GP essay question guide
Should we trust scientists more than politicians?
Separate kinds of question. A strong answer gives experts more trust on evidence, explains why value choices belong to accountable leaders, and admits that scientists can be wrong.
Unpack this question first: 'Trust' and 'more than' ask for a comparison: trust them on what? Separate questions of fact, where expertise matters, from questions of values, where voters decide. Lesson: Reading an essay question: terms and scope
Use this question in writing - Sign in, check the question, then write your response.
Topics: Science and Technology, Politics and Governance, Society and Culture
Three argument directions
Expertise on facts
Trained scientists know more about how a virus spreads or how the climate changes.
Qualification: Scientists can be wrong and revise their advice.
Values need accountability
Choices that weigh health against jobs or learning belong to elected leaders.
Qualification: Politicians may ignore evidence for short-term popularity.
Trust the process
Open data and peer review make science more trustworthy than any single expert.
Qualification: Ordinary people rarely see that process at work.
A model paragraph
Our own paragraph for this question. Copy its moves, not its words.
We should trust scientists more than politicians on questions of evidence, but not on questions of values, which belong to the public and its elected leaders. A scientist who studies a virus can tell us how it spreads and how well a vaccine works, and on those facts trained experts deserve more trust than a politician seeking votes. During the COVID-19 pandemic, however, the hardest choices, such as how long to close schools, weighed health against learning and jobs. Science could estimate the effects, but deciding which loss to accept was a moral and political choice. Scientists also make mistakes and revise their advice as evidence changes. Trust should follow the type of question: experts for what is true, accountable leaders for what should be done.
How it is built
- Stand: split by type of question.
- Case: pandemic school closures as a value choice.
- Judgement: experts for facts, leaders for decisions.
Six examples to compare
Pandemic Lessons: Globalisation, Nationalism, Governance
COVID-19 showed our global links, fueled vaccine nationalism, and tested governance models worldwide.
Possible essay use
In February 2021 the UN Secretary-General said 10 countries had given 75% of all COVID-19 vaccinations, while 130 countries had none.
Limitation
The 75% figure is a snapshot from February 2021, when supplies were scarcest; vaccine access evened out somewhat later, so it describes the early rollout, not the whole pandemic.
Case or source date: 2021-02-17
Source: Al Jazeera
WHO Member States Adopt a Pandemic Agreement
WHO Member States adopted the first Pandemic Agreement by consensus on 20 May 2025, with equity and international coordination among its stated aims.
Possible essay use
WHO Member States adopted the first Pandemic Agreement by consensus on 20 May 2025, with equity and international coordination among its stated aims.
Limitation
Adoption does not itself show ratification, implementation, or equal access during a future emergency.
Case or source date: 2025-05-20
Source: World Health Organization
WMO Confirms 2024 as the Warmest Year on Record
WMO's State of the Global Climate 2024 report identified 2024 as the warmest year in the observational record.
Possible essay use
WMO's State of the Global Climate 2024 report identified 2024 as the warmest year in the observational record.
Limitation
One record year is part of a longer trend, while policy choices also depend on costs, institutions, and distributional conflict.
Case or source date: 2025-03-19
WHO Prequalifies the First Mpox Vaccine
WHO prequalified the first mpox vaccine in September 2024 to support procurement and access during outbreaks.
Possible essay use
WHO prequalified the first mpox vaccine in September 2024 to support procurement and access during outbreaks.
Limitation
Prequalification enables procurement but does not guarantee adequate supply, affordability, delivery, or public trust.
Case or source date: 2024-09-13
Source: World Health Organization
Digital Lies: Misinformation's Modern Threat
Digital platforms fuel misinformation, eroding public trust and harming democracy. This reflects modern 'fake news' challenges and concepts like echo chambers.
Possible essay use
QAnon began in October 2017 with anonymous posts on 4chan.
Limitation
QAnon was one of several causes of 6 January, alongside false claims of a stolen election and political mobilisation; it is unfair to say it alone 'led to' the attack.
Case or source date: 2021-01-06
Source: Bellingcat
ICJ Clarifies States' Climate Obligations
The International Court of Justice delivered an advisory opinion in 2025 on states' obligations in respect of climate change.
Possible essay use
The International Court of Justice delivered an advisory opinion in 2025 on states' obligations in respect of climate change.
Limitation
An advisory opinion clarifies law but is not a substitute for legislation, finance, enforcement, or emissions reductions.
Case or source date: 2025-07-23
Source: International Court of Justice