Name Revision activity booklet for Paper 1 Topic 1 Studying society
Specialist terms glossary Agents/agencies of socialisation Beliefs Conflict/consensus Culture Cultural differences Customs Discrimination Ethnic group/ethnicity Feminism Functionalism Gender/Sex Identity Marxism Multicultural society Nature/nurture Norms Role models
Peer group Prejudice Race Racism Role Role conflict Sanctions Social control - formal and informal Social deprivation and the underclass Social issues Social mobility Social policies Social processes Social structures Socialisation - primary and secondary Status - ascribed and achieved Stratification Subculture Stereotype
Values Welfare state Case Study Content analysis Case Study Content analysis Covert observation Closed questions Ethical considerations- anonymity, confidentiality, informed consent. Experiments- field/laboratory Generalisations Hypothesis Interviewer bias/effect Longitudinal studies Non-participant observation
Official statistics Open-ended questions Overt observation Participant observation Personal documents Pilot study Population Primary data Qualitative data Quantitative data Reliability Representative sample Research aims Research methods
Research process Sample Sampling frame Sampling types - random, stratified, systematic, quota, snowball Secondary data Triangulation Validity
Studying Society 4 mark Compare Questions Type A: the compare question compare one thing with another. It s always in context use the context in the answer Study Item C. Describe how sociologists investigate families and their lives compared with how journalists might investigate families and their lives. (4 marks) DESCRIBE ONE When investigating families and their lives, sociologists. WHEREAS DESCRIBE THE OTHER Journalists would. Your answer will be a description of one idea, linked to a description of the other idea with a connective such as whereas or on the other hand Type B: The Explain question similar process to 4 mark questions in family and education: Explain what sociologists mean by joint domestic roles. (4 marks) EXPLAIN THE PROCESS DEFINITION
Past exam question for topic 1 studying society Below is a list of past exam questions. Each one has space for you to answer it using the help from the previous page. 4 mark questions Jan 13A Describe how a longitudinal study might be useful for research into the influence of parents on a child s development. (4 marks) Jan 13B Explain what sociologists mean by socialisation. (4 marks) June 12A Describe how journalists may approach the issue of racism in British schools differently from sociologists. (4 marks) June 12B Explain what sociologists mean by ethnicity. (4 marks) Jan12A Explain what sociologists mean by family diversity. (4 marks) Jan 12B Describe how a sociological approach to families may differ from a biological approach to families. (4 marks)
June 11 A Describe how sociologists may approach a study of truancy and explain how this might differ from the approach of psychologists. (4 marks) June 11 B Explain what sociologists mean by social deprivation. (4 marks) Jan 11A Describe how sociologists investigate families and their lives compared with how journalists might investigate families and their lives. (4 marks) Jan 11 B Explain what sociologists mean by joint domestic roles. (4 marks) Jan 10 A Describe how the sociological idea of gender differs from the biological idea of sex. (4 marks) Jan 10 B Explain what sociologists mean by gender socialisation. (4 marks)
Studying Society In context 4 mark questions Type C: explaining why a method works: these questions ask you to explain why a METHOD might be useful in a context. Explain how the use of primary research might be useful for research into role conflict experienced by working women. (4 marks) DEFINE Primary research is.. When researching role conflict experienced by working women, it might be useful LINK because Type D: The next set of questions is based around a scenario, eg: You have been asked as a sociologist to investigate the division of housework and childcare amongst married and cohabiting couples today. They are BOTH Identify and explain questions 1 mark for the identify, 3 for the explain; Don t forget to use the context: A Identify what sociologists mean by a pilot study and explain why you might undertake a pilot study in your investigation. (4 marks) B Identify one ethical issue you may need to consider and explain how you could deal with this ethical issue in your investigation. (4 marks) I/D Explain A pilot study is It might need to be undertaken when studying the division of labour in married and cohabiting couples today because
Past exam question for topic 1 studying society Below is a list of past exam questions. Each one has space for you to answer it using the help from the previous page. Jan 13AExplain one way in which sociological research might help governments to design policies to support parents in Britain. (4 marks) You have been asked as a sociologist to investigate the importance of family life to teenagers. Jan 13B Identify what sociologists mean by opinion polls and explain how useful these might be for your investigation. (4 marks) Jan 13C Identify one ethical issue that you may need to consider and explain how you could deal with this issue in your investigation. (4 marks) June 12A Explain one way in which sociological research might help schools and educational authorities design policies to reduce racist bullying in schools. (4 marks) You have been asked as a sociologist to investigate the extent of racism in schools. June 12B Identify what sociologists mean by secondary data and explain how useful school racist incident figures would be for your investigation. (4 marks)
June 12C Identify one ethical issue that you may need to consider and explain why you need to consider this ethical issue for your investigation. (4 marks) Jan 12A Explain the importance of clear research aims when carrying out a sociological investigation. (4 marks) You have been asked as a sociologist to investigate attitudes towards marriage. Jan 12B Identify one secondary source of information that you would use in your study and explain why this source might be useful. (4 marks) Jan 12C Identify one ethical issue which may arise when asking people about marriage and explain how you might deal with this in your research. (4 marks) June 11A Explain one way in which sociological research might help educational authorities to design policies to reduce truancy in Britain. (4 marks)
You have been asked as a sociologist to investigate truancy amongst secondary school pupils. June 11B Identify what sociologists mean by official statistics and explain how useful these might be for your investigation. (4 marks) June 11C Identify one ethical issue that you may need to consider and explain why you need to consider this ethical issue for this investigation. (4 marks) Jan 11 A Explain how the use of primary research might be useful for research into role conflict experienced by working women. (4 marks) You have been asked as a sociologist to investigate the division of housework and childcare amongst married and cohabiting couples today. B Identify what sociologists mean by a pilot study and explain why you might undertake a pilot study in your investigation. (4 marks) C Identify one ethical issue you may need to consider and explain how you could deal with this ethical issue in your investigation. (4 marks)
June 10 A Explain one way in which a longitudinal study would be useful for research into the socialisation of boys and girls in modern British society. (4 marks) You have been asked as a sociologist to investigate why girls significantly outperform boys in examination subjects such as Art and English. B Identify one way in which you could select your sample and explain why this would be appropriate. (4 marks) C Identify one ethical issue which may arise in the course of doing your research and explain why this might be an issue for this particular research. (4 marks)
How to answer 6 mark questions. The pattern of these questions is: Identify ONE.. and explain why it is better than another.. EG Identify one primary research method that you would use and explain why it is better than another possible primary method for your investigation NOTE: These questions always focus on the SCENARIO What you need to do: a) I/d the first method b) I/d the second method c) Explain why one is better than the other d) Link to the context The marks are allocated as follows: 1 2 marks for basic statements. 3 4 marks for a partial explanation comparing the method in simple terms. 5 6 marks for a clear explanation relating the characteristics of the methods to their effectiveness in obtaining the kind of information specifically required by the scenario. How to start your answer: Identify one primary research method that you would use and explain why it is better than another possible primary method for your investigation Identify method 1 one primary research method that I would use is Identify method 2 Alternatively, another primary research method that I would use is NEW PARAGRAPH Explain why one s better Method 1 would be better than method 2 because.. This would enable me to investigate the issue more effectively because
Past exam question for topic 1 studying society Below is a list of past exam questions. Each one has space for you to answer it using the help from the previous page. 6 mark questions Jan 13 Identify one primary research method that you would use and explain why it is better than another possible primary method for your investigation. (6 marks) June 12 Identify one observational method that you would use and explain why it is better than another possible observational method for obtaining information for your investigation. (6 marks) Jan 12 Identify one method of interviewing that you might use and explain whether this method is better than using postal questionnaires for your research into attitudes towards marriage. (6 marks) June 11 Identify one sampling method that you would use and explain why it is better than another possible sampling technique for obtaining a representative sample. (6 marks)
Jan 11 Identify one secondary source of data that you could use and explain why it is better than another possible secondary source for obtaining the information you need. (6 marks) June 10 Identify one primary research method that you would use and explain why it is better than another possible primary method for obtaining the information that you need. (6 marks)