Sociology & Social Work Newsletter - Fort Hays State University: Fill & Download for Free

Concept building: For building concepts, refer to IGNOU books which explain topics in simple language.Coaching: Get guidance from a reputed teacher like Pranay sir or Upinder sir. This will help to clear your concepts.Examples & Studies: Examples can be picked up from current affairs. Pick sociological studies from books like Haralambos & Holborn for paper 1 and Ram Ahuja for paper 2.Focus on the most important topics: Some syllabus topics are more important from exam perspective than others. Do the exercise of finding out the most imp topics in each paper yourself by analyzing previous years questions (not just net search). For eg. Paper 1 some more imp. topics are Thinkers, Stratification and Social change.Use Mindmaps: You can use mindmaps made topic wise. These will help you to organize the vast info in a systematic manner. They will also be handy for quick revision later on. (For those not aware, Mindmaps are kind of useful diagrams that contain all info related to a topic in summary form at one place). For eg. below is my mindmap for Durkheim’s theory of suicide in paper 1.Learn & mention thinkers: Try to remember as many thinkers’ names as possible. Make reference cards with thinkers names for quick revisions. Revise names multiple times. In your answers, make sure you highlight names of thinkers wherever you mention them. This is what makes your answer seem sociological.Love the subject- Its important that you develop a close connection with this subject. So that you develop a sociological eye. Once you do that, the subject (including the most difficult part to remember- i.e. thinkers’ names) will become somewhat easy.

I have appeared thrice for UPSC mains - all three times with sociology optional. First year my socio score was pathetic- 120 in paper 1 and 110 in paper 2 total 230. My GS score was decent but I didn’t get interview call because of socio. I was so demotivated that I was thinking of even changing my optional subject.As an afterthought I joined Pranay Aggarwal’s test series in my second attempt. My sociology score improved to 140 in paper 1 and 160 in paper 2 total 300 marks. I was expecting to clear but this time I was pulled down due to my GS score. Last year my sociology score was 317 which helped me get an interview call – I credit my socio marks improvement to self study + regular writing practice + feedback and inputs from Pranay sir during the test series.

I have appeared for upsc interview last year and scored 300 out of 500 in sociology . It is considered a good score in sociology . My first attempt marks were 230 and now last year I got 300 . So I think I am better suited to write the answer .I will write about 2 things here. Coaching and answer writing . About syllabus I had already written an answer . Will update the linkSyllabus -Kiran Shinde's answer to In how many days can I complete the sociology optional for the UPSC CSE?Coaching - for my first attempt I did coaching at Gaur sir . But upsc changed its pattern in 2014–15 which I didn't know . But despite that sir taught us in old pattern . Like 30 and 60 makes questions type . There was more focus on thinkers and their social background . So basically for new pattern of 10 and 25 marker , this pattern was useless and very time consuming . I got 230 in that attempt . No test series .Almost all sociology coaching today teaches by old pattern only even in 2020 . Visionias and niceias are somewhat better . But I don't think they are best . So mostly you have to do self study .For my 2018 attempt , I did self study without any test series . I dont have Gaur sirs notes anymore .So you should focus on self study for sociology as long as possible with little support from these classes .How To self studyResources -IGNOU for thinkers - make notes compulsory .Eg - historical materialism should have only one page note . Not more than that. Same with all other topics. For some topic you have 2–3 pages . But note more than that .Nitin sangwan - for all other topics. Both paper 1 and 2 .Haralambos big blue book - only for answer enrichment . Read very very selectively .If not blue book then , haralambos orange book - again only for answer enrichment.Answer writing - new Vishal publication previous years question paper .Syllabus copy compulsory . Read syllabus every dayStrategy -Read every topic of syllabus and make very concise notes from above .Every topic in syllabus should have a thinker attached to it . That is For every topic you need a thinker's statement . In above resources , you will find those statements easily .Link current affairs with both paper . Like lower caste mahila sarpanch killed for unfurling national flag for gender equality or caste violence .Answer writing - rather than writing too many test , focus on writing one answer and get it checked from a very experienced person . The experienced person should be one who can tell you exactly what to write and what not . I also can help you here if you are interested . I had helped people before .Warning - Do not show off your knowledge or understanding in answer writing . First understand the demand of question and then answer that .In every paper 1 answer , you should write atleast one thinker and in paper 2 atleast a thinker or a recent example .Every answer must include atleast one criticism whether asked or not .I think above points are sufficient to cover all that is needed for preparation of sociology as an optional .If I find something missing , I will add more .