AQA A level sociology mock exam – Year 1 Content
Duration: 1hour 45mins
Total Marks: 80
Answer as many questions as you can without checking notes during the exam.
Remove all distractions and ensure you are fully focused.
Answers are at the end of the exam so you can mark your answers.
A printable version is available at the very bottom if you wish to print it.
Section A – Short Answer / Multiple Choice (20 marks)
Answer all questions.
1. Define cultural capital. (2 marks)
2. Outline one criticism of the Functionalist perspective on education. (2 marks)
3. Which type of family consists of parents, children, grandparents, aunts, and uncles
living together?
A) Nuclear family
B) Extended family
C) Reconstituted family
D) Lone-parent family (1 mark)
4. Explain the difference between primary socialisation and secondary socialisation. (3
marks)
5. Identify and briefly describe two functions of the family according to functionalists.
(4 marks)
6. Give one strength of using a longitudinal study in sociology. (2 marks)
7. Outline one limitation of using official statistics to study society. (2 marks)
8. Define feminism in sociology. (2 marks)
Section B – Extended Answer (40 marks)
Answer all questions.
Question 1 – Education (10 marks)
Explain two ways in which material deprivation affects educational achievement. Refer to
evidence in your answer.
Question 2 – Families and Households (10 marks)
Evaluate the impact of changes in the role of women on family structure and relationships.
Include sociological evidence in your answer.
Question 3 – Education (10 marks)
Explain and evaluate one theory of the role of education in society (Functionalist, Marxist, or
New Right). Include strengths and limitations.
, Question 4 – Families and Households (10 marks)
Discuss one social policy and its impact on families. Evaluate using evidence.
Section C – Research Methods (20 marks)
Answer all questions.
1. Define operationalisation and give an example in a sociological study. (3 marks)
2. Explain one strength and one limitation of using questionnaires. (4 marks)
3. A sociologist studies the effect of after-school clubs on pupil behaviour. They divide
pupils into two groups: one attends the clubs, the other does not. The sociologist
records incidents of disruptive behaviour.
a) Identify the independent variable. (1 mark)
b) Identify the dependent variable. (1 mark)
c) Suggest one confounding variable and how it could be controlled. (3 marks)
4. Explain the difference between reliability and validity in sociological research. (4
marks)
5. Discuss the ethical issues in sociological research. Include at least two issues. (4
marks)
AQA Year 1 Sociology Mock Exam – Model
Answers
Section A – Short Answer / Multiple Choice (20 marks)
1. Define cultural capital. (2 marks)
AO1: Cultural capital (Bourdieu) refers to the knowledge, attitudes, language, and values that
give middle-class pupils an advantage in education. (2 marks)
2. Criticism of Functionalist perspective on education. (2 marks)
AO3: Functionalists assume education is meritocratic, but evidence shows working-class
pupils often underachieve due to structural inequalities, e.g., funding differences and teacher
expectations. (2 marks)
3. Type of family: extended family (1 mark)
Answer: B) Extended family
4. Primary vs secondary socialisation. (3 marks)
AO1/AO2:
Primary socialisation: Occurs in the family, teaching basic norms and values.
Duration: 1hour 45mins
Total Marks: 80
Answer as many questions as you can without checking notes during the exam.
Remove all distractions and ensure you are fully focused.
Answers are at the end of the exam so you can mark your answers.
A printable version is available at the very bottom if you wish to print it.
Section A – Short Answer / Multiple Choice (20 marks)
Answer all questions.
1. Define cultural capital. (2 marks)
2. Outline one criticism of the Functionalist perspective on education. (2 marks)
3. Which type of family consists of parents, children, grandparents, aunts, and uncles
living together?
A) Nuclear family
B) Extended family
C) Reconstituted family
D) Lone-parent family (1 mark)
4. Explain the difference between primary socialisation and secondary socialisation. (3
marks)
5. Identify and briefly describe two functions of the family according to functionalists.
(4 marks)
6. Give one strength of using a longitudinal study in sociology. (2 marks)
7. Outline one limitation of using official statistics to study society. (2 marks)
8. Define feminism in sociology. (2 marks)
Section B – Extended Answer (40 marks)
Answer all questions.
Question 1 – Education (10 marks)
Explain two ways in which material deprivation affects educational achievement. Refer to
evidence in your answer.
Question 2 – Families and Households (10 marks)
Evaluate the impact of changes in the role of women on family structure and relationships.
Include sociological evidence in your answer.
Question 3 – Education (10 marks)
Explain and evaluate one theory of the role of education in society (Functionalist, Marxist, or
New Right). Include strengths and limitations.
, Question 4 – Families and Households (10 marks)
Discuss one social policy and its impact on families. Evaluate using evidence.
Section C – Research Methods (20 marks)
Answer all questions.
1. Define operationalisation and give an example in a sociological study. (3 marks)
2. Explain one strength and one limitation of using questionnaires. (4 marks)
3. A sociologist studies the effect of after-school clubs on pupil behaviour. They divide
pupils into two groups: one attends the clubs, the other does not. The sociologist
records incidents of disruptive behaviour.
a) Identify the independent variable. (1 mark)
b) Identify the dependent variable. (1 mark)
c) Suggest one confounding variable and how it could be controlled. (3 marks)
4. Explain the difference between reliability and validity in sociological research. (4
marks)
5. Discuss the ethical issues in sociological research. Include at least two issues. (4
marks)
AQA Year 1 Sociology Mock Exam – Model
Answers
Section A – Short Answer / Multiple Choice (20 marks)
1. Define cultural capital. (2 marks)
AO1: Cultural capital (Bourdieu) refers to the knowledge, attitudes, language, and values that
give middle-class pupils an advantage in education. (2 marks)
2. Criticism of Functionalist perspective on education. (2 marks)
AO3: Functionalists assume education is meritocratic, but evidence shows working-class
pupils often underachieve due to structural inequalities, e.g., funding differences and teacher
expectations. (2 marks)
3. Type of family: extended family (1 mark)
Answer: B) Extended family
4. Primary vs secondary socialisation. (3 marks)
AO1/AO2:
Primary socialisation: Occurs in the family, teaching basic norms and values.
