Main Body
The simplest approach to this is to base your paragraphs on the SEE system (Statement; Explanation; Example). A basic approach would be as follows:
Sample question:
There are many causes of income and wealth inequality. Discuss. 20 marks
One cause of income and wealth inequality is that women are likely to be lower paid than men – the gender pay gap. (Statement)
This often because of the "glass ceiling" where women find it difficult to get promoted to the highest posts with the highest salaries and as a result earn less than males. (Explanation)In Scotland in 2017 the full time pay gap between men and women was 6.6%. (Example)
This would be the basic approach to creating a paragraph but there are other things you can add to make it more detailed. You could add some analysis and a conclusion:
The pay gap in Scotland has fallen dramatically in the last twenty years. In 1997 the gap was 18.4% and has fallen by about two thirds. Legislation, better childcare and a reduction in traditional attitudes to women working have all contributed to this.(Analysis)
In conclusion it could be said that although the gender pay gap is a main cause of inequality it has to be accepted it is much less of an issue than it was in the past.(Conclusion)
All of this would provide a good paragraph but there is still more than could be done. The next paragraph could be used to challenge the argument put forward in the first.
However it could be argued that the pay gap is not a major influence on inequality.(Statement against)
Many argue the pay gap is so small it no longer seriously influences inequality and that the issue is much more complicated than simply stating men earn more than women.(Explanation)
In Scotland in part-time work women earn 5% more than men and between the ages of 30-39 women earn nearly 1% more than men.(Example)
The pay gap is a complex issue that is changing year by year and many would argue that it is influenced by the decisions men and women make about children, family and childcare as well as about promotion and life-work balance rather than simply saying there is a "Glass Ceiling". (Analysis)
In conclusion it could be said that whatever is left of the pay gap's controibution to inequality it is really the life choices than men and women make that is causing inequality rather than the glass-ceiling.(Conclusion)
By the end of this you have a couple of detailed paragraphs based on one idea – the pay gap. By giving arguments that look at the pay gap in different ways you will probably pick you up a total of eight marks – four for each paragraph.
