1. Sociology Literacy Mat
Golden Rules
Always follow the command words of questions asked.
Back up your points with appropriate evidence.
Briefly explain key terms when you first use them.
Write professionally and academically at all times by using the correct terminology.
Plan your essays!
Make sure you answer the questions by building towards a conclusion.
Leave a line between paragraphs
Refer back to the question in the conclusion sentence of each paragraph.
Make sure how much you write corresponds to the marks available.
Good examples of evidence
Look carefully at spelling of these Sociological terms
Positivism
Institutionalisation
Socialism
Interpretivism
Microsociology
Democracy
Quantitative
Macrosociology
Dictatorship
Qualitative
Meritocracy
Globalisation
Reliability
Rationalisation
Theoretical
Representativeness
Education
Economic
Validity
Agencies
Ideology
Methodology
Semiology
Triangulation
Sampling
Interviews
Representation
Statistics
Structuration
Inequality
Questionnaires
Deviance
Poverty
Development
Bourgeoisie
Multinational
Pluralism
Proletariat
Ethnomethodology
Functionalism
Stratification
Phenomenology
Marxism
Interactionism
Corporation
Feminism
Authority
Subculture
Postmodernism
Urbanisation
Exploitation
Hegemony
Capitalism
Relativism
Socialisation
Communism
Colonialism
Quotations
Numeric Data
Letters
Statistics
Survey Results
TV News Reports
Textbooks
Diaries
Documentaries
Official Statistics
Content Analysis
Semiology
Autobiographies
Paintings
Experiments
Newspaper Articles
Photographs
Observation
Speeches
Interview transcripts
Census Data
Case Studies
Eyewitness accounts
Longitudinal Studies
Command Words– What is the question asking?
Assess- Make an informed judgement after looking at all the evidence available.
Annotate- Add labels or short comments, usually to a diagram, map or photograph.
Compare- Write about what is similar and different about two things. Two separate descriptions do not make a comparison.
Define- State the meaning of or what is meant by the word stated.
Describe- Give the main characteristic features of something.
Discuss- Bring out the important points of something. Consider the good and bad and come to a conclusion.
Examine- Discuss the relevant points in detail.
Evaluate- Pick out the good and bad points and give judgements.
Explain or Account or Give Reasons for- Write about why something happens or occurs.
Identify- Pick out something from information.
Illustrate- Explain by using specific examples or diagrams.
Justify- Why you chose something or why you think in a certain way.
Refer to or with reference to- Write an answer which uses some of the idea provided in map/photograph/diagram etc
Suggest- Set down your ideas on or knowledge of.
To what extent – Look at the arguments and decide how true something is.
Key Terminology
Evidence- Sources or data to support an argument.
Primary Source- An original piece of evidence containing first hand information from the time of the event.
Secondary Source- A piece of evidence produced after the event.
Methodology- How Sociologists conduct their research, the methods they use and how they explain their findings. Reliability- How likely it is another researcher will conduct the same research and reach the same conclusions.
Validity- How ‘true to life’ research findings are (‘verstehen’)
Representativeness- The extent to which findings can be applied to wider society
Cause- Reason as to why something happened.
Perspective- A lens through which an event is judged.
Use connectives to extend your sentences and link each paragraph.
Give examples
Such as
In the case of
For example
As revealed by
For instance
Explain an idea
Although
Except
Unless
However
Therefore
Sequencing
Firstly
Secondly
Next
Finally
Since
Features of a good essay
Coherence- The essay follows a logical structure.
Detail- High level understanding is demonstrated
Focus- The essay does not talk about irrelevant content
Analysis- The knowledge should be used as the basis for discussion focused on the question asked.
Introduction- Address the question and main points right away
Organisation- The essay is clear and does not repeat itself.
Themes- Each paragraph should focus on a particular theme.
Thesis- There should be a clear argument throughout the essay building towards a conclusion.
Terminology- Show your understanding using the correct words
Evidence- You must use appropriate evidence to support your points
SPAG- It never hurts to have excellent spelling, punctuation and grammar.
Conclusion- Answer the question at the end.
Elaborating your ideas. Ask “So what?”
This suggests
This shows
This infers
This signifies
This implies
This portrays
This conveys
This means
Therefore
However
Furthermore
Developing this point
What do you think? language
In conclusion…
It is clear that…
From looking at…
The evidence suggests…
Overall…
DO NOT USE ”I THINK” OR SIMILAR
Adding to
And
Also
As well as
Moreover
Too
Furthermore
Cause and Effect
Because So
Therefore
Consequently
Thus
As a result of
Contrasting
Whereas
Instead of
Alternatively
Otherwise
In another way
Then again
To Emphasise
Above all
Ultimately
Especially
Significantly
To compare
Likewise
Equally
In the same way
Similarly
Proper Noun-
As person, place or thing. They should always start with a capital letter. E.g. Marxism, Functionalism, Weber etc.