Skip to content

Sociology 9699 - Notes

Here are some detailed notes on Sociology 9699:

  • Hodder Education – Cambridge International AS & A Level Sociology (Lawson & Garrod) – essentially the textbook your notes should condense.
  • Revision guides specifically for 9699 (e.g., from PapaCambridge or study-specific sellers on Etsy/Amazon – check reviews for 9699, not generic AQA).
  • StudyLast – Shared 9699 notes (sometimes inconsistent quality, but good for comparison).
  • External factors (Out-of-school):
    1. Structure your notes by syllabus strand (AS Paper 1, AS Paper 2, A Paper 3).
    2. Prioritize evaluation over description. Use "However," "Critics argue," and DEAL in every paragraph.
    3. Memorize key thinkers using tables and spaced repetition (Anki).
    4. Practice retrieval – never just read your notes; recite them from memory.
    5. Reduce volume – By exam week, your entire course should fit onto 10 revision cards.
    • Key concepts: Norms, values, status, roles, culture, socialisation (primary/secondary), identity (class, gender, ethnicity, age).
    • Research methods in context: Strengths/limitations of questionnaires, interviews, observations, experiments, secondary data. Must link to studying education or family.
    • Theories of socialisation: Functionalist (Durkheim, Parsons), Marxist (Althusser, Bowles & Gintis), Interactionist (Mead, Cooley), Feminist.
    • Becker: "Social groups create deviance by making the rules."
    • Master Status: Once labeled a "criminal," all other traits are ignored.
    • Cicourel: Police have typifications (stereotypes) of a "typical delinquent" (WC, male). MC youths get warnings; WC get charged.
    • Cohen (Folk Devils & Moral Panics): Media exaggerates a threat (Mods vs Rockers) -> public demands action -> police arrest more -> confirms the panic.