Theory and Methods | AQA A-Level Sociology (7192)
Theory and Methods
- 92 questions
- 7 subtopics
- Theory and Methods, examined on Paper 1 and Paper 3
- Paper 1 and Paper 3
Theory and Methods is examined on both Paper 1 and Paper 3.
It covers research design and the full range of methods, the positivist and interpretivist positions behind them, the main theoretical traditions, and the debates about science, values and social policy.
Sample questions from Theory and Methods
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
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Research design and choosing a method
How do time constraints affect sociological research?
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Time constraints limit the scope and depth of research, potentially restricting sample sizes, the duration of observation, or the number of interviews that can be conducted. -
Research design and choosing a method
How did Ann Oakley's choice of housework as a research topic reflect her feminist values?
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In The Sociology of Housework (1974) Oakley studied housework as real work because male-dominated sociology had neglected women's unpaid labour in the home. -
Sources of data and types of data
How does participant observation differ from non-participant observation?
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Participant observation involves the researcher joining the group being studied and taking part in their activities, while non-participant observation involves watching without direct involvement. -
Sources of data and types of data
What are public documents as data sources in sociological research?
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Public documents are materials available to the public such as newspapers, historical records and media content that can be analysed for sociological research. -
Positivism, interpretivism and research ethics
How did Durkheim conceptualise social facts?
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Social facts are external, constraining forces that exist independently of individuals and can be studied objectively as things. -
Positivism, interpretivism and research ethics
What does protection from harm involve in ethical research?
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Protection from harm means ensuring participants do not suffer physical, psychological, social or economic harm as a result of taking part in research. -
Consensus, conflict, structural and social action theories
What is the focus of social action theories?
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Social action theories emphasise how individuals create society through meaningful interactions, focusing on how people interpret situations and construct social reality. -
Consensus, conflict, structural and social action theories
What is identity and what factors shape it?
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Identity refers to how individuals see themselves and are seen by others, shaped by factors including class, gender, ethnicity, age and personal experiences.
The 7 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Research design and choosing a method | Sampling, operationalisation, validity and reliability, and the theoretical, practical and ethical factors behind a choice of method. | 21 |
| Sources of data and types of data | Questionnaires, interviews, observation, experiments and documents, and the primary, secondary, quantitative and qualitative distinctions. | 14 |
| Positivism, interpretivism and research ethics | Social facts and meanings, the methods each position favours, and the ethical principles governing research. | 10 |
| Consensus, conflict, structural and social action theories | The four theoretical traditions, and the core concepts of socialisation, culture, power and stratification. | 11 |
| Modernity and post-modernity | Industrialisation, nation-states and belief in progress, set against fragmentation, media saturation and the rejection of grand narratives. | 13 |
| Is sociology a science? | Falsifiability, replication and objectivity, and the positivist, interpretivist and realist answers, with Kuhn and Popper. | 11 |
| Objectivity, value freedom and social policy | Weber on value freedom, committed sociology, and how research reaches policy-makers. | 12 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
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Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
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Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
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Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
AQA A-Level Sociology Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 1,116 questions with their answers.