Download AS Handbook

Student Handbook
www.goffssociology.wordpress.com
Twitter: @goffssociology
What Is Sociology?
Sociology is the study of society. It is a very broad subject that examines how
humans interact with each other and how human behaviour is shaped by ‘social
structures’ (groups, communities, organizations), social categories (age, sex, class,
race, etc.), and ‘social institutions’ (politics, religion, education, etc.). The basic
foundation of sociology is the belief that a person's attitudes, actions, and
opportunities are shaped by all of these aspects of society.
Therefore, ‘sociological perspectives’ look at how: individuals belong to groups;
groups influence our behaviour; groups take on characteristics that are independent
of their members (i.e. the whole is greater than the sum of its parts); and sociologists
focus on behaviour patterns of groups, such as differences based on sex, race, age,
class, etc.
Origins
Sociology originated from and was influenced by the industrial revolution during the
early nineteenth century. There are seven major founders of sociology: August
Comte, W.E.B. Du Bois, Emile Durkheim, Harriet Martineau, Karl Marx, Herbert
Spencer, and Max Weber. August Comte is thought of as the "Father of Sociology"
as he coined the term sociology in 1838. He believed that society should be
understood and studied as it was, rather than what we want it to be. He was the first
to recognize that the path to understanding the world and society was based in
science. W.E.B. Du Bois, for example, was an early American sociologist who laid
the groundwork for sociology of race and ethnicity and contributed important
analyses of American society in the immediate aftermath of the Civil War.
Emile Durkheim – one of sociology’s founding fathers
Marx, Spencer, Durkheim, and Weber helped define and develop sociology as a
science and discipline, each contributing important theories and concepts still used
and understood in the field today. Harriet Martineau was a British scholar and writer
who was also fundamental to establishing the sociological perspective, who wrote
prolifically about the relationship between politics, morals, and society, as well as
sexism and gender roles.
Current Approaches
Today there are two main approaches to studying sociology. The first is macrosociology, or the study of society as a whole. This approach emphasizes the analysis
of social systems and populations on a large scale and at a high level of theoretical
abstraction. Macro-sociology does concern individuals, families, and other aspects of
society, but it always does so in relation to the larger social system to which they
belong.
The second approach is micro-sociology, or the study of small group behaviour. This
approach focuses on the nature of everyday human social interactions on a small
scale. At the micro level, social status and social roles are the most important
components of social structure and micro-sociology is based on the ongoing
interactions between these social roles. Much contemporary sociological research
and theory bridges these two approaches.
Marxism is one of the key perspectives in
sociology. It sees the world as unfairly set up
in favour of the rich and powerful. It is a
macro approach as it sees all of society set
up unjustly.
Key Areas of Sociology (you only study a few on these)
Sociology is a very broad and diverse field. There are many different topics and
scopes in the field of sociology, some of which are relatively new. The following are
some of the major areas of research and application within the field of sociology.
Globalization: The sociology of globalization focuses on the economic, political, and
cultural aspects and implications of a globally integrated society. Many sociologists
focus on the way capitalism and consumer goods connect people all over the world,
migration flows, and issues of inequality in global society.
Race and Ethnicity: The sociology of race and ethnicity examines the social,
political, and economic relations between races and ethnicities at all levels of
society. Topics commonly studied include racism, residential segregation, and the
differences in social processes between racial and ethnic groups.
Family: The sociology of family examines things such as marriage, divorce, child
rearing, and domestic abuse. Specifically, sociologists study how these aspects of
the family are defined in different cultures and times and how they affect individuals
and institutions.
Class (Social Inequality): The study of social inequality examines the unequal
distribution of power, privilege, and prestige in society. These sociologists study
differences and inequalities in social class, race, and gender.
Demography: Demography refers to a population's composition. Some of the basic
concepts explored in demography include birth rate, fertility rate, death rate, infant
mortality rate, and migration. Demographers are interested in how and why these
demographics vary between societies, groups, and communities.
Health and Illness: Sociologists who study health and illness focus on the social
effects of, and societal attitudes towards, illnesses, diseases, disabilities, and the
aging process. This is not to be confused with medical sociology, which focuses on
medical institutions such as hospitals, clinics, and physician offices as well as the
interactions among physicians.
Education: The sociology of education is the study of how educational institutions
determine social structures and experiences. In particular, sociologists might look at
how different aspects of educational institutions (teacher attitudes, peer influence,
school climate, school resources, etc.) affect learning and other outcomes.
Religion: The sociology of religion concerns the practice, history, development, and
roles of religion in society. These sociologists examine religious trends over time,
how various religions affect social interactions both within the religion and outside of
it, and relations within religious institutions.
Is sociology any use beyond school?
Most universities offer Sociology as a degree option. Also, many universities offer
sociological sub-topics as degree options too. These include:





Anthropology
Political science
International studies
Criminology
Social policy
Sociology is also a good A level choice for students considering studying history,
marketing and business studies at university.
Many occupations involve working with different groups within society and Sociology may
help your career choices. For example, these could include:











Academia
Politics
Non-profit organisation
Social work
Police
Teaching
Journalism
Civil service
Local Authority/government
Marketing
Health management
AS – Year Overview
(Specific content is on the next page)
Autumn Term First Half


Introduction to sociological theories and perspectives
Introduction into sociological methods
Autumn Term Second Half


Sociology of Education
Methods in context (researching education)
Spring Term First Half


Finish methods in context (how do we research education)
Families and Households
Spring Term Second Half


Continue with Families and Household
Start revision
AS - Subject content
Key Ideas
All the following must be a part of each topic area you study:
 Sociological theories, perspectives and methods (i.e. Marxism, Functionalism
and Feminism).
 The design of the research used to obtain the data under consideration,
including its strengths and limitations.
Attention must be given to drawing out the links between topic areas studied.
Core themes
You must study the following two core themes: Education and Families and
Households.
In addition, students must understand the significance of conflict and consensus,
social structure and social action, and the role of values.
Contemporary UK society
The central focus of study in this specification should be on UK society today, with
consideration given to comparative dimensions where relevant, including the siting of
UK society within its globalised context.
First Area of Research Methods and Topics in Sociology
Students must examine the following areas: quantitative and qualitative methods of
research; research design sources of data, including questionnaires, interviews,
participant and non-participant observation, experiments, documents and official
statistics the distinction between primary and secondary data, and between
quantitative and qualitative data the relationship between positivism, interpretivism
and sociological methods; the nature of ‘social facts’ the theoretical, practical and
ethical considerations influencing choice of topic, choice of method(s) and the
conduct of research.
Second Topic Area – Sociology of Education
You are expected to be familiar with sociological explanations of the following
content: the role and functions of the education system, including its relationship to
the economy and to class structure differential educational achievement of social
groups by social class gender and ethnicity in contemporary society relationships
and processes within schools, with particular reference to teacher/pupil relationships,
pupil identities and subcultures, the hidden curriculum, and the organisation of
teaching and learning the significance of educational policies, including policies of
selection, marketisation and privatisation, and policies to achieve greater equality of
opportunity or outcome, for an understanding of the structure, role, impact and
experience of and access to education; the impact of globalisation on educational
policy.
Third Topic Area - Methods in Context
You must be able to apply sociological research methods to the study of education.
Forth Topic Area - Families and Households
You are expected to be familiar with sociological explanations of the following
content: the relationship of the family to the social structure and social change, with
particular reference to the economy and to state policies changing patterns of
marriage, cohabitation, separation, divorce, childbearing and the life course,
including the sociology of personal life, and the diversity of contemporary family and
household structures gender roles, domestic labour and power relationships within
the family in contemporary society the nature of childhood, and changes in the status
of children in the family and society demographic trends in the United Kingdom since
1900: birth rates, death rates, family size, life expectancy, ageing population, and
migration and globalisation.
Paper 1: Education with Methods in Context
What's assessed
Education and Methods in Context
Assessed

1 hour 30 minutes written exam

60 marks

50% of AS level
Questions
Education: short answer and extended writing, 40 marks
Methods in Context: extended writing, 20 marks
Paper 2: Research Methods and Topics in Sociology
What's assessed
Section A: Research Methods
Section B: Families and Households
Assessed

1 hour 30 minutes written exam

60 marks

50% of AS level
Questions
Section A: short answer and extended writing, 20 marks and Section B: short answer and
Paper 2: Research Methods and Topics in Sociology
extended writing, 40 marks
Assessment Aims
The study of Sociology must focus on contemporary society and foster the
development of critical and reflective thinking with a respect for social diversity. It
must provide an awareness of the importance of social structure and social action in
explaining social issues. You must be encouraged to develop your own sociological
awareness through active engagement with the contemporary social world.
These specifications have been designed with the clear objective of addressing the
requirements above and will encourage students to:
 acquire knowledge and a critical understanding of contemporary social
processes and social changes
 appreciate the significance of theoretical and conceptual issues in sociological
debate
 understand and evaluate sociological methodology and a range of research
methods through active involvement in the research process
 develop skills that enable individuals to focus on their personal identity, roles
and responsibilities within society
 develop a lifelong interest in social issues.
A01, A02 and A03 Assessment
You will be assessed on three things. These are:
AO1: Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of: sociological theories, concepts and
evidence
AO2: Apply sociological theories, concepts, evidence and research methods to a range of
issues
AO3: Analyse and evaluate sociological theories, concepts, evidence and research methods
in order to: present arguments

make judgements

draw conclusions.
Recommended Books
(ensure you buy the 2015 editions)

Webb, et. al. (2008) Sociology Book One: introducing AS level (AQA)
(Brentwood: Napier Press)

Brown, D. et. Al. (2015) Sociology for A Level Book 1 (Hodder Education)

Browne, K. (2015) Sociology for AQA Volume 1 (Wiley-Blackwell)

Jonathan Blundell, Patrick McNeill, Janis Griffiths (2015) AS Sociology
(NelsonThornes)

Moore, S. et. al. (2015) – Sociology AS for AQA (Hammersmith:
HaperCollinsPublishing) NEW EDITION

Newbold, C. et. al. (2015) – AQA Sociology (AS) (Cheltenham: Nelson Thornes)
NEW EDITION