WJEC GCSE Sociology (Wales): complete guide to the components, topics and exam skills

WJEC GCSE Sociology for Wales (specification C200QS) is a linear course assessed by two written examinations at the end of the course. This page is the index: below is a map of the two components, the topic areas, the place of research methods, the assessment objectives, the question types and the exam skills that run across the whole course. WJEC's Wales specification is distinct from its England-facing Eduqas brand, though the two share the same subject content, so always revise from the current C200QS specification and WJEC's own past papers.

Which qualification this is. The slug "society and culture" maps to the current WJEC social-science GCSE, which is WJEC GCSE Sociology (C200QS). There is no separate current WJEC GCSE titled "Society and Culture", so this library is built to the live Sociology specification, covering the sociological study of culture, society, the family, education, inequality and crime.

The two components

Sociology is assessed by two equally weighted written papers, sat at the end of the course.

• Component 1: Understanding Social Processes. 50 percent, a 1-hour 45-minute written exam. It covers the key concepts and the process of socialisation (culture, norms, values, identity and social control), and the two topic areas of families and education.
• Component 2: Understanding Social Structures. 50 percent, a 1-hour 45-minute written exam. It covers social differentiation, stratification and power (class, life chances, power, mobility and inequality), the topic area of crime and deviance, and applied sociological research methods.

Across each examination series, at least 15 percent of the available marks are awarded for research methods, which are expected to permeate the whole course.

The topic areas

This site covers the genuine examinable content of the specification, one dot point per examinable idea.

Component 1, key concepts and socialisation

Culture, norms, values, roles and status; primary and secondary socialisation and the agencies of socialisation; the nature versus nurture debate; identity and its formation; and social control, formal and informal.

Component 1, families

Family types and family diversity; the functions of the family and the functionalist, Marxist and feminist perspectives; changing family patterns; and roles and relationships within the family.

Component 1, education

The role and functions of education and the perspectives on it; types of school; the factors affecting educational attainment; and the processes within school, including labelling.

Component 2, social differentiation and stratification

Social stratification and class; social class and life chances; power and authority; social mobility; and other forms of inequality, including gender, ethnicity, age and disability.

Component 2, crime and deviance

Crime, deviance and the measurement of crime; the patterns of crime; and the sociological explanations of crime and deviance.

Component 2, research methods

The research process and types of data; the primary research methods; sampling and secondary sources; and the practical, ethical and theoretical considerations that shape research.

The assessment objectives

Three assessment objectives are tested across the two papers.

1. AO1: knowledge and understanding of sociological concepts, theories, methods and evidence.
2. AO2: application of that knowledge and understanding to a range of issues and sources.
3. AO3: analysis and evaluation of sociological information to construct arguments and reach judgements.

The question types that carry the marks

Each topic rewards content knowledge, but the marks come from a fixed set of question types, marked differently.

1. Short knowledge. Define a term or identify features (AO1).
2. Describe and explain. Describe features or explain reasons, developed with support (AO1 and AO2).
3. Source application. Read and use a source or item of data, applying it to the question (AO2).
4. Discuss and evaluate. Extended answers that weigh different views or perspectives and reach a supported judgement (AO3).

How to study WJEC Sociology

Sociology rewards precise concepts and disciplined evaluation in equal measure.

1. Master the key concepts. Culture, norms, values, socialisation and social control run through every topic.
2. Use the perspectives. Be ready to bring in functionalist, Marxist, feminist and interactionist views.
3. Apply research methods everywhere. Methods can appear in any topic, so practise applying them.
4. Drill each question type. Short, describe, explain, source and discuss questions are marked very differently.
5. Write balanced judgements. Top-band "discuss" answers weigh more than one view and reach a supported conclusion, presented even-handedly.

The topics, dot point by dot point

Each topic area has an overview guide, dot-point answer pages and a quiz. Browse the full set at /wjec-gcse/society-and-culture/syllabus.

For the official specification

WJEC publishes the full specification (C200QS), past papers and mark schemes at wjec.co.uk. Always revise from the current specification and WJEC's own past papers, because the question style, topic content and the assessment objectives are board-specific.