higher sociology essay

How to Write a Sociological Essay: Explained with Examples

This article will discuss “How to Write a Sociological Essay” with insider pro tips and give you a map that is tried and tested. An essay writing is done in three phases: a) preparing for the essay, b) writing the essay, and c) editing the essay. We will take it step-by-step so that nothing is left behind because the devil, as well as good grades and presentation, lies in the details.

Those who belong to the world of academia know that writing is something that they cannot escape. No writing is the same when it comes to different disciplines of academia. Similarly, the discipline of sociology demands a particular style of formal academic writing. If you’re a new student of sociology, it can be an overwhelming subject, and writing assignments don’t make the course easier. Having some tips handy can surely help you write and articulate your thoughts better. 

[Let us take a running example throughout the article so that every point becomes crystal clear. Let us assume that the topic we have with us is to “Explore Culinary Discourse among the Indian Diasporic Communities” .]

Phase I: Preparing for the Essay  

Step 1: make an outline.

So you have to write a sociological essay, which means that you already either received or have a topic in mind. The first thing for you to do is PLAN how you will attempt to write this essay. To plan, the best way is to make an outline. The topic you have, certainly string some thread in your mind. They can be instances you heard or read, some assumptions you hold, something you studied in the past, or based on your own experience, etc. Make a rough outline where you note down all the themes you would like to talk about in your essay. The easiest way to make an outline is to make bullet points. List all the thoughts and examples that you have in find and create a flow for your essay. Remember that this is only a rough outline so you can always make changes and reshuffle your points. 

[Explanation through example, assumed topic: “Explore Culinary Discourse among the Indian Diasporic Communities” . Your outline will look something like this:

Step 2: Start Reading 

Once you have prepared an outline for your essay, the next step is to start your RESEARCH . You cannot write a sociological essay out of thin air. The essay needs to be thoroughly researched and based on facts. Sociology is the subject of social science that is based on facts and evidence. Therefore, start reading as soon as you have your outline determined. The more you read, the more factual data you will collect. But the question which now emerges is “what to read” . You cannot do a basic Google search to write an academic essay. Your research has to be narrow and concept-based. For writing a sociological essay, make sure that the sources from where you read are academically acclaimed and accepted.  

For best search, search for your articles by typing “Food+Diaspora”, “Food+Nostalgia”, adding a plus sign (+) improves the search result.]

Step 3: Make Notes 

This is a step that a lot of people miss when they are preparing to write their essays. It is important to read, but how you read is also a very vital part. When you are reading from multiple sources then all that you read becomes a big jumble of information in your mind. It is not possible to remember who said what at all times. Therefore, what you need to do while reading is to maintain an ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY . Whenever you’re reading for writing an academic essay then have a notebook handy, or if you prefer electronic notes then prepare a Word Document, Google Docs, Notes, or any tool of your choice to make notes. 

As you begin reading, note down the title of the article, its author, and the year of publication. As you read, keep writing down all the significant points that you find. You can either copy whole sentences or make shorthand notes, whatever suits you best. Once you’ve read the article and made your notes, write a summary of what you just read in 8 to 10 lines. Also, write keywords, these are the words that are most used in the article and reflect its essence. Having keywords and a summary makes it easier for you to revisit the article. A sociological essay needs a good amount of research, which means that you have to read plenty, thus maintaining an annotated bibliography helps you in the greater picture.  

[Explanation through example, assumed topic: “Explore Culinary Discourse among the Indian Diasporic Communities” . 

Annotate and divide your notes based on the outline you made. Having organized notes will help you directly apply the concepts where they are needed rather than you going and searching for them again.] 

Phase II: Write a Sociological Essay

Step 4: writing a title, subtitle, abstract, and keywords .

The title of any document is the first thing that a reader comes across. Therefore, the title should be provocative, specific, and the most well-thought part of any essay. Your title should reflect what your essay will discuss further. There has to be a sync between the title and the rest of your content. The title should be the biggest font size you use in your essay. 

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: A title preferably should not exceed 5 to 7 words.  

The abstract is a 6 to 10 line description of what you will talk about in your essay. An abstract is a very substantial component of a sociological essay. Most of the essays written in academia exceed the word limit of 2000 words. Therefore, a writer, i.e., you, provides the reader with a short abstract at the beginning of your essay so that they can know what you are going to discuss. From the point of view of the reader, a good abstract can save time and help determine if the piece is worth reading or not. Thus, make sure to make your abstract as reflective to your essay as possible using the least amount of words.  

Your abstract should highlight all the points that you will further discuss. Therefore your abstract should mention how diasporic communities are formed and how they are not homogeneous communities. There are differences within this large population. In your essay, you will talk in detail about all the various aspects that affect food and diasporic relationships. ]

Keywords are an extension of your abstract. Whereas in your abstract you will use a paragraph to tell the reader what to expect ahead, by stating keywords, you point out the essence of your essay by using only individual words. These words are mostly concepts of social sciences. At first, glance, looking at your keywords, the reader should get informed about all the concepts and themes you will explain in detail later. 

Your keywords could be: Food, Diaspora, Migration, and so on. Build on these as you continue to write your essay.]   

Step 5: Writing the Introduction, Main Body, and Conclusion 

Your introduction should talk about the subject on which you are writing at the broadest level. In an introduction, you make your readers aware of what you are going to argue later in the essay. An introduction can discuss a little about the history of the topic, how it was understood till now, and a framework of what you are going to talk about ahead. You can think of your introduction as an extended form of the abstract. Since it is the first portion of your essay, it should paint a picture where the readers know exactly what’s ahead of them. 

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: An apt introduction can be covered in 2 to 3 paragraphs (Look at the introduction on this article if you need proof). 

Since your focus is on “food” and “diaspora”, your introductory paragraph can dwell into a little history of the relationship between the two and the importance of food in community building.] 

This is the most extensive part of any essay. It is also the one that takes up the most number of words. All the research and note-making which you did was for this part. The main body of your essay is where you put all the knowledge you gathered into words. When you are writing the body, your aim should be to make it flow, which means that all paragraphs should have a connection between them. When read in its entirety, the paragraphs should sing together rather than float all around. 

The main body is mostly around 4 to 6 paragraphs long. A sociological essay is filled with debates, theories, theorists, and examples. When writing the main body it is best to target making one or two paragraphs about the same revolving theme. When you shift to the other theme, it is best to connect it with the theme you discussed in the paragraph right above it to form a connection between the two. If you are dividing your essay into various sub-themes then the best way to correlate them is starting each new subtheme by reflecting on the last main arguments presented in the theme before it. To make a sociological essay even more enriching, include examples that exemplify the theoretical concepts better. 

The main body can here be divided into the categories which you formed during the first step of making the rough outline. Therefore, your essay could have 3 to 4 sub-sections discussing different themes such as: Food and Media, Caste and Class influence food practices, Politics of Food, Gendered Lens, etc.] 

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: As the introduction, the conclusion is smaller compared to the main body. Keep your conclusion within the range of 1 to 2 paragraphs. 

Step 6: Citation and Referencing 

This is the most academic part of your sociological essay. Any academic essay should be free of plagiarism. But how can one avoid plagiarism when their essay is based on research which was originally done by others. The solution for this is to give credit to the original author for their work. In the world of academia, this is done through the processes of Citation and Referencing (sometimes also called Bibliography). Citation is done within/in-between the text, where you directly or indirectly quote the original text. Whereas, Referencing or Bibliography is done at the end of an essay where you give resources of the books or articles which you have quoted in your essay at various points. Both these processes are done so that the reader can search beyond your essay to get a better grasp of the topic. 

How to add citations in Word Document: References → Insert Citations 

But for those who want to cite manually, this is the basic format to follow:

Pro Tip by Sociology Group: Always make sure that your Bibliography/References are alphabetically ordered based on the first alphabet of the surname of the author and NOT numbered or bulleted. 

Phase III: Editing 

Step 7: edit/review your essay.

Hello! Eiti is a budding sociologist whose passion lies in reading, researching, and writing. She thrives on coffee, to-do lists, deadlines, and organization. Eiti’s primary interest areas encompass food, gender, and academia.

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Three top tips for writing sociology essays

The Craft of Writing in Sociology

• By Andrew Balmer and Anne Murcott
• September 19 th 2017

As the academic semester gets underway, we talked to three senior colleagues in Sociology at the University of Manchester to come up with their ‘pet peeves’ when marking student’s essays. Here are some of their comments, and some of our top tips to help you to improve your work.

First, lecturers said they were frustrated with the way that students write their opening paragraphs:

“A main peeve of mine in student writing is poor introductions. Three common errors regularly stand out: throat clearing sentences (e.g. ‘globalisation is an important topic’, ‘Marx was an important writer’); dictionary definitions for core sociological concepts; and introductions that merely restate the question. What I really want to see from an introduction is a brief account of how the student is approaching the question at hand, what key questions the essay will address, and what answer the student will come to at the end of the essay.” – Senior Lecturer in Sociology

This was a point on which our three colleagues agreed: students often waste the introduction. Here is top tip number one to help you improve your essays:

1. Give the reader a guide to your argument. Much as you would give someone directions in how to get to where they’re going, tell your reader what steps you will take, what the key turning points will be, why it is important to take this route and, ultimately, where you will end up. In other words, tell your reader exactly what you will conclude and why, right at the beginning.

Another point on which our colleagues agreed was that sociological essays can be imprecise, and are sometimes written in a style which is meant to sound intellectual, but which is more confusing than it is enlightening. As one senior lecturer put it:

“A pet peeve of mine is imprecise language, for example peppering an essay with terms like ‘however’, ‘therefore’, and ‘consequently’, but without attending to the logical relationship between sentences that those words are supposed to signal. If the logical connector is wrong then the argument fails. This kind of error is often motivated, I think, by students wanting their essays to ‘sound academic’, when often they would have been more convincing by using simpler language more precisely.” – Senior Lecturer in Sociology

It is worth planning the time needed to rework your essays because a good argument can be let down by poor presentation. Here is top tip number two:

2. Your written work should prioritise clarity and concision over entertainment and erudition when making an argument. Students often write in a style which they think makes their points sound important, but get lost in the meaning of what they are saying by doing so. It might be that you have quite a command of English and want to show off your knowledge of polysyllabic or unusual words, or it might be that you wish to imitate the sociological writers whom you admire. Whatever additional reasons you have for writing, there is none more important in a sociological essay than making your argument clear. Words such as ‘however’ and ‘moreover’ should be used to indicate how your ideas are linked together, not to start a sentence with a good word. Be sure that when you edit your work, you edit for the argument, prioritising the word choices which best help to make your point. Such decisions will reflect maturity and consideration in your written work, and it is these which will truly impress a reader.

A final element which our three colleagues all listed in their top pet peeves was poor structure:

“I am often frustrated by the poor structuring of an essay. In other words, with the order in which ideas are presented, either at the level of the whole essay or at paragraph level. Essays that ping-pong from one idea to another, and then back to the original idea, indicate that the student has not really thought their argument through. A trickier thing to get right is the structuring of paragraphs, and some students seem keen to cram in as many (often unconnected) points into one paragraph as possible.” – Senior Lecturer in Sociology

The key point to learn when it comes to structuring your work is to make your writing serve your argument. You should present the main turns of your argument clearly, so as to reach a natural conclusion. Here is top tip number three for improving your essays:

3. Redraft your work for your argument, before you edit and proof-read it. Students often write to tight deadlines and do not plan enough time for a good second draft of their work. Instead, they write a first draft and then edit it as they proof-read it. When writing the first draft of an essay you will still be working out what the argument is. This is because writing helps you to think, so as you write your full first draft you will be meandering around a little, finding the best route as you go. Instead of merely editing this and checking the grammar, you should seriously re-draft the essay in light of the argument you now know you wish to make. This will help you to write a good introduction, since you can now say clearly from the outset what you will go on to argue, and a good conclusion, for you will now be able to say exactly what you have argued and why. Re-drafting for the argument means taking out material, adding in material and ensuring that each paragraph has a main point to contribute. It is an essential step in producing a good essay, which must be undertaken prior to editing for sense and proof-reading for typographical mistakes.

These tips point you towards the most important part of learning to write good sociological essays: bringing everything you do into the service of producing an argument which responds to the question and provides a satisfying answer.

Featured image credit: meeting by Eric Bailey. CC0 Public Domain via Pexels .

Andrew Balmer is Senior Lecturer in Sociology at the University of Manchester and member of the Morgan Centre for Research into Everyday Lives. He is co-author of a new book, The Craft of Writing in Sociology: Developing the Argument in Undergraduate Essays and Dissertations , published by Manchester University Press. Andrew can be found on Twitter @AndyBalmer .

Anne Murcott is Honorary Professor at the University of Nottingham and Honorary Professorial Research Associate at SOAS, University of London. She is author of numerous books and edited collections, including The Craft of Writing in Sociology .

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Recent Comments

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Higher Sociology SQA – Revision Content

Browse Study Rocket's Higher Sociology SQA free revision notes.

Higher Sociology SQA – Topics

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The Department recommends that students write a total of four to six essays per paper over the course of Michalemas and Lent terms.

This equates to two or three essays per paper, per term. Since students take four papers, and terms are eight weeks long, two essays per paper would work out at one essay per week (if distributed evenly). Regardless of how many essays students choose to write, they will still receive six supervisions per paper over the course of both terms. This means three supervisions per paper, per term.

For two of these supervisions, the Sociology Department has a policy that allows students to prepare in another way besides an essay for the supervision, such as with a blog post , or a presentation on a reading or related current event. This should be agreed ahead of time with the supervisor in question.

Essays are expected to be around 1,500 to 2,000 words, which may sound like a lot to new students, but it is crucial practice for honing the skill of making a detailed, coherent and concise argument. The upper word limit is also important, as writing to wordcount (and deadline) are key academic skills, and this takes into consideration the marking workload of your supervisors.

Essay writing is one of the main means of study as well as a form of preparation for the exams , in which students are expected to draw on lecture material, supervision work, and independent reading. Over the course of the HSPS programme, students will be increasingly encouraged to supplement supervisors’ suggested readings with the sources they have encountered using their growing research skills.

Essay Writing FAQs

The sections below provide some answers to help students approach their essays. Students are encouraged to reach out to their peers, supervisors and/or Directors of Studies if they are having trouble with essay writing.

When you write an essay, you’ll need to find the suggested reading list provided in the paper guide. A reading list will usually contain a mixture of online resources like journal articles and Ebooks, and physical books which can be requested from the libraries; in 2020-21, however, given the coronavirus pandemic, we have adjusted our reading lists so that all texts are available electronically. Most of the readings you need for sociology are available via the Seeley library (Sociology, Land Economy), and you can find out how to access them on our Study Resources [link] page.

There are multiple copies of most of the books in the Seeley library so you shouldn’t have too much trouble getting hold of a text. Often you can request a book even if it has been taken out, in which case the student who has the book on loan will be expected to return the book in three days. If they’re not available at the Seeley library, the iDiscover website can show you all the locations where a book can be found in other university libraries.

Many College libraries also have undergraduate reading list collections, and it’s always worth emailing either the SPS or your college library if you’re struggling to access a text. Finally, if you can’t access a book or find an Ebook version online, Google Books often has parts of books - such as selected chapters - available to read for free. Your lecturer may also give tips for finding certain texts.

You will find you get much faster at reading and condensing arguments as you progress through your degree. Rather than trying to read everything, focus on the readings that the lecturer has marked as particularly important, and then use the additional recommended readings to gain a broader understanding and add more nuance to your essays.

What matters is that you’ve got a grasp of the key concepts and theories as portrayed in the available literature on a topic. When you’re first starting out, it may be better to focus on a few readings and give yourself more time to think and write. Another way of tackling reading lists is to split the workload with other people doing the same topic. Sharing notes and ideas not only helps consolidate your learning, it also makes life much, much easier.

If you’re assigned an entire book without chapter or page number suggestions, don’t feel you’re expected to read them cover to cover. Start with the introductory and concluding chapters to get a feel for the arguments. You can also check the contents page for sections or chapters that are especially relevant. Sometimes useful summaries, reviews, or commentaries on books are available online; for example, you can search for book reviews via Google Scholar.

Key to writing a good Sociology essay is a clear argument based on a careful and critical reading of the material relevant to the question. In the first instance, this will be the books and articles the paper organiser has indicated you should read in the paper guide. Pay careful attention to the language a particular author uses and attempt to situate the work in the social and intellectual context of the period in which it was written.

A good essay will provide an introduction that explains your interpretation of the question and how you intend to answer it, namely your essay’s structure and argument. As part of the process of building the argument, the body of the essay will outline, and critically evaluate, the different positions you’ve considered on the topic of the question (e.g. a question on class may discuss Marx, Weber and Durkheim’s differing understanding of the structural organisation of class and/or the subjective experience of class). This critical evaluation may include how well arguments are supported with empirical examples of events (including contemporary events not yet analysed in the literature), studies or statistical data.  Specifically, you can use the theory to help us understand an empirical case of your choice, and then use that empirical case to shed light on the strengths and weaknesses of that theory.

Here you can show further knowledge by referring to material beyond the reading list, as long as you demonstrate its relevance. The essay should conclude by summarising your argument and the justifications you have offered for it, as well as indicating the relevance of your argument in the broader theoretical and/or empirical context. Always try to justify your arguments by reference to concrete examples, studies, research or new work. Reference all your sources consistently and systematically. Finally give yourself time to re-read, edit and re-edit your essay. Often the process of re-reading and editing will improve an essay immensely. This process will, of course, be aided through discussions in supervisions and the further reflections they inspire for you.

When supervisors mark your essays (and indeed, your exams), they will be guided by the marking criteria, so it is best to familiarise yourself with these criteria. You can ask your supervisor for advice on how to interpret these criteria, which can be downloaded via WHERE [link].

The university and the faculty libraries have lots of guidance on essay-writing, which you can ask them about or find on their websites. Some colleges run workshops or have academics who provide support for essay-writing; your Director of Studies (DoS) should be able to point you in the right direction. This is especially useful for students who want to develop their academic writing skills, and can help build confidence for those who might feel a little out-of-practice.

Finally, it’s always good to share essays with friends taking the course to get a sense of their approaches. You can learn from your fellow students just as you can learn from university academics. Chatting through an issue that you’re finding confusing with a friend can have great results, because just by talking through your difficulties or thought processes, the path to the answers you need can become clearer.

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Essay-writing: tips & hints for success.

Posted on: 28 February 2022 by Kirsten Ward in Blog

At several points during your degree, you may be asked to write an essay. In some modules, essays form a key component of your summative assessment. To celebrate National Essay Day on 28th February, we have collated a set of hints & tips, designed to help you succeed in achieving a higher mark in your essay-based assessments.

So, what makes a great essay? Great essays are not just discursive but also analytical. Done well, essays not only communicate your understanding of a topic to the examiner, but can be learning processes in themselves, encouraging you to organise relevant material and think in new and creative ways. To impress an examiner, essays must be appropriately referenced and carefully framed, using academic language, and be free from typographical errors. For these reasons, you are strongly encouraged to start your essays early, leaving enough time for thorough proofreading with fresh eyes.

At a base level, your essay is a reasoned answer, supported by evidence, to the question set. The evidence for your argument comes from your wider reading. The way you select and interpret this evidence and explain how this helps you to answer the question, demonstrates your own thinking to the examiner. Producing a well-organised and evidence-based critical discussion, that directly answers the question set, is not an easy task. You will find that your essay writing improves with practice as you progress throughout your degree. However, developing good habits from the outset can go a long way in helping you to achieve success in your essay-based assessments.

Reading with Purpose

When you first receive the essay question, it is important to avoid rushing into the writing process. Although you may wish to show off the breadth of your knowledge to the examiner, writing down everything that you know about a topic, without a clear plan or structure, is likely to reduce the strength of your argument. Aim to make your examiners life as easy as possible, by grouping ideas together, and considering your overarching narrative, before putting pen to paper.

The first key tip is to ensure you answer the question. As with writing, do not rush into research. Instead, dedicate some time to understanding exactly what the question is asking. Consider the question within its context: what wider debates and issues may it be touching on from your lectures and seminars? Is there a specific viewpoint, or angle, that the question takes, or wishes you to explore? Is the question part of a wider discussion, perhaps one that is ongoing within the academic literature? Your lecturer may encourage you to narrow the question down, particularly if there is a tight word-limit. If you choose to focus on a particular area, ensure that you explain your choice to the examiner. Show them that you understand that, whilst there may be wider issues at play, you have chosen to conduct a deeper analysis within a certain area, given the constraints of the word limit. Likewise, if the question retains a narrow focus, ensure that you stay within the defined limits, and try not to entertain tangential debates.

Re-reading the question and underlining key words can help in clarifying what your answer should cover. Look out for any subject-specific terms that are used, and check that you fully understand them. You may also wish to highlight the type of analysis that the question is asking you to undertake. For example, are you being asked to compare and contrast or to critically analyse, possibly by reference to key cases or academic papers? If in doubt, break the question down. Ask, why is this topic important? Set yourself an orderly plan for research. What do you need to find out first? Breaking the question down into bitesize research tasks can prove useful when you come to plan your essay. You will then already have done a lot of the work in determining what each aspect of your argument adds to the assessment.

Once you have considered what the question is asking, you may wish to note down your initial thoughts, including: (a) what you already know about the topic (b) any aspects that you may need to research further and (c) your preliminary conclusion. This begins the process of formulating your argument and is likely to help you in prioritising your reading. Once you have completed your research, you may wish to repeat this process. By bringing together key ideas from your wider reading, you can clarify: (a) what you have found out and (b) whether your initial conclusions have changed. Remember when conducting your research, make sure you jot down a brief citation for each academic source. This will prove useful when collating your bibliography prior to submission.

Developing as a Researcher

Good essays are underpinned by sound critical analysis. Your aim when conducting preparatory research is to analyse material and evaluate the contribution it makes to your argument. Although critical analysis may seem, at first sight, a high-level skill, we make reasoned decisions every day. Critical analysis involves two main tasks: (a) weighing up the evidence supporting a certain idea to determine whether it is convincing, and (b) explaining why the evidence is, or is not, convincing. You may find it useful to approach your wider reading with a list of questions to trigger a critical approach, including (i) what is the author’s viewpoint and could it be biased? (ii) could the intended audience have influenced the way that the information is presented? (iii) what is the author’s main argument and what evidence is used in support? (iv) is the argument convincing and what are the challenges that could be waged against the conclusions made? Critical analysis does not necessarily mean disagreeing with an argument. It is equally important to be able to explain why you agree with a certain line of reasoning.

Post-it notes on a wall show one method of essay planning.

Planning with Intent

Writing with a plan often increases the overall coherence and structure of an essay. Because you know your end point and have undertaken the complex reasoning needed to bring logic to your argument, a plan allows you to focus on effectively communicating your ideas to the examiner. It also avoids the common pitfall of changing your line of reasoning halfway through writing your argument. Becoming comfortable with leaving aspects out of your essay is a skill. Remember, your word count means that it is impossible to cover everything. Your examiner is instead assessing your ability to harness and bring order to a tailored set of evidence.

Each of us adopts our own style of planning. Most commonly, you may wish to brainstorm your ideas, and arrange them into three or four groups, reflecting the key sections within your essay. Remember, not all ideas will fit neatly into this structure, so be prepared to discard them if necessary. Many writers find it helpful to store less relevant ideas within a separate Word document. Likewise, some students prefer visual plans, such as spider diagrams or mind maps, with key ideas springing out from a central question. Ideas can then be numbered, or colour coded, to structure the creative brainstorm. Others prefer a linear style, such as bullet pointing. Once you have your plan, a quick overview can often indicate whether you have too much, or too little, information. As always, be prepared for your exact line, or structure, of your argument to change as you write. You may notice new connections and patterns within, or between, your ideas. However, a plan is easily adaptable. Having an initial overarching structure will ensure that you can quickly see where any new thoughts or arguments fit into your essay.

The main purpose of planning is to set out what you will focus on in each section. This will include an introduction, where you will address: (a) what the question is asking (b) why this is interesting for your examiner and (c) how you plan to answer it. If you are struggling to get started, write down each question you are seeking to answer in turn, and take one at a time. Some students prefer to write a summary before they begin, setting out the central thesis of their essay within one or two sentences, to ensure they have a strong, overarching direction. Others prefer to write their introduction last, once they have a clear idea of their argument within the essay. You may choose to begin with the paragraph you feel most confident about and build momentum from there. Your outline should also address the main body of your essay, focusing on how each paragraph will build your argument. You may wish to try out different sequences for your groups of ideas, to determine which structure is the most persuasive. Remember that your key aim is to answer the question set. One useful tip is to focus each paragraph on one argument only. You may wish to break your plan down into more detailed sub-sections, noting the evidence from your wider reading which supports each point. Finally, your plan should bring your ideas together into a conclusion, where you summarise your arguments and show how you have addressed the question set.

Writing for Success

With a structured plan, you should have a good idea of what role each paragraph plays within your overall argument. This should help you to gauge what evidence you need to include within each section and how your essay fits together as a whole. Remember, introductions and conclusions serve key purposes within your assessment: they can make a good first and last impression. Both are core structural devices to guide the examiner through your argument. Introductions should also set out the conceptual and theoretical framework underpinning your essay. Ask yourself what the examiner needs to know, to be able to follow your argument, and how best you can draw them in from the outset. Likewise, consider what message you wish to leave the examiner with, and whether your main argument comes through clearly in your conclusion.

Remember, your introduction is the gateway into your essay. It is a map that guides the examiner, identifying the main route, and positioning your argument within the wider academic landscape. The main body of your essay should then develop the ideas that you have outlined in your introduction. The key to a successful essay is to integrate your own arguments with evidence from your wider reading. Generally, it is better to discuss fewer points, in more depth. The strongest approaches also tend to adopt a thematic analysis, integrating the arguments which can be advanced on both sides of a debate, as opposed to addressing one after the other. Remember that your essay should be analytical as opposed to descriptive. Try to only include background details where they add directly to your argument. It can prove a useful exercise once you have a first draft, to highlight areas of description in one colour and areas of analysis and evaluation in another. This will allow you to check that you have an appropriate balance.

Whilst everyone has their own style of writing, each paragraph should adopt a strong structure. Beginning with a topic sentence, the paragraph should signal to the examiner what it adds to the essay. The introductory sentence should then be supported by evidence and critical analysis. You should seek to interpret the evidence, explaining how, and why, your wider reading supports your main line of argument. Avoid simply letting the evidence ‘speak for itself’ or relying on sweeping generalisations. Instead, use case studies and specific examples. Counterarguments though, can be turned to your advantage. The strongest essays do not ignore opposing viewpoints, but rather address them head-on.

Each paragraph should then finish with a mini conclusion, linking the paragraph back to the question set. Remember that each idea should be supported by a fully cited reference from your wider reading. You should also pay close attention to the advice given by your lecturer, who may share their own style preferences, including the use of subheadings, first person and indentation. Always keep the question in front of you during the writing process. Be ruthless in discarding irrelevant material: a lack of succinctness may cost you marks. Finally, signpost your reader by using appropriate connecting phrases, guiding them through the overarching narrative of your answer.

Your conclusion should capture the journey your examiner has undertaken in reading your essay. It should allow for reflection on the main issues discussed, and directly relate back to the question set, showing how you have reached your answer. If the question asks you to make a judgment call, then you should clearly outline your reasoning. Whilst a nuanced conclusion may be appropriate, you should try to avoid ‘sitting on the fence’ or combining several sides of an argument into a muddled conclusion. Importantly, you should not introduce new material into a conclusion. Instead, focus on ‘closing the circle’ of your discussion by answering the questions raised in your introduction. You may wish to comment speculatively regarding future developments, although some writers prefer to include these discussions as part of their analysis. Similarly, although it may be appropriate to comment on the limitations of your analysis, you should avoid ending your argument on a negative or a rhetorical question. Ultimately, your conclusion should leave the examiner with a clear and positive view of your main argument.

Developing as a Writer

Writing is not an easy task. If at any stage, you become stuck, it may be useful to revisit your main ideas. Try writing one or two sentences, explaining what you are trying to get across to the examiner, without worrying about the exact phrasing. It may also help to explain the idea out loud. A trusted friend or family member can highlight any aspects which need further exploration. Do though, pay careful attention to academic integrity guidelines. After submitting a few essays, you will begin to understand what type of writer you are. You can then adapt your planning and writing habits to suit your needs. For example, if you are a slow writer, perhaps because you seek perfection in each sentence as you write, you may wish to explore writing a rough draft and beginning the editing process from there. In any event, redrafting is unavoidable, and time spent on editing and proofreading can make a real difference to your final mark.

Essays should be written in a formal academic style, avoiding the use of cliches, contractions and subjective descriptions. Common pitfalls include overreliance on ‘academic-sounding’ words and the use of overly long sentences. Both inhibit clear and accurate communication. Ideally, leave a day between finishing your essay and proofreading to gain some distance from your work. Try reading your essay aloud or using the ‘read aloud’ function on Word. This will ensure you focus on each word, highlighting sentences that are too long or dense. Check too, that your argument flows and makes sense as a cohesive whole. Do not be afraid to restructure, even at this late stage, or to cut information that is not directly relevant to the question. Remember, the examiner is looking for a focused argument. Put yourself in their shoes. Can you follow the argument clearly? Are there gaps in the reasoning? Is the argument signposted? You also need to check your references and bibliography, adopting a consistent formatting style throughout. Finally, pay close attention to any feedback you have received on previous essays. Do not be afraid to approach your lecturer or academic adviser with any questions you may have. Good luck!

Keywords: Essay Writing , National Essay-Writing Day , Essay planning , writing for success , developing as a writer , Reading , research , Research writing .

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How to Write a Sociology Essay?

What Is a Sociology Essay?

How to make an outline for your sociology essay, sociology essay structure.

Sociology helps us understand how societies function, including their structures and influences. To truly understand how to write a good sociology essay, start by thinking about your own life and how it fits into society. Remember, your experiences are part of the bigger picture of society.

When you write your essay, aim for honesty and accuracy. Try to organize your thoughts in a way that makes sense, showing the complexities of society and the challenges of studying it.

And don't worry; professional paper writers our sociology paper writing service care here to guide you through every step of creating a good sociology paper. So, let's jump right into the details.

A sociology essay looks at how people live together in society, studying how they behave, form relationships, and create community institutions. It studies how culture, rules, and who holds power affect different parts of life. Writing one gives you a chance to share your thoughts on society and understand how it works.

When wondering how to write a good sociology essay, start with an introduction where you explain what you'll talk about and how you'll argue your points. In the main part, you'll discuss different ideas about the topic. For example, if you're writing about social class, you might talk about what Marx, Weber, and Durkheim thought about it. You'll use examples from real life to back up your ideas, like recent events or studies.

You can also use theories to understand real-life situations better and use those situations to see where theories might be strong or weak. This helps us learn more about sociology and how it relates to the world around us.

Furthermore, a sociology essay allows you to analyze and interpret society through various lenses. You might explore subjects such as race, gender, or globalization and how they impact people's lives differently. By examining these issues, you gain a deeper understanding of the complexities within society.

Moreover, writing a sociology essay encourages critical thinking and reflection. As you engage with different theories and perspectives, you learn to question assumptions and consider alternative viewpoints. This intellectual process not only enhances your understanding of sociology but also sharpens your analytical skills.

Conducting research for your sociological essay also exposes you to a wide range of sources and methodologies. From surveys to case studies, you'll learn how sociologists gather data and draw conclusions about social phenomena. This hands-on experience strengthens your research skills and prepares you for future academic or professional endeavors in sociology.

The ultimate goal of the outline is to provide a clear framework for your sociology essay, ensuring that your ideas are well-organized and logically presented. By investing time in crafting a thorough outline, you'll streamline the writing process and produce a more cohesive and impactful essay.

Now, before crafting your outline, clarify the purpose of your essay and consider your audience. This will help you formulate a clear thesis statement or research question to guide your sociology essay writing.

There are two main approaches to outlining: the sentence outline, which uses full sentences, and the outline, which uses short phrases. Both methods have their advantages, so choose the one that works best for you and maintain consistency throughout your essay.

To create a basic outline, follow these steps from our college essay writing service :

• Clearly articulate the main issue or question your essay will address.
• Determine the main themes that will structure your sociology essay.
• Begin with the most important aspect of your sociological topic and expand upon it.
• Break down each main category into smaller, more specific points to provide depth and detail.

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After creating an outline for your sociology paper, the next step is to structure it effectively to present your ideas logically and persuasively. Here's a breakdown of how to structure your writing, or if you prefer, you can always buy research paper from us to see a clearer example essay.

Introduction :

• Start with a hook or an attention-grabbing statement to engage your reader.
• Provide background information on the sociological topic to contextualize your discussion.
• Clearly state your thesis statement or research question, which outlines the main argument or purpose of your essay.

Body Paragraphs :

• Each body paragraph should focus on a single main idea or argument related to your thesis.
• Begin each paragraph with a sentence that introduces the main argument.
• Support your arguments with evidence, examples, and citations from scholarly sources.
• Use logical transitions to connect your ideas and ensure a smooth flow between paragraphs.

Discussion of Key Concepts :

• If your essay involves discussing specific sociological concepts or theories, dedicate a section to explaining and analyzing these concepts in depth.
• Define key terms and provide relevant context to help your reader understand their significance.
• Analyze how these concepts relate to your thesis and contribute to your overall argument.

Critical Evaluation :

• Engage in critical analysis by evaluating different perspectives or interpretations of the subject.
• Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of various arguments, theories, or empirical studies.
• Offer your own insights and interpretations supported by evidence and logical reasoning.

Conclusion :

• Summarize the main points of your sociology essay and restate your thesis statement.
• Reflect on the significance of your findings and their implications for understanding the issue.
• Offer suggestions for further research or potential avenues for future inquiry.
• End with a thought-provoking closing statement that leaves a lasting impression on your reader.

References :

• Include a list of references or a bibliography citing all sources used in your sociology essay.
• Follow the appropriate citation style (e.g., APA, MLA) consistently throughout your essay.

Step 1: Plan Your Writing Topic

Before you start writing your sociology essay, take a moment to plan your topic. This means figuring out what you want to talk about and how you want to talk about it. If you already have a sociological topic in mind, that's great! If not, think about things that interest you or things you've noticed in society that you'd like to explore further.

Start by brainstorming ideas. Think about experiences you've had, things you've learned in class, or issues you've seen in the news. Write down any thoughts or examples that come to mind. This will help you get a clearer picture of what you want to focus on in your essay.

Once you have some ideas, organize them into an outline. This can be as simple as making a list of bullet points. Group similar ideas together and think about the order in which you want to discuss them. Remember, your outline doesn't have to be perfect right away. You can always make changes as you go along.

Step 2: Start Reading Relevant Material

Once you've planned your topic, it's time for the research phase. Begin by searching online databases, library catalogs, or academic journals for scholarly sources. Pay attention to the author's credentials, publication date, and the credibility of the source. Aim to gather a variety of perspectives and viewpoints to enrich your understanding of the sociological point.

As you read, take notes on key points, arguments, and evidence that support different perspectives. Highlight any important quotes or statistics that you may want to use in your sociology essay. Keep track of your sources to ensure proper citation later on.

Remember to approach your reading with a critical mindset. Evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each source and consider how they contribute to your overall understanding of the question.

Step 3: Note Key Points as You Read

Don't overlook the importance of actively engaging with the content by taking notes on key points. This helps you retain important information and identify the most significant ideas to incorporate into your own writing.

• Start by summarizing the main arguments or findings of each source in your own words.
• Note any supporting evidence, examples, or case studies that strengthen the author's argument.
• Pay attention to any recurring themes or patterns across different sources. Are there common trends or debates within the literature?
• Make a note of these connections, as they can serve as valuable insights for your own analysis.
• Highlight any quotes or statistics that you find particularly compelling or relevant to your sociology essay.
• Be sure to record the source information accurately to facilitate proper citation later on.
• Organize your notes in a way that makes sense to you, whether it's using bullet points, headings, or color-coding.

Step 4: Structure Your Essay

As we already discussed above, a sociological essay follows a typical essay structure with some additional elements. Here's the basic breakdown:

• Subtitle (optional)
• Introduction
• References/Bibliography

Step 5: Craft Headings, Summarize, and Identify Key Terms

Once you've got your sociology paper all sorted out, the next thing to focus on is how you're presenting it. Let's start with the headings, summaries, and key terms.

The title acts as the face of your paper. It's what people see first, so it needs to be catchy and give a good idea of what your sociological essay is about. Take your time crafting it. Make sure it reflects the heart of your paper and stands out as the biggest text on the page.

If you feel like your title doesn't quite nail it, don't worry. You can add a subtitle to give a bit more explanation. Keep it smaller than the title but bigger than the rest of your essay.

Now, onto the abstract. It can be condensed into 6 to 10 lines. Especially for longer sociology essays, an abstract is super handy. It gives readers a quick summary of what to expect, saving them time and helping them decide if they want to dive in deeper. Keep it short and sweet, but make sure it captures the essence of your essay.

Lastly, identify keywords that are shortcuts to understanding your sociology essay better. They are usually scattered throughout your paper, highlighting the key ideas. Keywords give readers a heads-up about what sociological themese you'll be exploring. Usually, they're words you'd find in the social sciences, giving a glimpse into the themes you'll be delving into.

Step 6: Intro, Main body, Conclusion

Now that you've organized the structure and outlined the key elements of your sociology essay, it's time to focus on the three main parts: the introduction, main body, and conclusion.

Introduction : Start with something that grabs the reader's attention, maybe a surprising fact or a thought-provoking question. Then, give a bit of background on the topic to set the scene. Clearly state your main argument or thesis - the big idea you'll be exploring. Finally, give a sneak peek of the key points you'll be covering in the main part of your sociological essay.

Main Body : This is where you get down to business. Each paragraph should focus on a different point that supports your thesis. Start with a sentence that sums up what the paragraph is about, then back it up with evidence and analysis. Make sure each paragraph flows smoothly into the next, building a strong case for your argument. Don't forget to address any counterarguments - take them seriously and show why your point of view holds up.

Conclusion : Summarize the main points you've made in the body of your sociology essay and remind the reader of your thesis. No need to introduce new info here - just reinforce what you've already said. You might also want to ponder the bigger picture, like what your findings mean in a broader sense or where future research could go. Finish with a bang - leave the reader with something to think about.

Step 7: Credit Your Sources Correctly

Making sure you credit your sources properly is super important. Not only does it show respect for the original creators, but it also keeps you clear of any plagiarism trouble. Different academic fields have their own rules for this, like APA, MLA, Chicago, or Harvard styles. Check with your teacher or look up your department's guidelines to figure out which one to use.

When you're citing a source, gather all the necessary info: who wrote it, when it was published, what it's called, where it was published, and any page numbers you used. If it's online, make sure to grab the URL and the date you accessed it.

In your sociology essay, use in-text citations to point out where you got your info from - whether it's a direct quote, a paraphrase, or just an idea you borrowed. Usually, this means mentioning the author's last name and the year the work was published. If you're quoting directly, throw in the page number, too.

At the end of your sociological essay, put together a reference list or bibliography. This is where you give all the juicy details about each source you used. Organize them alphabetically by the author's last name or by the title, depending on what your citation style prefers.

Step 8: Revise and Improve Your Essay

Now comes the crucial step of giving your sociology paper a good once-over. Start by fixing any pesky grammar mistakes and smoothing out any awkward bits. But don't stop there. Take a deeper dive into the content.

Read through your sociology essay with a critical eye. Does it flow smoothly from start to finish? Are you making your points clearly and convincingly? If something feels off or incomplete, now's the time to fix it.

Make whatever changes are necessary to beef up your essay - both in terms of what you're saying and how you're saying it. The goal here is to make your sociological essay as strong and effective as possible. So don't be afraid to roll up your sleeves and dive in for some serious revision.

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Unsure what to focus on when it comes to revising for your Sociology exams? We're on a mission to take the guesswork out of Sociology revision. Make your way through our clear revision notes, Sociology past papers, typical exam questions, fully-explained model answers and more, tailored to your Sociology specification. Get started by selecting your qualification level, and dive into everything you'll need to make the grade.

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Home — Essay Samples — Sociology

Essays on Sociology

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The Discovery of What It Means to Be an American

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Deviance is Relative: Social Norms and Individual Behavior

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Polygamy: an Exploration of Its Controversies and Implications

Homosexuality in "same love" by macklemore: the song's meaning, language and identity in abuela invents the zero, discrimination against women: a persistent social issue, defining the generation z, social studies: the importance of understanding globalization, globalization and the rise of madonal, the economic and social impact of globalization, globalization: an evaluation of its economic implications, topics in this category.

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Category: Essay plans

Applying material from item b and your knowledge, evaluate the view that the media portray women in a stereotypical way [20 marks].

You might like to review this post on how women are represented in the media before going through the plan below.

Symbolic Annihilation

The beauty myth, women needing a partner, share this:, evaluate the view that the extent of secularisation has been exaggerated (20).

Disengagement

Counter trends

Cassonva argues that looked at globally a process of ‘de-privatization’ of religion is occurring. Some events suggest religion is important significantly: The Arab Spring for example, and the influence of the conservative new right  in U.S. politics.

Given the problems with defining and measuring religion, it’s difficult to say whether it’s ‘decline’ has been exaggerated, but on balance of the evidence it seems fair to conclude that religion has declined in Europe, but it is far from ‘dead and buried’,

Beliefs in society revision bundle for sale

Signposting

Evaluate the view that religious beliefs and organisations are barriers to social change (20), the question and the item (as on the paper).

Suggested essay plan

Arguments and evidence for the view that religion is a barrier to social change.

Functionalism

It also maintains stability in times of social change (when individuals die), and helps people make sense of changes within society, thus helping prevent anomie/ chaos and potentially more disruptive change.

The church tends to be closely tied to existing political and economic power structures: the Church of England is closely tied to the state for example: the Queen is closely related and Bishops sit in the Lords. Also most members and attendees are middle class. It thus tends to resist radical social change.

Arguments and evidence against the view that religion is a barrier to social change

Thoughts on a conclusion, evaluate the view that changing gender roles are the most significant factor in explaining the increase in family diversity (20).

Evaluate the Strengths of Using Social Surveys in Social Research (20)

Evaluate the Functionalist View of the Role of Education in Society (30) #LONG VERSION

NB – At time of posting, it’s half an essay, more to follow!

Introduction

Below I will analyse and evaluate four specific ‘functions’ or roles which schools perform according to Functionalist theory, ultimately arguing that it obscures more than it enlightens our understanding of the role of education in society.

Education and Social Solidarity

Evaluation: To evaluate this point, there do seem to be examples of where schools attempt to promote a sense of social solidarity. Writing in the 1950s, Talcott Parsons pointed to how, in American schools, children pledge allegiance to the flag; while today British schools and colleges are obliged to promote ‘British Values’ (woohoo!)

However, it is debatable whether schools are successful in instilling a genuine sense of social solidarity into most, let alone all students. A minority of students are excluded from schools, and around 5% are persistent absentees – if students are not in mainstream education, then schools cannot promote a sense of belonging; while for those students who are at school, many are there ‘in body, but not necessarily in spirit. Finally there is the fact there is such a huge diversity of schools (faith schools, private schools, home education) that surely education is too fragmented and divided for it to promote true solidarity at the national level – to the extent that postmodernists suggested there is no such thing as a unified culture anymore.

Education teaches Skills for Work

POINT 2: A second function of education, again according to Durkhiem, is that schools teach individuals the specialist skills for work, which is crucial in a complex, modern industrial economy. (Schools thus have an important economic function).

Short version of this essay

(P3) Bridge between home and school  

R(P4) Role Allocation  

Evaluate the Functionalist Perspective on the Role of Education in Society (30)

Assess the view that poor countries will always remain poor (20).

Firstly I will review the various theories of development which have pointed to a number of different causes of and related solutions to poverty in order to demonstrate the overwhelming historical evidence against the view in the question.

Conversely, if certain things happen, then poor countries will not necessarily remain poor. Countries will develop if….

Global Development Revision Notes

Assess the View that the Family has Become More Child Centred (20)

The essay plan below has been written to help students revising for the families and households topic within A-level sociology.

The family is more child centred: arguments and evidence for

Arguments and evidence against the view that the family is more child centred, a level sociology families and households revision bundle.

If you like this sort of thing, then you might like my  AS Sociology Families and Households Revision Bundle  which contains the following:

For more advice on exams and essay writing see my page on essay writing and exam advice !

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Evaluate the View that the Main Aim of the Family is to Meet the Needs of Capitalism (20)

Functionalists argue that rather than being an ideological apparatus spreading the ideas and values of capitalism, families benefit society as a whole through the function of primary socialisation. Functionalists argue that the family socialises children into the acceptable norms and values of society and ensures that order is maintained and deviance reduced. Marxists would challenge this view arguing that society is made up of two opposing groups, with a conflict of interests, therefore they would not interpret the family as having a positive role, or society’s agreeing on a set of shared norms and values.

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Sociology Essay: Best Topics

• May 24, 1998
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In modern society, college students have endless options for scientific research. People can present academic papers about anything when they have relevant data. If you are interested in sociology, this article has many good sociology research topics!

Sociology Paper: Best Topics for Your Essay 2022

Sometimes, it becomes a challenging task to think of new essay topics. However, our essay writing service has endless ideas for college students who need help with the writing process. We have various sociology paper topics as well! Now you can feel secure about your grade. Just choose sociology topics to write about interesting social issues.

But, there is one thing to do before picking sociology research topics. What does sociology mean? We shall find out this first.

What Does Sociology Study

Those college students who write sociology essays must know the essence of this science. This information is necessary to discuss any sociology paper topic. So what do people mean when they mention sociology?

The answer is surprisingly simple. In a nutshell, sociology investigates everything about our communities! Like biology studies animal kingdoms, sociology dissects human societies. Moreover, because it has been evolving for thousands of years, myriads of sociology essay topics exist.

So, sociology topics for paper relate to the following things:

• Elements of societies
• Social factors that influence human behavior
• Social movements and processes
• Social institutions
• Social norms, etc.

As you can see, this science is very broad. Luckily, you can choose any sociology research paper topic you like.

Importance of Sociology

Many young people in today’s society choose a degree that guarantees them a stable career, like STEM. Still, sociology is a great choice for high school students. In universities, they can write sociology essays and discuss important issues. Here are some reasons to learn sociology:

Sociology Research Papers Develop Analytical Skills

First, any sociology paper topic requires collecting and analyzing information. Most likely, this data comes from standardized tests or databases, and its interpretation is crucial. So, your analytical abilities go up rapidly after you finish a few research papers.

Sociology Papers Writing Improves Soft Skills

In the modern world, people often need more time to communicate. However, the sociology essay writing process allows us to fix this problem. All because most sociology topics require collecting data from respondents, and such practices benefit communication skills.

Sociology Research Paper Topics Help In Everyday Life

Have you ever questioned certain events or patterns in your life? If so, looking at some things from a sociological perspective helps to understand them better. Maybe, you take an interest in gender studies or ethnic relations. Then, use our essay writer service to pick sociological topics for essay!

List of Sociology Research Topics

A person new to sociology could assume that there is little room for creativity. But, in reality, sociology questions many social issues, from eco-feminism to the negative consequences of unemployment.

So, among many sociology essay topics, there is always an option for you. Remember that experienced essay writers prefer sociology debate topics that bring novelty to the field. Besides, brilliant sociology research paper topics usually cause discussions. In other words, a little bit of controversy in a sociology topic is advantageous.

Some students spend too much time picking essay topics. Why do they take so long? Chances are, these people favor several sociology topics at once. For them, electing one sociology essay topic means giving up on other exciting themes. Granted that you have this problem, don’t worry! You can combine several issues in one title. We categorized sociology topics to make things easier for you. So borrow them, or use them for inspiration!

Culture and Identity

Many popular sociology topics for essays are about culture and identity. Why are such sociology research paper topics so crucial? Human behavior and self-esteem heavily depend on the environment. So, studying the cultures of social groups is essential for understanding certain processes.

• Does losing your cultural identity mean a moral decline?
• Is the inability to maintain cultural identity detrimental to mental health?
• How does a person’s identity change when they move to a higher social class?
• Why does public opinion make people suppress their identities?
• How does mass media distort your cultural identity?
• Does social decline always come with the loss of cultural identity?
• How can single parenting affect a person’s identity?
• Negative effects of peer pressure on students’ cultural identities
• Pros and cons of marrying someone with a different cultural identity
• How to avoid cultural clashes when communicating with foreigners?

Poverty, Class, Race, and Ethnicity

Social inequality is another sociology category that makes engaging sociology research topics. Indeed, studying people’s wealth and origins from sociological perspectives in a research paper is important. The sociology papers highlighting the mentioned issues are relevant and helpful for solving current social problems.

• What are the effective ways of fighting racial stereotypes?
• Is reverse racism just a myth, or is it a real problem?
• Does single parenting always equal poverty in the family?
• Should school uniforms be free for kids struggling with poverty?
• Make a detailed outline of a strategy to fight poverty in your country
• How does climate change affect people’s wealth?
• Are movements like Black Lives Matter enough to minimize racism?
• Does human mentality change together with social status?
• Is there a lack of ethnic role models in popular culture?
• Why are existing social institutions inefficient in eliminating poverty?

Gender Issues

Another block of good sociology questions covers everything that relates to gender. Even in today’s progressive world, there are constant disputes about gender issues. Hence, sociology research topics about gender problems are always topical and interesting for readers.

• Two perspectives: how do men and women perceive gender inequality?
• Which gender stereotypes have you successfully shattered?
• What is wrong with current gender roles, and what would you change about them?
• Can gender stereotypes be helpful sometimes, and how?
• Is helicopter parenting more characteristic of mothers or fathers, and why?
• Are men or women more prone to social media addiction?
• Distribution of responsibilities in same-sex marriages
• Where is the fine line between feminism and misandry?
• Do LGBT families suffer from stereotypes like traditional families?
• The hidden dangers of internal misogyny

Social Movements

Whenever the tension in a community is too high, the discontent manifests in various movements. According to Spencer’s principle, these transformations constantly push humankind forward, making people abandon outdated values. You have an opportunity to study social movements through various sociology research topics.

• The real reasons behind protests against social distancing
• Pros and cons of cancel culture
• How did the #MeToo movement change our view on human body autonomy?
• Are there methods to stop violent protests?
• When do peaceful protests turn into violent?
• Is the feminist movement effective in middle-eastern countries?
• What will people protest against in the future?
• Are riots always a good thing?
• Should the government prohibit protests under certain circumstances?
• An underrated modern social movement

Law and Order

Naturally, every society requires control. Otherwise, it turns into chaos. For this reason, law and order help regulate societal processes. These rules have existed since the dawn of humanity and have varied through time. If you are keen on law, there are endless sociology topics for essays.

• What is the optimal compensation for a wrongful conviction?
• Severely outdated US laws
• Which laws would you like to bring back?
• Should people already develop artificial intelligence legislation?
• Characteristics of a perfect jury
• Should everyone have the right to own and use drones?
• Do we need harsher punishments for animal abuse?
• What should be the punishment for workplace mobbing?
• Are fines an efficient way to establish control?
• Who should take responsibility for a self-driving car causing an accident?

Peace and War

Every society lives through a state of peace or war, which is why sociology research topics often cover these themes. Here, a student may discuss the effects of wars on people’s lives, their causes, outcomes, and other meaningful aspects.

• Can we create a social institution to prevent wars?
• Is army size the most important factor for winning?
• Does war have only a negative impact on society?
• The importance of morale for winning wars
• How did World War II shape modern US society?
• How are 21st-century wars different from conflicts of the past?
• Can human force compensate for the lack of technology?
• How can a society recover from long-term war conflicts?
• How can people predict wars?
• Advantages and disadvantages of long-term peace in countries

One inseparable part of any society is religion. Since ancient times, groups of people have had common beliefs, values, and rituals that connected them. In addition, small cults or world religions hugely influenced societies and shaped them into what they are today. So, pick sociology religion essay topics to broaden your knowledge!

• Which societal changes can the shift from paganism to Christianity cause?
• Are there any completely mono-religious societies?
• Are modern functions of religion different from the past?
• What will religions be like in the future?
• Do modern religions meet all people’s needs?
• Can religions still exist in high-tech societies?
• Is there something that can fully replace religion?
• What would a perfect imaginary religion look like?
• How can a small cult spread worldwide?
• Highly religious vs. atheistic societies

In the era of globalization, people have more possibilities than ever to migrate. Although the process of moving seems quite simple, there are plenty of research themes. Migration or immigration can be a great topic for sociology paper if there is enough primary data.

• Should boundaries between countries exist at all?
• Uncommon reasons why people regret migrating
• What are the risks of closing country borders for immigrants?
• Can an immigrant fully integrate into a new society?
• How would you change your country’s immigration policy?
• Why do some countries welcome immigrants more than others?
• Benefits and drawbacks of too many people leaving a country
• Reasons why some states are good for only younger immigrants
• Why is it better to migrate to countries with a similar culture?
• The relationship between new immigrants and those who migrated long ago

Lack of Education

The level of education is one of the major societal characteristics. Countries care about having enough professionals to keep the economy going. Consequently, most people see a lack of education as something negative. If this subject excites you, think of related sociology research topics.

• Is lack of education as bad as we portray it?
• How can a person compensate for lack of higher education?
• Is a degree fundamental for career success?
• The long-term results of low education levels in society
• How can countries encourage people to become more educated?
• Describe the major causes of lack of education in societies
• Can you be a professional without life-long learning?
• Tell about someone who succeeded despite a lack of education
• Will the number of educated people decrease in the future?
• Do societies need fewer or more university graduates?

Unemployment

Do you want some more sociology paper ideas? Then, consider writing about the unemployment issue. The percentage of working people in society usually reflects the situation in a country. Therefore, researching unemployment is essential for understanding the community as a whole.

• Should governments decrease financial aid to reduce unemployment?
• What is the optimal percentage of unemployed people in a country?
• Do unemployment and life quality always correlate?
• What is the secret behind having minimal unemployment rates?
• Is unemployment better than a non-suitable job?
• Can societies somehow benefit from high unemployment rates?
• Does unemployment depend only on skill levels?
• How will your country’s unemployment rates change in the future?
• Which category of people is the most prone to unemployment?
• How should countries regulate labor markets to minimize unemployment?

Rapid Population Growth

Another block of sociology topics for essay connects to the rapid birth rate increase. Indeed, birth and death rates have a tremendous impact on all societies. Regardless of the research state, there can always be interesting data. So, learn the population trends and make your intellectual investment into sociology!

• Does the pro-life movement have any effect on birth rates?
• Why do birth rates decline in the happiest countries?
• Is free healthcare a factor that boosts birth rates?
• Which modern societies have the perfect conditions for increasing birth rates?
• Is it ethical to slow down birth rates through governmental policy?
• How does culture affect birth rates?
• Can immigration compensate for declining birth rates?
• The effect of high population density areas on a person’s health
• Predict population trends in your state in the next fifty years
• How can we adapt our cities to the constantly growing population?

Family and Relationships

If you break down societies into their separate components, you see that families are the bricks that form nations. Any close connections between people have always been the base of humankind. Undeniably, studying families and relationships in the context of sociology is thought-provoking, so try it!

• Distribution of responsibilities in families now vs. a hundred years ago
• How did capitalist societies change family roles?
• Reasons why adults have fewer opportunities for socializing and making friends
• Why do modern people have a minimum time for family?
• Does hook-up culture negatively affect long-term relationships?
• Why, in some societies nuclear families become more widespread?
• Which societal factors prevent people from starting families?
• Extended families: their role then vs. now
• Families in individualistic vs. collectivistic societies
• Can two people be completely equal in a relationship?

If you have ever been enthusiastic about a subject, you know the desire to become an expert in this area. People who like sociology also spend a long time studying. For them, scientific interest becomes an even stronger motivation than good grades. But where to find inspiration?

Thanks to our list of interesting sociology essay topics, you save time thinking of a research subject. Furthermore, because all titles are intriguing and memorable, you can get recognition from everybody who reads your work. But do you have no time for writing? Then, we are here to help. Choose your favorite title from Essayhub and pay for essay without a problem!

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Sociology Research Topics Making Projects Professional

Table of Contents

Are you enthusiastic about investigating sociological issues and phenomena but every time you are assigned to such an assignment you cannot decide on appropriate sociology topics to research? The list of diverse sociology research topics can address the problem of a constant lack of creative ideas. Boost your inspiration!

Sociological Research Strategies

The choice of sociology research topics proves puzzling since it has a few intricacies you should prioritize. Primarily, it is your passion for a selected subject. Another aspect is your competence. It implies that the chosen sociology research paper topics should meet your academic goals. 

The last nuance, which is critical, but learners routinely omit, is a sociological strategy required for investigating selected sociology research topics. Competent top-rated coursework writing service authors distinguish a few major sociological methods that can be employed for revealing sociology research topics thoroughly.

• Information analysis. 

While most inexperienced authors use this method as only one in their studies, it is one of the numerous strategies you can take to deep dive into sociology research paper topics.

• Case studies.

Investigating particular cases independently or gleaning ideas from earlier prepared studies is always a viable option.

Concluding on an in-depth representative sample is more sensible than gathering merely theoretical data without practical evidence.

• Interviews.

Savvy specialists are familiar with insights into research topics for sociology and share their expertise in such conversations.

When you have structured details about sociological research methods and are aware of how to employ them in practice, your chances of conveying the main message and revealing sociology topics decently are doubled. Authors familiar with basic methodological techniques no longer face a lack of creative ideas and data while completing research projects. 

Interesting Sociology Research Topics

Sociology topics to research comprise questions related to the interaction between diverse cultures, social institutions and their place in people’s socialization, personal identity determination, educational systems and their effect on the economic development of the states, political systems, place of technology in social classes stratification, behavior patterns, and many other sociology research topics you can investigate in your sociology research paper . 

Sociology research topics are routinely categorized by aspects they cover within sociology as a science. However, ten interesting sociology research topics on various sociological niches are gathered below to highlight the most pressing issues in the field. Look through the sociology research topics list and glean ideas for custom titles.

• Problems of social mobility and migration processes in the world.
• Sociological interpretation of social self-organization.
• Social stratification measurement criteria.
• Social status: Psychological pressure and biases.
• National mentality influences a country’s brand.
• Traditions and laws are regulators of human behavior.
• Interaction of social and personal values.
• Specificity of social conflicts between individuals of different social statuses.
• Social innovation: Breakthrough in self-acceptance and personal awareness.
• Social process management: Major stakeholders.

Easy sociology research topics

If it is your primary experience of investigating sociology research topics, what about clear-cut but interesting sociology research topics? The straightforward titles do not imply worse results but guarantee sufficient theoretical and empirical information on such subjects. Check a few simple sociology research topics below.

• The social knowledge structure. 
• The role of sociology in modern society formation.
• Empirical sociology in the structure of social knowledge.
• Staging of the formation and development of sociology as an independent science.
• Positive and negative aspects of marginalization.
• Social structure transformation trends.
• Socialization’s role in the person’s awareness of their identity.
• Decision management specifics in interpersonal relationships.
• Models of economic behavior in countries with a high development level.
• Effective methods for fostering employee motivation.

Sociology research topics for high school students

Finding good sociology research topics is not as challenging as opting for ideas that meet the project instructions. If your task description gives you freedom of choice, you can look through the following sociology research topics list and opt for a perfect match to your interests. 

• Peer pressure influences decision-making.
• Teens’ sociological data processing methodology. 
• Factors of young people’s opinion formation. 
• Teen’s social adaptation after emigration. 
• Symbols of national culture.
• Social space interpretation’s effect on youth’s worldviews.
• Social efficiency of law in less developed countries.
• Manifestations of social maturity in practice.
• Ageism is an obstacle to adaptation in the workplace.
• Social capital in economic relations.

Sociology research topics on mental health

Anxiety, mental disorders, lack of sleep, and energy are critical social issues of the current technological generation. If you opt for such sociology research topics and dive deeper into their investigation, chances of completing a project at a decent score are high. Become familiar with good topics for sociology research paper relevant to a huge audience.

• Impact of social inequalities on mental health. 
• Background anxiety is a consequence of excess dopamine. 
• Practices of spreading awareness of the healthy sleep cruciality.
• Can health have a valuable dimension in modern society?
• Mainstreaming the mental disorders issue among young people at the state level.
• Impact of mental health care institutes’ policies on citizens’ decision-making patterns. 
• Dependence of the population’s psychological development level on the state’s social development.
• Stress resistance is the basis of professional health.
• Mental health is an economic and social good.
• The practice of including mental health services in work insurance plans.

Sociology research topics on family

The gap between young people’s and adults’ perceptions of family is growing so the research focus shifts to innovative sociology marriage and family research topics. As sociology is a multifaceted field, the variety of family sociology topics is immense.

• Family roles: Individual’s self-determination. 
• Intergenerational ties and gaps in worldview. 
• Key causes of marriage breakdown: Psychological incompatibilities of partners. 
• Proven practices of building mutual understanding on issues of raising children as a couple. 
• Globalizing systems of marital relations. 
• Psychological trauma at an early age affects the future success of an individual.
• The family’s function of emotional satisfaction.
• Living conditions and psycho-emotional state and their relationship with the mental health of family members.
• Legal protection of low-income families creates development opportunities.
• Leadership in the family: Cultural features.

Sociology research topics on gender

Gender identity, equality, rights, inclusion, and related sociology research topics are currently on the agenda. What research topics for sociology on gender do seem more eye-catching?

• Feminine and masculine traits: Foundations of gender profiling.
• Gender socialization in the family.
• The impact of feminism on worldview. 
• The place of parental instincts in gender determination. 
• Gender social norms: Information pressure.
• Reducing the social distance between people of different genders.
• Women in geopolitics in retrospect.
• Gender identification and stereotypes.
• Staging of the gender formation: Biological and sociological categories.
• Gender polarization issue.

Medical sociology research topics

Healthcare involves many stakeholders and takes a critical place in social life. Interactions between individuals, social phenomena in the medical field, and other sociology topics for research paper are appropriate for in-depth analysis. The issues of society’s perception of chronic and infectious diseases are pressing and may be effective options for sociology topics to research. It is up to you what aspect of healthcare sociology research topics to focus on.

• Pandemics have social phenomena peculiarities.
• Medical assistance and medical care differences in practice.
• Methods of sociological analysis of health care problems.
• The medical care availability’s influence on the mood of the population.
• Social causes and consequences of diseases.
• Spreading the ideas of preventive medicine in society.
• Accelerated trend of infections and viruses spread due to globalization.
• The impact of the aging of the nation on losses in the country’s health care sector.
• Ethics in medical practice.
• The specifics of medical statistics analytics.

Political sociology research paper topics

The scope of political science covers great sociology research topics worthy of discussion in your research project. A vast bulk of surveys, interviews, polls, and statistics are available on the internet and may be potential information material for in-depth study of topics for sociology research paper. Figure out intriguing sociology research topics about politics from the below examples.

• Forecasting the political situation in conditions of instability. 
• Political manipulation: Techniques of taking an advantageous position in the international arena. 
• Social pressure on political elites in retrospect. 
• Political sociology through the prism of philosophy. 
• Distribution of power in society. 
• The political consciousness phenomenon.
• A striking difference between democratic and totalitarian political institutions. 
• Political opposition: Strong advantages and pitfalls.
• Political privileges boost social stratification.
• Political parties’ evolution determines a country’s involved potential.

The diversity of sociology research topics rarely leads to a lack of creativity in opting for appropriate sociology topics for investigation. The above list of sociology research paper topics proves the facts. Nevertheless, learners face the wide selection of sociology research topics as a puzzling challenge having no idea how to finally decide what are genuinely good sociology research topics. Look through expert research topics in sociology and craft authentic social studies topics focusing on your needs and practical experience. Properly formulated sociology research topics are half of success!

100 Good Research Topics

How to write a biography essay, 100+ social studies topics to inspire your next essay.

Amalgamation

Timothy Krause, Portland Community College

Copyright Year: 2023

Last Update: 2024

Publisher: Portland Community College

Language: English

Formats Available

Conditions of use.

Learn more about reviews.

Reviewed by Korina Mills, ESOL Faculty, Portland Community College on 8/15/24

This OER is extremely comprehensive and covers all topics that are listed in the CCOGS for the Level 6 Academic Writing ESOL course at PCC. However, it does not contain an index or glossary. read more

Comprehensiveness rating: 4 see less

This OER is extremely comprehensive and covers all topics that are listed in the CCOGS for the Level 6 Academic Writing ESOL course at PCC. However, it does not contain an index or glossary.

Content Accuracy rating: 4

Most of the content is accurate, however there are some minor errors throughout the OER, as well as some exercises that need to be reviewed for accuracy.

Relevance/Longevity rating: 5

The material is extremely relevant and will be relevant for Writing 6 teachers for as long as the CCOGs remain the same.

Clarity rating: 5

Content is clear, accessible, and engaging to read. Students enjoyed the selection of activities and examples.

Consistency rating: 5

The material is consistent in its framework and terminology. Each unit follows the same structure and formatting.

Modularity rating: 5

Content is effectively divided into smaller sections, and in a way that makes it easy to jump around topics/units if necessary.

Organization/Structure/Flow rating: 5

The material is very well-organized, and activities are scaffolded in a way that allows for excellent pacing for lessons, homework, and drafts.

Interface rating: 5

No interface issues found.

Grammatical Errors rating: 5

No grammatical errors to be found.

Cultural Relevance rating: 5

Materials are culturally relevant and are well-selected for ESOL students. The material feels relevant to the student body and their level of English.

Tim Krause makes amazing OERs and I will definitely be using more of them in the future!

Table of Contents

Unit 1: Moving from paragraphs to essays

The Writing Process 

What Is a Paragraph?

Formatting Paragraphs

Paragraph Practice

Grammar: Parts of Speech

Grammar: Sentence Types

What Is an Essay?

Writing Assignment: Essay 1

Unit 2:  Telling a compelling story

Pre-Writing

Paragraph Preparation

What Is Narrative Writing?

Paragraph Practice 

Grammar: Sequence of Events 

Grammar: Adjectives and Adverbs 

Organizing a Narrative Essay 

Writing Assignment: Essay 2

Unit 3: It's a process

Choosing a Topic

What is Process Writing?

Vocabulary, Grammar, and Mechanics

Organizing a Process Essay

Writing Assignment: Essay 3

Unit 4: Exactly the same or totally different?

What Is Comparison and Contrast Writing? 

Writing Assignment: Essay 4

Unit 5: Good writing is rewriting

Focus on editing

Focus on proofreading

Ancillary Material

About the book.

This intermediate writing course is designed for ESOL students as their first step toward academic writing in U.S. colleges. Each two-week unit integrates vocabulary, grammar, and composition in a "just in time" fashion so that students receive instruction on the key tools they need in order to accomplish new writing goals. The lessons cover a basic essay, narrative essay, process essay, and compare/contrast essay. There is also a final one-week unit devoted to editing and proofreading skills. This edition is an update and expansion of work by Delpha Thomas.

About the Contributors

Timothy Krause , Portland Community College

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Deserted: The U.S. Military's Sexual Assault Crisis as a Cost of War

Over the past decade, the U.S. military has implemented policies to promote gender equality, notably lifting the ban on women in combat roles in 2013 and opening all military jobs to women by 2016. Yet, even as U.S. military policy reforms during the “War on Terror” appear to reflect greater equality, violent patterns of abuse and misogyny continued within military workplaces.

This author of this report found that sexual assault prevalence in the military is likely two to four times higher than official government estimations. Based on a comparison of available data collected by the U.S. Department of Defense to independent data, the research estimates there were 75,569 cases of sexual assault in 2021 and 73,695 cases in 2023. On average, over the course of the war in Afghanistan, 24 percent of active-duty women and 1.9 percent of active-duty men experienced sexual assault. The report highlights how experiences of gender inequality are most pronounced for women of color, who experience intersecting forms of racism and sexism and are one of the fastest-growing populations within the military. Independent data also confirm queer and trans service members’ disproportionately greater risk for sexual assault.

The report notes that during the post-9/11 wars, the prioritization of force readiness above all else allowed the problem of sexual assault to fester, papering over internal violence and gender inequalities within military institutions.

READ FULL PAPER >

Executive Summary >

A New Postsecondary-to-Political Pipeline

A pathway for students interested in elected office could feature a broad curriculum including sociology and ethnic, gender and environmental studies, Megan Thiele Strong and Paul Fong write.

By  Megan Thiele Strong and Paul Fong

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The California Capitol Building.

bbourdages/iStock/Getty Images Plus

As the nation grapples with a presidential candidate with 34 felonies , it is clear it is time to generate a more effective link between our institutions of higher education and our political system. Electing officials who primarily benefit the upper echelons of society is not socially sustainable. Having majority wealthy , heterosexual , white male legislatures is not a recipe for good governance.

A reflective society will learn not only to be environmentally sustainable, but socially sustainable as well. One way we can do that is by broadening legislative bodies to reflect the diversity of our population. To do so, we can encourage a next generation of political leaders within public regional universities by supporting a postsecondary-to-political pipeline that embraces sociology, ethnic studies, gender studies and environmental studies.

Public regional universities allow broad access to education and our student bodies reflect that inclusion. Working- and middle-class students and students of color attend and graduate from public regional universities in large numbers. Increasing the number of legislators who are alumni from these institutions is a strong move toward social sustainability.

Legislatures enact policy that reflects their members’ interests and demographics in myriad ways. For example, a research study co-authored by one of us (Thiele Strong) found that legislatures composed of a higher percentage of lawmakers who themselves were educated in the public higher education system spend more on public higher education compared to legislatures with a lower percentage of publicly educated lawmakers.

We have seen similar feedback loops with other elected officials. For example, the governor of Minnesota and newest vice presidential candidate, Tim Walz, is a graduate of two regional public universities, Chadron State College and Minnesota State University, Mankato. He is popular in his state, in part, for his commitment to public education, including a 2023 education bill that secured an additional $2.3 billion for public schools .

It is therefore important—both in terms of promoting broad access to higher education, and in terms of an institution’s own self-interest—for our public universities to elevate those who have experienced the education they offer into policy arenas. What might this look like? First, students who are interested in politics need a clear map of which courses they can take to make themselves a viable and robust political candidate. The driving force of a postsecondary-to-politics pipeline needs to be an inclusion of courses that delve into the way our society works. Theoretical frameworks popular in economics and political science have too long led the way in the policy area. We need to encourage a robust curriculum that prioritizes underutilized fields like sociology, ethnic studies, gender studies and environmental studies. These fields offer access to nuanced understandings, to counternarratives and knowledge that can help create bridges in a deeply polarized society. Universities can circulate this roadmap and create a major around it.

Second, we can use the resources we have, such as instructors who have worked in legislative bodies . We can also follow policy decisions and news related to legislation in our classes. Legislative policies branch into all disciplines on campus.

Third, we can network. We can invite local, state and federal representatives onto campus and into our classrooms. We know that beyond academic knowledge (the “what we know”), social capital (the “who we know”) also matters.

We can, of course, encourage students to take political actions such as voting.

In California, ethnic studies courses are (or soon will be) required in both secondary schools and within the California State University system for graduation. If others can follow this model of curriculum decolonization and develop postsecondary-to-political pipelines for students to become politically engaged at the local, state and federal levels, we can increase the legitimacy of our political system.

It is no longer enough for our public regional universities to educate students. We must think beyond the degree and into our political chambers and create a clear pathway for students from our vast public regional university systems into our government and policy arenas so that they can shape a sustainable political future.

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As we learn to exist in an era of increasing polarization, one marked by teachers carrying guns , book bans , educational gag orders , anti-DEI legislation and climate destabilization, we need a flush resource of broadly educated political actors. It is time for us to invest in a postsecondary-to-political pipeline, which includes sociology, ethnic, gender and environmental studies and elevates publicly educated leaders.

Megan Thiele Strong is an associate professor of sociology at San José State University and a 2023–24 Public Voices Fellow at The OpEd Project .

Paul Fong is a lecturer in Asian American Studies at San Jose State University and served in the California State Assembly between 2008 and 2014.

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4 Past Papers found

4 marking instructions found, modified past papers.

Some of the 2022 and 2023 past papers are labelled 'modified'. This means SQA made changes to the question paper in response to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, as part of our modifications to assessment in National Courses. For example, a modified past paper may be shorter, have fewer marks or contain fewer topics than past papers from previous years.

Some of the 2022 past papers are labelled 'modified'. This means SQA made changes to the question paper in response to the disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, as part of our modifications to assessment in National Courses. For example, a modified past paper may be shorter, have fewer marks or contain fewer topics than past papers from previous years.

These modifications will stay in place for the 2023 exams.

Specimen question papers

Specimen question papers are available for National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher qualifications. These show what a question paper looks like - how it is structured and the types of questions it contains. They also include marking instructions. Find them under 'Past Papers and Marking Instructions' on our NQ subject pages .

Digital question papers

Question Papers in Digital Format for candidates with disabilities and/or additional support needs.

• Digital Question Papers
• Braille question papers

Creating your own assessment materials from SQA question papers

Our National Qualifications 2020-21 section has advice on creating your own bespoke assessments from SQA question papers.

Conditions of use

The information in a past paper may be reproduced in support of SQA qualifications only on a non-commercial basis. If it is reproduced, SQA must be clearly acknowledged as the source. If it is to be reproduced for any other purpose, written permission must be obtained from [email protected]

Where a past paper includes material for which SQA does not own the copyright, this material can only be reproduced on a non-commercial basis for the purposes of instruction in an educational establishment. If it is to be reproduced for any other purpose, it is the user's responsibility to obtain the necessary copyright clearance from the copyright owner. The acknowledgements page in a past paper lists the owners of copyright items that are not owned by SQA.

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