: AQA past-paper questions pack
Back to the topic page

The new media

Past-paper questions pack

Name
Class
Date set
Date due
Score/ 110

Questions are numbered; the mark schemes (the answer key) follow on separate pages so the question pages can be handed out alone. www.alevelsociologytutor.com

AQA AQA AS and A-level Sociology past-paper questions since 2016 · 9 parts · mark schemes follow the questions · www.alevelsociologytutor.com · Questions and mark schemes © AQA

1. June 2025 · Paper 2 · Q21 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6
2 1 Read Item N below and answer the question that follows. Item N Postmodernists see the globalised media, including social media, as giving people greater choices, opportunities and access to a diversity of cultures. They argue that the new media allow people to create media content and to construct their own realities. Other sociologists argue that the extent of change has been exaggerated. Many people do not have access to the new media, so cannot make choices. Marxists claim that media conglomerates still control the media. Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate postmodernist explanations of the media. [20 marks]
2. June 2024 · Paper 2 · Q19 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
1 9 Outline and explain two ways in which the ownership and control of the media may have been affected by the growth of the new media. [10 marks]
3. June 2023 · Paper 2 · Q19 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
1 9 Outline and explain two ways in which the new media may affect audiences. [10 marks]
4. June 2022 · Paper 2 · Q21 · 20 marks · AO1=8,AO2=6,AO3=6
2 1 Read Item N below and answer the question that follows. Item N The growth of new media in contemporary society has led some sociologists to reconsider some of the issues they study, such as the relationship between the media and their audiences and the importance of ownership and control of the media. They argue that new explanations are needed because new media are different from old media, such as television and newspapers. However, others argue that the early theories about old media, such as pluralism and Marxism, can also be applied to new media. Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate the usefulness of early media theories in explaining the role of the new media in contemporary society. [20 marks]
5. November 2021 · Paper 2 · Q19 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
1 9 Outline and explain two ways that new media may be changing popular culture. [10 marks]
6. November 2020 · Paper 2 · Q19 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
1 9 Outline and explain two ways in which new media may have affected the selection and presentation of news. [10 marks]
7. June 2019 · Paper 2 · Q19 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
1 9 Outline and explain two ways in which the new media enable people to challenge stereotypical media portrayals of women. [10 marks]
8. June 2018 · Paper 2 · Q20 · 10 marks · AO1=3,AO2=4,AO3=3
2 0 Read Item M below and answer the question that follows. Item M The new media are changing the way in which members of society interact with the media and with each other. New media users are no longer passive receivers of information and can be producers as well as consumers of media. However, new media content may not always be valid. Applying material from Item M, analyse two ways in which the new media may affect the political process. [10 marks]
9. June 2017 · Paper 2 · Q19 · 10 marks · AO1=5,AO2=3,AO3=2
1 9 Outline and explain two ways in which the new media may be creating a global popular culture. [10 marks]

Mark schemes

1. June 2025 · Paper 2 · Q21
Mark scheme June 2025 Paper 2 Q21
2. June 2024 · Paper 2 · Q19
Mark scheme June 2024 Paper 2 Q19
3. June 2023 · Paper 2 · Q19
Mark scheme June 2023 Paper 2 Q19
4. June 2022 · Paper 2 · Q21
Mark scheme June 2022 Paper 2 Q21
5. November 2021 · Paper 2 · Q19
Mark scheme November 2021 Paper 2 Q19
6. November 2020 · Paper 2 · Q19
Mark scheme November 2020 Paper 2 Q19
7. June 2019 · Paper 2 · Q19
Mark scheme June 2019 Paper 2 Q19
8. June 2018 · Paper 2 · Q20
Mark scheme June 2018 Paper 2 Q20
9. June 2017 · Paper 2 · Q19
Mark scheme June 2017 Paper 2 Q19