UACE General paper marking points

Composition of the paper

It is composed of 2 sections A and B

Section A comprises 4 Assay questions from which a candidate selects 1 question and required to write between 600 – 800 word (50marks)

Section B comprises 2 questions; a logic question and a comprehension question from which a student selects one question to answer (50 marks)

Section A answer format

(i) Select the question you choice which you are most conversant with.

(i) Define the Key terms/concept (5marks)

This should not be given in fact form but as an introduction which is unique and interesting

(ii)  Body/content (30marks)

• Each point carry 3marks and should feature in a paragraph about 6-7 lines
  • Stating the point in full sentence (1mark)
  • Elaborating/discussion of the point (1mark)
  • Giving/illustrating with a relevant examplev (1mark)
• Use formal (standard) English, avoid slangs, jargons, abbreviations and contradictions
• Do not skip lines in between paragraphs as this renders your essay disjointed, leading to loss of marks
• A good conclusion improves the impression of your essay and may earn you marks.
• Endevour to use legible handwriting to enable examiner make easy and fair assessment.
• Avoid too much writing above the required number of words and ensure clarity of your work to ease the work of the examiner
• This section requires a wide knowledge, current affairs, and vocabularies from radio and TV debates, news papers, story books and school debates
• Practice writing assay as regulary as possible

NOTE:

Essay questions are written using the peer approach whereby it stands for the following.

• • P – State the point first .
  • E – Explain the point
  • E – Examples / illustrations and point evidence.
  • R – Relate the point to the question.
• This approach must be used for each paragraph you write.

(iii) Grammar, spellings and vocabulary (5marks)

(iv) General impression (10marks)

Section A question interpretation/meaning/terms commonly used in general paper questions

Explain

Questions of this nature require you to explain but you need to carefully interpret the key words and bring out the facts in support of or against a given case .Quite often, it requires balanced analysis depending on the specific questions.

Account for.

This question requires you to give a satisfactory explanation to the cause of something. It calls you to give reasons /factors that have created or led to the existing situation.

Assess

This requires you to critically look at the statements. You therefore have to analyze, point out or give value judgment, effect or importance of the ideal situation being examined.

When assessing, it needs two sides: positive and negative. Ensure that the ideas / points given are well explained with a convincing style so that the examiner is convinced that the assessment has been properly handled.

Argue the case:

This requires you to give elaborate reasons in support of the statement in the question and then you look at other factors that are related to or contribute towards

Examine:

This requires us to be very critical in bringing out facts in support of or against or often a balanced analysis depending on a specific question. The question on examine usually requires two sides but there some cases when the question needs one side.

NB: The two sides may involve the positive and negative factors or the advantages and disadvantages. It is therefore important to understand the question so well so as to know whether to give one side or two sides.

Discuss

This term requires us to argue in an effort to reach a convincing level to which other people can agree with you.

To what extent.

These calls for two sides where a student needs to explain and illustrate the magnitude or scope or limits of application. In this question, a student must take a stand to show whether to a large or small extent and show case for each side.

Justify

In this case, we must demonstrate the correctness of assertion. The students must in this case indicate, show reasons that something said in the questions don’t call for the other side instead you give only one side.

What:

This question requires you to give the real state of affairs/ actual situation or facts about something. In most cases, this phrasing of questions calls only for one side unless two issues are asked for example “what are the causes and effects of land disputes in Uganda today “.

Do you agree?

This calls you to make a one sided argument either for or against a statement. Do not contradict yourself by agreeing and then after you disagree.

Suggest or to what measures;

This involves making proposals of what should be done to address a problem, overcome a situation.

Summerize

This requires giving key (main points) or substance of the matter. In such a case, the details and examples aren’t required. In general paper, it is the passage question in section B that requires a student to summarize facts in a given number of words.

How:

This kind of question requires a student to give/show ways by which things are done or are happening. A detailed explanation must be given to explain how situation is so .for example; How can the evil of corruption be reduced in your country

Sample essay

(a) Topic: Discuss the causes and effects of domestic violence in your community.

(b) Analysis of the question

• The key word is domestic violence, remember that, the definition of this term and the introduction carry 5 marks.
• The question has two parts the causes and effects of domestic This will constitute the body to get 30 marks. Thus each part presumbly carries 15mark and thus atleast 5 point each since a point carries 3 marks.
• Remember to write a conclusion to improve the general impression of your essay.
• Remember to write correct spelling, avoid jagons and abbreviation
• The essay should be between 600 – 800 words,
• donot jump ines between paragraphs

(c) Write up

Domestic violence posses the biggest consern in my community. Domestic violence is a situation where one or more members of the family inflict pain on the rest. Or domestic violence are abusive behaviors in which one individual of a family gains power over another individual(s). Domestic violence take a physical form such beating and use of sharp objects or a psychological form of abuses, avoiding or denying individual’s obligation such as providing food,  education requirements, sex to a partner and so on. These forms of violence emanate  from differences in familly backgrouds, porverty, catestrophe such Covid 19 and other social anxieties.

In my community porvety  is the main cause of domestic violence in my community. (note that the point is stated in full sentence).  When someone or husband is is poor, he is unable to afford requirements needed by his homestead and this lead to conflicts  with family members expecially the spouse. (elaboration of the point). The spouse may think that the hasband is spending the money on another person and this may result into fights and hence domestic violence.(illustration of the point)

Taking alcohol and drugs contributes to domestic violence in my community because people who are drunk donot control their emotion and are most likely to abuse their spouses. This is very common with people who drink alcohols and/or smoke the herbs suchas marijuana.

Traditions and believes have contributed contribute to domestic violence. In most traditions men are taken to be supperior to wemen and they feel that they have a right to control women. For example in Kiganda traditions women must serve men while knelling down and failure to do this may result into a fight. In some tribes of Uganda women being beaten by a husband is believed to be a sign of love.

Mental illness is another cause of domestic violence in my community. Mentally ill people with mania are highly aggressive and this aggression may be extended to their family. Mental illness in Uganda was estimated to be about 23% of the population in 2023 .

Differences in political in affiliation is another cause of domestic violence in my community. In an underdeveloped country like Uganda supporting a different political party from one’s spouse or friend is is considered to be a crime. Conseuently spouses showing support to different politcal parties especially during campaign season has resulted into domestic violence especilly when women support support the NRM currently in power and men vote for change.

Early and forced marriages have led to domestic violence in my comminity.  Early marriage cause domestic violence because the spouses are not mature and not prepared for the tasks ahead of marriage. In most cases partners in early marriage lack means of income and living in deprivation may spark stituations of domestic violence since distress and stress lead to loss of libido.  Likewise  forced marriage leads to hatred among spouses culminating into domestic violence.

The effects of domestic violence include  breakage of marriages and lack of support to the childrens. Usually children detoriorate in their academic perfomances and lose trust from their parents.

Demestic violence in my community has led to increased school drop-outs because the children in the family experiencing domestic violence feel isolated and lose motivativation for schooling

Domestic violence in my community has led to increased number of street children. These are running away from home to look for food and other necessities.  Rember that domestic violence often lead to the failure of the parents to provide for the family.

Physical abuse may cause disability such as loss of sight, broken legs and arms following the constant fights that may ensue.

Domestic violence in my comminity has led loss of trust among married couples; depression and lack of emotional support for each other.

In conclusion domestic violence has no positve gain and every one in a family should  endeavor to avoid it at all costs. Unfortunately, solutions to domestic violence may not obvious for example it would be domestic violence when a man denied sex rapes his spouse or engange in extramarital sex.

[677 words]

NB. Write this assay to know the approxmate number of pages you require to write in an exam.

1. List of some GP topics

The process of teaching and learning General paper should be guided discussions on the topics rather than giving facts to students in form notes. Each topic should brainstormed  from the definitions of concepts, current concerns, causes, effects to possible solutions. Students should be exposed to current affairs as much as possible and encouraged to listen to news and talk shows, read news papers and any other related literature to obtain current affairs. Let each student be cheered to say something and be fully involved. It should also be noticed that social problems are entwined therefore the General paper topics may be difficult to isolate. Considering poverty for instance  leads one to family issues such as domestic violence and early marriage; education issues such school drop outs; crimes such as mob justice; corruption; wars and conflict, and so on. However, each of these topics requires a free and reasonable consideration.

Family life and marriage

• The extended family system
• Bride price
• Family planning
• Age of consent
• Early marriage
• Domestic violence
• Cohabitation

Social challenges

• Poverty
• Hunger/famine
• Immorality
• School drop out
• Street children
• Abortion
• Prostitution
• Drug abuse
• Teenage pregnancy
• HIV/AIDS pandemic, malaria
• Population explosion
• Women emancipation

Crime and punishment

• Causes, effects and solution to crime
• Forms of punishment and factors considered
• Corporal punishments
• Mob justice

Education and National building

• National goals and objectives of education
• The nature of the education system in Uganda
• Problems affecting the education sector in Uganda
• Universal primary education and its challenges
• Universal secondary education and its challenges
• The need for education reforms Uganda

Environmental issues

• Environmental degredation
• Environmental conservation
• Protection of wetlands
• Landslides
• Drought
• Industrialization and the environment

Politics and government

• Democracy
• Human rights in Uganda
• The role of politicians in Uganda
• The decentralization system
• Regional integration
• Political/economic independence and sovereignity
• Relationship between the state and church
• The role of the army in thr democratization process in Uganda

War and crime

• Civil unrests in Africa
• Land conflicts
• Strikes in schools and universities
• Refugee crisis in Africa
• Interstate conflicts

Economic issue

• Rural-urban migration
• Brain drain
• Foreign aid
• Unemployment
• Inflation
• Taxation
• Corruption
• National budget
• Human trafficking

Cultural issues

• Femal genital mutilation(FGM)
• Need for national language
• The problems of homosexuality

Other

• Media
• Beauty contests
• Balanced diet
• Primary health care
• Promotion of ICT
• Youth and women emanicipation

Please send your comments/corrections/suggestions  in the comment section

Thank you

Dr. Bbosa Science