Theories

The Sociological Detective

The Sociological Detective examines educational
concepts, theories and evidence using the analogy between a criminal and a sociological investigation.

The basic idea is similar to what (fictional) detectives are supposed to do, namely:

Outline the facts.
Examine theories that explain these facts.
Gather evidence that supports or refutes a theory.
Draw conclusions.

The overall objective of the exercise is to critically review and evaluate, in this instance, theories relating to educational underachievement.