This year marks the second Diploma of Secondary Education (DSE) examination for the revamped liberal studies subject, now called citizenship and social development.
To help students prepare, secondary school teacher and exam marker for the Hong Kong Examinations and Assessment Authority, Liu Tin-yan, shared key insights on important topics to study, common mistakes students make and effective study strategies.
Key topics to focus on
Liu noted that last year’s topics are unlikely to be repeated, so students should focus on popular but previously untested areas.
For Hong Kong-related topics, the exam typically covers the Basic Law, the constitution, “one country, two systems”, and issues related to autonomy. Liu stressed the importance of revising the rule of law section, which is relatively new.
“This part is crucial – if students don’t review it, they could lose marks on multiple-choice questions or struggle to understand the materials,” she warned.
On the other hand, topics like Greater Bay Area integration and identity recognition were on the exam last year, making them less likely to appear again.
For China-related topics, Liu suggested focusing on the country’s achievements since the reform and opening-up period, as these topics were under-represented on the last exam. She also recommended reviewing China’s poverty alleviation efforts and its growing global status in technology.
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“Hot topics like chip development and cloud computing might also appear,” she added.
Another area worth paying attention to is cultural conservation, which has yet to be tested.
Liu said diplomacy is a complex topic that students may find intimidating if they encounter it on the exam.
“Much of it involves foreign relations and China’s global development. Given the evolving international landscape, exam questions may appear straightforward, but students without a solid grasp of great power diplomacy could struggle,” she explained.
“I still don’t think it will be a major focus this year, but since it makes up about one-third of [the curriculum on China], students shouldn’t skip it entirely.”
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Last year’s pass rate was 94.1 per cent. As an exam marker, Liu has noticed some students fail simply because they don’t finish the paper.
“Out of three questions, students often write extensively for the first two but only manage a few sentences for the last one, which results in very low scores,” she said.
If there’s no time for a full explanation, match keywords from the source to the question to form a basic response.
“Even if it’s just an educated guess, they could still earn some marks,” Liu explained.
“For example, if a question is based on a specific source or set of numbers, first identify and reference the correct source. Even without a full explanation, this approach can still secure some marks.”
Liu emphasised that for data-based questions, students must cite specific numbers instead of summarising trends in general terms: “If a question asks about a trend, don’t just describe it – use numerical data as evidence,” she said.
She also warned against copying directly from the source: “Instead, students should follow up source references with a brief explanation in their own words. Even if the analysis isn’t deep, making an attempt to explain ensures a stable passing grade.”
A clear structure is also key. Many students mix different sources together, making it hard for examiners to identify supporting evidence.
“Even if their points are correct, a lack of structure can cost them marks,” Liu warned.
To improve clarity, students should dedicate one paragraph per source.
“If Source A supports the argument, write one paragraph explaining why. If Source B also supports it, write a separate paragraph. This approach makes it easier for examiners to locate key points,” she said.
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Question types to prepare for
Certain question types appear frequently on the exam and are relatively easy to prepare for, Liu noted.
One such type is role-based questions, which ask about different roles, such as leaders, educators, promoters and policymakers.
“Since many questions ask about the role of the government, this is a general and predictable question type. Students should prepare by learning common roles and how to reference relevant sources,” she said.
Another common question type involves suggesting solutions. These are usually straightforward, but students often lose marks by copying from the source without adding their own interpretation.
As a result, even for a six-mark question, they might earn only one or two marks, leading to lower-than-expected scores.
A third commonly tested format is source-based justification, where students must support or refute a statement using evidence from sources. This type of question is usually worth six to eight marks and appears in at least two questions.
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Revision tips
Liu recommended that students create structured summary tables rather than relying solely on their textbooks.
“The textbook already provides key revision points for each section, so students can use those as a foundation while identifying which topics are more likely to be tested and reviewing their common mistakes,” she said.
“This method makes studying more manageable and less stressful.”
For students who struggle with studying and tend to copy answers from sources, Liu suggested creating a “skills table”.
By referring to past exam questions and school-provided examples, students can categorise different question types and learn how to approach them.
“There are about 20 main question types, so students should check if they understand each one,” she said.
“If they struggle with certain question types – like drawing conclusions from data or identifying challenges – they will find it very difficult to answer correctly in the exam.”
By reviewing past answers, students can gain insight into their mistakes and improve their approach. Even if they feel frustrated, Liu believes this is an effective way to study.
Liu offered one final reminder: “Don’t leave questions blank – write something, structure your answers well, and always attempt to explain.”
