Synoptic links refer to connections between ideas and areas of study. In the context of A Level Politics, synoptic links are between different papers and areas of politics (such as UK and US politics, or political theory and political processes). They are an essential part of the course to unlock the highest grade boundaries and demonstrate your knowledge of different aspects of the course.
Synoptic assessment enables students to show their ability to combine their skills, knowledge and understanding with the breadth and depth of the subject. Not making synoptic links in your answers can limit the number of marks you are able to achieve in an essay that asks for them. It can be difficult to know when and how to use synoptic links in your answers, so this article is a comprehensive guide that aims to make things clearer.
Synoptic Links in AQA A Level Politics
The AQA specification refers to synoptic links in many areas and is present in all three papers that you will sit.
Paper 1: In the 25-mark essay questions in Section C, the paper says: “In your answer you should draw on material from across the full range of your course of study in Politics.” You could draw on US politics or political theory when answering these questions. For example, in a question about voting behaviour, you should refer to the content covered for Paper 1, but may also mention conservative ideas about human imperfection, or liberal ideas of liberal democracy that you learned in the content for Paper 3.
Paper 2: Since this paper is titled ‘Comparative Politics’, there is a lot of crossover of ideas between areas of politics. Sections A and C require you to compare UK and US politics, looking at a range of ideas. You must compare the two countries in these questions. The questions for Section C make explicit references to both the UK and US, so there is no excuse not to compare the two countries and use content that spans both parts of the specification.
Paper 3: Political ideas can always be linked to ‘real-life’ examples in both the UK and USA. Conservatism has a rich history in the UK, and many of our parliamentary traditions can be used as examples. For non-core political ideas, referring to theories and examples studied for Papers 1 and 2 can help get your marks up. For example, if answering a nationalism question on civic nationalism, refer to participation within the UK.
Synoptic Links in Edexcel A Level Politics
Paper 2 (UK Government): For Question 2, the paper states that ‘In your answer you should draw on relevant knowledge and understanding of the study of Component 1: UK politics and core political ideas. You must consider this view and the alternative to this view in a balanced way.‘ This means that cross-referencing should occur within your answer, ideally throughout. For example, if the question is about the power of the EU, you could mention the use of referenda or conservative views on tradition.
Paper 3A (USA Politics): Section B (question 2) asks you to compare the ideas of US politics with the UK directly in the question. Your answer should constantly compare the concept or process as the question asks.
Paper 3B (Global Politics): Section B (question 2) explicitly asks you to refer to core political ideas. When referring to realism, it’s easiest to mention conservative key thinkers, like Thomas Hobbes and his views on the state of nature to describe international anarchy. When referring to liberalism, mention liberal thinkers like John Locke and how he envisioned altruistic humans in the state of nature.
How to use synoptic links
We’d recommend having a go at making some synoptic links to get used to how to include them in an essay. They should flow naturally, rather than explicitly stating “a synoptic link is…”, as this takes away from the natural flow of your argument. Embed these examples into your answer so they feel like natural inclusions to the debate.
You’ll also find some example synoptic links for A Level Politics past papers in the mark schemes for those specific questions. These can be applied to different scenarios too, so see if they could fit in other essay questions.
