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A* OCR A Level Sociology essay plans (paper 2)
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Detailed essay plans that include all question types for the research methods and social inequalities unit on the paper 2 exam. I achieved A* in a level sociology.
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2 hrs 152017:
https://ocr.org.uk/Images/471575-h580-02-researching-and-understanding-social-
inequalities.pdf
2019:
https://ocr.org.uk/Images/621272-question-paper-researching-and-understanding-social-
inequalities.pdf
2020:
https://ocr.org.uk/Images/643141-question-paper-researching-and-understanding-social-
inequalities.pdf
Research methods - 60 mins
1 summarise the data shown in source a and show what it reveals
4 marks - 4 minutes
One paragraph
2 with reference to source b, explain two reasons why
6 marks - 9 minutes
Two short paragraphs
3 with reference to source a, explain one strength and one weakness
10 marks - 12 minutes
Two short paragraphs
4 using source b, explain and evaluate the use of (method) to research (topic)
25 marks
Refer explicitly to source or positivism/interpretivism, eval using reliability, validity and
representativeness
Define the method
Two paragraphs on strengths (evaluate)
Two paragraphs on weaknesses (evaluate)
Conclusion
1. Summarise the data shown in Source A. (4)
The source shows that female pensioners, particularly those who are single, are more likely
to be in low income than male pensioners
This is supported by my own knowledge that 20% of female pensioners live in poverty
The source also shows that pensioners both male and female pensioners aged 75 and over,
including those who are single as well as couples, are more likely to be in low income
compared to those who are aged between 66-74.
,Link to my own knowledge of fuel poverty affecting older adults - age uk. Ageing population
2. With reference to Source B, explain two reasons why some sociologists prefer
qualitative data when conducting sociological research. (6)
1 increased validity
Ability to come to deeper meanings + understandings
Allows jones et al to achieve their objectives of finding out whether retirement is ‘actively
constructed as a lifestyle and cultural choice’
2 increased empathy (verstehen)
Able to understand specific experiences e.g. them coming from ‘executive and higher
management posts’
Link to unstructured interviews - able to find out that the interviewees were ‘aware that they
were fortunate’
Link to interpretivist
3. With references to Source A, explain one strength and one weakness of using
secondary data to assess the impact of low income on pensioners. (10)
1 strength
High reliability
Can easily conduct the same experiment again and find similar result outcomes. Link to
positivist view - sociology is a science and should be measured and quantifiable
2 weakness
No verstehen (interactionist) - lacks depth
Does not inform us on the experiences of low income female pensioners for example
4. Using Source B and your wider sociological knowledge, assess the usefulness of
interviews for investigating the effect of age patriarchy on children and teenagers.
(25)
Gittins - age patriarchy describes the power that adults have over children
Using source b and your wider sociological knowledge, explain and evaluate the use of
questionnaires to study people's attitudes to ageing and ageism. (25)
Strengths:
Questionnaire - high in reliability. Can be repeated and garner similar results. Quick, cheap
and easy to collect
Positivist - value freedom. Allows us to see the data, analyse patterns and trends without
imposing our own meanings onto them. More objective e.g. can see what proportion of older
people have experienced ageism and could compare for example different attitudes to
ageing across different social groups
Ethically sound
Weaknesses:
,Lacks depth and meaning - interpretivist. Unable to unearth the reasons behind specific
attitudes to ageing and ageism so less helpful in creating social policy.
Weber - verstehen. Lacking in verstehen as we are unable to account for the participants’
experiences in how ageism has affected their lives
Overall a more in-depth method such as unstructured interviews would be favourable.
Unstructured interviews would give participants the opportunity to have a relaxed discussion,
making them more open to speaking about a potentially sensitive issue - this increases
validity of data. Moreover it would be easier to avoid misunderstanding as participants are
able to elaborate on what they say, and there is much less risk of misinterpreting the
question at hand.
2016 Practice paper
1. Summarise two conclusions that could be drawn about the distribution of
income in the UK from the data in Source A. (4)
1 the share of income of the top 10% has increased since 1972/73
The source shows that the top 10% of income earners has increased in the proportion of
national income that they hold, from 22% in 1972-73, to 32% in 2009-2010
This suggests that the rich are getting richer
2 the share of income of the top 10% has decreased since 1972/73
Decreased from around 4% to around 1%. Less significant change than that of the top 10%
but shows that the poor are relatively getting poorer in comparison to the proportion of
income earned by other groups although incomes may be generally rising
2. Using Source B, explain two reasons why sociologists may feel it is important
to build up a rapport with the people they are studying. (6)
1 increase validity of data
Trust and a good connection between researcher and participant is key to obtaining rich and
in depth data. E.g. gosling was able to find out that the women were ‘far from lacking’ in
social capital
2 avoid ethical issues
The topic being studied could be sensitive so would require people to feel comfortable
opening up and sharing their experiences. Gosling needed a good rapport to discuss issues
such as ‘poverty and family life’ which she was enabled to do both through the method used
and her background (interviewer effect)
3. With reference to Source A and your wider sociological knowledge, explain
one strength and one weakness in the use of qualitative data in studying the
distribution of income in the UK. (10)
1 strength - reliable
Could easily be repeated and get the same results. E.g. questionnaire asking different
groups about income could be easily done again
, Graph shows clearly that income inequality is increasing over time and this is clear to see
from the presentation (graph). Objective + shows patterns and trends - positivist
2 weakness - lacking in validity
Interpretivists would argue that qualitative methods leave the researcher unable to achieve
verstehen (empathy) with the research subject in understanding the rich details of their
experiences. This is lacking in qualitative methods such as questionnaires and graphs which
do not explain the causes or consequences of income inequality, nor do they explain the
experiences of those with different incomes
4. Using Source B and your wider sociological knowledge, explain and evaluate
the use of semi-structured interviews for researching the lives of women in
poorer neighbourhoods. (25)
Intro - semi-structured interviews = interviews that consist of a rough guideline of questions
but can be elaborated or swayed in a different direction depending on the events of the
interview. Good for in depth and rich data which is necessary for a complex social issue, as
well as making the participants feel comfortable in discussing an otherwise sensitive topic
Study is trying to research the lives of women in poorer neighbourhoods and specifically on
their social capital
1 strength - high in validity
Verstehen (weber)
Rich and in depth data which can lead onto social policy
Gives a more vivid picture of the area of social life - allows people to expand on their
answers.
E.g. if participants start specifically talking about the impact of poverty on their family life, the
researcher can ask specific questions about this
Gosling was able to find that ‘many of the women possess some form of capital’
Family provided them with ‘emotional and financial support’
2 strength - good for studying a sensitive topic such as poverty
Topics and interviewees who are potentially vulnerable are made more comfortable to
discuss. Increases validity and links to rapport between sociologist and interviewee
‘Very personal issues such as poverty and family life’
3 weakness - low in reliability
Cannot easily be repeated to produce similar results. Such an in depth study of data will not
be able to be reproduced as individuals have different experiences. Answers in semi-
structured interviews can depend a lot on the interviewer, their social characteristics tone
and phrasing of questions, and the characteristics of the intervieth parties were feeling on
the day
wee as well as more random factors such as how bo
4 weakness - low in representativeness
The great amount of data and richness produced often means semi-structured interviews
have a lower sample size. As in this case, only 21 women were studied. They were also only
in northern england and all living on the same estate, as well as from a white background
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