliser. Seeds can be genetically modified to grow in poor soil and resist pests and
diseases.

I think that people are hungry because trade is unfair. Big food companies process food to make
huge profits. They sell the food to wealthy people in rich countries. Food should be a human right for
everyone.

Seth

Industrial farming is not the solution to hunger. It destroys habitats and the environment. Rain forests in
South America are being cut down to grow grass for cattle. We lose many plants and animal species,
and the soil is harmed. This causes climate change, making food production more difficult.

We need a cleaner, greener approach. Farming should be given back to local people who grow
native food crops that reflect their cultures. In the magazine New Internationalist, case studies from
Mexico and Tanzania show that communities can take control of their own food. Traditional crops and
composting can improve the soil. The United Nations World Food Programme supports this approach.

Everyone can help by eating ethically – eat enough, not too much! Choose organic food without
chemicals. Eat less meat because plants need less energy to grow. We must eat sustainably.

11
© Cambridge University Press & Assessment 2022 0457/01/SI/25
Learner Guide

Command and key words


This section will help you to understand how to identify command words and key words within exam questions, and to
understand what is required in your response.
A command word is the part of the question that tells you what you need to do with your knowledge. For example, you
might need to describe something, explain something, or argue a point of view. It is important that you understand
the command words which indicate the approach you should take to answer the questions. Command words may be
listed in the syllabus. The context of the whole question will affect the explicit meaning of the command words.

The information and advice given below, is specific to this


example exam question. In your exam, you need to pay
careful attention to what each question is asking you to do.

Now let’s look more closely at Question 4.


The command words in the questions have been highlighted and their meanings explained. This should help you to
understand clearly what is required.

Clearly write down your recommendation. The Explain why you have chosen this action. You must
examiner needs to be sure which you have give more than one reason for choosing the action
chosen from the three actions. you have chosen. You must support your points with
information and examples from the sources.

In your answer you should:


• state your recommendation
• give reasons and evidence to support your choice
• use the material in the sources and/or any of your own ideas
• consider different arguments and perspectives.

Your answer must clearly mention the sources You must discuss at least one of the other options,
you have read so that what you write is clearly explaining why one or more of them might be chosen
linked to the source material. Your ideas must be or considered the best by someone else, to show
connected to the topic and the question you are that you have thought about and understood different
answering. views on the issue.

12
Learner Guide

Specimen answer (Question 4) Examiner comments


To reduce hunger for people living in poverty I would
advise the government to train people to grow and sell
1 1 Clearly states recommendation.
food in their local areas.
Training people provides a long-term solution to the
problem of hunger and helps people to help themselves
– it is sustainable. Training gives people the skills they
need to grow food and ensure that their families and
the local community will have access to food every
year. In addition, people will be able to grow more food
than they need and sell the surplus to others in the
local market. This will create wealth for the growers
and bring them out of poverty at the same time as
increasing the local supply of food to those who cannot
grow their own food. As the saying goes, ‘give someone
a fish and feed them for a day; teach them how to fish 2 2 Explains a range of reasons
and feed them for life.’ why this is a good approach,
provides supporting detail.
This action also has the most impact because the Considers how this will help people
training can be related to the local culture and in poverty. All directly relevant to
environment, making it more acceptable in each the issue and the chosen action.
Explains the impact.
community. When people see its success, they will share
their experience and train others, spreading skills. They
will also teach their own children and the knowledge
will be available for future generations. Seth in Source
4 agrees with this approach when he says, ‘farming
should be given back to local people who grow native 3 3 Explains the choice from the
food crops that reflect local cultures.’ cultural perspective of local people.
Quotes from Source 4 as evidence
The government will also benefit because there will
to support the choice. Explains the
be no need to pay for food aid. If people escape impact.
poverty and sell produce, they will be able to pay
taxes. Children can go to school healthy and learn,
fulfilling their potential, as the food charity claim in
Source 2. They can then get better jobs and pay more
taxes to the government as the economy improves.
The additional income can be spent on other services
to improve and develop the country. It becomes a 4 4 Provides another perspective
(government) and links it to Source
‘virtuous circle’!
2. Gives more reasons why this is a
good solution. Explains the impact.

13
Learner Guide

Specimen answer (Question 4) Examiner comments


Investing in new industrial farming technologies takes
a long time and will not necessarily work in all places
and environments. For example, growing food in a
desert will always be very expensive and use precious
water. It is also very expensive, requires continuing
maintenance and high-level technical skills that are
5 5 Considers one of the other
difficult to teach. possibilities and says it would not
Providing free food is also very expensive, it only has be good. It is not very clear how
the example is relevant to the issue
a short-term impact and does not provide a practical of poverty and hunger. Not very
way to solve the problem. It creates dependency on detailed.
others and more inequality because the problem is not
solved by tackling the cause. Training people to grow
6 6 Considers another possibility
and sell food tackles the cause of hunger.
and explains why it is not as good
So, I believe that the best action is to train people how as the chosen action.
to grow food. It is more effective and follows the United
Nations’ plans to create a more sustainable future that
reflects local needs and reduces worldwide poverty by
action at a local level. 7 7 Concludes with a reasoned
judgement, gives details of why this
is the best action. Relates the action
to sustainability.
AO1 Use evidence and reasons to
support arguments
= 7 out of 8

AO1 Develop a line of reasoning


= 7 out of 8

AO1 Judgements about


perspectives and action
= 4 out of 4

Total mark awarded = 18 out of 20

Examiner comment
The candidate clearly stated at the beginning which action they have chosen.
The candidate used evidence and reasons well to support the recommendation they made.
A wide range of evidence and reasons were given. For example, the candidate mentioned the food charity in Source
2, Seth in Source 4 and referred to the United Nations in the conclusion. The candidate provided reasons including
how much impact this action would have, how successful the actions might be, sustainability, local action, economic
reasons and how it was relevant to the local culture.
Most of the reasons and evidence were relevant to the question about how the government could reduce hunger
caused by poverty and to the recommendation: training people to grow and sell food locally. However, there was some
material that was not so relevant to this question, such as water shortages in deserts. The alternative actions were not
explored in much detail.
14
Learner Guide

The argument was clear, and well-structured in paragraphs. Each paragraph looked at a different aspect, making it
easy to follow the argument. The recommendation was supported well with evidence, explanations and examples, this
made it convincing and meant that the final judgement was supported.

The argument referred to the issue often, so in general, the reasoning was clear.

The candidate explored different perspectives and discussed all three actions, although they did not provide much
detail about the actions they rejected. They could have given more consideration of the other possible actions, with
more details about their impacts, and their strengths as well as their weaknesses as a government solution.

The candidate could have taken more care with the material used so that it is clear how all of it relates to the question,
the issue and the action. This can be done by explaining the relationship between any examples provided and the
question being answered. (for example, the comment about water shortages in deserts may have been relevant, but
its relevance was not explained or made clear)

Common errors and general guidance


• Explain your reasons. If you write something like: ‘it would be good for the economy’ you should explain how or
why it would be good for the economy. A simple explanation is enough.
• Write about what will happen if the government chooses this approach. Imagine the future effects.
• Try to give several different reasons. These reasons should be fully explained.
• When giving an opinion or a fact, explain it and give reasons or evidence for your opinion or to support the fact
stated.
• Use information from the sources in the INSERT (Resource Booklet): Quote the source directly or write in your
own words. It is helpful if you say which source you are using. For example: Seth in Source 4… says, ‘farming
should be given back to local people who grow native food crops that reflect local cultures.’ Show clearly how
this information supports your ideas. You can use it in a discussion of your ideas, or you can explain how it
supports your argument.
• Discuss some of the other options so that you give a balanced answer. Show that you have thought about why
those might be good options, or why someone might prefer them. It can help if you compare them with your
choice.
• Write a conclusion to remind the examiner of what your choice was, and why. It can be a short, simple
conclusion, one or two sentences is acceptable.

15
Learner Guide

4. Component 2 – Specimen answer


This section takes you through an example of an Individual Report (IR). It will help you to understand some of the
criteria and what is required in your IR. All information and advice in this section is specific to the IR.
The mark weightings allocated to each of the assessment objectives are:
AO1 – 40 marks
AO2 – 5 marks
AO3 – 15 marks

Specimen answer (Individual Report) Examiner comments


Topic: Health and Wellbeing
Issue: Corporal punishment in the home
Research question: Should parents be banned from
using corporal punishment? (1991 words) 1 1 As this question says
‘Should…?’ we understand that
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the this is a question that people have
Child1 Article 19 says governments must protect different views on and it can be
answered Yes it should / No it
children from violence, abuse and being neglected by
shouldn’t.
anyone who looks after them. Article 3 says when
adults make decisions, they should think about how
their decisions will affect children. All adults should do
what is best for children.1
Corporal punishment is a form of violence. It is
punishment that causes physical pain.2 Corporal
punishment happens at home, school, and in judicial
systems.2 Most European countries have banned all
three types. Sweden was the first country to ban
corporal punishment in 1966. By 2019, 58 Countries
banned corporal punishment, so that shows it is
an issue in all those countries and probably also in
countries where it has not been banned.2 Human
Rights Watch estimated that about 90% of countries
had made corporal punishment for children illegal.
My research focus is corporal punishment of children
at home. I want to find out why parents use this
punishment, how it affects children and what we
should do to solve this issue. 2 2 The candidate gives us an
introduction that shows this is a
There are a lot of different ideas about parenting global issue. The introduction gives
around the world. Different cultures have different us an idea what the candidate is
family traditions and new research is telling us new going to tell us about.

information about parenting.

16
Learner Guide

Specimen answer (Individual Report) Examiner comments


Some people believe there are four main types of
parenting:
Authoritarian: parents believe their children should
do as they are told and obey all rules without any
discussion.
Authoritative: parents have clear rules, but their
children's thoughts and feelings are considered.
Permissive parents are easy-going. They let their
children do what they want and only get involved if
something goes badly wrong.
Uninvolved parents usually do not know what is
happening or what their children are doing. They don’t
usually set any rules. www.verywellfamily.com/types-
of-parenting-styles-1095045
Authoritarian parents are the most likely to give
punishments to their children and that can include
violence - corporal punishment. Corporal punishment is
common globally. Around 60% of children aged 2–14
years are regularly punished physically by caregivers. In
some countries, most students say they are physically
punished by school staff. The risk is about the same for
boys and girls, rich and poor.4 3 3 We see that there are different
attitudes to the issue around the
Causes world, some evidence is given in the
form of statistics. It is not clear how
Research has shown different reasons why parents use
this section is relevant to the issue.
corporal punishment. Parents were interviewed to find
out if they used corporal punishment and why they did
this. 6,7
Some adults were disciplined or punished by smacking
when they were children. So, this feels normal to them.
If they are successful adults now, it seems like the right
thing to do. They think they are helping their children
to grow up as good citizens and to keep out of trouble.6
Some cultures still believe it is the best way to discipline
their children: quicker, easier and works better than
trying to explain everything. Parents should be in
complete control and smacking and punishment helps
them do that. They think children will understand
a smack better than a long discussion about why
something is wrong. 6,7

17
Learner Guide

Specimen answer (Individual Report) Examiner comments


Other parents do know smacking is not good. They
have read all the guidance about parenting. They
understand that it is not kind and that it has bad
effects on their children. But still sometimes they get
frustrated and ‘lose it’ and hit their children before
they stop and think. They might feel guilty about it,
but they still do it sometimes.7
Some parents are just damaged, they have anger-
management issues. They cannot control themselves.
They get angry easily and when they are angry, they
are violent. They might be generally aggressive, using
violence to solve any issues they have, and this includes
domestic violence.6 Other parents just do not know
that physical punishment is damaging for children.
They might not hit their children if they understood,
or if they knew a better way.8
Consequences
There has been a lot of research on the effects
of corporal punishment on children.3,4 Corporal
punishment affects children’s development, their
wellbeing and mental health. Children who are
punished physically feel pain, they are sad, afraid,
angry, and ashamed. Sometimes they blame themselves
and feel guilty too.4 Fear of their parents makes them
stressed and causes changes in the way their body and
brain work.
Corporal punishment has short-term and long-term
consequences. Direct physical consequences include
damage, disability and even death. Long-term
mental health consequences include anxiety disorders,
depression, addiction, self-harm and even suicide.
When children who are physically punished grow up,
they may become unstable and aggressive, even when
they are adults. They often struggle with learning and
with managing their own feelings. This can lead to
problems at school and lack of success in education and
at work. They may become aggressive, growing up to
be aggressive adults.4

18
Learner Guide

Specimen answer (Individual Report) Examiner comments


Their lack of education, caused by their struggles
at school may make it difficult for them to get a
good job and they may be attracted to criminal
behaviour. Losing control of feelings may cause
antisocial behaviour and violence. Because they had an
unhealthy relationship with their parents, they may
struggle to build healthy relationships in future, and
this may impact their family life as adults.4 All these
problems are multiplied when they are punished more
often. Research has shown that aggression and low
achievement in reading and mathematics are worse
when punishment is more frequent.4 4 4 Causes and consequences of
corporal punishment are explained.
Global Perspective There is some discussion of
different attitudes, and the candidate
UNICEF says that governments should make sure
shows that they understand how
children are protected and looked after by their people feel about this issue.
parents, or by other people when this is needed. Also,
governments should make sure that people and places
responsible for looking after children are doing a good
job.1 5 5 Very general comment about
child protection. This is not a
Courses of Action
developed perspective on the issue
All governments should ban corporal punishment of of corporal punishment.
children. They should also develop policies to reduce or
stop the problem. They can introduce the Parenting for
Lifelong Health (PLH) programme. This programme is
backed by WHO and UNICEF.5 Over the past 4 years,
the programme has spread to more than 20 countries
due to increasing demand. Dr Catherine Ward is
the founder of PLH and is a child psychology expert.
She says that PLH is focussed on solving problems
by showing parents they can raise their children
differently.5
“We are seeing parents using harsh parenting often
because they don’t know alternatives,” says Dr Ward.
“They want to do the right thing. But parents who
use harsh discipline can affect children’s mental health
badly, often leading to depression and problems around
the child’s conduct, including risky behaviour ...” 5

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Learner Guide

Specimen answer (Individual Report) Examiner comments


Lucie Cluver professor of child and family social work
says “If you make such services possible, people will
attend. Parents everywhere want to do the best for
their children and are very willing to receive support
on issues like preventing corporal punishment and
harsh discipline. This is very positive.”5
WHO’s Prevention of Violence Coordinator, Dr
Butchart, says PLH is as low-cost as possible. The
programme concentrates on the link between the
treatment of children and their development. ‘...so
that children both survive and thrive’.5 It could be very
helpful for countries that want to make a difference to
get involved with the PLH programme.
How can parents manage their children without using
violence? These days there are different ideas about
how parents should raise their children. These are
called parenting styles. www.verywellfamily.com/types-
of-parenting-styles-1095045
In Japan, most parents discuss quietly with children
– they give them time to calm down if they are
misbehaving. They discuss carefully and in private why
their behaviour is not good. Children are expected to
respect others and to have empathy for them. They
learn this from their parents and teachers because
when they behave badly, their parents will wait for a
private moment to explain the effect of their behaviour
instead of telling them off in front of other people
and making them feel ashamed. Children are taught
responsibility from a young age; they are expected to
tidy and clean up and to organise themselves. Because
their parents teach them these habits from a very
young age, they learn how to control themselves and
have responsibility easily. https://japantruly.com/how-
do-japanese-discipline-children/
If children are raised in this way, it seems normal to
them to raise their own children in the same way. For
parents who were not raised that way themselves,
it might be more difficult. They might need to join
a parenting class or get advice about how to start
making changes in the way they cope with their
children.

20
Learner Guide

Specimen answer (Individual Report) Examiner comments


What did Sweden do to ban corporal punishment
so early? First, in 1966, Sweden banned corporal
punishment in schools. In 1976, they voted to ban it
in the home. Then they started a publicity campaign.
They sent a brochure called “Can You Bring Up
Children Successfully without Smacking and Spanking?”
to all households with children. The brochure was
translated into many languages. Parents were given
advice and support about raising children without using
violence. Information was printed on milk cartons to
start families discussing the issue. Save the Children
Sweden and BRIS held public debates and displayed
posters on the issue. During the 1980s the number of
children who were smacked fell to about 33%.14
Since the 1980s, more people report suspected cases
of domestic violence to the authorities. This is because
people do not excuse this behaviour these days, they
do not think it is the parent’s private business.14 Social
services check out any reports of violence and see if
the family needs support and if the child needs to be
protected. Then they make sure families get any help
they need. Recent studies show that even vulnerable
parents who were punished as children are able to raise
their own children without violence if they have the
right support and advice.14
If we want to stop corporal punishment, we have to
teach parenting skills. Then parents can raise their
children without violence. The example of Sweden
shows that this can be done if it is planned carefully,
and the government and social services follow through. 6 6 Plenty of detail about the
possible courses of action and
Evaluation the candidate chooses the best
I got evidence from UNICEF to show that many approach in the Reflection below.
countries have banned corporal punishment of children.
UNICEF is a reliable source of information about the
rights of children because they are careful to check
their figures. This means the statistics are accurate
and we can see that this is a global issue, and most
countries are worried about it.

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Learner Guide

Specimen answer (Individual Report) Examiner comments


I used sources from the USA, India, Japan, and China,
all agreeing with each other that parents should not hit
children and should use other ways of teaching them
right from wrong. The article from Harvard about the
effects of spanking on the brain is reliable. WHO is the
World Health Organization, they are a good source of
information about corporal punishment. 7 7 Only the first point about
UNICEF is explained.
Reflection
I did not know that spanking was so bad for children
before I did this research. I already knew it upset them,
because I remember one of my friends in primary
school said he got smacked when he was naughty. It
made him very sad. I did not understand all the effects
though and I did not know that there were so many
different reasons why people might hit their children.
I think corporal punishment should be banned
everywhere. Some of my research showed me that
other countries are trying to ban it 9 and I hope
they will be successful. At the same time, it looks as if
just banning it is not really enough. If parents do not
know how bad it is and all the effects of it, they might
continue doing it. So, we do need to have parenting
classes or publicity about this issue to help parents
understand how to raise their children without beating
them or punishing them. If countries follow the Swedish
plan that would be the best. They can get help from
UNICEF, but they need to have a full plan of giving
guidance and help to parents who are struggling. They
can use simple ways to get their message across and
they need to have social services in place to support
parents, they might need to include counselling and
mental health support for parents who are vulnerable 8 8 This section answers the
themselves. question and the candidate gives
their own perspective explaining
Reference List
how it has changed. It does
www.unicef.org/child-rights-convention/convention- not explain how other people’s
perspectives changed the
text-childrens-version
candidate’s perspective.
www.unicef.org.uk/what-we-do/un-convention-child-
rights/
www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/21/04/effect-
spanking-brain
www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/21/04/effect-
spanking-brain

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Learner Guide

Specimen answer (Individual Report) Examiner comments


www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/corporal-
punishment-and-health
www.who.int/news-room/feature-stories/detail/
preventing-violence-against-children-promotes-
better-health
www.verywellfamily.com/why-parents-spank-reasons-
for-corporal-punishment-620129
www.indiaparenting.com/why-do-parents-hit-their-
kids.html
www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/survey-
shows-77-parents-spank- children-at-home/story-
zNNnm3jsFKshnpcCKPS0YO.html
www.scmp.com/news/people-culture/social-welfare/
article/3119258/hitting-or-scolding-your-child-will-
soon-be
www.who.int/teams/social-determinants-of-health/
violence-prevention/inspire-technical-package
www.care.com/c/parenting-styles-around-the-world/
www.who.int/publications/i/item/inspire-seven-
strategies-for-ending-violence-against-children
https://resourcecentre.savethechildren.net/document/
never-violence-35-years-swedens-abolition-corporal-
punishment/ Total mark awarded = 43 out of 60

Marks awarded
Table A Analyses a global issue: Establishes the global nature of the issue and Mark awarded = 5 out of 5
supports with explanation.
Table B Analyses causes and consequences of a global issue: Analyses, explains Mark awarded = 5 out of 5
causes and consequences of corporal punishment in depth.
Table C Analyses different perspectives on a global issue: (BOD) Mainly own Mark awarded = 5 out of 10
perspective supported. Others are implied, section labelled ‘Global Perspective’ is
not focussed on corporal punishment of children.
Table D Analyses and evaluates possible courses of action: Well developed courses Mark awarded = 10 out of 10
of action, selects one and justifies (in conclusion).
Table E Evaluation of evidence and sources: One point is developed, the others are Mark awarded = 5 out of 10
basic
Table F Reflection: Answers the question, reflects on change of perspective – but Mark awarded = 4 out of 5
not on others’ perspectives – the anecdote about the friend pre-dates the research
so counts as what the candidate already thought and why.
Table G Structure and clarity: Generally easy to follow; the structure is a bit Mark awarded = 6 out of 10
confused at first.
Table H References: Some missing citations, occasional variation in method. No Mark awarded = 3 out of 5
access dates at all.
Total mark awarded = 43 out of 60

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Learner Guide

Examiner comment
The candidate shows good evidence of research on a global issue. The global nature of the issue was clearly
explained at the beginning and developed. Causes and consequences of the issue were explained – in this case the
reasons that parents use corporal punishment and the effects of corporal punishment on children.
There was clear evidence to show that corporal punishment is a global issue but there was no clear global or national
perspective. Perspectives did not seem to have been researched. Only the writer’s own perspective was presented
and explained.
Courses of action were well developed and detailed and the preferred course of action was selected, and their choice
was justified in the conclusion.
Evaluation was limited, most of the points made were either descriptive or of limited detail.
The response answered the question in some detail, reflecting on their own change of perspective, but without
reflecting on others’ perspectives.
More than one method of citation/referencing was used, though the citation seemed complete. Some citations were
in the form of web addresses and others were numbered with the numbers linking to the reference list. No dates of
access were provided.

Common errors and general guidance


In general, explain in your own words. Using long quotes can waste words that could be used to explain or develop
your points. The best approach is to make notes of interesting or useful opinions, facts, ideas, or information, with the
sources, and save them under the relevant heading for when you start to write your essay.
Give equal space to the different areas of their essay. This allows you to avoid using too much space for some criteria,
leaving too little room for others.
Where you have a lot to say, it may help to remove material that is not relevant to the issue, such as the descriptions
of authoritative, permissive, and uninvolved parents. In this essay, authoritarian parenting is relevant and that
is explained. However, we do not find the others mentioned again. The Japanese example could be labelled as
authoritative to make that relevant, otherwise it is not necessary.
Perspectives should be clearly presented, with supporting evidence. In this essay, some different attitudes and
feelings are included, but they are not presented by the candidate as perspectives. The Global Perspective section is
not directly relevant to the question, or the issue and does not read as an opinion on corporal punishment.
• A research question which is too difficult to answer, too vague or just about one country, so that it is not about a
global issue.
• No issue in the research question, or in the introduction. Just a general topic.
• Descriptive essays. Candidates just give a lot of information with no discussion about what anyone thinks about
their issue.
• Not addressing one or more of the assessment criteria, especially course of action, reflection and
evaluation.
• No perspectives. Some candidates give information about countries and described situations instead of
explaining what anyone thought or felt about the issue.
• No causes. Some candidates do not provide any explanation about why the issue had happened, or what might
make people behave in certain ways.
• No sign of analysis: no explanations or discussions – just lots of information.
• Courses of action listed or not relevant (nothing to do with the issue, the causes or consequences).
• Muddled / disorganised essays – showing lack of planning. These are difficult to read and follow.
• Undeveloped points. Candidates sometimes make relevant comments about the issue they are discussing, or
identify causes and consequences, or say that their sources are strong or weak. They do not develop these by
explaining, giving examples or evidence to support their comments.
• No reflection or explanation of how the research, analysis and perspectives affected candidate’s personal
perspective.
• No sources mentioned in the essay, so it is not possible to know what is researched material, and what is the
candidate’s own thoughts.
• Reference list not complete or not relevant to the sources mentioned in the text.

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Learner Guide

5. Component 3 – Specimen answer

Specimen answer (Explanation of Research and Planning)

Clean Air for Lahore


Team members: Candidate 1, Candidate 2, Candidate 3, Candidate 4
Explanation of Research and Planning
Topic: Environment, pollution and conservation
We noticed many people cough endlessly in Lahore because of poor air quality. We
want to take an action that’ll help people breathe in better air and take an action
that’ll improve air quality over a long period.
Candidate 2 wants to research how people can protect themselves from breathing
in dirty air. Candidate 1 wants to know what local businesses internationally do
to keep air clean. Candidate 4 wants to know what other countries do to prevent
poor health in cities. Candidate 3 wants to know what local perspectives are on the
problem and will research the views of doctors and local people of all ages.
From the internet we learned that in many cities people wear face masks to filter
the air that they breathe. This is particularly true in Asian cities. We learned that
activated charcoal is a component in masks that helps to keep the particles that
harm people from entering their bodies. These masks can be expensive for most
people to buy. Doctors are worried about how ill older people become during hot
weather, and say that they cannot afford the sort of masks that would help.
Local people, especially younger people, don’t think about it as they just get on
with their lives. Internationally, businesses get involved in projects to improve the
environment.
We’ll try to make an inexpensive mask that keeps pollution out and a brochure to
show people how to do the same, trying it out on friends. To ensure our project has
a long-term benefit, we’ll encourage businesses to plant trees, by helping them to
advertise how involved they are in protecting the environment.
Plan: Make a mask with our science teacher. Candidate 3 can ask the science
teacher for help. Candidate 1 can make a template of the mask, guided by
YouTube. Candidate 4 can make the brochure showing what to do. Candidate 2 can
teach our friends. Candidate 3 can talk to our headteacher about how we can write
a letter to ask businesses to join our project.
How we will know our project has been successful: Collect data: Asking friends and
their families what the masks were like to wear, whether they found that they
collected pollution, whether they made some, how easy it was. We’ll know how
many businesses join our project. It’ll take longer to know how many trees are
planted, and how well they clean the air.
Changes to our plan: We could use activated charcoal in our school science
laboratory, but it’s not so easy for people to buy. So, in our brochure, we’ve had to
recommend people buy filters ready-made to slide into their masks. 440 words

25
Learner Guide

Marks awarded
Table A Team Element – Explanation of Research and Planning

Clear identification of topic and issue. Level 2 2 marks


The plan is clear and includes how the success of the action will be measured.
Level 2 2 marks
There is no statement about how the action will be evidenced.
Clear identification of the responsibilities of each team member (masks). Level 2 2 marks
A clear summary of the action the team will take to address the issue.
Level 3 3 marks
The masks part of the project is used for assessment and is fairly detailed.
Total mark awarded = 9 out of 10

Examiner comment
• The team has chosen a local issue to address in their action and their action is relevant to that.
• The word limit is important, and candidates should remain close to 400 words. Because this is over 400 words,
the last paragraph has not been read and will not get any marks.
• The team did not research enough before they started about what materials were available to help with their
masks.
• The Explanation says what each team member will research and mentions some actions each will take. A more
detailed explanation of the roles and responsibilities of each team member would be helpful.
• The team decided on two actions. This is not helpful. It gives too much work and means it is difficult to reflect
clearly afterwards.

Specimen answer (Evidence of Action)

Action 1: we made a face mask in science Our first mask


• Made from recycled cotton
• With a carbon lined filter, made by sealing activated carbon
inside layers of muslin
• Tried it out on family and friends
• Offered it to local manufacturers
• Made a brochure to show how people could make their own
masks.
Action 2: An extract from a letter signed by local businesses Success of Actions
Dear Sir, • 30 businesses, near to school, in
Lahore agreed to plant 10 trees or
Global Perspectives is a subject in which teams work to help with a
bushes each year for 10 years. They
local problem or challenge. Our Team is concerned about air quality
agreed to have their names put onto
in Lahore as we hear so many people coughing.
the school’s website as environmental
We have made face masks with charcoal linings for people to use, champions. We should have asked
but we would like to leave something more long lasting. more businesses.
Will you agree to plant 10 trees or bushes each year for 10 years • The masks we made in science and
as part of a clean air for Lahore Plan, please? Your business will be with friends at school did trap pollution
named on our school website as a supporter of Global Perspectives from the air we breathed. We could
in school, and as a business with sound ecological credentials, see it on the cotton cloth we used for
supporting Clean Air for Lahore. them.
• However, activated charcoal is not
Signed student …………………teacher
readily available and we had to replace
……………………………….……. date ……..…..
this with bought filters in the brochure.
Business……………………………….. 4 families tried them. They were
signature……………………………… date……… pleased with how they worked. This is
not enough to say we were successful.

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Learner Guide

Marks awarded
Table B Team Element – Evidence of Action

Planting trees by businesses and making masks. Two actions made this complicated
and neither is done very well.
Level 2 2 marks
The team have undertaken an action that is not likely to make a positive difference to
the issue and the action was not carried out well.
Total mark awarded for Table B = 2 out of 5

Specimen answer (Reflective Paper)


Now you are going to see an example of a Reflective Paper from a candidate’s Team Project. It will help you to see
what is required and how you can go about writing your own Reflective Paper. At the end of the project, you will
produce a written Reflective Paper (750–1000 words, excluding the bibliography) focusing on:
• your personal research for the project
• how well the Action helped to achieve the project aim
• what you have learned about the issue and different perspectives on the issue
• how well you worked on your own and with your team
• what you have learned about teamwork overall and your own skills.
The Personal Element of the Team Project, the Reflective Paper, has a total of 45 marks.

Reflective Paper: Candidate 3

Our aim was to help solve the issue of poor air quality in Lahore. I am pleased that
we did different things because they contributed in different ways to our aim. We
will not know how many trees are planted as a result of our initiative, or be able to
calculate the pollution they remove from the atmosphere. We do know that 3000
trees, if they all survive, in Lahore, can only help to relieve the pollution levels.
Making the masks and templates was good fun, and we learned some science. We
taught our parents how to make them. They used their masks and reported that
within a short time the outside of the filter was dirty, showing that it had done
its job in stopping pollution getting through. They said they would pass on to their
friends how far wearing a mask with a carbon filter was helpful in making breathing
safer. This was only a small number, but it showed our ideas worked. However, it
will not be our masks that they use. The problem arose when we found that the
general public is unable to buy the activated charcoal we have in school. Instead, they
will have to buy filters commercially. The result was that they said that masks were
not too expensive and the filters they could buy would make them safer, so they
preferred to buy them. This was clearly disappointing, making the brochure pointless.
But at least we had promoted wearing masks with filters to improve health.
I took on the tree planting part of the project. I worked with the team while I was
doing so, but I took control. I worked out with the team how I should approach
businesses and local radio in order to show business’ involvement and to give
recognition to businesses. On April 7th representatives of all 30 businesses were
hosted by school for a launch day. It felt like we had done a good job when one of
the representatives spoke to our Headteacher about how business-like the letter was

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Learner Guide

that I had sent to them, and how well I had organised the tree labels and the launch
event. All of them had planted their 10 trees and could tell us where they were and
how they had labelled them, showing the school name and logo and the business
name. They all promised on local radio that they would repeat this for 10 years, and
were pleased to be recognised on the school website, as Candidate 4 organised.
While this was lovely, and showed that I was good at completing part of a team
project myself, it did make me realise that I had not involved my team in as much
of this work as I could have done. I was willing to be guided by teammates, but I
was not good at thinking about roles other team members could take to use their
skills. Candidate 4 herself approached the Headteacher to get the website set up. I
should have thought of that and asked her to. It is her strength and I just do not
think of others when I get involved in something. With someone less thoughtful than
Candidate 4 in the team, this could have been disastrous.
Alongside this, I supported the masks project and worked hard researching on the
internet to identify how we could rescue the project once we knew that parents
cannot buy the activated carbon we use in school. This was not easy as I tried to find
alternative chemicals that we could use that were commercially available, but, in the
end, I had to admit defeat. I do not like giving up, and this felt like failure. I found
that only ready-made filters were an option. I learned to use a template to make
masks, and taught my parents how to use it. My parents learned about the value of
wearing marks when in the city, and now regularly wear them, encouraging their
friends to do the same. Having only four sets of parents involved did not seem very
adventurous or far-reaching, but I had to agree with Candidate 2 that the likelihood
of school having to close again made it safer this way, meaning that we could have
some impact.
My research was into how trees impact pollution. Globally, trees reduce pollutants in
the air, up to a figure of one third of fossil fuel emissions. In doing so, they remove
irritants and help people to be healthier. It has even been found that trees near to
houses reduce pollution inside those houses.1 At first, I thought the trees should be
planted in our school grounds. This research led me to decide that businesses could
plant their trees wherever they wanted to. It just does not matter - they do good
everywhere. There is concern about how many countries are cutting down trees,
meaning that there are fewer to take pollutants out of the air by filtering the air
through their pores. They can remove ammonia, nitrogen oxide and sulphur dioxide.
Ecosia reports that 7 million people annually die from the sort of air pollution that
trees could prevent.2 I was not aware of how individually our health is affected by
trees, or how wide-ranging the effects of having leaves close to houses can be. Ecosia
is a website that I will promote to show my school, local families and my parents
how much there is to gain from tree planting.
Our team benefited from having members with different skills. We could trust each
other to get on with work, report back to the team when we met and ask each
other to help when we came to problems, such as sourcing activated carbon, as

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Learner Guide

detailed above. But our team’s main weakness was having a member who wanted
to do something alone. I would have done the trees project myself and it would
have been less effective had our team not been in regular contact with each other
and insisted that we all fed back progress and discussed the next steps. The other
weakness was that we were all really keen to start the activity. None of us took the
lead and asked the questions that would have made us see that our masks plan could
not work.
I have learned a lot about working in a team that I need to remember for the future.
All teamwork requires you to take your mind off your own part in a team effort,
and really listen to what others say in meetings and engage with it. For a team to
work well, it has to have a plan that everyone sticks to, a leader who keeps a whole
picture as an overview, and everyone has to have trust in each other, but be strong
enough to ask questions and be brave enough to offer suggestions. Being passive is not
an option.
1 www.arborday.org/trees/treefacts accessed 29/02/2021
2 https://blog.ecosia.org.how-trees-reduce-air-pollution accessed 29/02/2021

Marks awarded
Table E Personal Element – Evaluation of the action and teamwork in the Reflective Paper

Two developed points evaluating the masks part of the project. Level 4 4 marks

Two developed points evaluating own teamwork. Level 4 4 marks

One developed point on own work completion. Level 2 2 marks

Total mark awarded for Table E = 10 out of 10

Table F Personal Element – Reflection on learning in the Reflective Paper

Explicit reflection on their learning from research. Level 3 3 marks

Detailed and explicit reflection on what they have learnt about their own skills through
Level 5 5 marks
participating in the team project.
Explicit and relevant suggestions for how they could have improved their performance
Level 3 3 marks
as a team member.
Total mark awarded for Table F = 11 out of 15

Table G Personal Element – Reflection on teamwork in the Reflective Paper


Explicit reflection on the benefits and challenges of working in a team, linked to some
Level 4 4 marks
examples of things experienced while completing team project
An explicit suggestion of how the team could have worked more effectively in the future
Level 0 0 marks
is included beyond the word limit. Therefore, no marks awarded.
Total mark awarded for Table G = 4 out of 10

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Learner Guide

Table H Personal Element – Communication in the Reflective Paper


A clearly and well-structured Reflective Paper.
Level 4 4 marks

A clear summary of their own research findings and how this influenced the project,
Level 5 5 marks
with citations.
Total mark awarded for Table H = 9 out of 10

Total mark awarded to Candidate 3 for Personal Element (Tables E–H) = 34 out of 45

Examiner comment
• The Reflective Paper is 1149 words and is too long. Candidates must remain close to the maximum of 1000
words. Anything over the word limit will not be marked.
• The initial research is important and should be done carefully. This team did not find out early on that the
chemicals they needed are not available commercially. This had a negative effect on their project. They should
have checked first that they could do what they were planning.
• The candidate presents their research findings about the impact of trees on the environment clearly. They
reflect clearly on what they have learnt from their research.
• The reflection could have been improved with more explanations and more real examples of what happened
during the project. The section about teamwork is very general. Some examples of who did what and what went
well would help. For example, we are not sure why the candidate says, ‘Being passive is not an option’ Does
this mean that someone was passive? If so what happened and why was this a problem?

Table F Personal Element – Reflection on learning in the Reflective Paper


For full marks the candidate needed to add:
• detailed and explicit reflection on their learning from perspectives
• detailed and clear examples of how they could have improved their own performance in the project.

Table G Personal Element – Reflection on teamwork in the Reflective Paper


For full marks the candidate needed to add examples to support both the benefits and challenges, experienced in this
work.

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Learner Guide

6. Advice and preparation

Component 1
• Read the instructions carefully and answer the right number of questions from the correct sections of the exam
paper.
• Do not answer more questions than are needed. This will not gain you more marks.
• Plan your time according to the marks for each question. For example, a question worth 3 marks requires less
time and a shorter answer, than a question worth 10 marks.
• Do not leave out questions or parts of questions. No answer means no mark.
• Read each question very carefully.
• Identify the command words in the question – underline or highlight them.
• Identify and underline the other key words in the question.
• Read all parts of a question before starting your answer. Think carefully about what is needed for each part. You
will not need to repeat information.
• Look very carefully at the resource material / insert / diagrams, you are given.
• Answer the question. This is very important!
• Use your knowledge and understanding.
• Do not just write all you know, only write what is needed to answer the question.
• Make sure your writing is clear and easy to read. It is no good writing a brilliant answer if the examiner cannot
read it.
Component 2
To achieve maximum possible marks on the IR you must include all of the following:
• A question to research and answer. The question should be about one issue.
• You should plan your essay, so that it is easy to follow and clearly presents all the criteria that are necessary.
• Include an explanation of why your chosen issue is a global issue. Include some information, examples. (Is it a
world problem does it affect everyone the same, or different regions of the world? Do people disagree about the
issue?)
• Different perspectives, including a global perspective and a national (or local) perspective (with explanation,
discussion, examples, information).
• Causes of the issue – Why does this happen? Why is the situation as it is? Provide examples and information,
explain.
• Consequences of the issue – What are the results of the issue? What happens because of it? Provide
examples and information, explain.
• Possible course of action. Research ways that this issue has been solved, or solutions that have been tried in
different places. When you have found 2 solutions, write details of both. How could this be done? Who could do
it? How could it be paid for?
Provide full details and explanations of both courses of action, then clearly state which you think is better and
explain why. If you have decided that a solution used in another country could be also used in your country,
explain how. What changes would have to be made to the course of action so that it would work in your
country?
• Evaluation: you should evaluate some of your sources. This means you say why they were useful to you and
if they can be trusted. Are they reliable? Explain why? Why are they useful? If you feel they may be biased,
explain why you think this. If you feel they provide plenty of supporting evidence and are backed by other
sources, you should explain this.
You can also say what effect these sources had on your thinking. Did you change your mind because you found
good sources supporting a different view? Or did unreliable sources affect you differently.
You can either evaluate your sources where you mention them, after you have quoted them, or you can write a
separate paragraph near the end to evaluate different sources all together.
• References: you must show clearly where you have found information and where you read the opinions you
quote. You can use any clear system of references – but make sure you use only one system and that your in-
text system links with your reference list.

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Learner Guide

• You can use footnotes. If you give web addresses, they should show the document name and you should
include the date you accessed the website. (date of access)

Research
You should have had some practice in searching for information online and/or in the library before you start work on
your Individual Report.
Preparatory research
Choose one or two of the topics you are interested in from the correct list of eight.
Go online to find out what people think about this / these topic(s).
What are the global issues? What are the disagreements?
The reason for doing this is so that you discover which issues you can find plenty of information and opinions about.
You will need to:
• identify a central issue and to be able to explain the issue and present different perspectives about it.
• find some quotes from people or organisations with opinions about your issue and you need opinions about the
whole world as well as about at least one country.
While you are doing this, note down what you think about it. What is your opinion? Why?
You need to do this because in your essay you will have to say how your ideas have developed or changed while you
found out more about the issue.
Focused research
When you have decided on an issue and a question, you should find material that provides information about the
issue on a global scale and about at least one country.
You should find out about your sources and the people or organisations whose opinions you are going to write about.
(You need to evaluate them – you will say whether your sources are reliable or not and how this affects your thinking.)
If they have just stated their opinion without supporting it, you will need to find facts and figures or examples that show
why they think what they do. (You need to provide full supported perspectives to get full marks.)
Where to find perspectives
It is usually quite easy to find information, facts and figures about topics for Global Perspectives. Books, publications,
and websites are full of information.
However, it is not always easy to find perspectives (or viewpoints). A good place to start is in newspaper opinion
pages. These can be in local or national newspapers or some of the larger news websites. You will find that a range of
people write opinion columns and many of them are experts, or politicians, or people with information to provide, and
strong opinions of their own.
To find global perspectives, it will depend on what your topic is about. Usually, searching in a good Search Engine
(ask your teacher what is available) will bring up opinions on a range of topics and may take you to websites that are
just concerned with one topic or issue. Try the different United Nations sites, environmental groups such as WWF and
Greenpeace, and others.
Practice finding out information from local sources and on the internet before you start researching for your
coursework.
Managing source material
Right from the beginning, you should make a note of:
• useful websites
• interesting information or opinions
• the date you find them.
You can do this by copying web addresses and parts of documents into a file so that you do not lose them. It is
important that you can show your sources and access dates in your IR.
Once you have decided on your issue and which perspectives you are going to present, you can arrange your source
notes and references under headings so that you can find them when you come to write your essay.
Plan your essay and when you have decided exactly what your question will be, you can write a draft essay to see if
you have enough material or if you need to find more about one perspective or another, or one of the other criteria for
the IR.

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Learner Guide

Component 3
Working with others
Your Team Project is a chance to work with others. You need to share your ideas and listen to others, and you will
have to co-operate to get things done. Working with others means you will all have to be clear about what you are
doing and when you will complete your part of the work. You must agree on ways to keep in touch so that everyone
knows what is happening.
At the end of your project, you are expected to reflect on the benefits and problems of working in a team. You are also
expected to reflect on your own skills in teamwork, your strengths and weaknesses.
Everyone will get the same marks for the Team Element, so you must make sure that you are all collaborating and
communicating well.
Do the following to work together:
• meet regularly
• set targets and deadlines
• divide and share work
• give help and support to each other to do the tasks.

Time-management / keeping a log


One challenge of the Team Project is time-management. You need to agree deadlines with people in your team so that
no-one is waiting for others to complete.
Your deadlines must give you time to do your personal research, and to meet with your team to agree on a topic, a
local issue, what you could do about the issue as a team and what your outcome will be. You will also need to divide
your workload so that you work well as a team.
Leave time to complete your Reflective Paper (which carries most of the marks for this component) by the deadline
your teacher has given you.
There are Cambridge deadlines for work to be submitted and your teacher must work to those and check your work
before sending it in.
From the beginning of the process, you should keep a log of what happens and what goes well and badly. This will
help you to write your Reflective Paper when it comes to the time to do that.
Reflection
In both pieces of coursework, you are asked to reflect. Reflecting means thinking deeply about what you have learnt,
what you have done, about yourself and your own ideas and about others’ perspectives.
Show that you can reflect on your research and experiences, by describing and explaining your thoughts and feelings
and by saying how your ideas or perspectives have changed or developed.

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Learner Guide

4. Study skills

Being organised
Being organised has many benefits – circle the statements which are important for you:

SE improves T reduces ST
IO RITI IME MANA
GEMENT RESS
u to PR helps you to
s yo FOCUS
help gives a
ODUCT IVITY b
betwee etter BALANC
ENC
E inc reases PR n work E
FID and pla
CON increases E y
ases FFICIENCY
incre

How organised are you?


Tick the statements that apply to you.

B
I get overwhelmed by how
much work I have and I
avoid starting large tasks. A
I get my homework
A
B done on time.
I always know where everything
I need is, such as my notes, I leave homework to the
books, pens, highlighter pens, last minute.
paper and a ruler. B
A I often forget what
homework I have.
A I do my homework
the day I get it.
I write down homework
and the deadlines in one
place, such as a planner. B
A
I never know where everything
I need is, such as my notes, I always rush
B my work.
books, pens, highlighter pens,
I hand in my paper and a ruler.
homework late.

B
A I break down large tasks into
I never need to smaller tasks and tick these off
rush my work. when I complete them.

Count the number of A statements you ticked and the number of B statements you ticked. Read the appropriate advice
below. If you ticked an equal number of each, read both sets of advice.
Mostly A: You are a well-organised person who has developed strategies that work for you.
Be careful if you agreed with ‘I do my homework the day I get it’ as this might not be the most efficient strategy; you
need to prioritise homework according to deadline and how long it will take, and also make sure you allow time for fun
and relaxation. See the table on the next page for more ideas of how to be organised.
Mostly B: You could use some support in being more organised in order to make life easier for yourself. Try some of
the suggested methods for being organised in the table on the next page, then return to the activity above at a later
date to see if you score differently.
If you do some work each day, rather than leaving it all to the last minute, you will feel more in control.
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Learner Guide

How to be organised
Tick the boxes in the table below to reflect on how you work and what you will try in order to improve.
Aim to try at least some of these methods.

I already I will try


How to be organised do this this
Keep all my pens, paper and other equipment together in one place so I always know
where everything is
Keep my notes together and ordered by date as I go along; I will file them as soon as they
are completed
Use one place such as a planner to record each homework or assignment deadline as
soon as I get it

Include all activities in my planner so that I know what time I have available to work

Estimate how long a given task will take me, then work backwards from the deadline and
include some extra time to give me the date that I should start the work

Be realistic about what I have time for

Keep my planner up to date and check it every day

Have a set time each day or week for completing homework or study so that it becomes
part of my routine
Prioritise homework or study according to which needs to be done first and not just which I
like doing best
Rank my homework as 1 (do it now), 2 (do it tomorrow), 3 (do it later in the week) and
update the rank each day
Break down any large assignments into smaller, more manageable tasks; each task will
have its own deadline

Tick off each homework or task once I have completed it

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Learner Guide

Here are some useful ways to format your notes:

Freestyle method Charting method


Just write down what you Use when learning about different or contrasting
hear as the teacher says it. factors or approaches.
• Make a chart with a different column for each
Write on handouts factor or approach.
Write notes at key points directly • Write details in each column, placing the
on handouts that contain notes or details so that you can easily compare items
important information. between columns.

Flow method Cornell method


Learn while you listen. Create your own representation Divide your page into three sections.
of the new information by:
• Use the ‘notes’ section to make notes during the
• putting what the teacher says into your own words lesson.
• using quick • After the lesson, review
drawings to break your notes. Reduce
down the content sections of the notes into
into simple ideas key words and write them
in the ‘key words’ column. notes
• using arrows to link
ideas together and • Write a
to add supporting summary to
points consolidate
• circling or boxing what you
different points learned. summary
key words
using different lines,
shapes or coloured
pens.

Mind map method


Write the lesson topic in the centre of your page.
• Add a new branch for each new sub-topic.
• Add extra smaller and smaller branches for more detail; these show the
connections between facts or ideas.
• Add notes using words and diagrams; use arrows to show links.
• Keep your notes short and put key words along branches.
• Use coloured pens and highlighter pens to emphasis key points.

Outline method
Use bullet points. This method is helpful
if you already know the
• Top level bullets are the key issues in the lesson.
structure of the lesson
• Sub-level bullets are details about the top-level points. and the structure of the
• Sub-sub level bullets provide more separation if needed. learning point.

36
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