Planning a 60-minute sociology essay: thesis, theories and evaluation

What this note covers

1. Why this is a discrete, learnable skill
2. Building the thesis: answer the actual question asked
3. Structuring body paragraphs: theory linked to evidence, not theory alone
4. Evaluating alternative theories, not just naming them
5. Formal register: what Criterion 7 explicitly penalises
6. Time management across a 60-minute essay
7. How essay construction is examined and what separates a top response

7 sections · 12 key terms & formulas · 6 common mistakes