What will I need to know for AS Sociology?

I have chosen sociology as one of my A-Level choices, I didn't do it for GCSE so I was just wondering if there is any basic terminology and other general things that I should know before September, also if there are any good sites that you know of that could help me I would really appreciate it!

Reply 1

epk1874

5

You don't really need to know anything prior to starting the course. GCSE Sociology wasn't offered at my school and I have just finished my AS year with a B. You might want to do some research on Marxism, Functionalism, New Right and perhaps others. It depends what exam board you're doing I guess. I did AQA and did one unit of Families & Households, one on Education, and another on Research Methods.

Sociology is a heavily essay based subject. As long as you're good at essay writing you'll be okay, that was the case for me anyway!

Good websites include http://sociologytwynham.com/

https://revisesociology.wordpress.com/ as well. This was is more of a revision website, however you should take a glance over the AS content just to familiarize yourself.

Good luck!

Reply 2

jenniferelka

3

I'm not sure what you covered in GCSE, but look up some research methods maybe like positivism ect plus stuff like verstehen to maybe show off haha.

Also, a good understanding of a nice essay structure that will get good evaluation marks as well if useful. Remember essays need more a02 than a01.

Reply 3

2ne1Aaron

16

Functionalists-Meritocratic, believe every institution such as religion, nuclear family and education performs positive functions with in society, Marxists and feminists-conflict and contrast with functionalists based on these institutions serving to capitalism and maintaining patriarchy with in society and postmodernism on how society is becoming more flexible and fluid with in these institutions such as family norm of nuclear family is becoming less prevalent in society and emphasizes on new type of families such as lone parents, cohabitating coups and gays and lesbian parents is on the increase.

Reply 4

smegsxo

14

Nothing is essential before you start as it will all be taught at the beginning (you can do uni courses on sociology without sociology A-Level) but you may wish to brush up on a few theories if you want, such as feminism, new right, functionalists and Marxists. I just finished AS with an A and 192/200 ums, am planning on doing it at uni and honestly chose it as a "4th subject because I needed 4" with no prior knowledge of what it really was.

Reply 5

xxvine

19

Original post by eamonnkearney_

You don't really need to know anything prior to starting the course. GCSE Sociology wasn't offered at my school and I have just finished my AS year with a B. You might want to do some research on Marxism, Functionalism, New Right and perhaps others. It depends what exam board you're doing I guess. I did AQA and did one unit of Families & Households, one on Education, and another on Research Methods.

Sociology is a heavily essay based subject. As long as you're good at essay writing you'll be okay, that was the case for me anyway!

Good websites include http://sociologytwynham.com/

https://revisesociology.wordpress.com/ as well. This was is more of a revision website, however you should take a glance over the AS content just to familiarize yourself.

Good luck!

For Education Unit how many topics are there.....theres 6 right?