IGCSE Sociology Writing Guide: Mastering 8-Mark and 14-Mark Questions
Lesson Objectives
By the end of this lesson, you should be able to:
● Understand the structure of 8-mark (e) and 14-mark (f) IGCSE Sociology questions.
● Use PEEL (Point, Evidence, Explanation, Link) to construct high-scoring answers.
● Avoid common mistakes that lower marks.
● Apply sociological language, evidence, and evaluation consistently.
Starter Task: What Makes a Good Paragraph?
Review the two example questions below:
1. Discuss how social class influences life chances in terms of health or housing.
2. Explain how gender affects education or employment.
What would a poor answer look like?
What would an excellent answer include?
Discuss in pairs, then we will identify key features of effective answers as a class.
8-Mark (e) Question Structure
Target: Three well-developed PEEL paragraphs. Use sociological theory, evidence, and
explanation.
🔴 Paragraph 1 – PEEL
● P (Point):
○ Start with: "One way [concept] affects [outcome] is..."
○ Include a sociological term and a theory.
○ E.g.: "One way social class affects health is through material deprivation, as
Marxists argue."
● E (Evidence):
○ Start with: "For example..."
○ Use a named study, statistic, or sociologist.
○ E.g.: "For example, the Black Report (1980) found working-class people die 10
years earlier on average."
● E (Explanation):
○ Start with: "This means..."
○ Explain how the evidence proves the point.
○ E.g.: "This means poverty limits access to healthcare, causing preventable
deaths."
● L (Link):
○ Start with: "Therefore, this proves..."
○ Restate the question terms.
○ E.g.: "Therefore, this proves social class creates health inequalities."
🔁 Paragraphs 2 & 3
● Repeat PEEL with new points and evidence. Never reuse.
🚫 Absolute Rules
● ❌ No "I think" or "some people say"
● ❌ No vague claims without evidence
● ❌ No skipped explanations – or you get max 4/8
14-Mark (f) Question Structure
Target: Three arguments for the view, three against, plus a clear conclusion.
🔴 Main Body – Six Paragraphs
● Use PEEL x 6:
○ Three paragraphs for the view
○ Three paragraphs against the view
○ Use studies and sociological language throughout
🔴 Conclusion
● Refer back to the question.
● Weigh up the arguments (e.g., "While [X] explains some inequality, [Y] gives a broader
explanation...")
● State your reasoned final view.
🚫 Avoid These Mistakes
● ❌ Repeating examples
● ❌ No conclusion
● ❌ Listing views without explanation
● ❌ Using personal opinion over sociology
Class Discussion Prompts
● What makes one paragraph better than another?
● Which is the hardest part of PEEL for you?
● What sociological terms or studies do you feel confident using?
Extension / Homework Option
Write a full 8-mark response to either:
● (1a) Discuss how social class affects health or housing.
● (2b) Explain how gender affects education or employment.
You must:
● Write 3 full PEEL paragraphs
● Use at least one theory and one named sociologist or statistic per paragraph
