AS Level

If you're looking for a slightly different text to use with students this - or it's OCR version if you follow that Board - is worth checking. Unlike most AS texts, this is organised slightly differently. Each chapter is divided into a number of Key Questions ("What types of family structure do we have?", for example), each of which is answered across two pages subdivided into further questions ("Can we define the term family?", "What is the ideology of the family?" and so forth). The accompanying explanatory text is, as you might expect, short and tightly focused on the questions. This approach is supplemented by margin notes highlighting Key Ideas, Exam hints and exam-type questions. Each book comes with a CD-Rom offering additional material (in Adobe .pdf format) on each area of the AS Specification (useful web sites, revision material, quizzes and tests). If this all sounds a bit confusing, download some sample pages (1.7mb) to get a flavour of the text.

The 2nd edition of this popular AS textbook maintains the look-and-feel of the previous edition (chapter summaries, key word glossaries, short, concise, text and a huge range of photo-based student activities) while adding chapter updates to reflect the introduction of the 2008 Sociology Specification. In comes a new chapter on Culture and Identity (and very well written it is too) and out goes Mass Media (to reappear in 2009 in the A2 version). The “Methods in Education” requirement of the new Spec. is accommodated cleverly through the use of the aforementioned activities, rather than going down the “methods overkill” route adopted by some of the new texts. Colour is used extensively throughout and what  you get is a book almost-perfectly pitched at the low-to-middling AS ability range.

A new addition is the introduction of an accompanying Teacher Guide CD-Rom that contains answers to all the activities (around 200+) in the textbook, plus revision maps and worked examination answers.

The latest version of this successful text builds on the strengths of it's predecessor (its clear and accessible writing style in particular) to up the presentation stakes by using full-colour photographs and improved graphics to create a very attractive AS text. This version retains the general features of the 1st edition - full Specification coverage, photographs and graphics (now in colour of course), section glossaries, exam questions, a variety of individual and class extension activities and the like - and gives students a solid introduction to the main themes and concepts of Sociology while providing a necessary continuity between GCSE and AS. Although the text now runs to nearly 300 pages there doesn't seem to have been a great deal of general updating - some newer studies have been added but, by-and-large, the text is much the same as the 1st edition. It's also, in parts, quite thin in terms of issue coverage (theoretical issues, in particular, tend to be glossed-over without much explanation or development) and, to pick an issue at random, coverage of Marxism and the role of education struggles to get out of the 1970's. If you have class sets of the 1st edition (then known as Sociology for AS Level) there's probably not a huge incentive to buy the newer edition, but if you're looking for a well-presented, lively, introduction to AS Sociology you can't go too far wrong with this text.

The OCR version of this text is produced to the same high standards as its AQA counterpart (which is something of a feat in itself, given the relatively small numbers of students who currently  study with this exam board). In some respects, of course, it is the same text (where units, such as the mass media, are common to both boards at this level the respective chapters are almost identical - although, to be fair, a few different paragraphs and readings have been added to this text). Although there is some correspondence between the two Specifications (in areas like ownership and control and media effects) there are also quite large differences so, although understandable, it's not ideal. Against this, however, there is full coverage of the OCR AS Specification (youth and culture plus religion are additional units covered in this text) and the example "examination questions" have been reworked and restyled to reflect the slightly different exam emphasis of this board.

Note: The name change for these texts means they now have the same general title as their competitor texts from Heinemann).

The Packs don't contain any materials likely to revolutionise the way you teach, but if you're looking for a complete set of Lesson Plans that guide you and your students clearly and intelligently through the Specification then these are something of a bargain (and there's nothing to stop you adding your own favourite bits and bobs to the Plans) - well-written, well-structured and, well, good.

I must admit to being more than a little confused by this book – not the text itself, which is clear enough (if a little sparse – and accompanied by Very Large Pictures) but by what it’s supposed to represent or how it’s supposed to be used. Is it, for example, a stand-alone AS textbook or part of a wider (and more expensive) teaching and learning package that includes a Teacher Support Guide and a web site / CD-ROM (although the latter may have disappeared into the ether). Equally oddly there’s a suggestion the text can be used to “complement” texts such as Haralambos or Moore (which begs the questions how does it complement them and, more importantly, why would you want to unless you've got a lot of spare cash?)

The text (or at least the publisher’s blurb) sets itself up as offering a radical way to teach AS Sociology but, in reality, this devolves to little more than offering the same ideas offered by many other texts (lots of pictures, short-paragraph text, objectives, self-test questions, glossary and the like). Nothing really new there (and most of it pretty half-hearted to say the least – a few questions, a few glossary items, some odd spider diagrams that serve no useful purpose...).

The text itself covers all the AS modules but the large number of pictures (some of which take up a whole page, most of which are uncaptioned) and great swathes of “creative white space” means that the coverage of key ideas, issues and problems is limited, generally simplistic and, not to put too fine a point on things, wrong or misleading in places. It looks at feels more like a GCSE text than an A-level one.

A2 Level

Just at the point you were beginning to worry about how you were going to cope at A2 without a "Livesey'n'Lawson" to guide you through the Specification jungle, along comes this little beauty to allay your fears, provide help to the helpless and hope to the...err...not so good.

So, what can you expect for your hard-earned? Well, you get full coverage of the 2007 A2 Specification (yes, even World Sociology's in there and treated equally with Religion, Politics, Theory and Methods, Deviance and Stratification - something of a first, perhaps?), a shedful of pages filled with information that takes you gently through each Module, from first principles to some of the deeper, darker, corners of sociological theory (and we are talking Luhmann, Foucault et al here). The basic format mirrors the AS text with a range of differentiated materials designed to reassure the stragglers and stretch your high flyers; due deference is paid to "classic" sociological texts and studies, but the book also contains as much up-to-the-minute research material as it's possible to include in a book (probably). Group and class exercises make a welcome return, with some new additions - simple "self-test" questions, examples of scenario-based simulations and clearly-signposted evaluation sections. The print version can be purchased online through Amazon, but it's also possible to buy the text as a digital download - a way for teachers to save serious amounts of dosh in these troubled times...

All things considered, if I hadn't been closely involved with the writing of this text it's one I'd definitely buy. In fact, I think it's so good I'm going to buy some copies anyway. Just for the hell of it. And because I can.

Giddens has always been one of the more readable A-level authors and while he has tended to plough his own particular furrow as far as content, the text generally covers the AS/A2 Specification (although not necessarily in ways you expect). This latest edition contains updated and revised materials (although at a guess I'd say not by Giddens anymore) and colour photos have been introduced. As with the previous edition the general layout is conceptual, with sub-headings and short paragraphs extensively used throughout; summaries, "questions for further thought" and "Further Reading" material also appear at the end of each chapter, as do a limited number of web links (but these are not always pitched at A-level standard). An accompanying website provides free resources for teachers and students to support the text. As ever with Giddens this is a textbook "about Sociology" rather than one geared specifically towards an exam Specifications; as such, is a wide-ranging, esoteric, but always interesting A-level text.

As you might expect from the same authors, the A2 version mirrors the style and composition of Sociology for AS. There's the same short, punchy, paragraphs and good use of sub headings to break the prose into manageable chunks. A variety of techniques are used to engage student interest (photographs, cartoons, questions embedded in the text and "warm-up" exercises to introduce a topic...) and these are combined effectively with glossaries, research ideas and web links / tasks. It's mainly aimed at AQA students (although some of the material is relevant to the OCR Specification) and there may not be enough depth for advanced students but, overall, it's a well thought out and useful text.

The 7th edition arrives with it's usual resounding "thud" and there's probably not a lot that can be said about it that hasn't been said many, many, times before. Love it or loathe it (the former tend to be teachers and first year undergraduates, the latter tend to be A-level students), you can't deny the weight of information packed into its densely-printed pages. The fact this information is both A-level overkill and largely incomprehensible to the majority of AS level (and probably a huge number of A2) students is neither here nor there any more - it's a publishing sensation that has a life of it's own. It's a book that has probably single-handedly sent A-level sociology into the philosophical backwater of "perspectives" and whatever narrative it once had has been lost in successive editions that have simply piled study-upon-study-upon study (I'm as loathe as the next person to throw anything away but some serious editing for the next edition would be very welcome). As usual the text makes no concession to A-level Specifications (not in itself a bad thing) and despite buying-in various chapters (such as Media and Health) there's still no real coverage of global sociology, as such. Like in the old days when no IT manager ever got sacked for buying IBM, no teacher is ever going to feel alone and afraid when they have this version of "Big Blue" on their bookshelf.

Themes and Perspectives: 6th Edition
Web site

A welcome addition to the "Themes and Perspectives" package is this accompanying web site (which I've highlighted separately because it's a publisher site that actually contains something more than extended adverts for the textbook).

In return for registering (free) teachers and students get access to a range of supporting materials for the text. These include:

• Lesson Plans and Activities
• Essay guides
• A searchable glossary
• Extended web links
• Specification mapping (where to find exam board specific chapters within the text).

The site aims to be fully-functional in time for the new academic year and will include, amongst other things, on-line self-test questions and a "premium content" section.

For students (and teachers) who find "Themes and Perspectives" too bulky or too detailed, this text aims to identify the "essential notes" required for successful AS / A2 study (with the emphasis on the latter...) and presents them in a clearly-structured, specification-friendly, way. Basically, this is "Haralambos Lite" - all the really important bits from "T and P", minus the methodological overkill. In addition to the Notes (which would probably serve as a good basis for revision or background reading outside the classroom) you get multiple-choice test questions (and answers) as well as solid analysis and advice relating to specimen exam questions.

Designed to compliment "Themes and Perspectives", the Activity Pack offers a range of Data Response questions (with specimen answers) across a wide range of specification topics. References for each set of questions are given to relevant pages in Themes and Perspectives (for students to read-around a topic), but the questions can easily be used as stand-alone exercises for classwork / homework. The questions themselves are designed to develop and test generic skills (evaluation, for example) rather than being tied to a particular exam board format and although, at £50, this isn't a cheap text, it is photocopiable (which is probably a big plus-factor for teachers who dislike having to huddle guiltily around the photocopier...)

This, as you may have guessed, is the companion volume to Sociology AS for AQA / OCR and, as such, it adopts the same basic format as its predecessor. Each chapter is divided into Key Questions, explained across two pages subdivided into further questions and, of course, answers. Coverage of the Specification extends to 3 Power and Control options (Deviance, Education and Popular Culture), a synoptic chapter (Social Inequality) and advice on coursework. However, there's no Methods chapter, as such; the accompanying CD-Rom has a complete printable chapter on Methodology (but nothing of any note about Methods) which to my way of thinking is a little bizarre. Overall, I like the general approach this text takes, but there are reservations - depth of coverage in places is a little thin for this Specification (a paragraph on relative poverty, for example) and, in places a little dated in terms of referenced material. The CD-Rom doesn't, in truth, add a great deal to the package, although you can download an example of a deviance web quest to get a flavour for what's on offer. An AQA version is also available.

The 4th edition of Introductory Sociology is characterised by an improved layout (relatively short pieces of text liberally interspersed with pictures and box-outs) that makes it easier for students to understand how the information it contains fits into the A-level Specifications. A more-structured approach has also been adopted with each chapter framed by an opening "Aims" and closing "Summary" section (although the latter tends to be fairly perfunctory). Questions for students to answer / discuss now appear in the text and each chapter also has a closing set of "exam type" questions. The other main thing to note (aside from the green wash that's been applied to all photos and boxes - very...erm...tasteful...) is the inclusion of "links" to related sections in the book. As to level, it's not an AS text and it's probably closer to 1st year undergraduate than A2 level. However, the quality of writers and writing probably makes it a good text for students and teachers who want a more challenging approach to A-level sociology than is traditionally provided by course textbooks.
There's a web site to accompany this text, with resources for both lecturers and students - worth checking-out because access is free (all you have to do is register).

Subtitled "A Global Introduction", this transatlantic collaboration reflects the new style of course text that aims to combine comprehensive syllabus coverage with an accessible, almost informal, style of writing and design. This is reflected in its use of clear sub-headings and short, incisive, chunks of text; key ideas, concepts and theories are clearly signposted and relevant studies are integrated into the general text. A couple of neat features are the extensive use of "numbered points" and "boxes" that focus attention on European and Global issues, Sociological controversies and debates and profiles of key sociologists.  Each major section concludes with a summary, list of key concepts, critical-thinking questions and further reading (both print and web-based). Overall, "Sociology" is worth checking-out if you're looking for a course text that offers an accessible introduction to the new AS level, while maintaining the depth required for A2.

Just when you thought the dinosaur textbook was finally dying, this monster lumbers out of the undergrowth (and at 800 pages, this is the Brontosaurus of textbooks). Coming across as "Giddens meets Haralambos" (a massive, diverse  and comprehensive amount of text, coupled with fairly rudimentary summary points and revision exercises), the book has an "American" design, feel and  scope (which is not to say it's bad, just different). The impression I get is that the book is aimed at both the A-level and undergraduate markets (presumably to maximise sales) without realising that these are now two very different audiences with markedly different requirements and needs. In terms of the text itself, there's nothing particularly wrong with it; there's solid and interesting coverage of a wide-range of ideas and arguments, for example, and it's neatly and clearly written. What holds me back from recommending it is the nagging feeling the time for this type of A-level textbook has now passed. You can, however, download free workbook activities to use in conjunction with the text.

Now in its 4th edition, this text has steadily changed with the times in terms of content, format and design. The content still leans towards the "in-depth school" and, at times, comes close to being an undergraduate text. In this respect, it's still  "knowledge-heavy", but concessions have been made in terms of diagrams, summaries and "key questions". A rather half-hearted attempt to make the text more interactive (in the form of "questions" to be answered) doesn't really work because they're not central to the structure of book, but merely tacked-on to the text, almost as an afterthought. They also tend to get lost amongst the dense (both literally and metaphorically) text.

Although not, strictly-speaking, a course textbook (it doesn't aim to be), it does cover most of the major syllabus areas (it's starting to get a bit dated, in this respect and doesn't cover some of the more modern stuff). However, it's included here because it provides a readable, concise and comprehensive coverage of sociological issues from explicitly feminist perspectives. As such, it's a valuable counterweight to the male-dominated world of Sociology textbooks...

Please Note: This link now points to the revised and updated 2nd edition which brings everything nicely up-to-date. This is a great example of a well-written text that delivers information in a straightforward, interesting, way.

This is more a course reader than a textbook, as such. It's divided into syllabus sections and different writers (Adrian Wilson on "The Family", Mike O'Donnell on "Socialisation" and so forth) outline and discuss some of the main themes involved in each area. It's generally well-written and I've found it can be best used to provide students with a general overview of each section of the syllabus.

Sociology: New Directions

Originally created to cover the areas omitted from contemporary course texts ("Themes and Perspectives" in particular), New Directions may have been overtaken by events, but it still stands as a useful text in its own right. Although presented in the old "Themes and Perspectives" style, it contains a wealth of well-written information by some of the best writers in their respective fields at this level (Glover and Strawbridge on "Knowledge", Glover on "Media", Foster-Carter on "Development" and so forth). Each of the sections (Ethnicity, Development, Urban Sociology, Youth, Media, Knowledge and Health) is also available as single books.

Although aimed at an undergraduate audience (where the requirement for an in-depth knowledge of various Schools of Thought is more-evident than at A-level), "Perspectives..." combines discussions of key writers (Marx, Durkheim...) with more-general overviews of areas such as Conflict and Consensus sociology (and not forgetting post-modernism). The box-out explanations of key concepts spread liberally through the text will probably have most appeal to A-level students and teachers, but if you're looking for a very solid introduction to "perspectives" then this volume, now in its 4th edition, is probably as good a place as any to begin.

An American text (something I mention simply to draw your attention to the fact it doesn't follow British exam specifications) that "explores the architecture of everyday life" in an accessible fashion for A-level students. In other words, it tries to bridge the "macro-micro" divide in Sociology by highlighting connections between structure and action. It doesn't sing or dance and is unlikely to win any prizes for layout and design. It does, however, combine short, to-the-point, sections on standard sociological concepts with an attempt to locate these ideas in a wider social context - the sort of text, in short, that makes for a valuable classroom resource...

AS / A2 Level

The new version of Sociology in Perspective is, as far as I know, the only current textbook that actually follows the AS / A2 specifications to the letter - something which I feel is enormously beneficial to students (and to teachers who adopt the text and develop resource materials around it for classroom use). Each chapter begins with an outline of a specification module and information is developed logically around the requirements of each module. Text design follows the modern fashion for bold sub-headings coupled-with short explanatory text. Numerous activities (discussion points, questions and so forth) are well-signposted and neatly integrated into the text and, unlike the vast majority of textbooks, the activities are actually useful and relevant (which probably reflects the fact the authors actually teach at this level). Short readings, tables and graphics are dotted throughout the book and add to the feel that this is a text to be used by teachers and students (rather than one that serves as an expensive door-stop). For students and teachers following the AQA specifications, this text should be high on your list of essential purchases...

It's unusual - but nonetheless very welcome - for an author / publisher to create separate versions of a text for different exam boards and although this version of Sociology in Perspective follows the same basic format as it's AQA counterpart it is, as you might expect, organised in terms of the different requirements of the OCR specifications. What this means, in effect, is that while much of the layout and content is common to both versions (after all, as one of my colleagues is fond of saying "Sociology is Sociology is Sociology") there are important differences in emphasis, reflecting the different requirements of the OCR Board. In terms of design, this version contains the same basic design strengths as it's AQA counterpart (the good use of sub-headings, short, easily-digested, paragraphs and a range of activities that actually reinforce student understanding), it adds a useful "end of module" glossary for good measure. All-in-all this is certainly one of the best of the new breed of A-level textbooks and anyone following the OCR specifications should seriously consider adding this text to their list of required reading.

One of the new style of textbooks. The knowledge element is kept to a minimum, in the sense it concentrates on basic theories, concepts and examples, and is combined with the extensive use of exercises designed to test understanding. However, in my experience many of the exercises are not well-designed for A-level - they are too vague and not clearly focused on the skills they are supposedly designed to reinforce. In this respect, the exercises have to be used with care, guidance and planning.

However, in general this is one of the better A-level texts, not least because of its student-friendly design (larger print, good use of headings and white space, etc.) and recognition that, at A-level, a basic knowledge of a reasonable range of ideas is the starting point for student understanding.

Introduction to Sociology
H.Tischler (2000)

An American textbook (now in it's 6th edition), a fact I mention simply because it doesn't, of course, follow the A-level Specifications. It does, however, cover the main sociological aspects of the Specifications. It's an easy-to-read text that includes chapter summaries and selected (short) readings dotted throughout it's various sections.

Another text in the modern style. Well laid-out in paragraph-sized chunks, with good use of white space and sub-headings to make finding information easy. The knowledge-base is not huge, but probably sufficient and certainly useful as a way of introducing students to basic ideas. Some effort has been made to include questions for students to answer, but these are rather perfunctory attempts to test understanding.

Success In Sociology
M.Marcus and A.Ducklin (1998)

Although the authors are responsible for the unbelievably-naff "Sample Exam Answers" (published by R.Ball and  not reviewed here because it's totally useless), this is actually a rather good, if somewhat basic, text. It tries to cover all the major syllabuses and features excellent use of headings and sub-headings to highlight relevant concepts, theories and evidence. It reads like an advanced GCSE book and could prove very useful as both an introductory and revision text.

Introduction To Sociology
N.Goodman (1992)

A fairly comprehensive course text, this was one of the first to think seriously about design as well as content; it's well laid-out and uses sub-headings clearly and usefully to break the text into relatively small chunks. On the minus side, there are no illustrations / graphics, the text can be rather turgid at times and it's fairly light on criticism. By no means a bad text, but there are probably now better ones to buy...

Sociology In Focus: Answer Book
Paul Taylor et al (1996)

As the title suggests, this provides "suggested answers" to the exercises set in "Sociology In Focus". It's expensive, but it can be legally photocopied. I've found it useful as a "time saver" for marking student work and as the basis of "peer marking" class exercises. However, as noted to the left, I'm not a great fan of the exercises in Sociology in Focus so whether or not it's worth paying £30-quid for answers to questions you probably won't use in the first place is a moot point...

Think Sociology
P.Stephens, A.Leach, L.Taggart and H.Jones (1998)

Another new textbook "in the modern style" (I'm sure you get the picture by now), based squarely around the AEB syllabus. Unfortunately, since this is a huge syllabus, most of the sections concentrate on the "main themes and issues" with little or no room given over to anything more than (fairly basic) overviews. However, the book has some interesting qualities (summaries that focus on the "strengths" and "weaknesses" of theories, concepts and perspectives, useful glossaries and "Crit Think" sections designed to encourage students to apply sociological skills - although these tend to suffer from the usual problem of over-ambitious questions and exercises) that may or may not offset its basic weakness (it's trying to do too much...).

One of the first of the new breed of Sociology textbooks developed for the Curriculum 2000 specifications, "Active Sociology" is a good introductory text for both the AS and A2 modules.  The focus is on providing basic outlines of important sociological concepts, theories and methods and combines readable summaries of key ideas with a range of helpful course "hints and tips". Short activities (with Key Skills signposts) are featured throughout and each section of the book concludes with a chapter summary, keyword definitions, a range of exam questions and a Further Reading section that includes useful web sites as well as books. If you're looking for an AS text that also provides a useful overview of A2 modules, this is probably as good as it gets at present...

In an increasingly crowded (but lucrative) market, modern texts have to develop new angles if they're to make the grade and, as with Sociology In Focus, this goes for the "basic knowledge plus lots of activities" approach. The activities are good and well-integrated into the text and one of the features of the book is its use of well-presented primary source materials (bite-sized chunks, in the modern style). One of my colleagues swears by this  book (as opposed to at it - his usual response to Sociology course books),  but I think the jury's still out on this one - it's a bit superficial and confusingly organised. It also adopts a slightly post-modern approach but, unlike Bilton, doesn't really seem to have the courage of its convictions...

Now in its 3rd edition, "Contemporary British Society" is starting to take-on the appearance of a standard A-level textbook, with many of the major Specification areas now covered. The focus, however, is less upon superficial coverage of numerous topics and more upon the comprehensive coverage of a range of significant aspects of each Specification area, written by a specialist in each field - "deviance", for example, focuses on varieties of deviance, crime statistics and the criminal justice system. The book's general layout - few sub-headings and lengthy paragraphs - may make it intimidating for AS students, but the book contains a mass of illustrative material (tables, diagrams, box-outs...) that lightens the text and provides potentially useful interpretive material for teachers. Overall, this is probably a text you'll want to dip into every so often when there's a need to flesh-out contemporary sociological ideas and debates...