Sociology is the study of human behavior, social life and causes, and its intricacies. The course focuses on both major and minor issues in society. It entails almost everything about human life and can focus on individuals and organizations.
A small scale sociological studies can study the pertinent and minor matters of life. Sociology can also focus on race and gender identities, romantic relationships, and the impact of aging. Also, it can examine the impact of education, wealth, and poverty. This and many more makes sociology an interesting field and informs you of the preparation you need.
Preparing for class
Preparing very well for a class is very necessary yet some students pay less attention to it that aspect. Never rush for a class without the necessary preparation. To avoid such a rush, use your weekend for preparing for class. Prepare all the clothes you will use for the week, iron them nicely and hang them. Use the night before a day’s class to organize all the necessary study materials. It is better than rushing to organize in the morning, which can get you late for class or make you forget some necessary materials. If you were assigned any reading or homework in the previous class, make sure you do it. In the morning before class, don’t forget to have breakfast to prepare the body and the brain.
During class activities
- Taking notes
Taking notes during a sociology class is very critical before it entails a lot of content. You need to write down all the important points your professor mentions. There are several ways of taking notes for a sociology class, including the:
- Outline method. With the outline method, you organize the notes step by step, i.e. the main topic, sub-topic, and then supporting facts. Content in the main topic must include the central idea behind the concept, which you want to remember. You build this up to the sub-topic level which involves the theory backing the concept. The supporting facts as the name suggest include every important point backing the sub-topic.
- Cornell method: This method involves four sections. The first part includes writing the main subject/topic for the class. Then you move to the second section, which involves a reserved column at the left to contain keywords, terms, and short comments. The third section reserved at the right contains the main body of your notes. It is where all the details of the keywords are made. The fourth section is for the summary of the subject. It is done at the bottom of the notes.
- Ask questions
Aside from taking notes, it is important to also ask questions whenever you don’t understand anything. It is the right time because you get the lecturer to take his/her time to repeat and give further explanations to those points.
Understanding Sociological Theories
Sociology involves four main theories and understanding these theories is critical for successful studies. The theories are:
- Structural functionalism
- Conflict theory
- Feminism
- Symbolic interactionism
Get additional help
The above points may seem enough for you to achieve success in your sociology study. However, there are several other things you can do to enhance your efforts. Some schools offer various services to help students in their studies. There are tutoring services where you can get help for things you didn’t understand during class hours or reading. Also, use the school library or online services to research more into topics for better understanding.