1. Sociological Theory Main Points The elements of scientific theory
The historical sketch of the Sociological Theory
The schemes and the paradigm of the Sociological Theory

2. The elements of scientific theory
Theory is constructed with several basic elements or building blocks: (1) concepts, (2) variables, and (3) statements/formats.
Let’s examine each of these elements in more detail.

3. Concepts: The Basic Building Blocks of Theory
1.concepts denote phenomena .
sociological concepts would include production, power, interaction, norm, role, status, and socialization. Each term is a concept that embraces aspects of the social world that are considered essential for a particular purpose
2. Concepts are constructed from definitions .
A definition is a system of terms, such as the sentences of a language, the symbols of logic, or the notation of mathematics, that inform investigators about the phenomenon denoted by a concept.

4. 3.Two Characteristic of the concepts
firstly:They strive to communicate a uniform meaning to all those who use them.
Secondly: abstractness.
Some concepts pertain to concrete phenomena at specific times and locations. Other, more abstract concepts point to phenomena that are not related to concrete times or locations.
In building theory, abstract concepts are crucial.
4.Variables as an Important Type of Concept
When used to build theory, two general types of concepts can be distinguished:(1) those that simply label phenomena and (2) those that refer to phenomena that differ in degree.

5. Theoretical Statements
Definition:
To be useful, the concepts of theory must be connected to one another. Such connections among concepts constitute theoretical statements.
Function:
One: specify how events denoted by concepts are interrelated,
Two: provide an interpretation of how and why events should be connected.

6. Formats
When theoretical statements are grouped together, they constitute a theoretical format.
There are four basic approaches in sociological theory for generating theoretical statements and formats: (1) meta-theoretical schemes, (2) analytical schemes, (3) propositional schemes, and (4) modeling schemes.
Figure 1.1 summarizes the relations among these schemes and the basic elements of theory.

7. Meta-theoretical schemes
FIGURE 1.2 The Elements of Theory in Sociology
Meta-theoretical schemes
Concepts Definitions Statements Formats Analytical schemes
Propositional schemes
Modeling schemes

8. The historical sketch of the Sociological Theory
Main Points
The first stage:building (19c30-90)
The second stage:maturing and divising(19c90-20c30)
The third stage:Multideveloping(after20c30)

9. The first stage: building (19c30-90)
Three characteristic
First, classical theoretician, regardless of Comte or Spencer's social theories all not completely separated from the philosophy
Second, the classical time social theories all were the pure theory and were not the the material supporting or confirmming.
Third:The classical social theories all have the bright characteristic of the periods. social order and social development are the two big subjects

10. The second stage: maturing and divising(19c90-20c30)
Four characteristic
First, emerged many sociology theoretician, like Durkheim, Weber, Simmel,Tonnies,Mead and The Parato.
Second, the scope in the theory research institute to have large scale opening up, innovation and a methodology breakthrough
Third, the sociological experience studies appearance.
Fourth, from the modern stage, the west social theories appear divisoning: Several main sociological theories school in this stage already embryonic form .

11. The third stage:Multideveloping(after20c30)
three characteristic
First, many school stands ,from this stage the modern sociology theory to form with the development new time
Second, that sociology theory studies change from macro scope (entire society's
, structure's , system's) to micro scope
(individual's , samll group's , mentality's , personality characteristic's).
Third, the sociological theory and the experience studies the method by the past tradition side -like (for example participation observation, case research, material methods, interview methods and so on qualitative analysis) transforms gradually into using the modern mathematical statistic method and the electronic accounting machine to carry on the quota.