Social studies is one of the most popular Unified State Exam subjects, because a certificate with good scores in this subject opens up wide opportunities for entry into highly ranked universities in a variety of faculties.
If you have confidently chosen social studies or decided to take tests in this discipline, considering it simpler than a number of other subjects in the school curriculum, we suggest you find out:
Although, for most schoolchildren, social studies seems to be a fairly simple subject, statistics on the results of the unified state exam indicate that not all test takers easily obtain high scores. Why?
If we ignore the fact that social studies is quite often chosen as a third subject by 11th graders who have not yet decided on the desired direction of further education, then there are three reasons for not being very successful in passing the exam:
- The tickets cover a fairly large number of topics included in the course of such subjects as economics, politics, law, sociology and philosophy.
- Many schoolchildren lack the ability to quickly work with information presented in the form of tables and graphs.
- Problems with writing essays correctly.
It is a short argumentative essay, in which graduates need to not only reveal the meaning of the statement, but also argue their reasoning, skillfully using concepts from various topics based on personal experience, that causes difficulties for most graduates. But, in fact, everything is quite simple if you spend some time preparing for the Unified State Exam.
Where to begin?
- Find out what essay topics will be offered at the Unified State Exam in Social Studies in 2018.
- Work through each possible topic.
- Create a basic plan that will help you quickly and competently write an essay on social studies and successfully enter your desired university in 2018.
Essay topics for the 2018 Unified State Exam in social studies
No one can say exactly what topic will be offered to graduates in 2018, since it is announced after the envelope is opened on the day of the Unified State Exam. But you can prepare well for the essay, because all possible topics are in the collection from which the tasks for the Unified State Exam in Social Sciences in 2018 will be taken.
You can familiarize yourself with the topics and issues of different modules included in social studies on the page of our portal or save the file in pdf format to your computer. You can open files of this format with special programs or simply through any browser installed on your PC.
Making a plan for an essay in social studies
Regardless of the direction and topic, the essay should have the following structure:
- Main quote.
- The problem and its relevance.
- Revealing the essence of the statement.
- The essay writer’s view of the problem being revealed.
- Theoretical argumentation.
- Examples from personal experience or social practice, history or literature.
- Short conclusion.
Try to find quotes for each topic. But keep in mind that the choice of quotation must be justified and supported by further reasoning and examples.
To reveal the relevance of the problem, use cliche phrases:
To correctly disclose the content of the selected topic, you must:
- periodically return to the topic at different points in the essay;
- add brief information about the author of the statement;
- try not to go beyond the topic;
- do not dilute the text with facts and arguments that are not related to the chosen topic;
- describe different views on the problem and existing solutions.
When taking the Unified State Exam 2018 in social studies, an essay plan will help you not to deviate from the intended path, according to which you can easily write an argumentative essay step by step.
When formulating the main idea, do not repeat the entire statement, but use the appropriate clichés:
- “The meaning of the statement is that...”
- “The author is absolutely convinced that...”
- “By making a statement, the author tries to draw attention to the fact that...”
When expressing your opinion, do not rush to take the author’s side. You can agree with him only partially or even argue, providing compelling arguments in favor of your position. Depending on the chosen direction, the following phrases can be used in the block:
It is necessary to substantiate your opinion at the theoretical and empirical levels. Therefore, when drawing up your plan for the essay for the Unified State Exam 2018, be sure to prepare examples from life, theoretical material from various topics in social studies, as well as historical facts.
Conclusion is 1-2 sentences that summarize the reasoning.
Teacher's advice! While working through each topic, make yourself reference tables for each statement, in which write down 1-2 sentences for each point of the plan.
Grading essays in social studies
For a well-written argument, a graduate can receive a maximum of 5 points.
In total, when assigning points for an essay, the following are assessed:
Important! If the meaning of the statement is incorrectly revealed, then the essay is not further checked and 0 points are awarded for completing this task.
There is still quite a lot of time before the start of the Unified State Exam 2018, which means that learning how to correctly plan an essay and learn the theory of social studies is more than possible. The main thing is to set a goal and strive to achieve it through daily study and tireless training in writing quality essays.
Also look at video on changing the ESSAY in social studies:
Many people assume that an essay is a regular piece of writing. However, it is not.
An essay is a prose literary genre. Translated from French it means “essay” or “sketch”. The essay reflects the individual experiences of the author, his view on a particular issue. It does not provide an exhaustive answer to a specific question, but reflects one’s own opinion or impression.
When writing an essay, logic, the ability to argue your opinion, and competently present information develop perfectly. The presentation style is more conversational-oriented.
Characteristics of the essay
To write an essay correctly, you should take into account the specific features that distinguish it from other genres.
Main features of an essay:
- The presence of a specific narrow topic that contains a problem and encourages the reader to think.
- Subjective author's position. The essay is distinguished by the presence of the author's view of the existing problem, his attitude to the world, speech and thinking.
- Conversational writing style. Complex wording and overly long sentences should be avoided. It is important to maintain a casual style to establish contact with the reader. At the same time, it is important not to overdo it, turning the essay into a low-quality text full of slang. The correct emotional coloring of the text will be given by short, simple and understandable sentences, and the use of different intonation in sentences.
- Detailed analysis of the problem. Your own point of view must be argued based on factual material.
- Relative brevity of presentation. There are no restrictions on the number of pages, but the essay is short in length.
- Free formation. The essay has the character of a presentation that does not fit into any specific framework. The construction is subject to its own logic, which the author adheres to, trying to consider the problem from different angles.
- Logic of presentation. Despite the free composition, the essay must have internal unity, consistency in the author’s statements expressing his opinion.
Thus, the essay has a special narrative style, its purpose is to provoke the reader to think. The author does not insist on his point of view, but rather invites the reader to think about and discuss it.
How to write an essay?
Writing an essay correctly is about understanding the genre's features. Following the basic principles and guidelines for writing will help you create an interesting essay.
How to choose a topic
If there is no list of topics from which you can choose one, and only a general direction is given, then you need to take into account the audience for which the essay is intended. The options may be different: a teacher at a university, a commission, a literary community, an employer. If an essay is being written to be submitted to a teacher, then you need to think about what qualities will be assessed. Based on this, the topic should be chosen so that there is an opportunity to demonstrate those abilities that the examiner expects from the author: originality, the ability to logically construct sentences, literacy, professional qualities, etc.
When choosing a topic for writing an essay from the proposed list, you should choose one in which you have certain knowledge, considerations, or simply a strong interest.
If the essay is aimed at the employer, then it is desirable that both the topic and the content of the essay reflect the character of the author, his sincerity, uniqueness, humanity and individuality.
How to start an essay
It often happens that a person who has sufficient eloquence and the ability to express his thoughts on paper experiences difficulties in starting a composition, including an essay. Thinking about the beginning can stretch out for quite a long time, which greatly overshadows the process of creative work. Use our tips on how to start an essay.
Tip 1. Before you start writing an essay, you need to formulate an idea, define a goal and find sources of information for your work.
Tip 2. Use the freewriting technique (free writing). Its essence is to write down all the thoughts that come to mind, without editing it and without paying attention to grammar, punctuation, style, etc. An excellent way to help cope with a creative crisis and find an extraordinary idea.
Tip 3. It is important not to get hung up on the introductory part. The introduction can be written after the main part has been written. In this case, it is already clear what the essay is about, so it is easier to write an introduction.
Tip 4. One fairly common option is to write an essay, starting with a question, the answer to which is given later.
How to Outline an Essay
You should not strive to create a perfect plan right away. It can be edited during operation. It is not at all necessary to make a plan when writing an essay, nor is it necessary to adhere to an already written plan. The absence of restrictions and rigid boundaries is the advantage of this genre. If it is easier for the author to stick to a strict plan, then it is worth taking the time to draw it up.
All main thoughts should be reflected in the form of plan points. Then detail it as much as possible, breaking each item into sub-items.
What is the structure of an essay?
The procedure for writing an essay usually comes down to three steps.
- Introductory part
Like any written work, an essay contains a preamble or introduction.
A well-written introduction makes the reader interested and read the essay to the end. The introductory part may contain a statement of the problem and its essence, a rhetorical question, a quote, etc. it is important to create a special emotional mood and bring the reader to the problem under consideration.
- Main part
In the main part, you can give different points of view on the problem under consideration and touch on the history of the issue.
Usually the main part consists of several subparagraphs, each of which consists of three sections: thesis(provable proposition), justification(arguments used to prove the thesis), sub-conclusion(partial answer to the main question).
Arguments are judgments expressed with the aim of convincing the reader of the truth of a certain point of view. This could be various situations from life, opinions of scientists, evidence, etc.
The argument can be constructed in the following sequence:
- Statement.
- Explanation.
- Example.
- Final judgment.
- Conclusion
The conclusion combines all the conclusions drawn for each thesis presented in the main part. The reader must come to a logical conclusion based on the arguments given. Finally, the problem is restated and a final conclusion is drawn.
If the purpose of the introductory part is to interest the reader, then the purpose of the last sentences is to add integrity to the overall picture, leave the work in the reader’s memory and provoke thought.
The difference between an essay and an essay
Writing an essay correctly is different from writing a regular essay. Therefore, if the task is to write an essay, then you need to take into account the characteristic features of the genre that distinguish it from the rest.
Unlike an essay that analyzes a work of art, an essay contains the author's point of view and his position regarding the problem under consideration.
Also, one of the features that distinguishes an essay from a composition is its paradoxical nature, that is, the goal is to surprise the reader, impress him, using vivid images, aphorisms, and paradoxical statements.
Writing Tips:
- When writing an essay, you should alternate short phrases with long ones. In this case, the text will be dynamic enough to be easy to read.
- You should not use complex and unclear words, especially if the meaning of the word is unfamiliar.
- You should use as few general phrases as possible. The essay should be unique, individualized, reflecting the personality of the author.
- Humor must be used extremely carefully. Sarcasm and insolence can irritate the reader.
- Reflecting personal experiences, memories and impressions is a great way to prove your point of view and convince the reader.
- It is necessary to stick to the topic and main idea, without deviating from it or describing unnecessary details.
- Having finished the essay, you should re-read it, making sure that the logic of presentation is maintained throughout the entire narrative.
- Using facts and research results in an essay is an excellent option for adding persuasiveness.
Common mistakes when writing essays
Knowing the most common mistakes will help you avoid them when writing your own essay.
Error 1. The fear of being misunderstood or not making the right impression contributes to the fact that the author removes everything unnecessary and outstanding from the essay. Due to this, the essay may lose its individuality and uniqueness.
Error 2. Insufficient attention to detail. A common mistake is having a statement that is not supported by a sufficient number of arguments in the form of examples and evidence.
Error 3. Misunderstanding of the essence of the problem stated in the essay or incorrect interpretation of the topic.
Error 4. Listing the opinions of others, without indicating their authorship and the absence of one’s own point of view.
For a more complete understanding of the material presented, check out the example essay.
Essay writing sample
Essay sample
How to write an essay - all the rules from “A” to “Z” updated: February 15, 2019 by: Scientific Articles.Ru
- Does America have the right to export democracy?
- The future of American federalism in the context of globalization.
- "The USA Patriot Act" and the problem of freedom.
- International actions of the USA for the protection of human rights at the beginning of the XX-XXI centuries.
- The policy of compensatory discrimination: pro et contra.
- Interaction between Congress and the US President during the Iraq War.
- Bureaucracy and democracy: is it possible to control the activities of the bureaucracy in the United States?
- Is the right to abortion constitutional?
- US Supreme Court and international law.
- The fight for the right to marry representatives of sexual minorities in the United States.
- Consequences of monopolization of the media industry in the United States.
- What image of the world is formed by the American media?
- Why is American political activity declining?
- Advantages and disadvantages of the modern two-party system in the United States.
- Party struggle in the USA and the problem of redistricting.
- 2008 elections in the United States: Democratic strategy.
- Election 2012: Prospects for Republicans and Democrats.
- Interest groups in the United States in the context of globalization.
Notes:
- The list of essay topics can be expanded in accordance with the interests of the student after consultation with the teacher.
- When preparing an essay, you must use the list of required and additional literature, as well as Internet resources for the course “US Political System”.
Guidelines for the colloquium:
"Interest Groups in American Politics"
A list of questions
- What are interest groups (lobbies) and whose interests can they represent?
- Mechanisms for organizing interest groups and their role in the political life of American society.
- Interest Group Resources.
- Mechanisms of influence of interest groups in the United States on politics: direct lobbying (pressure on Congress, the president, executive authorities); a system of permanent connections between a committee in Congress, an executive body and an interest group (iron triangle); litigation; PR campaigns; use of the electoral process.
- New political movement of the 1960s-1970s. and the emergence of public interest groups.
- Characteristics of the activities of one of the public interest groups of the second half of the 20th century. (optionally).
List of sources and literature
Sources
Theory and practice of democracy. Selected texts. M., 2006. Chapter 7. Interest groups. pp. 309-359.
Mandatory
Janda K., Berry J., Goldman J., Hula K. The Hard Way of Democracy.
The process of public administration in the United States. M., 2006. pp. 287-317.
Heywood E. Political Science. M., 2005. pp. 344-352.
Barbour Ch., Streb M.J. Clued in to Politics. A Critical Thinking Reader in American Government. Boston, N.Y., 2004, pp. 309-332.
Ginsberg G., Lowi Th., Weir M. We the People. An Introduction to American Politics. New York, London, 2005 (Study outline: www.wwnorton.com/wtp5e). P. 426-464.
Additional
Interest Group Politics. Washington, 1983.
Moe T. M. The Organization of Interests. Chicago, 1980.
Olson M. Jr. the Logic of Collective Action: Public Goods and the theory of Groups. Cambridge, 1971.
The Politics of Interests: Interest Groups Transformed. Westview, 1992.
Internet resources
http://www.psr.keele.ac.uk/parties.htm - information site of interest groups in various countries, including the USA;
http://www.politicalusa.com/link/Interest_Groups/ - website of interest groups in the USA;
http://usgovinfo.about.com/blorgs.htm - a site dedicated to the activities of interest groups and public organizations in the United States.
Questions for the written final assessment
- Concepts of freedom, equality and democracy in the system of American political values.
- American liberalism and conservatism. General characteristics.
- Fundamental Principles of the Constitution of 1787
- The Bill of Rights and the adoption of new amendments to the US Constitution.
- The evolution of the US political system: from the Early Republic to the “Era of Jackson.”
- The meaning and contours of American federalism. "Traditional federalism", cooperative federalism, "New federalism".
- American civil liberties.
- The main stages of the struggle for civil rights in the United States.
- The role of Congress in implementing the principles of American democracy. "Congressional periods" in US history.
- The process of lawmaking in Congress.
- Constitutional foundations of presidential power. "Presidential periods" in US history.
- Characteristics of the modern institution of presidential power in the United States.
- Federal judicial system. Distinguishing the jurisdiction of federal and state courts.
- The Supreme Court as a body of constitutional supervision. Expansion of the power of federal courts in the second half of the 20th century.
- The system of checks and balances in the US political system.
- Factors influencing the process of political socialization in the United States. Mechanisms for the formation of American political views.
- Public opinion polls in the United States and their significance.
- The principles of functioning of the media industry in the United States and its impact on the political process.
- Forms of political activity of Americans and mechanisms of political mobilization of American society.
- The voting process in the USA. The main stages of the American struggle for expansion of voting rights.
- History and the two-party system in the USA.
- The role of parties in the political life of the United States.
- Elections in the USA: types of election campaigns and electoral systems.
- Organization of the presidential election campaign.
- Mechanisms of influence of interest groups in the United States on the political process.
Thematic course plan
| № | Subject | lectures | Total |
| Section 1 . Fundamental Principles of the US Political System | |||
| 1. | Introduction to American Political Culture. | 2 | 2 |
| 2. | Development of the US Constitution and the formation of the foundations of the modern political system. | 2 | 2 |
| 3. | American federalism. | 2 | 2 |
| 4. | Civil liberties and rights. | 2 | 2 |
| Section 2. National institutions of government | |||
| 5. | Congress and the principles of functioning of the legislative branch. | 2 | 2 |
| 6. | Institute of Presidential Power. | 2 | 2 |
| 7. | US judicial system. Judicial power and politics. | 2 | 2 |
| Section 3. Political life of the USA | |||
| 8. | The role of public opinion. | 2 | 2 |
| 9. | Media influence. | 2 | 2 |
| 10. | Political participation and voting. | 2 | 2 |
| 11. | Political parties in the USA. | 2 | 2 |
| 12. | Elections in the United States | 2 | 2 |
| Colloquium: “Interest Groups in American Politics” | 2 | ||
| TOTAL: | 24 hours | 26 hours |
Choosing an essay topic can stall your writing process for a long time, because you simply do not know what you will write about. Apart from the case where the exact topic of the essay is formulated by your teacher, the choice of topic can come down to narrowing the direction given by the teacher, choosing from a suggested list of topics, or “free floating.”
Options for clarifying the topic
- Narrowing a given direction
The first of these cases implies that you have been given some general direction. For example, write an essay on the topic of Yekaterinburg culture. This topic is too broad and requires narrowing it down to one question. Let’s say, having visited this glorious city, you took a trip along the “Red Line” and now have an idea about opening a similar tourist route in your city. Then you can formulate the topic, for example, like this: “Creation of a “Red Line” in Kostroma.” At the same time, your work itself may be devoted to what city objects can be included in this route, or what benefits the city will receive after the creation of the “Red Line”.
Pay attention to who exactly you are writing the essay for. An ordinary paper submitted to a teacher at a university will differ significantly from an essay submitted upon admission to an educational institution, a literary club, or when applying for a job. What does the person who will read your essay expect from you? Demonstrations of originality, ability to reason competently and beautifully, professional qualities or something else?
- Select from a list of topics
This option is simpler than the previous one, but requires you to analyze what you understand best or would like to understand. When choosing a topic from the list given by the teacher, evaluate what knowledge and experience you already have on a particular topic. What author's position could you express on the chosen topic?
- No theme
The third case is the complete absence of any topic. This option is the most difficult in terms of choice, but it literally opens the doors to the world for you, allowing you to write about what you want. To avoid drowning in this ocean of possibilities, first determine what interests you most. What do you think about most often? What grabs your attention to the point that you forget about everything else? What would you like to improve in society, your city, the surrounding areas?
Once you decide on a direction, figure out what you like best. Some people like to picturesquely describe any events, places, interesting people, amazing things, others like to analyze, others like to write about themselves, and still others would prefer to criticize what they don’t like. Depending on this, your essay will be descriptive, analytical, reflective, critical, or something else.
Having combined a topic that interests you with the type of essay, sketch out several options for topics. At this stage, it is not the exact formulation of the topic that is important, but an understanding of the essence of the problem and the potential for its solution.
Rating of selected topics
After selecting specific topics, evaluate each of them to see how meaningfully you can cover it. Do you have interesting observations and ideas on this topic, can you surprise the reader with something, do you feel inspired when discussing this topic? You must understand that in the course of your work you will have to formulate a certain thesis and then convincingly prove it. Can you do this for the selected topics? What are your trump cards?
When exploring the potential of a topic, pay attention to the availability of literature sources. In some cases, it is more logical to first try to find the necessary information in the sources, and then begin to formulate thoughts in the form of an essay. For example, for a topic about the creation of a “Red Line” in the city, you may need to analyze the state of this problem today. Find out if you are too late with your idea. Maybe someone has already managed to inspire others to implement it and is currently drawing the “Red Line” right under your window? What attractions in your city deserve to be included in the tourist route? How much money will it take to create such a line?
The topics of Unified State Examination essays in the Russian language are a rather abstract concept. We can rather talk about problems. Each text offered for analysis to a USE participant contains several problems. Usually there are at least three of them, but there are texts in which up to ten problems can be identified.
The most subjective moment. In fact, the problem may be present in the text, but not contained in the materials for the experts checking the students' work. Most experts in such situations take into account the formulation of the problem.
The difficulty is different: sometimes a student formulates a problem in an ugly way from the point of view of the Russian language, while thinking in the right direction. The result is correct, but difficult to understand content. The expert does not always grasp the connection between the text of the work and the materials according to which he must check. As a result, a correct thought is scored zero.
How to avoid this? There is a list of topics (problems) for Unified State Examination essays in the Russian language, it will be given below. This list contains brief but precise formulations that will definitely be understandable to an expert. Many of these are taken from examiner revision materials for previous years' exams or from official mock exams. The problems may vary slightly depending on the source text, but in general the list is exhaustive.
The problem can be formulated in the form of a question or in the genitive case.
There is no difference in terms of assessing essays by experts. But using the first method (questioning) leads to writing a better essay. It makes it possible not to get confused and not to go off topic. Advice from site developers: formulate the problem in the form of a question. We will also formulate a list of topics (problems) in question form.
List of topics for essays on the Unified State Examination in the Russian language
The relationship between man and nature
How do human activities affect nature?
How should we treat nature?
Why is nature important to humans?
Should a person protect nature?
How does nature influence humans?
Why is consumerism towards nature bad?
Does man depend on nature?
Why do people often fail to see the beauty in nature?
How can nature inspire people?
How does the destructive power of nature manifest itself?
Why should you live in harmony with nature?
What is the beauty of nature?
Relationships between humans and animals
Why should a person care about animals?
Why do homeless animals evoke feelings of compassion?
How should people treat their pets?
Do all people love animals?
Why are people so often cruel to animals?
What makes a person kill animals?
Can an animal be useful to a person?
Is a person always more intelligent than an animal?
Family relationships, childhood
How does family influence the formation of a child’s personality?
Is there anything stronger than a mother's love?
How do parents care about their children?
Why are parents strict with their children?
What influences the process of forming a child’s worldview?
Is maternal love always good?
How does upbringing affect a person’s future?
Should children leave their parents?
What kind of atmosphere should there be in the family?
Do family relationships influence a child's character?
Why should parents be honest with their children?
Why do conflicts between “fathers” and “children” happen?
What do childhood memories mean to a person?
Can childhood always be called the happiest time?
The beauty and richness of the Russian language
What does a person’s native language mean?
Why do you need to protect the Russian language?
What does an irresponsible attitude towards one’s native language lead to?
Why do young people neglect the rules of the Russian language?
What is the richness of the Russian language?
School, teachers, books
Why is it important for a person to get a good education?
How does the school participate in shaping a child’s personality?
Why are school lessons important?
Why should you remember your teachers?
Can every teacher be called good?
What should a real teacher be like?
Why should a person strive for knowledge?
What's wrong with not wanting to learn?
What consequences does the work of an incompetent teacher have?
How do books influence a person's worldview?
What place should reading occupy in a person’s life?
Inner world, moral qualities of a person
What can a person's appearance say?
Is a person beautiful on the outside always beautiful on the inside?
In what situations does a person’s character emerge?
What internal qualities of a person can be considered correct?
What is a truly rich inner world like?
Why do people commit immoral acts?
Can anything justify betrayal?
Why do people take the path of spiritual degradation?
How does cowardice manifest itself?
What kind of person can be called callous, heartless?
What does human cruelty lead to?
Why do intrapersonal conflicts occur?
Can a moral person change his principles?
Friendship
Can true friendship ever end?
Why do quarrels happen between friends?
Why does friendship not tolerate betrayal?
What kind of person can be called a true friend?
Can friends be rivals?
Love
What is true love?
How should you treat the person you love?
Is love always happy?
What can a person do in the name of love?
Why is unrequited love dangerous?
Is it possible to forgive everything to a loved one?
Social problems
How should we treat the poor?
Why should you help the homeless?
Can you always trust the authorities?
How does the problem of veneration manifest itself?
Why can the rich control the destinies of the poor?
Why is crime rampant?
Is there any way to justify theft?
What can make a person a drunkard?
Are the poor always to blame for their financial situation?
Upbringing
What kind of person can be called well-mannered?
Will a well-mannered person be rude or rude?
Why should a person be responsive?
Who gives a person education?
Why is it important to respect others?
Should a person be polite?
Art in human life
Is a talented person always noticed?
What does art give to a person?
How does music affect a person?
Is it possible to express through art what cannot be expressed in words?
What did music mean to people in wartime?
Do brilliant people always live happily?
Why do people love art?
How does art help people?
War time
Why was heroism common in wartime?
What are people who love their Motherland ready for?
What kind of person can be called a patriot?
How does false patriotism manifest itself?
Does it make sense to treat the enemy humanely?
Why is war a grief for every family?
Why should we remember war heroes?
How does humanity preserve the memory of the Great Patriotic War?
The list of problems can be expanded. New problems will be added to the general list, stay tuned.
