AQA · GCSE
Your journey to excellence inSociology
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Start with the first Sociology lesson.
What sociology studies: social structures, processes and issues
1What sociology studies: social structures, processes and issuesRead next2Conflict vs consensus: two big views of societyRead next3How sociological ideas change over timeRead next4Durkheim’s view of society and why it mattersRead next5Marx’s view of society and why it mattersRead next6Weber’s view of society and why it mattersRead next7Functionalism: core assumptions and key focusRead next8Marxism: core assumptions and key focusRead next9Feminism: core assumptions and key focusRead next10Interactionism: core assumptions and key focusRead next11Linking topics: “interrelationship” across the courseRead next12Core concepts: society and socialisationRead next13Core concepts: norms, values and rolesRead next14Core concepts: labelling and devianceRead next15Core concepts: power, authority and discriminationRead next16Applying research methods to families, education, crime and stratificationRead next
Social structure vs individual agency
1Social structure vs individual agencyRead next2Using perspectives to explain the same issueRead next3Comparing perspectives: what to look forRead next4Evaluating explanations: strengths and weaknessesRead next5Evidence in sociology: what counts as evidence?Read next6Using contemporary examples in a UK contextRead next7Using global examples where relevantRead next8Qualitative and quantitative approaches: the differenceRead next9Official statistics: uses and limitations across topicsRead next10Mixed methods: why sociologists combine approachesRead next11Reading sociological extracts: finding the argumentRead next12Analysing extracts: identifying concepts and assumptionsRead next13Evaluating extracts: spotting bias and limitationsRead next14Building synoptic links between topics in exam answersRead next
The sexual function of families
1The sexual function of familiesRead next2The reproductive function of familiesRead next3The economic function of familiesRead next4The educational function of familiesRead next5Parsons: primary socialisation in the familyRead next6Parsons: stabilisation of adult personalitiesRead next7Functionalist views of the family: key ideas and criticismsRead next8Feminist views of the family: key ideas and criticismsRead next9Marxist views of the family: key ideas and criticismsRead next10Family forms: nuclear familiesRead next11Family forms: extended familiesRead next12Family forms: reconstituted familiesRead next13Family forms: lone-parent familiesRead next14Family forms: same-sex familiesRead next15Family diversity: the Rapoports’ five typesRead next16UK family diversity vs global family diversityRead next17Joint conjugal roles: meaning and examplesRead next18Segregated conjugal roles: meaning and examplesRead next19Domestic division of labour: traditional patternsRead next20Domestic division of labour: contemporary patternsRead next21Oakley: the “conventional family” and critiquesRead next22Conjugal roles: decision-making power in familiesRead next23Conjugal roles: money management and controlRead next24Conjugal roles: dual-career families and work–life balanceRead next25Conjugal roles: child-rearing responsibilitiesRead next26Conjugal roles: leisure and family timeRead next27Family change over time: pre-industrial householdsRead next28Family change over time: industrial familiesRead next29Family change over time: contemporary familiesRead next30Willmott and Young: the symmetrical familyRead next31Willmott and Young: stratified diffusionRead next32Contemporary family issues: parenting and “quality of parenting”Read next33Contemporary family issues: teenagers and adult relationshipsRead next34Contemporary family issues: care of the elderly and disabledRead next35Contemporary family issues: arranged marriageRead next36Criticisms: family isolation and unrealistic idealisationRead next37Criticisms: loss of traditional functionsRead next38Criticisms: weakening kinship networksRead next39Criticisms: women’s status and gender inequalityRead next40Criticisms: marital breakdown and dysfunctional familiesRead next41Zaretsky: families and capitalismRead next42Delphy and Leonard: families, patriarchy and exploitationRead next43Divorce patterns since 1945: trends and statisticsRead next44Why divorce has risen: changes in divorce lawRead next45Why divorce has risen: changing attitudes and valuesRead next46Why divorce has risen: secularisationRead next47Why divorce has risen: women’s changing statusRead next48Consequences of divorce: adults and relationshipsRead next49Consequences of divorce: childrenRead next50Consequences of divorce: the extended familyRead next51Divorce and the growth of lone-parent familiesRead next52Perspectives on divorce: functionalist, feminist and marxist comparisonsRead next
Education’s economic function: meeting labour needs
1Education’s economic function: meeting labour needsRead next2Education and social mobility: how schools can enable movementRead next3Education and social cohesion: shared values and social unityRead next4Types of school: primary and secondaryRead next5Types of school: state and privateRead next6Alternative provision: home schoolingRead next7Alternative provision: de-schoolingRead next8Durkheim: education and the transmission of norms and valuesRead next9Parsons: achieved status and meritocracy in schoolsRead next10Functionalist views of education: key ideas and criticismsRead next11Feminist views of education: key ideas and criticismsRead next12Marxist views of education: key ideas and criticismsRead next13Bowles and Gintis: the correspondence principleRead next14Education and capitalism: critiques of the correspondence principleRead next15Achievement gaps: social class and educationRead next16Achievement gaps: gender and educationRead next17Achievement gaps: ethnicity and educationRead next18Halsey: class-based inequalities in educationRead next19Ball: parental choice and competition between schoolsRead next20School processes: streaming and its effectsRead next21School processes: setting and its effectsRead next22School processes: mixed-ability teaching and its effectsRead next23Labelling in schools: how labels formRead next24The self-fulfilling prophecy: how labels affect outcomesRead next25Interactionist views of school processesRead next26Ball: teacher expectations and labellingRead next27Willis: counter-school culturesRead next28Evaluating explanations of educational achievement across perspectivesRead next
What “crime” means vs what “deviance” means
1What “crime” means vs what “deviance” meansRead next2Crime and deviance as socially constructedRead next3Anomie: how strain can lead to crimeRead next4Merton: functionalist explanations of crimeRead next5Labelling theory: why reactions matterRead next6Becker: how labelling produces devianceRead next7Structural theories of crime: core ideasRead next8Subcultural theories of crime: core ideasRead next9Interactionist explanations of crime: core ideasRead next10Comparing perspectives on crime and devianceRead next11Social control: formal control methodsRead next12Social control: informal control methodsRead next13Unwritten rules and sanctions in everyday lifeRead next14Heidensohn: female conformity in patriarchal societyRead next15Patterns in offending: social class differencesRead next16Patterns in offending: gender differencesRead next17Patterns in offending: ethnicity differencesRead next18Patterns in offending: age differencesRead next19Public debates: concerns about violent crimeRead next20Public debates: sentencing and punishmentRead next21Public debates: youth offenders and youth justiceRead next22Public debates: the prison system and rehabilitationRead next23Public debates: media coverage of crimeRead next24Albert Cohen: delinquent subcultures and status frustrationRead next25Carlen: women, crime and povertyRead next26Crime data sources: what counts as “crime data”?Read next27Official statistics: how crime data is collectedRead next28Patterns and trends in crime figuresRead next29The dark figure of crime: under-reporting and under-recordingRead next30Evaluating crime data across perspectivesRead next
What social stratification means
1What social stratification meansRead next2Functionalist stratification: role allocation and rewardsRead next3Davis and Moore: why inequality is “functional” (their argument)Read next4Critiques of functionalism from marxist perspectivesRead next5Critiques of functionalism from feminist perspectivesRead next6Socio-economic class: identifying class divisionsRead next7Marx: class, exploitation and capitalismRead next8Weber: class, status and powerRead next9Comparing Marx and Weber on social classRead next10Life chances: what they are and why they matterRead next11Life chances and social classRead next12Life chances and genderRead next13Life chances and race and ethnicityRead next14Life chances and sexualityRead next15Life chances and ageRead next16Life chances and disabilityRead next17Life chances and religion and beliefRead next18Devine: revisiting the affluent workerRead next19Poverty: absolute vs relative ideasRead next20Poverty as a social issue: competing interpretationsRead next21Culture of poverty: core claims and criticismsRead next22Material deprivation: measuring poverty through living standardsRead next23Government responses to poverty and unemploymentRead next24Globalisation and its impact on povertyRead next25Townsend: relative deprivationRead next26Murray: the underclass and New Right linksRead next27Power: formal and informal powerRead next28Authority types: traditional authorityRead next29Authority types: charismatic authorityRead next30Authority types: rational-legal authorityRead next31Weber: power and authorityRead next32Power relationships: how class shapes powerRead next33Power relationships: how gender and patriarchy shape powerRead next34Power relationships: how race and ethnicity shape powerRead next35Power: sexuality, age, disability, religionRead next36Walby: patriarchy and power structuresRead next
Research design: turning a topic into an aim
1Research design: turning a topic into an aimRead next2Research design: writing a clear hypothesisRead next3Pilot studies: why sociologists use themRead next4Sampling methods: choosing a sample strategyRead next5Analysing data: spotting patterns and drawing conclusionsRead next6Questionnaires: designing effective questionsRead next7Questionnaires: strengths and limitationsRead next8Interviews: structured vs unstructured approachesRead next9Interviews: strengths and limitationsRead next10Observations: participant vs non-participantRead next11Observations: strengths and limitationsRead next12Qualitative methods: when and why they work bestRead next13Quantitative methods: when and why they work bestRead next14Mixed methods: triangulation and added validityRead next15Types of data: qualitative vs quantitativeRead next16Types of data: official vs non-official statisticsRead next17Primary sources: what primary data looks likeRead next18Secondary sources: what secondary data looks likeRead next19Choosing sources: fit for purpose in different topicsRead next20Interpreting graphs, charts and tables in exam questionsRead next21Practical issues: time constraints in researchRead next22Practical issues: cost and funding limitationsRead next23Practical issues: access to people and settingsRead next24Ethics: informed consentRead next25Ethics: confidentiality and anonymityRead next26Ethics: avoiding harm to participantsRead next27Applying methods to families, education, crime and stratificationRead next