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Revision guide for AQA A-Level (7192) and AS-Level Sociology (7191), including straightforward study notes, independent study booklets, and past paper questions and answers. Fully updated for the summer 2023 term.
Thanks to theHectic Teacherfor allowing us to link to these resources:
Paper 1: Education with Methods in Context
Paper 2: Research Methods and Topics in Sociology
Research MethodsStudy Booklet Part 1Study Booklet Part 2Study Booklet Part 3Complete Revision NotesShort Questions and AnswersLearning Objectivesquantitative and qualitative methods of research; research designsources of data, including questionnaires, interviews, participant and non-participant observation, experiments, documents and official statisticsthe distinction between primary and secondary data, and between quantitative and qualitative datathe 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 researchTopic 2: Families and HouseholdsStudy Booklet Part 1Study Booklet Part 2Study Booklet Part 3Complete Revision NotesShort Questions and AnswersLearning Objectivesthe relationship of the family to the social structure and social change, with particular reference to the economy and to state policieschanging 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 structuresgender roles, domestic labour and power relationships within the family in contemporary societythe nature of childhood, and changes in the status of children in the family and societydemographic trends in the United Kingdom since 1900: birth rates, death rates, family size, life expectancy, ageing population, and migration and globalisationTopic 5: Beliefs in SocietyStudy Booklet Part 1Study Booklet Part 2Study Booklet Part 3Learning Objectivesideology, science and religion, including both Christian and non-Christian religious traditionsthe relationship between social change and social stability, and religious beliefs, practices and organisationsreligious organisations, including cults, sects, denominations, churches and New Age movements, and their relationship to religious and spiritual belief and practicethe relationship between different social groups and religious/spiritual organisations and movements, beliefs and practicesthe significance of religion and religiosity in the contemporary world, including the nature and extent of secularisation in a global context, and globalisation and the spread of religionsTopic 6: Global DevelopmentRevision NotesKnowledge OrganiserLearning Objectivesdevelopment, underdevelopment and global inequalityglobalisation and its influence on the cultural, political and economic relationships between societiesthe role of transnational corporations, non-governmental organisations and international agencies in local and global strategies for developmentdevelopment in relation to aid and trade, industrialisation, urbanisation, the environment, and war and conflictemployment, education, health, demographic change and gender as aspects of development
Research Methods
Topic 2: Families and Households
Topic 5: Beliefs in Society
Topic 6: Global Development
Learning Objectivesdevelopment, underdevelopment and global inequalityglobalisation and its influence on the cultural, political and economic relationships between societiesthe role of transnational corporations, non-governmental organisations and international agencies in local and global strategies for developmentdevelopment in relation to aid and trade, industrialisation, urbanisation, the environment, and war and conflictemployment, education, health, demographic change and gender as aspects of development
Paper 3: Crime and Deviance with Theory and Methods
Crime and Deviance
Theory and Methods
Learning Objectivesquantitative and qualitative methods of research; research designsources of data, including questionnaires, interviews, participant and non-participant observation, experiments, documents and official statisticsthe distinction between primary and secondary data, and between quantitative and qualitative datathe 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 researchconsensus, conflict, structural and social action theoriesthe concepts of modernity and post-modernity in relation to sociological theorythe nature of science and the extent to which Sociology can be regarded as scientificthe relationship between theory and methodsdebates about subjectivity, objectivity andvalthe relationship between Sociology and social policy
Download Past Paper Questions With AnswersFrequently Asked QuestionsWhat is AO3 in sociology A-level?AO3 is an assessment objective for analysing and evaluating sociological theories, concepts, evidence and research methods in order to present arguments, make judgements and reach conclusions.Examples of AO3 points include:Evaluate from other PERSPECTIVES – What would other perspectives say about the theory / concept? Is there a counter-argument?Evaluate – HISTORICAL CRITICISM – Is the theory/ concept dated? When was the concept developed? Is it still relevant today, or has society changed so much that it is no longer relevant? Has society changed in such a way that some aspects of the theory are now more relevant?Evalaute – POWER/ BIAS/ VALUE FREEDOM? Who developed the concept/ theory – whose interests does it serve? For example, “x” theor isethnocentricbecause….What is the fastest way to revise sociology?There is no great mystery about how to study for sociology A-level. Many students, although they’re not naturally that ‘academic’ still score A and A* grades through sheer hard work, focus and determination.Before you start you need to satisfy yourself that you have good syllabus notes to work from. Although most textbooks are fine in places they have a tendency to either not give enough detail on certain topics or give too much information (which can be just as bad).As long as you have great syllabus notes and lots ofpast paper questionsthe rest is really up to you. If you want to score an A* or A grade you need to act like someone who’s going to score these grades.You are competing against people who are going to put in a hell of a lot of hard work so you need to work as hard as or harder than them. And you need to think about what hard work really is.What are the most effective ways of revising subject knowledge?Ask “How” and “Why” questionswhen revising and try to connect ideas (this method is called “elaboration”)No cramming. Distribute your revision over time and use a spaced system of repetitionSwitch topics regularlywhen revising (this is called “interleaving” and it will help you to identify connections between different topics)Words and visuals. Combine words and visual representations to create two ways of remembering key ideas (this is called “dual coding”)Contact UsTeachers! Students! Please get in touch if you have any A-level sociology notes you would like to share. We would really like to cover all 8 topics for paper 2.Please contact us via emailcontact@simplypsychology,org.
Download Past Paper Questions With AnswersFrequently Asked QuestionsWhat is AO3 in sociology A-level?AO3 is an assessment objective for analysing and evaluating sociological theories, concepts, evidence and research methods in order to present arguments, make judgements and reach conclusions.Examples of AO3 points include:Evaluate from other PERSPECTIVES – What would other perspectives say about the theory / concept? Is there a counter-argument?Evaluate – HISTORICAL CRITICISM – Is the theory/ concept dated? When was the concept developed? Is it still relevant today, or has society changed so much that it is no longer relevant? Has society changed in such a way that some aspects of the theory are now more relevant?Evalaute – POWER/ BIAS/ VALUE FREEDOM? Who developed the concept/ theory – whose interests does it serve? For example, “x” theor isethnocentricbecause….What is the fastest way to revise sociology?There is no great mystery about how to study for sociology A-level. Many students, although they’re not naturally that ‘academic’ still score A and A* grades through sheer hard work, focus and determination.Before you start you need to satisfy yourself that you have good syllabus notes to work from. Although most textbooks are fine in places they have a tendency to either not give enough detail on certain topics or give too much information (which can be just as bad).As long as you have great syllabus notes and lots ofpast paper questionsthe rest is really up to you. If you want to score an A* or A grade you need to act like someone who’s going to score these grades.You are competing against people who are going to put in a hell of a lot of hard work so you need to work as hard as or harder than them. And you need to think about what hard work really is.What are the most effective ways of revising subject knowledge?Ask “How” and “Why” questionswhen revising and try to connect ideas (this method is called “elaboration”)No cramming. Distribute your revision over time and use a spaced system of repetitionSwitch topics regularlywhen revising (this is called “interleaving” and it will help you to identify connections between different topics)Words and visuals. Combine words and visual representations to create two ways of remembering key ideas (this is called “dual coding”)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AO3 in sociology A-level?
AO3 is an assessment objective for analysing and evaluating sociological theories, concepts, evidence and research methods in order to present arguments, make judgements and reach conclusions.
Examples of AO3 points include:
What is the fastest way to revise sociology?
There is no great mystery about how to study for sociology A-level. Many students, although they’re not naturally that ‘academic’ still score A and A* grades through sheer hard work, focus and determination.
Before you start you need to satisfy yourself that you have good syllabus notes to work from. Although most textbooks are fine in places they have a tendency to either not give enough detail on certain topics or give too much information (which can be just as bad).
As long as you have great syllabus notes and lots ofpast paper questionsthe rest is really up to you. If you want to score an A* or A grade you need to act like someone who’s going to score these grades.
You are competing against people who are going to put in a hell of a lot of hard work so you need to work as hard as or harder than them. And you need to think about what hard work really is.
What are the most effective ways of revising subject knowledge?
Contact UsTeachers! Students! Please get in touch if you have any A-level sociology notes you would like to share. We would really like to cover all 8 topics for paper 2.Please contact us via emailcontact@simplypsychology,org.
Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education
Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.
Saul McLeod, PhD
BSc (Hons) Psychology, MRes, PhD, University of Manchester
Saul McLeod, PhD., is a qualified psychology teacher with over 18 years of experience in further and higher education. He has been published in peer-reviewed journals, including the Journal of Clinical Psychology.
