OxfordAQA International A-Level Sociology: Exploring Sociology (9690)

This guide covers Unit 2 Exploring Sociology, the second of two units forming the International AS in OxfordAQA International A-level Sociology (9690), a new qualification first teaching September 2026, with first AS exams May/June 2027 and first A-level exams May/June 2028. Where Unit 1 Introducing Sociology grounds students in the family and in research methods through one substantive topic, Unit 2 broadens out to socialisation and social control as a topic in its own right, while extending research methods into methodological theory.

Where this fits in 9690

Completing Units 1 and 2 completes the International AS. The full International A-level then adds Units 3 to 5 (People and Development, People and the Environment, and People and Technology), which apply the sociological perspectives and methodological skills built across Units 1 and 2 to more applied, contemporary topics.

Syllabus coverage

OXFORDAQA INTERNATIONAL A-LEVEL SOCIOLOGY (9690) — UNIT 2 EXPLORING SOCIOLOGY

• 2.1 Socialisation and Social Control — how individuals learn the norms and values of their society, and the formal and informal mechanisms that encourage conformity to them
• 2.2 Research Methods and Theory — building on Unit 1’s introduction to method, this sub-topic connects specific research methods to the theoretical positions (for example positivist versus interpretivist approaches) that inform why sociologists choose one method over another

How to approach it

Socialisation and Social Control (2.1) is best revised by distinguishing agencies of socialisation (family, education, peer group, media, religion, workplace) from mechanisms of social control (both formal, such as law and the criminal justice system, and informal, such as peer disapproval or family expectation) – many exam questions ask students to apply named agencies to named types of control, so practising this pairing directly is more productive than revising the two lists separately. Research Methods and Theory (2.2) is the more conceptually demanding of the two sub-topics, since it asks students to justify methodological choices theoretically rather than only listing practical strengths and weaknesses: practise explaining, for a given research question, not just which method you would choose but why your theoretical position (for instance, valuing quantitative, generalisable data versus rich, meaning-focused qualitative data) leads you to that choice. Because this unit sits at the end of the International AS, use it to consciously revisit and apply Unit 1’s Families content and basic methods knowledge – strong Unit 2 answers often draw on family-related studies as worked examples of the methodological issues being discussed.

Key concepts: control and methodology

Social control operates through two broad routes. Formal social control relies on written rules and designated institutions with the power to punish – the law, the police and courts, school disciplinary codes, and workplace regulations. Informal social control relies on unwritten expectation and social reaction – approval, gossip, ridicule or exclusion from family, peers and community. A recurring exam skill is recognising that the same behaviour can be regulated by both routes simultaneously: truancy from school, for example, is subject to formal sanctions (fines, legal action against parents) and informal pressure (disapproval from family or peers) at the same time.

On the methods side, the positivist tradition favours methods that produce quantifiable, comparable data – structured questionnaires, official statistics, structured observation – on the grounds that sociology should model itself on the natural sciences and identify patterns and correlations across large populations. The interpretivist tradition favours methods that capture meaning and lived experience – unstructured interviews, participant observation, personal documents – on the grounds that human behaviour cannot be reduced to countable variables without losing what makes it meaningful to the people involved. Most modern sociological research does not sit purely in one camp, and the strongest Unit 2 answers acknowledge this by discussing triangulation – combining quantitative and qualitative methods to offset the weaknesses of each.

Worked example: applying theory to method choice

Consider the research question “Why do some working-class students underachieve at school?” A positivist approach might use large-scale official statistics on exam results by social class, valued for their representativeness and ability to reveal broad patterns, but limited in explaining why the pattern exists. An interpretivist approach might use unstructured interviews or classroom observation with a small number of students, valued for revealing the lived experience of labelling, teacher expectation or subcultural pressure, but limited in how far the findings can be generalised beyond the group studied. A strong Unit 2 answer does not simply describe both methods – it explains that the choice between them reflects a genuine theoretical disagreement about what counts as valid sociological knowledge, and may propose triangulating both approaches to capture pattern and meaning together.

Common mistakes

Listing agencies of socialisation and mechanisms of social control as two disconnected sets of facts, rather than showing how specific agencies exercise specific kinds of control. Describing a research method’s practical strengths and weaknesses (cost, time, access) without connecting the choice back to a theoretical justification, which is what distinguishes 2.2 from a purely descriptive methods answer. Treating Unit 2 as entirely separate from Unit 1, when strong answers repeatedly draw on Unit 1’s family content as applied examples. Since this is a newly launched qualification, relying on general A-level sociology resources without checking OxfordAQA’s own emerging sample assessment materials for this specification’s particular question style.

Quick revision checklist

• Pair agencies of socialisation (family, education, peers, media, religion, workplace) with mechanisms of social control (formal and informal) rather than revising each list separately.
• Practise justifying a research method choice theoretically, not just practically – link method to a broader methodological position.
• Use Unit 1’s Families content as a source of worked examples when answering Unit 2 methods and theory questions.
• Seek out OxfordAQA’s own sample assessment materials for 9690 as they become available, given the qualification’s recent launch.
• Revise Units 1 and 2 together before the International AS assessment, since both are examined at the end of that stage.

Related resources

• Exploring Sociology revision notes
• Exploring Sociology practice questions

Official syllabus

OxfordAQA International A-level Sociology switching guide (official comparison document; standalone specification PDF not separately located at verification) — oxfordaqa.com, verified 2026-09-02.