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Sources of data: AQA A‑Level Sociology questions

Every AQA A-Level Sociology exam question on Sources of data, 2020–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

Find questions356

356 questions

  1. Q05

    June 2025 · Paper 1

    20 marksMethods in contextSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1, question 05: Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using structured interviews to investigate the c

  2. Q06

    June 2025 · AS Paper 1

    20 marksMethods in contextSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 AS Paper 1, question 06: Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using documents to investigate teacher–pupil rel

  3. Q02

    June 2025 · AS Paper 2

    16 marksSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 AS Paper 2, question 02: Evaluate the disadvantages of using official statistics in sociological research. [16 marks]

  4. Q05

    June 2024 · Paper 1

    20 marksMethods in contextSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 1, question 05: Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using overt participant observation to investiga

  5. Q05

    June 2024 · Paper 3

    10 marksSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 3, question 05: Outline and explain two reasons why some sociologists choose to use official statistics in their research. [10 marks]

  6. Q06

    June 2024 · AS Paper 1

    20 marksMethods in contextSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 AS Paper 1, question 06: Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using official statistics to investigate disrupt

  7. Q01

    June 2024 · AS Paper 2

    4 marksSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 AS Paper 2, question 01: Outline two characteristics of field experiments in sociological research. [4 marks]

  8. Q05

    June 2023 · Paper 1

    20 marksMethods in contextSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1, question 05: Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using self-completion questionnaires to investig

  9. Q06

    June 2023 · AS Paper 1

    20 marksMethods in contextSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 AS Paper 1, question 06: Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using unstructured interviews to investigate pup

  10. Q02

    June 2023 · AS Paper 2

    16 marksSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 AS Paper 2, question 02: Evaluate the disadvantages of using covert observation in sociological research. [16 marks]

  11. Q05

    June 2022 · Paper 1

    20 marksMethods in contextSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1, question 05: Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using group interviews to investigate the reason

  12. Q06

    June 2022 · Paper 1

    10 marksPositivism, interpretivism and social factsSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1, question 06: Outline and explain two reasons why official statistics should not be seen as social facts. [10 marks]

  13. Q05

    June 2022 · Paper 3

    10 marksSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 3, question 05: Outline and explain two reasons why some sociologists choose unstructured interviews in their research. [10 marks]

  14. Q06

    June 2022 · AS Paper 1

    20 marksMethods in contextSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 AS Paper 1, question 06: Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using covert participant observation to investig

  15. Q01

    June 2022 · AS Paper 2

    4 marksSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 AS Paper 2, question 01: Outline two advantages of using structured interviews in sociological research. [4 marks]

  16. Q02

    June 2022 · AS Paper 2

    16 marksSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 AS Paper 2, question 02: Evaluate the disadvantages of using personal documents in sociological research. [16 marks]

  17. Q05

    November 2020 · Paper 1

    20 marksMethods in contextSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2020 Paper 1, question 05: Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using non-participant observation to investigate

  18. Q06

    November 2020 · AS Paper 1

    20 marksMethods in contextSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2020 AS Paper 1, question 06: Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using documents to investigate working-class pup

  19. Q02

    November 2020 · AS Paper 2

    16 marksSources of data
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2020 AS Paper 2, question 02: Evaluate the disadvantages of using self-completion questionnaires in sociological research. [16 marks]
All 19 questions on Sources of data, as a list
  1. June 2025, Paper 1, Q05 (20 marks): Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using structured interviews to investigate the c
  2. June 2025, AS Paper 1, Q06 (20 marks): Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using documents to investigate teacher–pupil rel
  3. June 2025, AS Paper 2, Q02 (16 marks): Evaluate the disadvantages of using official statistics in sociological research. [16 marks]
  4. June 2024, Paper 1, Q05 (20 marks): Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using overt participant observation to investiga
  5. June 2024, Paper 3, Q05 (10 marks): Outline and explain two reasons why some sociologists choose to use official statistics in their research. [10 marks]
  6. June 2024, AS Paper 1, Q06 (20 marks): Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using official statistics to investigate disrupt
  7. June 2024, AS Paper 2, Q01 (4 marks): Outline two characteristics of field experiments in sociological research. [4 marks]
  8. June 2023, Paper 1, Q05 (20 marks): Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using self-completion questionnaires to investig
  9. June 2023, AS Paper 1, Q06 (20 marks): Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using unstructured interviews to investigate pup
  10. June 2023, AS Paper 2, Q02 (16 marks): Evaluate the disadvantages of using covert observation in sociological research. [16 marks]
  11. June 2022, Paper 1, Q05 (20 marks): Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using group interviews to investigate the reason
  12. June 2022, Paper 1, Q06 (10 marks): Outline and explain two reasons why official statistics should not be seen as social facts. [10 marks]
  13. June 2022, Paper 3, Q05 (10 marks): Outline and explain two reasons why some sociologists choose unstructured interviews in their research. [10 marks]
  14. June 2022, AS Paper 1, Q06 (20 marks): Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using covert participant observation to investig
  15. June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q01 (4 marks): Outline two advantages of using structured interviews in sociological research. [4 marks]
  16. June 2022, AS Paper 2, Q02 (16 marks): Evaluate the disadvantages of using personal documents in sociological research. [16 marks]
  17. November 2020, Paper 1, Q05 (20 marks): Applying material from Item C and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using non-participant observation to investigate
  18. November 2020, AS Paper 1, Q06 (20 marks): Applying material from Item B and your knowledge of research methods, evaluate the strengths and limitations of using documents to investigate working-class pup
  19. November 2020, AS Paper 2, Q02 (16 marks): Evaluate the disadvantages of using self-completion questionnaires in sociological research. [16 marks]

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