A-level Anthropology Specificationapi.ning.com/files/SuVNqLCf3IDzhktYbYLEPS-4s6UgncXeMReBYV97J3*rATD…(by telephone, email or letter) and keep working with you to find the solution

GCEAS and A Level Specification

Anthropology AS exams 2011 onwards A2 exams 2012 onwards

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GCE Anthropology Specification for AS exams 2011 onwards and A2 exams 2012 onwards (version 1.1)

Contents

1 Introduction 21.1 Why choose AQA? 2

1.2 Why choose Anthropology? 2

1.3 How do I start using this specification? 3

1.4 How can I find out more? 3

2 Specification at a Glance 4

3 Subject Content 53.1 Unit 1 Being Human: Unity and Diversity 5

3.2 Unit 2 Becoming a Person: Identity and Belonging 6

3.3 Unit 3 Global and Local: Societies, Environments and Globalisation 7

3.4 Unit 4 Practising Anthropology: Methods and Investigations 8

4 Scheme of Assessment 10 4.1 Aims 10

4.2 Assessment Objectives 10

4.3 National Criteria 11

4.4 Prior Learning 11

4.5 Synoptic Assessment and Stretch and Challenge 12

5 Administration 135.1 Availability of Assessment Units and Certification 13

5.2 Entries 13

5.3 Private Candidates 13

5.4 Access Arrangements and Special Consideration 13

5.5 Language of Examinations 13

5.6 Qualification Titles 13

5.7 Awarding Grades and Reporting Results 13

5.8 Re-sits and Shelf-life of Unit Results 13

Appendices 15A Performance descriptions 15

B Spiritual, Moral, Ethical, Social and other Issues 19

C Overlaps with other Qualifications 20

D Key Skills 21

E Ethical Guidance for Investigations in Unit 4 23

Vertical black lines indicate a significant change or addition to the previous version of this specification.

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1 Introduction

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1.1 Why choose AQA?It’s a fact that AQA is the UK’s favourite exam boardand more students receive their academicqualifications from AQA than from any other board.But why does AQA continue to be so popular?

• SpecificationsOurs are designed to the highest standards, soteachers, students and their parents can beconfident that an AQA award provides anaccurate measure of a student’s achievements.And the assessment structures have beendesigned to achieve a balance between rigour,reliability and demands on candidates.

• SupportAQA runs the most extensive programme ofsupport meetings; free of charge in the first yearsof a new specification and at a very reasonablecost thereafter. These support meetings explainthe specification and suggest practical teachingstrategies and approaches that really work.

• ServiceWe are committed to providing an efficient andeffective service and we are at the end of thephone when you need to speak to a person aboutan important issue. We will always try to resolveissues the first time you contact us but should thatnot be possible, we will always come back to you(by telephone, email or letter) and keep workingwith you to find the solution.

• EthicsAQA is a registered charity. We have noshareholders to pay. We exist solely for the goodof education in the UK. Any surplus income isploughed back into educational research and ourservice to you, our customers. We don’t profitfrom education, you do.

If you are an existing customer then we thank you foryour support. If you are thinking of moving to AQAthen we look forward to welcoming you.

1.2 Why choose Anthropology?Anthropology is a new subject at AS and A Level.We’ve developed this specification with the RoyalAnthropological Institute (RAI) to make it:

• ContemporaryAnthropology is the study of what it means to behuman in diverse societies around the worldtoday, and how people interact with, and change,their environments. This specification can helpstudents become globally aware and informedcitizens.

• RelevantAS and A Level Anthropology give students agreater awareness and understanding of currentdebates about citizenship, diversity and multi-culturalism in the UK and beyond. And thepersonal study in Unit 4 gives students theopportunity to investigate their own everyday lives.

• ComplementaryThis specification introduces students to keyconcepts and critical thinking skills that willprovide them with a unique and thoughtfulperspective on contemporary issues. Itcomplements other A Level studies and equipsstudents with skills needed for higher educationand the world of work.

An AS or A Level in Anthropology will offer studentsand teachers the chance to grapple with fundamentalquestions of human life, and in the process todevelop skills of critical enquiry, sensitivity and anappreciation of topical debates and issues such asthose concerning human rights, development,globalisation, and ethnic conflict and violence.

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1.3 How do I start using this specification?Already using existing AQAspecifications?• Tell us that you intend to enter candidates. Then

we can make sure that you receive all the materialyou need for the examinations. This is particularlyimportant where examination material is issuedbefore the final entry deadline. You can let usknow by completing the appropriate Intention toEnter and Estimated Entry forms. We will sendcopies to your Exams Officer and they are alsoavailable on our website (http://www.aqa.org.uk/admin/p_entries.html).

Not using an AQA specificationcurrently?• Almost all centres in England and Wales use AQA

or have used AQA in the past and are approvedAQA centres. A small minority are not. If yourcentre is new to AQA, please contact our centreapproval team at [email protected]

Ask AQAYou have 24-hour access to useful information andanswers to the most commonly-asked questions athttp://www.aqa.org.uk/rn/askaqa.php

If the answer to your question is not available, youcan submit a query for our team.

Teacher SupportDetails of the full range of current Teacher Supportmeetings are available on our website athttp://www.aqa.org.uk/support/teachers.html

There is also a link to our fast and convenient onlinebooking system for Teacher Support meetings athttp://events.aqa.org.uk/ebooking

If you need to contact the Teacher Support team, youcan call us on 01483 477860 or email us [email protected]

1.4 How can I find out more?

http://www.aqa.org.uk/admin/p_entries.html

http://www.aqa.org.uk/admin/p_entries.html

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.aqa.org.uk/rn/askaqa.php

http://www.aqa.org.uk/support/teachers.html

http://events.aqa.org.uk/ebooking

mailto:[email protected]

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2 Specification at a Glance

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AS Examinations

Unit 1 – ANTH1

Being Human: Unity and Diversity

50% of AS, 25% of A level

Externally-assessed examination, I hour 30 minutes

70 marks

Candidates answer six compulsory questions

Available in January and June

Unit 2 – ANTH2

Becoming a Person: Identity and Belonging

50% of AS, 25% of A level


70 marks

Candidates answer four compulsory questions in Section A, and one questionfrom a choice of two in Section B


A2 Examinations

Unit 3 – ANTH3

Global and Local: Societies, Environments and Globalisation

25% of A level


90 marks

Candidates answer the compulsory question in Section A and two from four inSection B


Unit 4 – ANTH4

Practising Anthropology: Methods and Investigations

25% of A level


90 marks

Candidates answer three compulsory questions in Section A and threecompulsory questions on their investigation in Section B


+AS A2 = A Level

ASAward1111

A LevelAward 2111

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3 Subject Content

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The content is organised into four units. Several themes – such as human universality contrasted with culturaldiversity, the uses of cross-cultural comparison, the workings of power and control, age and gender asdifferentiating principles in social relations, technology and social organisation – are introduced early and recuracross the units. This is deliberate, as it is expected that students will revisit and deepen their grasp of thesethemes as the course progresses.

3.1 Unit 1 Being Human: Unity and Diversity3.1.1 The body• The human body as a primate body: adaptation

and specialisation; questions regarding the waythe human brain has evolved and where ourcapacity for culture has come from

• Ways of thinking about race and ethnicity:biological and social explanations, and why theyhave been advanced

• Giving value to, and controlling, the body: such as‘sexual selection’ as a universal pattern;handedness; performance; purity/pollution/taboo

• Making and remaking the body: decoration;genital modification; cosmetic surgery; geneticscreening and engineering; dress.

3.1.2 Ways of thinking andcommunicating

• Language and classification of people and things,such as kin, animals and plants, food

• Explanation of events, such as theories ofcausation of good and ill fortune; attribution ofresponsibility for events or afflictions such ascancer, AIDS, earthquakes, to causes such aswitchcraft, divine intervention, ‘natural’ forces,human wrongdoing

• Non-verbal, oral and written communication andnew communicative technologies; continuities anddifferences across cultures

• ‘Things to think with’ and ‘things to say who youare’, such as symbols, totems, branding andfashions, mobile phones.

3.1.3 Organising social relations• Equality, hierarchy and the organisation of social

power (for example, through distinctions of age,gender and property)

• Kinship and its varying patterns across cultures

• Commodities and exchange: gift-giving andcommercial transactions as contrasting ways inwhich people use objects to negotiaterelationships.

3.1.4 Engaging with nature• Contemporary practices of engaging with nature,

such as hunting-gathering, nomadism, the city,safari parks

• Vulnerable nature: present-day concerns andconflicts over (for example) species extinction,“wilderness” preservation, climate change,whaling, and the relationship of such concerns topeople and their social organisation

• The production and representation of materialculture: its use to represent aspects of the socialand spiritual worlds.

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3.2 Unit 2 Becoming a Person: Identity and BelongingFollowing on from the previous unit, the aim of thisunit is to examine how human beings become sociallydefined persons. Themes introduced in Unit 1 will bedeveloped and used to explore different perspectiveson how ‘personhood’ is understood and how theprocess of becoming a person takes place.

3.2.1 Personhood• Alternative concepts of personhood, seen

historically and cross-culturally

• The relational concept of personhood contrastedwith the philosophical and psychological conceptscommon to western society.

3.2.2 Becoming a person• Moving through the stages of life: rites of passage

(childhood, adulthood, aging, death, the afterlife)

• Gender and sexuality: different rituals marking themale and female life courses; how gender isconstructed and what it means to be a genderedperson

• Creating an identity: place, history, language,symbols and totems as resources in establishingand changing identities.

3.2.3 Drawing boundaries and defininggroups

• How boundaries are drawn: for example throughlanguage, religion, ethnicity

• Groups and exclusion, discrimination anddomination (such as wars, racism, ethnic conflicts)

• The drawing of boundaries between humans andother entities (such as animals, spirits andcyborgs).

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3.3 Unit 3 Global and Local: Societies, Environmentsand Globalisation

Unit 3 introduces students to approaches whichanthropologists have taken to understandingprocesses of globalisation and their local impacts.Globalisation is addressed in differing ways by anumber of disciplines. This unit is synoptic: ittherefore builds on previous learning and introducesnew material to explore the distinctive contributionanthopology can make, through its combination ofholism, comparison and deep study of small-scalesocial relations and organisation.

3.3.1 Approaches to globalisation• Migration patterns of ancestral humans: are we all

‘out of Africa’?

• Ecological explanations of biological and socialdifferences between human populations

• Anthropological perspectives on historical andcontemporary globalisation processes, such asdissemination of music and food, movement ofpeople and ideas, advances in communicationstechnology

• Anthropological approaches to assumptionsregarding global markets, colonialism, the‘development process’ and economic integration

• Older and newer forms of globalisation

• Interactions between global processes and localresponses (influence may move in both directions)

• Marginalisation and revitalisation as trends inglobalisation.

3.3.2 Local and Global Processes:ethnographic perspectives

• Movement of people (migration, travel, tourism,refugees)

• Technological change (cost and speed of travel;communications technology such as satellite andinternet capability)

• The local impact of development projects andprocesses – including shifts in the power to definedevelopment and to control change

• The meaning of sustainable development:changes to local environments and ecology

• Use and misuse by settler governments ofarguments derived from biological theories, insupport of policies of assimilation or culturaluniformity

• Threats to, and resistance by, indigenoussocieties: debates on indigenous and humanrights; reclamation of rights to land, languages,material culture and human remains

• Instantiation of the global in the local

• Human nutrition, health and disease (differences indiet between populations; responses to diseasessuch as HIV and malaria; pathologies relating tocontact between large-scale and indigenoussocieties).

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3.4 Unit 4 Practising Anthropology: Methods and InvestigationsUnit 4, like Unit 3, is synoptic. They each draw onknowledge and understanding from AS units to testthe candidate’s holistic grasp of the connectionsbetween the different elements of the subject:concepts, theories, methods of enquiry and variousforms of evidence.

This unit comprises two parts, both of which areexternally assessed by a written examination.

3.4.1 Themes within anthropology • The ethics of research in the different fields of

anthropology

• Human beings as objects of study and as activesubjects in anthropological research

• Learning through engaging with members ofanother culture or confronting one’s own in a newway; the ethnographer as participant-observer;the experience and problems of field research;objectivity and collaboration

• The relationship of the observer to what isobserved; the representation of human ‘others’ inphysical research, in written ethnographies and invisual media such as film

• The contexts of daily life which can be informedby anthropological understanding; making thefamiliar strange and the strange familiar

• The cultural meaning of objects and artefacts(whether in daily life or as exhibited in museums)

• The public presence of anthropology: engagementof anthropology with policy-makers, with issues inthe public domain, in education, social policy,business and commerce, government andinternational relations.

3.4.2 Methods and InvestigationsIn this part, students carry out a small-scaleinvestigation on an anthropological topic of theirchoice. They will then answer questions about theirinvestigation in the externally-assessed writtenexamination. The purpose of the investigation is:

• to give students an opportunity to expand on oneor more aspects of the content of the specification

• to allow students to demonstrate theirunderstanding of the discipline of anthropology asa whole, and their ability to apply theiranthropological knowledge to a concrete researchtask

• to give students direct experience, on a smallscale, of conditions of real research inanthropology, and to require them to reflect onthat experience in an anthropological manner.

There are no restrictions on the topic to be chosen forthe investigation, other than that it should:

• be anthropological in character

• flow from, and be intellectually related to, one ormore of the subject content areas of thespecification

• be manageable in scope.

Suggested topics for investigation are provided in theTeacher Resource Bank.

Students should seek the early advice of theirteachers when selecting a topic for investigation thatwill be achievable within the time, facilities andacademic supervision available. Centres areexpected to provide such guidance as required.Centres should also ensure that students follow bestpractice in terms of health and safety, riskassessment and ethics in planning and carrying outinvestigations. Ethical guidance is provided atAppendix E.

Students will be expected to maintain a record of theinvestigation. In Section B of the examination,candidates will be expected to answer questions onthe following.

Rationale• Reason for choosing the subject of the study

• Guiding hypothesis or research question

• Aim(s) and objective(s).

Context• Description of the research setting and specific

focus of the study

• Outline of anthropological sources (theoreticaland/or empirical) and their bearing on the study

• Explicit indication of anthropological conceptswhich provide the framework for the study.

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Methodology• The method(s) chosen, reasons for choice and

recognition of any problems associated with thechosen method(s).

Evidence• Analysis and interpretation of the evidence

collected in the study, with respect to theargument/hypothesis.

Reflection and evaluation• Reflection on the experience, problems

encountered, how they were dealt with and whathas been learned

• Evaluation of the method(s) chosen, conclusionsreached and recommendations for furtherresearch

• Review of ethical issues encountered, ifapplicable.

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4 Scheme of Assessment

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4.1 AimsAS and A Level courses based on this specificationshould encourage candidates to:

• appreciate the contribution of anthropology to theexplanation and analysis of social and culturalstructures and processes

• apply anthropological concepts and theories,where appropriate, to the study of local, nationaland international issues

• develop an understanding of the methods bywhich anthropologists collect their data, includingthe ethical implications of these methods, and ofways of presenting these data in writing and othermedia

• develop by comparison an awareness of humanunity and cultural and social diversity, of theconnections among peoples from around theworld and of students’ own social and culturalassumptions and preconceptions.

4.2 Assessment Objectives (AOs)The Assessment Objectives are common to AS andA Level. The assessment units will assess thefollowing assessment objectives in the context of thecontent and skills in Section 3.1 (Subject Content).

All candidates are required to meet the followingassessment objectives. These assessmentobjectives apply to the whole specification, althoughassessment objective 2 has a higher weighting at A2than at AS.

AO1Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of arange of anthropological concepts, theories, methodsof enquiry and various forms of evidence (written, oraland visual sources) and of the links between them.

Communicate knowledge and understanding in aclear and effective manner, using appropriateanthropological vocabulary.

AO2Demonstrate the skills of application, analysis,interpretation and evaluation.

Application: apply knowledge of anthropologicalprinciples selectively to construct explanations ofunity and diversity of human life, and of social andcultural values, structures, processes and behaviour.

Analysis: produce structured and coherentarguments, making use of a range of relevantevidence.

Interpretation: adopt a comparative perspective,looking for connections, parallels, similarities anddifferences among the forms of social and cultural life,leading candidates to reflect critically on their ownsocial and cultural norms and expectations.

Evaluation: evaluate and reflect on anthropologicalarguments, explanations and evidence, makinginformed judgements.

Quality of Written Communication (QWC)GCE specifications which require candidates toproduce written material in English must:

• ensure that text is legible and that spelling,punctuation and grammar are accurate so thatmeaning is clear

• select and use a form and style of writingappropriate to purpose and to complex subjectmatter

• organise information clearly and coherently, usingspecialist vocabulary when appropriate.

In this specification, QWC will be assessed in all unitswhere extended writing is required. Marks for QWCwill be awarded as part of the total mark for eachquestion, as part of Assessment Objective 1 (AO1).

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Weighting of Assessment Objectives for ASThe table below shows the approximate weighting of each of the assessment objectives in the AS units.

Assessment Objectives Unit Weightings (%) Overall weighting of AOs (%)

Unit 1 Unit 2

AO1 25 25 50

AO2 25 25 50

Overall weighting of units (%) 50 50 100

Weighting of Assessment Objectives for A LevelThe table below shows the approximate weighting of each of the assessment objectives in the AS and A2 units.

Assessment Objectives Unit Weightings (%) Overall weighting of AOs (%)

Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4

AO1 12.5 12.5 10 10 45

AO2 12.5 12.5 15 15 55

Overall weighting of units (%) 25 25 25 25 100

4.3 National CriteriaThis specification complies with the following.

• The Code of Practice for GCE

• The GCE AS and A Level Qualification Criteria

• The Arrangements for the Statutory Regulation ofExternal Qualifications in England, Wales andNorthern Ireland: Common Criteria.

4.4 Prior Learning We recommend that candidates should haveacquired the skills and knowledge associated with acourse of study at GCSE level or equivalent.

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4.5 Synoptic Assessment and Stretch and ChallengeSynoptic assessment involves the explicit assessmentof candidates’ deeper understanding of the linksbetween anthropological concepts and theories,methods of enquiry, and substantive social andcultural issues, including those confronting industrialand post-industrial societies.

The emphasis will be on assessing candidates’ abilityto apply an anthropological ‘way of thinking’ to arange of issues, making effective use ofanthropological concepts, theories and methods.

Synoptic assessment is included within units 3 and 4.This requires candidates to demonstrate theirunderstanding of the connections between thedifferent elements of the subject and their holisticunderstanding of Anthropology. GCE Anthropologyas a subject is inherently synoptic and there is a

natural progression from AS to A2. At A2, theanthropological concepts, theories, methods ofenquiry and forms of evidence studied in the AScourse are revisited and applied to new contexts.

In each A2 unit, there are questions that are synoptic,requiring candidates to draw on and synthesise theknowledge, understanding and skills acquiredthroughout the course. Furthermore, in carrying outthe individual investigation for Unit 4, candidates arerequired to create novel contexts in which to applysuch knowledge, understanding and skills.

The questions in the A2 units provide greater stretchand challenge for candidates and will enable theperformance of the most able candidates to beidentified through the Grade A* (see section 5.7).

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5 Administration

5.1 Availability of Assessment Units and CertificationExaminations and certification for this specification are available as follows:

Availability of units Availability of certification

AS A2 AS A Level

January 2011 1

June 2011 1, 2 ✔

January 2012 1, 2 3 ✔

June 2012 1, 2 3, 4 ✔ ✔

January 2013 onwards 1, 2 3, 4 ✔ ✔

June 2013 onwards 1, 2 3, 4 ✔ ✔

5.2 EntriesPlease refer to the current version of EntryProcedures and Codes for up-to-date entryprocedures. You should use the following entrycodes for the units and for certification.

Unit 1 – ANTH1

Unit 2 – ANTH2

Unit 3 – ANTH3

Unit 4 – ANTH4

AS certification – 1111

A Level certification – 2111

5.3 Private CandidatesThis specification is available to private candidates.Private candidates should contact AQA for a copy of‘Supplementary Guidance for Private Candidates’.

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5.4 Access Arrangements and Special ConsiderationWe have taken note of the provisions of the DisabilityDiscrimination Act (DDA) 1995 in developing andadministering this specification.

We follow the guidelines in the Joint Council forQualifications (JCQ) document: AccessArrangements, Reasonable Adjustments and SpecialConsideration: General and Vocational Qualifications.This is published on the JCQ website(http://www.jcq.org.uk/access_arrangements/) or youcan follow the link from our website(http://www.aqa.org.uk/admin/p_special_3.php).

Access ArrangementsWe can make arrangements so that candidates withdisabilities (under the terms of the DDA) can accessthe assessment. These arrangements must be madebefore the examination. For example, we canproduce a Braille paper for a candidate with a visualimpairment.

Special ConsiderationWe can give special consideration to candidates whohave had a temporary illness, injury or indisposition atthe time of the examination. Where we do this, it isgiven after the examination.

Applications for access arrangements and specialconsideration should be submitted to AQA by theExaminations Officer at the centre.

5.5 Language of ExaminationsWe will provide units for this specification in Englishonly.

5.6 Qualification TitlesQualifications based on this specification are:

• AQA Advanced Subsidiary GCE in Anthropology

• AQA Advanced Level GCE in Anthropology.

5.7 Awarding Grades and Reporting ResultsThe AS qualification will be graded on a five-pointscale: A, B, C, D and E. The full A Level qualificationwill be graded on a six-point scale: A*, A, B, C, D andE. To be awarded an A*, candidates will need toachieve a grade A on the full A Level qualification andan A* on the aggregate of the A2 units. For AS and

A Level, candidates who fail to reach the minimumstandard for grade E will be recorded asU (unclassified) and will not receive a qualificationcertificate. Individual assessment unit results will becertificated.

5.8 Re-sits and Shelf-life of Unit ResultsUnit results remain available to count towardscertification, whether or not they have already beenused, as long as the specification is still valid.

Candidates may re-sit a unit any number of timeswithin the shelf-life of the specification. The bestresult for each unit will count towards the finalqualification. Candidates who wish to repeat a

qualification may do so by re-taking one or moreunits. The appropriate subject award entry, as well asthe unit entry/entries, must be submitted in order tobe awarded a new subject grade.

Candidates will be graded on the basis of the worksubmitted for assessment.

http://www.jcq.org.uk/access_arrangements

http://www.aqa.org.uk/admin/p_special_3.php

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Appendices

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A Performance DescriptionsThese performance descriptions show the level ofattainment characteristic of the grade boundaries atA Level. They give a general indication of the requiredlearning outcomes at the A/B and E/U boundaries atAS and A2. The descriptions should be interpreted inrelation to the content outlined in the specification:they are not designed to define that content.

The grade awarded will depend in practice upon theextent to which the candidate has met theassessment objectives (see Section 4) overall.Shortcomings in some aspects of the examinationmay be balanced by better performances in others.

AS Performance Descriptions

Assessment Objective 1 Assessment Objective 2

Assessment Demonstrate knowledge and Demonstrate the skills of application,Objectives understanding of a range of analysis, interpretation and evaluation.

anthropological concepts, theories,methods of enquiry and various forms Application: apply knowledge of of evidence (written, oral and visual anthropological principles selectively to sources) and of the links between them. construct explanations of unity and

diversity of human life, and of social andCommunicate knowledge and cultural values, structures, processes understanding in a clear and effective and behaviour.manner, using appropriateanthropological vocabulary. Analysis: produce structured and

coherent arguments, making use of arange of relevant evidence.

Interpretation: adopt a comparativeperspective, looking for connections,parallels, similarities and differencesamong the forms of social and culturallife, leading candidates to reflect criticallyon their own social and cultural normsand expectations.

Evaluation: evaluate and reflect onanthropological arguments, explanationsand evidence, making informedjudgements.

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A


A/B boundary Candidates characteristically: Candidates characteristically:performancedescriptions (a) demonstrate accurate knowledge (a) construct good explanations, by

and understanding of a range of selecting and applying appropriate anthropological concepts, theories, material;methods of enquiry and forms ofevidence; (b) produce structured and sustained

arguments, making effective use of (b) present appropriate material in an relevant evidence;

accurate and coherent manner, withfew errors of grammar, punctuation (c) evaluate explanations, argumentsand spelling, making accurate use and evidence;of anthropological vocabulary.

(d) make valid comparisons.

E/U boundary Candidates characteristically: Candidates characteristically:performancedescriptions (a) demonstrate basic knowledge and (a) construct basic explanations, by

understanding of anthropological selecting and applying limited butconcepts, theories, methods of relevant material;enquiry and forms of evidence;

(b) produce basic arguments, making (b) present appropriate material with limited use of relevant evidence;

limited accuracy or coherence, withsome errors of grammar, punctuation (c) make limited evaluation of and spelling, making basic use of explanations, arguments and anthropological vocabulary. evidence;

(d) make simple comparisons.

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A

A2 Performance Descriptions


Assessment Demonstrate knowledge and Demonstrate the skills of application, Objectives understanding of a range of analysis, interpretation and evaluation.

anthropological concepts, theories,methods of enquiry and various forms Application: apply knowledge of of evidence (written, oral and visual anthropological principles selectively to sources) and of the links between them. construct explanations of unity and

diversity of human life, and of social and Communicate knowledge and cultural values, structures, processesunderstanding in a clear and effective and behaviour.manner, using appropriateanthropological vocabulary. Analysis: produce structured and

coherent arguments, making use of arange of relevant evidence.

Interpretation: adopt a comparativeperspective, looking for connections,parallels, similarities and differencesamong the forms of social and culturallife, leading candidates to reflect criticallyon their own social and cultural normsand expectations.

Evaluation: evaluate and reflect onanthropological arguments, explanationsand evidence, making informedjudgements.

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A/B boundary Candidates characteristically: Candidates characteristically:performancedescriptions (a) demonstrate accurate, detailed and (a) construct good explanations, by

wide-ranging knowledge and selecting and applying appropriate understanding of anthropological material;concepts, theories, methods ofenquiry and forms of evidence, (b) produce coherent and sustained incorporating the relevant arguments, making effective use of specification content, and of the evidence from a range of sources;connections between them;

(c) make more detailed evaluations of(b) present appropriate material in an explanations, arguments and

accurate and structured manner, evidence, and, where appropriate, with few errors of grammar, reach a coherent conclusion;punctuation and spelling, makingaccurate use of anthropological (d) make effective comparisons, vocabulary. explaining connections, parallels,

similarities or differences.

E/U boundary Candidates characteristically: Candidates characteristically:performancedescriptions (a) demonstrate basic knowledge and (a) construct basic explanations, by

understanding of anthropological selecting and applying limited butconcepts, theories, methods of relevant material;enquiry and forms of evidence, withsome limited evidence of (b) produce basic arguments, makingunderstanding of the connections use of evidence from a limited rangebetween them; of sources;

(b) present appropriate material with (c) make limited evaluation of limited accuracy and a basic explanations, arguments and structure, with some errors of evidence;grammar, punctuation and spelling,making basic use of anthropological (d) make limited comparisons, vocabulary. demonstrating some recognition of

connections, parallels, similarities ordifferences.

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B

B Spiritual, Moral, Ethical, Social and other IssuesEuropean DimensionAQA has taken account of the 1988 Resolution of theCouncil of the European Community in preparing thisspecification and associated specimen units.

Environmental EducationAQA has taken account of the 1988 Resolution of theCouncil of the European Community and the Report

“Environmental Responsibility: An Agenda for Furtherand Higher Education” 1993 in preparing thisspecification and associated specimen units.

Avoidance of BiasAQA has taken great care in the preparation of thisspecification and specimen units to avoid bias of anykind.

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C

C Overlaps with other QualificationsThe specification shows some limited overlaps withAQA GCE Sociology. In Sociology, there is someoverlap with the Anthropology specification in thearea of research methods, in that both require thestudy of qualitative methods of research. However,there is much greater focus on the latter inAnthropology. In addition, the Anthropologyspecification requires candidates to undertake theirown small-scale fieldwork.

Furthermore, there are differences in perspectivebetween the two subjects. While Sociology focusesprimarily on the United Kingdom and on industrial orpost-industrial societies, Anthropology has a globally

comparative cross-cultural perspective and subjectmatter, including the study of non-industrial societies.The Anthropology specification also requires thestudy of biological aspects of human diversity andunity, which is absent from Sociology. For thesereasons, while both Sociology and Anthropologystudy people in society, the overlap in subject contentis limited.

Because the overlap with GCE Sociology isconsidered to be complementary, it is not prohibitedin combination.

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D

D Key Skills – Teaching, Developing and Providing Opportunities for Generating Evidence

IntroductionThe Key Skills Qualification requires candidates todemonstrate levels of achievement in the Key Skills ofCommunication, Application of Number andInformation Technology.

The units for the ‘wider’ Key Skills of Improving ownLearning and Performance, Working with Others andProblem Solving are also available. The acquisitionand demonstration of ability in these ‘wider’ Key Skillsis deemed highly desirable for all candidates, but theydo not form part of the Key Skills Qualification.

The units for each Key Skill comprise three sections:

• What you need to know

• What you must do

• Guidance.

Candidates following a course of study based on thisspecification for Anthropology can be offeredopportunities to develop and generate evidence ofattainment in aspects of the Key Skills of:

• Communication

• Application of Number

• Information Technology

• Working with Others

• Improving own Learning and Performance

• Problem Solving.

Areas of study and learning that can be used toencourage the acquisition and use of Key Skills, andto provide opportunities to generate evidence for PartB of the units, are signposted on the next page.

The above information is given in the context of theknowledge that Key Skills at level 3 will be availableuntil 2010 with last certification in 2012.

Key Skills Qualifications of Communication, Applicationof Number and Information and CommunicationTechnology will be phased out and replaced byFunctional Skills qualifications in English, Mathematicsand ICT from September 2010 onwards. For furtherinformation see the AQA website:http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/keyskills/com04.php

http://web.aqa.org.uk/qual/keyskills/com04.php

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D

Key Skills Opportunities in Advanced Subsidiary and Advanced Level Anthropology

Unit 1 Unit 2 Unit 3 Unit 4

Communication

C3.1a ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

C3.1b ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

C3.2 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

C3.3 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Information Technology

ICT3.1 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

ICT3.2 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

ICT3.3 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Working With Others

WO3.1 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

WO3.2 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

WO3.3 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Improving Own Learning andPerformance

LP3.1 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

LP3.2 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

LP3.3 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

Problem Solving

PS3.1 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

PS3.2 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

PS3.3 ✔ ✔ ✔ ✔

23


Text

E

E Ethical Guidelines for Investigations in Unit 4Anthropological scholarship occurs within a variety ofeconomic, cultural, legal and political settings. Asprofessionals and as citizens, [anthropologists] needto consider the effects of their involvement with, andconsequences of their work for, the individuals andgroups among whom they do their fieldwork (theirresearch participants or ‘subjects’), their colleaguesand the discipline, sponsors, funders, employers andgatekeepers, their own and host governments, andother interest groups and the wider society in thecountries in which they work.

(Extracted from the Ethical Guidelines for GoodResearch Practice of the Association of SocialAnthropologists)

For A Level students conducting investigationsamong real human subjects, many of the sameethical considerations apply on a reduced scale. The ‘themes’ component of Unit 4 includes theethics of anthropological research.

Centres are responsible for meeting statutoryobligations regarding child protection, supervision,insurance and parental consent where applicable.

Guiding principles1 Consent Written consent of study participants is

not required, but candidates should show thatthey will be open about the reasons for their studyand will respect the trust of those with whom theywork. If the investigation involves vulnerable ordisadvantaged subjects, their inclusion should bejustified.

2 Privacy and confidentiality These should berespected, and individuals should not be identifiedwhere this could cause harm or embarrassmentto the individual concerned or others.

3 Dignity and respect Candidates should show thatthey will respect the dignity of those studied.

GCE Anthropology (2110) 2010 onwards

Qualification Accreditation Number: AS 500/7690/5 - A Level 500/7691/7

Every specification is assigned a national classification code indicating the subject area to which it belongs. The provisional classification code for this specification is 4892.

Centres should be aware that candidates who enter for more than one GCE AS/A Level qualification with the same classification code will have only one grade counted for the purpose of the School and College Performance Tables. In the case of a candidate taking two qualifications with the same classification code that are of the same size and level, eg two GCE A Levels, the higher grade will count.

Centres may wish to advise candidates that, if they take two GCE specifications with the same classification code, universities and employers are very likely to take the view that they have achieved only one of the two GCEs. The same view may be taken if candidates take two GCE specifications that have different classification codes but have significant overlap of content. Candidates who have any doubts about their subject combinations should check with the institution to which they wish to progress before embarking on their programmes

To obtain free specification updates and support material or to ask us a question, register with Ask AQA:www.aqa.org.uk/ask-aqa/register

Free launch meetings are available in 2010 followed by further support meetings through the life of the specification. Further information is available at:http://events.aqa.org.uk/ebooking

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MIG

1031.09

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