Typical questions

• • Where can I find a basic introduction to Functionalism?

• • I want to keep up to date with the latest research on youth subcultures.

Starting points

• • Many students struggle with aspects of sociological theory. This section includes academic study guides that cover these. The databases listed in the Dictionaries and Encyclopedias chapter also contain sociological reference sources.

• • Another common query relates to accessing social surveys. Major sources are listed in the Statistical Data chapter.

• • As sociologists study a wide range of aspects of human societies, students may also find the chapters relating to Political Science, Media and Film Studies and Social Policy useful. They might also like to consult the Research Methods section.

Recommended resources

Key organisations

Use these to find examples of specialist research groups, key journals and lists of conferences.

American Sociological Association

www.asanet.org

National association for sociologists. Website has specialist student and lecturer sections that provide access to online resources for members.

British Sociological Association

www.britsoc.co.uk

Professional association for the UK. Website provides free access to an excellent resource library of recent conference videos and policy papers. Members can access online journal content.

European Sociological Association (ESA)

www.europeansociology.org

Useful resource for tracing lists of national associations in Europe. Also includes abstracts of papers from recent conferences and research news.

International Sociological Association

www.isa-sociology.org

International organisation founded in 1949 that has special consultative status with the United Nations. Website has information on research committees, journal publications and the ISA World Congress of Sociology. Also of note is the Junior Sociologists Network, designed for PhD students and with activities and abstracts of dissertations.

Study guides and encyclopedias

Discover Sociology [Basic]

www.discoversociology.co.uk

Useful introductory website maintained by the British Sociological Association. Clear explanations of theories, teacher resources and advice on courses and careers.

Blackwell Encyclopedia of Sociology Online (Subscription)

onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/book/10.1002/9781405165518

Major reference work covering concepts, theories and leading sociologists. Regularly updated. Includes a timeline and subject bibliographies.

Sociology Central [Basic]

www.sociology.org.uk

Site designed for students and teachers of A level Sociology by Chris Livesey. Includes study notes, PowerPoint slides and links to relevant websites.