A-level Sociology Tutor

Every essay title, and a timed practice tool

20 thirty-mark essays (A-level Papers 1 and 3), 154 twenty-mark essays (Paper 2, Methods in Context, Theory and Methods, AS) and 9 sixteen-mark AS research-methods essays, grouped by topic with the series each appeared in. Pick one to write under timed conditions (about 1.5 minutes a mark, the exam's pace: 45 minutes for a 30-marker, 30 for a 20-marker), then open the mark scheme with its level descriptors and indicative content and award yourself a band.

Most essays give an Item: the top bands need the Item's hooks applied as well as your own knowledge, and evaluation that reaches a judgement.

Timed essay

(random from the selected topics, or from all)

All titles by topic

Role and functions of education (functionalist, Marxist, New Right) (6)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the role and functions of education in society.
June 2024AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the role the education system plays in preparing pupils for work.
June 2024Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the usefulness of Marxist perspectives in understanding the role of education.
November 2021Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the education system is meritocratic.
November 2020AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the functionalist approach to the education system.
June 2017Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the role of education in transmitting ideas and values.

Differential educational achievement: class, gender and ethnicity (13)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that government educational policies have successfully improved the educational achievement of pupils.
June 2023AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the impact of external factors on gender differences in educational achievement.
June 2023Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the importance of cultural factors in explaining patterns of educational achievement.
June 2022AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that government educational policies are effective in reducing social class inequalities in education.
November 2021Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the education system is meritocratic.
November 2020Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of gender differences in educational achievement.
June 2019AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that labelling and other in-school factors are the main cause of social class differences in educational achievement.
June 2019Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of differences in educational achievement between ethnic groups.
June 2018AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that ethnic system.
June 2018Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of social class differences in educational achievement.
June 2017AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that gender differences in educational achievement are the result of factors within schools.
June 2016AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that social class differences in educational achievement are mainly caused by differences in pupils’ home backgrounds. 20
Specimen set 1Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that gender differences in both subject choice and educational achievement are mainly the result of the influence of wider society.

Processes within schools: labelling, subcultures and the hidden curriculum (6)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
November 2020Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of gender differences in educational achievement.
June 2019AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that labelling and other in-school factors are the main cause of social class differences in educational achievement.
June 2019Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of differences in educational achievement between ethnic groups.
June 2018Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of social class differences in educational achievement.
June 2017AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that gender differences in educational achievement are the result of factors within schools.
Specimen set 1Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that gender differences in both subject choice and educational achievement are mainly the result of the influence of wider society.

Educational policy, marketisation and globalisation (3)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that government educational policies have successfully improved the educational achievement of pupils.
June 2022AS Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that government educational policies are effective in reducing social class inequalities in education.
June 2022Paper 1 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that marketisation policies have increased diversity and choice in the education system.

Methods in Context: research methods applied to education (19)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using documents to investigate teacher–pupil relationships in schools.
June 2025Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using structured interviews to investigate the choices pupils make about their post-16 education or training.
June 2024AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using official statistics to investigate disruptive pupil behaviour in schools.
June 2024Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using overt participant observation to investigate pupil subcultures in schools.
June 2023AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using unstructured interviews to investigate pupils’ experiences of bullying in schools.
June 2023Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using self-completion questionnaires to investigate the pressure on pupils to achieve high grades.
June 2022AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using covert participant observation to investigate gendered behaviour in schools.
June 2022Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using group interviews to investigate the reasons for subject choices made by pupils.
November 2021Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using secondary data to investigate the academic progress of pupils in schools.
November 2020AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using documents to investigate working-class pupils’ experiences of school.
November 2020Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using non-participant observation to investigate pupil behaviour in schools.
June 2019AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using structured interviews to investigate pupils’ decisions on their future education and careers.
June 2019Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using written questionnaires to investigate the role of parents in their children’s achievement in school.
June 2018AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using official statistics to investigate how successful a school is.
June 2018Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using participant observation to investigate pupil exclusions.
June 2017AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using written questionnaires to investigate working-class educational underachievement.
June 2017Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using field experiments to investigate the effects of teachers’ labelling of pupils.
June 2016AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using group interviews for investigating the causes of educational underachievement among boys. 20
Specimen set 1Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using unstructured interviews to investigate streaming.

Quantitative and qualitative methods and research design (3)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2024AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the advantages of using positivist methods in sociological research.
November 2020Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using non-participant observation to investigate pupil behaviour in schools.
June 2018AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the disadvantages of using qualitative methods in sociological research.

Research methods: questionnaires, interviews, observation, experiments, documents and official statistics (26)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using documents to investigate teacher–pupil relationships in schools.
June 2025AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the disadvantages of using official statistics in sociological research.
June 2025Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using structured interviews to investigate the choices pupils make about their post-16 education or training.
June 2024AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using official statistics to investigate disruptive pupil behaviour in schools.
June 2024Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using overt participant observation to investigate pupil subcultures in schools.
June 2023AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using unstructured interviews to investigate pupils’ experiences of bullying in schools.
June 2023AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the disadvantages of using covert observation in sociological research.
June 2023Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using self-completion questionnaires to investigate the pressure on pupils to achieve high grades.
June 2022AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using covert participant observation to investigate gendered behaviour in schools.
June 2022AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the disadvantages of using personal documents in sociological research.
June 2022Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using group interviews to investigate the reasons for subject choices made by pupils.
November 2021Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using secondary data to investigate the academic progress of pupils in schools.
November 2020AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using documents to investigate working-class pupils’ experiences of school.
November 2020AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the disadvantages of using self-completion questionnaires in sociological research.
November 2020Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using non-participant observation to investigate pupil behaviour in schools.
June 2019AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using structured interviews to investigate pupils’ decisions on their future education and careers.
June 2019Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using written questionnaires to investigate the role of parents in their children’s achievement in school.
June 2018AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using official statistics to investigate how successful a school is.
June 2018AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the disadvantages of using qualitative methods in sociological research.
June 2018Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using participant observation to investigate pupil exclusions.
June 2018Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the advantages of using structured interviews in sociological research.
June 2017AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using written questionnaires to investigate working-class educational underachievement.
June 2017Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using field experiments to investigate the effects of teachers’ labelling of pupils.
June 2016AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using group interviews for investigating the causes of educational underachievement among boys. 20
June 2016AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the advantages of using official statistics in sociological research.
Specimen set 1Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using unstructured interviews to investigate streaming.

Primary and secondary data, quantitative and qualitative data (6)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using documents to investigate teacher–pupil relationships in schools.
June 2024AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using official statistics to investigate disruptive pupil behaviour in schools.
November 2021Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using secondary data to investigate the academic progress of pupils in schools.
November 2020AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using documents to investigate working-class pupils’ experiences of school.
June 2018AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using official statistics to investigate how successful a school is.
June 2016AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the advantages of using official statistics in sociological research.

Positivism, interpretivism and social facts (8)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the disadvantages of using official statistics in sociological research.
June 2024AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the advantages of using positivist methods in sociological research.
June 2024Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the extent to which Sociology can be regarded as scientific.
November 2021Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the view that theoretical factors are the most important influence on a sociologist’s choice of research method.
November 2020AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the disadvantages of using self-completion questionnaires in sociological research.
June 2019AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using structured interviews to investigate pupils’ decisions on their future education and careers.
June 2018Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the advantages of using structured interviews in sociological research.
June 2017AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the importance of theoretical factors when choosing sociological research methods.

Theoretical, practical and ethical issues in research (17)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the disadvantages of using official statistics in sociological research.
June 2025Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using structured interviews to investigate the choices pupils make about their post-16 education or training.
June 2024Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using overt participant observation to investigate pupil subcultures in schools.
June 2023AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using unstructured interviews to investigate pupils’ experiences of bullying in schools.
June 2023AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the disadvantages of using covert observation in sociological research.
June 2023Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using self-completion questionnaires to investigate the pressure on pupils to achieve high grades.
June 2022AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using covert participant observation to investigate gendered behaviour in schools.
June 2022AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the disadvantages of using personal documents in sociological research.
November 2021Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the view that theoretical factors are the most important influence on a sociologist’s choice of research method.
June 2019AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the importance of ethical issues in the choice of methods for sociological research.
June 2019Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using written questionnaires to investigate the role of parents in their children’s achievement in school.
June 2018AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the disadvantages of using qualitative methods in sociological research.
June 2018Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the advantages of using structured interviews in sociological research.
June 2017AS Paper 1 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using written questionnaires to investigate working-class educational underachievement.
June 2017AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the importance of theoretical factors when choosing sociological research methods.
June 2016AS Paper 2 Q216Evaluate the advantages of using official statistics in sociological research.
Specimen set 1Paper 1 Q520Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using unstructured interviews to investigate streaming.

Consensus, conflict, structural and social action theories (5)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2023Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the extent to which today’s society can be seen as patriarchal.
June 2022Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the usefulness of social action theories in explaining human behaviour.
June 2019Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the contribution of Marxist approaches to understanding today’s society.
June 2017Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the view that conflict approaches are more useful than consensus approaches to our understanding of society. 20
Specimen set 1Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the usefulness of Marxist approaches in understanding society.

Modernity and postmodernity (2)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
November 2020Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the view that society today should be described as postmodern.
June 2019Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the contribution of Marxist approaches to understanding today’s society.

Is sociology a science? (1)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2024Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the extent to which Sociology can be regarded as scientific.

Theory and methods, value freedom and social policy (2)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate sociological views on the role of social policy in society.
November 2021Paper 3 Q620Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the view that theoretical factors are the most important influence on a sociologist’s choice of research method.

Conceptions of culture: subculture, mass, folk, high, popular and global culture (4)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2024AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the Marxist approach to the role of culture in society.
June 2022Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of subcultures.
November 2021Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that globalisation is increasingly shaping people's identities.
June 2019Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological contributions to the understanding of mass culture.

Socialisation and the agencies of socialisation (7)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the feminist view that the role of socialisation is to reinforce and reproduce patriarchy.
June 2025Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that socialisation is a one-way process.
June 2024AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the Marxist approach to the role of culture in society.
June 2022AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the functionalist view of the role of the socialisation process.
November 2020Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate feminist views of the extent to which the socialisation process reinforces patriarchy.
June 2018AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the Marxist view of the role of the socialisation process.
June 2018Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the Marxist view of the role of the socialisation process.

Self, identity and difference (6)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2023Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the extent to which the self is socially constructed.
November 2020AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that interactions with others is the key factor in shaping identity.
June 2019AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the ways in which age may shape social identity.
June 2017AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the ways in which ethnicity may shape identity.
June 2017Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate interactionist explanations of how an individual’s sense of self is socially constructed.
Specimen set 1Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that our leisure and consumption choices are the most important factors in shaping our identity.

Identity and age, disability, ethnicity, gender, nationality, sexuality and class (6)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2024Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that social class is the most important factor in shaping identity.
June 2023AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the impact of globalisation on individuals’ national identity in the United Kingdom.
November 2020Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate feminist views of the extent to which the socialisation process reinforces patriarchy.
June 2019AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the ways in which age may shape social identity.
June 2017AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the ways in which ethnicity may shape identity.
June 2016AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that globalisation is having a significant impact on social identity in the United Kingdom today.

Identity, production, consumption and globalisation (4)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2023AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the impact of globalisation on individuals’ national identity in the United Kingdom.
November 2021Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that globalisation is increasingly shaping people's identities.
June 2016AS Paper 2 Q720Applying material from Item A and your knowledge, evaluate the view that globalisation is having a significant impact on social identity in the United Kingdom today.
Specimen set 1Paper 2 Q320Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that our leisure and consumption choices are the most important factors in shaping our identity.

The family, social structure, the economy and state policies (6)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025AS Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the Marxist view that the main role of the family is to serve the interests of capitalism.
June 2022Paper 2 Q620Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate Marxist explanations of the role of families in society today.
June 2019Paper 2 Q620Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate feminist explanations of the role of the family in society today.
June 2018AS Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological views on the impact of government policies and laws on the role of the family.
June 2017Paper 2 Q620Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate functionalist explanations of the role of the family in society.
June 2016AS Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the contribution of Marxist views to our understanding of the family.

Marriage, divorce, cohabitation and family diversity (6)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2024Paper 2 Q620Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the nature and extent of family diversity in the UK today.
June 2023AS Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the impact of an ageing population on families and wider society.
June 2023Paper 2 Q620Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate sociological views on the impact of demographic changes on families and households in the UK.
June 2022AS Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that traditional families are no longer the centre of peoples’ personal lives.
June 2019AS Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the growth of diversity has led to a decline in the importance of the traditional nuclear family unit.
June 2018Paper 2 Q620Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that individual choice in personal relationships has made family life less important in the United Kingdom today.

Gender roles, domestic labour and power in the family (4)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
November 2021Paper 2 Q620Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that gender roles and relationships within the family are still unequal in society today.
November 2020AS Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that gender roles and relationships have become more equal in modern family life.
June 2019Paper 2 Q620Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate feminist explanations of the role of the family in society today.
Specimen set 1Paper 2 Q620Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the division of labour and power relationships in couples are equal in modern family life.

Childhood and the changing status of children (4)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 2 Q620Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that childhood has improved over time.
June 2024AS Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the modern family has become more child-centred.
November 2020Paper 2 Q620Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that UK society has become more child-centred.
June 2017AS Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of changes in the experience of childhood in the last 50 years or so.

Demographic trends: birth rates, death rates, ageing and migration (2)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2023AS Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the impact of an ageing population on families and wider society.
June 2023Paper 2 Q620Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate sociological views on the impact of demographic changes on families and households in the UK.

The social construction of health, illness, disability and the body (6)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item F and your knowledge, evaluate the view that social construction provides the best explanation of health and illness.
June 2023Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item F and your knowledge, evaluate the view that mental illness is socially constructed.
November 2020Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item F and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the differences in rates of mental illness between social groups.
June 2018AS Paper 2 Q1720Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the view that modern medicine serves the interests of patriarchy.
June 2017Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item F and your knowledge, evaluate the view that health and illness are socially constructed.
June 2016AS Paper 2 Q1720Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the view that disability is socially constructed.

Health inequalities by class, gender, ethnicity and region (7)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2024AS Paper 2 Q1720Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate cultural and behavioural explanations for inequalities in health and illness in society.
November 2021Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item F and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of differences in health and illness between ethnic groups in the UK.
November 2020AS Paper 2 Q1720Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations for gender differences in health chances.
June 2019AS Paper 2 Q1720Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations for ethnic differences in health chances.
June 2019Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item F and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of gender differences in both health chances and health care.
June 2018Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item F and your knowledge, evaluate the view that social class differences in health chances are the result of cultural factors.
June 2017AS Paper 2 Q1720Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate materialist explanations for social class inequalities in health.

Inequalities in the provision of and access to health care (1)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2019Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item F and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of gender differences in both health chances and health care.

Mental illness (3)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2023Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item F and your knowledge, evaluate the view that mental illness is socially constructed.
June 2022AS Paper 2 Q1720Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the view that mental illness is a result of the structure of society.
November 2020Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item F and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the differences in rates of mental illness between social groups.

Medicine, the health professions and the globalised health industry (6)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025AS Paper 2 Q1720Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the medical profession may serve the interests of themselves rather than their patients.
June 2024Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item F and your knowledge, evaluate the extent to which powerful groups control health and illness.
June 2023AS Paper 2 Q1720Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the view that global pharmaceutical companies have a negative impact on patient wellbeing and society as a whole.
June 2022Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item F and your knowledge, evaluate the functionalist view of the role of health professionals.
June 2018AS Paper 2 Q1720Applying material from Item C and your knowledge, evaluate the view that modern medicine serves the interests of patriarchy.
Specimen set 1Paper 2 Q920Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the medical profession serves the interests of powerful groups in society.

The nature, existence and persistence of poverty (10)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the welfare state has failed to tackle the real causes of poverty.
June 2024AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate different sociological approaches to measuring the level of poverty in society.
June 2024Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate the view that poverty is functional and inevitable in society today.
June 2023Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations for the distribution of poverty between different social groups.
June 2022Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate the view that poverty is caused by structural factors.
November 2021Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate the impact of welfare state policies on reducing poverty in the UK.
November 2020AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that poverty is caused by the attitudes of the poor themselves.
June 2019AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that poverty and inequality are caused by the class structure of society.
June 2018AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations for the distribution of poverty among different social groups in the United Kingdom.
June 2017Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate the view that gender differences in poverty are caused by patriarchy.

The distribution of poverty, wealth and income (5)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2024Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate the view that poverty is functional and inevitable in society today.
June 2023Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations for the distribution of poverty between different social groups.
June 2019AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that poverty and inequality are caused by the class structure of society.
June 2018AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations for the distribution of poverty among different social groups in the United Kingdom.
June 2017Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate the view that gender differences in poverty are caused by patriarchy.

Responses and solutions to poverty: the state and welfare providers (3)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the welfare state has failed to tackle the real causes of poverty.
November 2021Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate the impact of welfare state policies on reducing poverty in the UK.
June 2018Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate the claim that a mixed economy of welfare provision is the most effective way of meeting the needs of the population.

The labour process: division of labour, technology and deskilling (5)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate the extent to which changes in the organisation and control of the labour process have led to workers needing more skills and qualifications.
June 2023AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that technology is used to control workers.
June 2019Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the impact of technology on the labour process.
June 2017AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that alienation at work is inevitable in capitalist society.
Specimen set 1Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the introduction of technology leads to de-skilling.

Work, worklessness and life chances (4)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2022AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the significance of work for people’s lives and life chances.
November 2020Paper 2 Q1220Applying material from Item H and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the effects of worklessness on people’s lives and life chances.
June 2017AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate the view that alienation at work is inevitable in capitalist society.
June 2016AS Paper 2 Q2220Applying material from Item D and your knowledge, evaluate sociological views on the significance of worklessness for people’s lives and life chances.

Ideology, science and religion (4)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the view that religion serves the interests of powerful groups.
June 2022Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the problems that sociologists may face when defining and measuring religious belief and practice.
November 2020Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the view that religion acts as a force for social change.
June 2017Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the view that science has a greater influence than religion on people’s lives today.

Religion, social change and social stability (3)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the view that religion serves the interests of powerful groups.
November 2020Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the view that religion acts as a force for social change.
Specimen set 1Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that religious beliefs and organisations are barriers to social change.

Religious organisations: churches, sects, cults and New Age movements (1)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2018Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the view that an increase in spirituality in the United Kingdom has compensated for the decline of organised religion.

Religion and social groups: gender, ethnicity, age and class (2)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2023Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the relationship between ethnicity and religious beliefs and practices.
June 2019Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the relationship between gender and religious beliefs and practices.

Secularisation and the global spread of religion (6)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2024Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate sociological views on the relationship between religion and globalisation.
June 2023Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the relationship between ethnicity and religious beliefs and practices.
June 2022Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the problems that sociologists may face when defining and measuring religious belief and practice.
November 2021Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the UK is becoming increasingly secular.
June 2018Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the view that an increase in spirituality in the United Kingdom has compensated for the decline of organised religion.
June 2017Paper 2 Q1520Applying material from Item J and your knowledge, evaluate the view that science has a greater influence than religion on people’s lives today.

Development, underdevelopment and global inequality (modernisation and dependency theory) (7)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate the view that industrialisation is essential for development.
June 2024Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate sociological views of gender differences in the experience of development and underdevelopment.
June 2023Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate the view that economic measures alone do not give a satisfactory picture of development.
June 2022Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the relationship between development and the environment.
November 2021Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate modernisation theory explanations of development.
June 2018Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate dependency theory explanations of development and underdevelopment.
Specimen set 1Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that conflicts in poor countries are caused by a lack of development.

Globalisation and development (1)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2019Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the role of transnational corporations in development.

Transnational corporations, NGOs and international agencies (3)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
November 2020Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate the view that aid is essential for development.
June 2019Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the role of transnational corporations in development.
June 2017Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate the contribution of non-governmental organisations to the development process.

Aid, trade, industrialisation, urbanisation, environment and war (4)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate the view that industrialisation is essential for development.
June 2022Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the relationship between development and the environment.
November 2020Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate the view that aid is essential for development.
Specimen set 1Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that conflicts in poor countries are caused by a lack of development.

Employment, education, health, demography and gender in development (2)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2024Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate sociological views of gender differences in the experience of development and underdevelopment.
June 2023Paper 2 Q1820Applying material from Item L and your knowledge, evaluate the view that economic measures alone do not give a satisfactory picture of development.

The new media (2)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate postmodernist explanations of the media.
June 2022Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate the usefulness of early media theories in explaining the role of the new media in contemporary society.

Ownership and control of the media (5)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2022Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate the usefulness of early media theories in explaining the role of the new media in contemporary society.
November 2021Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate Marxist views of the relationship between ownership and control of the media.
November 2020Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the media reflect the views of their audiences.
June 2019Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate the view that both the selection and the presentation of the news are ideologically biased.
June 2017Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate the pluralist view of the ownership and control of the media.

The media, globalisation and popular culture (1)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate postmodernist explanations of the media.

Selection and presentation of the news (1)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2019Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate the view that both the selection and the presentation of the news are ideologically biased.

Media representations of age, class, ethnicity, gender, sexuality and disability (3)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2024Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the ways in which the media represent people from different social classes.
June 2023Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the ways in which the media represent gender.
Specimen set 1Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the media portray women in a stereotypical way.

The media and audiences (3)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2022Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate the usefulness of early media theories in explaining the role of the new media in contemporary society.
November 2020Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the media reflect the views of their audiences.
June 2018Paper 2 Q2120Applying material from Item N and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the media have a direct and immediate effect on their audiences.

Stratification and differentiation by class, gender, ethnicity and age (8)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate the view that a person’s ethnicity is the most important factor affecting their life chances.
June 2023Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate Marxist theories of stratification.
June 2022Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate functionalist explanations of stratification.
November 2021Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate the view that age is an increasingly important dimension of inequality.
November 2020Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate the view that gender is the most important dimension of inequality today.
June 2019Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate the view that social class is still the dominant factor in determining people’s life chances today.
June 2018Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate the view that ethnicity is the most important dimension of inequality today.
Specimen set 1Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the usefulness of feminist theories in understanding the position of women in society.

Class, status, power and life chances (8)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate the view that a person’s ethnicity is the most important factor affecting their life chances.
June 2023Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate Marxist theories of stratification.
November 2021Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate the view that age is an increasingly important dimension of inequality.
November 2020Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate the view that gender is the most important dimension of inequality today.
June 2019Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate the view that social class is still the dominant factor in determining people’s life chances today.
June 2018Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate the view that ethnicity is the most important dimension of inequality today.
June 2017Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the relationship between class, status and power.
Specimen set 1Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the usefulness of feminist theories in understanding the position of women in society.

Social mobility (1)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2024Paper 2 Q2420Applying material from Item P and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the significance of social mobility in the UK.

Crime, deviance, social order and social control (5)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate Marxist explanations of crime.
June 2024Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the contributions of realist explanations of crime.
June 2022Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that crime and deviance are inevitable and beneficial for individuals and for society as a whole.
November 2020Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the relationship between social class and offending.
Specimen set 1Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the usefulness of functionalist approaches in understanding crime and deviance.

Crime by ethnicity, gender and social class (4)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2025Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate Marxist explanations of crime.
November 2021Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that differences in crime rates between ethnic groups are mainly the result of the way the criminal justice system operates.
November 2020Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of the relationship between social class and offending.
June 2019Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological explanations of levels of female offending.

Globalisation, the media, green crime and state crime (2)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2023Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that globalisation has led to increased levels of crime.
June 2018Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological contributions to our understanding of the relationship between crime and the media.

Crime control, surveillance, punishment and victims (3)

SeriesPaperMarksTitle
June 2024Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the contributions of realist explanations of crime.
November 2021Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate the view that differences in crime rates between ethnic groups are mainly the result of the way the criminal justice system operates.
June 2017Paper 3 Q430Applying material from Item B and your knowledge, evaluate sociological contributions to our understanding of crime prevention and control.

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