Social Studies Structured Essay Question Essay Outline Part 1: What you need to know about handling Structured

Essay Questions 1. Answering Structured Essay Questions require you to analyse the question; explain the factor(s) given in the question; and examine alternative factor(s).

2. Writing a Structured Essay Step 1: Analyse the Question When analysing the question, identify the issue that is being discussed. Next, identify the contributing factor to the issue within the question. Then refer to the instruction words which require you to give reasons for your answer. Question: To what extent are differences in perception among the different religious groups most likely to cause conflict in Singapore? Explain your answer. (12m)

To what extent differences in perception Given factor in question among the different religious to cause conflict in Singapore? Explain your answer. (12m)

are groups most likely

Issue

Instruction words

Step 2: Explain the Given Factor differences in perception among the different religious groups

When you are explaining the given factor, you have to give a factual description of the factor as well as show how the factor relates to the question. In this case, the question is how the factors are responsible for the issue of causing conflict in Singapore. Here is an example of a factual description (L2/4m): Differences in perception among different religious groups can cause conflict in Singapore. An example to illustrate this is the Maria Hertogh riots of 1950. Maria had been the child of Dutch parents but during the Japanese Occupation, she had been given to a Malay lady, Aminah, to raise and was brought up as a Muslim. However, after the war, her parents wanted her back. When the Singapore courts did not give the custody of Maria to Aminah, the Muslims felt that the British legal system did not respect the Muslim community. This led to the outbreak of violence which resulted in loss of lives and destruction of property. If you read the example on a factual description above, you will realize that it has not answered the question of how differences in perception among the different religious groups causes conflict in Singapore. You need to provide an explanation on how the factor relates back to the question. Here is an explanation to show how the factor is related to the issue in the question: Differences in perception among different religious groups can cause conflict in Singapore. This is because members of a particular religious group may see actions taken by another group to be disrespectful and insulting to their religion. When such misperception occurs, violence may result. An example to illustrate this is the Maria Hertogh riots of 1950. Maria had been the child of Dutch parents but during the Japanese Occupation, she had been given to a Malay lady, Aminah, to raise and was brought up as a Muslim. However, after the war, her parents wanted her back. When the Singapore courts did not give the custody of Maria to Aminah, the Muslims felt that the British legal system did not respect the Muslim community. This led to the outbreak of violence which resulted in loss of lives and destruction of property.

Step 3: Explore other factors that relate to the issue. You cannot conclude whether or not differences in perception among the different religious groups is the most important factor because you have to explore more than one factor that has a role to play in the issue causes conflict in Singapore. State the 2 other factors you have to use for this question:

1. ___________________________________________________________________ 2. ___________________________________________________________________ On a sheet of foolscap paper, EXPLAIN the TWO OTHER FACTORS that will be part of your answer to the structured essay question above. Step 4: Putting it Together (Weighing) When writing a structured-essay answer, you need to evaluate the factors you have explained, and reach a judgment based on your evaluation. Here is an example of a judgment based on your evaluation: Although external threats such as transnational terrorism can cause conflict in Singapore, it is less likely to cause an outbreak of violence compared to differences in perception among religious groups. This is because transnational terrorism depends on creating that difference in perception among religious groups to bring about conflict and achieve their aim. If it is not successful in doing so, there will be no conflict among the different religious groups. Therefore, differences in perception among different religious groups are the most likely factors to cause conflict in Singapore.