Exam-style question
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Apply methods in context to a specific social group, institution, policy or contemporary UK context, then add one evaluative point.
Model answer
What a good answer should say
- AO1: methods in context is the sociological focus needed to sources of data, including questionnaires, interviews, participant observation, non-participant observation, experiments, documents and official statistics.
- Define the relevant concept, theory, evidence or method accurately before applying it.
- AO2: Apply the point to schools, teachers, pupils, families or education policy rather than writing a generic comment about society.
- AO3: Analyse by explaining the chain from social structure, social action, institution, policy or method to its effect on behaviour, opportunity, identity, control or inequality.
Explanation
Why this works
Use the stated sociological concept as the starting point. Define it accurately, apply it to the social group, institution, policy or contemporary context in the question, and explain the mechanism or consequence.
Evaluate the evidence by considering validity, reliability, representativeness, values or an alternative theory. The judgement should answer the command word rather than repeat a general claim.
Common mistake
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