BSOC-114 Solved Question Paper for June 2026 gives a complete model answer to all 8 questions IGNOU set in the Sociological Research Methods II term-end exam, each planned around the 400-word essay length the paper asks for.
BSOC-114 Sociological Research Methods II: key facts for the June 2026 solved paper
- Course code: BSOC-114
- Subject: Sociological Research Methods II
- Programme: Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Sociology (BASOH), Semester VI core course; also listed for BAFSO
- Credits: 6
- Blocks and units: 4 blocks, 14 units
- Maximum marks: 100
- Duration: 3 hours
- Questions in the June 2026 paper: 8 (attempt any 5, 20 marks each)
- Printed vs attempted marks: 8 × 20 = 160 printed, 5 × 20 = 100 attempted
- Split question: Q8, two 10-mark distinctions
- Word limit: about 400 words per 20-mark answer, 20 words per mark
- Assessment: term-end exam 70%, three assignments 30%
- Solved samples shown on this page: 2 (Questions 1 and 2)
- Questions in the paid file: All 8 answered; 6 of them are not shown on this page
What the BSOC-114 Solved Question Paper June 2026 covers
BSOC-114 Sociological Research Methods II is the Semester VI core course of IGNOU's Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Sociology (BASOH), where students move from the ideas of research in BSOC-112 to its working tools: sampling, census and survey, fieldwork, ethnography, interviews and basic statistics.
The June 2026 paper leaned hard on qualitative fieldwork. Ethnography, the interview, field notes and ethical concerns in field-based research take four of the eight questions, while quota sampling, the Venn diagram and Weber's interpretative understanding test the quantitative and theoretical edges of the course.
Because you attempt any five questions of 20 marks each, choosing well matters as much as writing well. If you are also collecting older papers, our IGNOU Previous Year Question Paper page sits alongside this BSOC-114 Question Paper so you can practise across sessions.
8 questions × 20 marks = 160 marks printed; any 5 × 20 = 100 attempted. 180 minutes ÷ 5 = 36 minutes per answer.
BSOC-114 sample answers: ethnography and the interview
Two BSOC-114 answers are shown in full below, Question 1 on the ethnographic method and Question 2 on the interview; the other six June 2026 questions are answered only in the full file.
Both questions are printed exactly as they appear in the official June 2026 paper, with IGNOU's own question numbers and marks. Read them to judge the depth, structure and examples used across the whole file.
Ethnography: 4 of 5 earlier papers Block 2, Unit 9 20 marks
BSOC-114 Question 1: the ethnographic method, merits and demerits
1. Explain the Ethnographic method in sociological research. Discuss its merits and demerits. 20
Introduction
Ethnography literally means "writing about people", from the Greek ethnos (people) and graphein (to write). In sociology it is a qualitative method in which the researcher studies a group, community or setting from the inside, usually by living among the people for a long period, taking part in their daily life and recording how they understand their own world. Its aim is a holistic, first-hand account of a way of life rather than a set of numbers.
Origin of the method
The method took shape in social anthropology. Bronislaw Malinowski's fieldwork in the Trobriand Islands during the First World War, published as Argonauts of the Western Pacific (1922), set the standard: learn the local language, stay long enough to become a familiar face, and grasp the native's point of view. Sociologists of the Chicago School later carried the method into cities, studying gangs, migrants and neighbourhoods.
In India, M.N. Srinivas's long fieldwork in Rampura, a village near Mysore, written up as The Remembered Village (1976), remains a classic ethnography of caste, land and everyday village relations.
Main features of ethnography
- Natural setting: the researcher goes to the people instead of bringing them to a laboratory or a form.
- Participant observation: the core technique, supported by informal interviews, genealogies, life histories and local documents.
- Long duration: often a year or more, so the full cycle of seasons, festivals and work can be seen.
- Insider (emic) view: the focus is on the meanings people give to their actions. Clifford Geertz called the resulting account "thick description".
- Field notes and reflexivity: observations are written up daily, and the researcher reflects on how their own caste, gender or class shapes what they see.
Steps in an ethnographic study
A typical study moves through selecting the field and gaining entry through gatekeepers, building rapport, observing and participating, recording in field notes, identifying themes and patterns, and finally writing the ethnographic account. The steps overlap, because new questions keep emerging in the field.
Merits of the ethnographic method
- Depth: it captures feelings, motives and meanings that a questionnaire cannot reach.
- Real behaviour: it studies what people actually do, exposing the gap between what they say and what they practise.
- Holism: it shows how kinship, economy, religion and politics are linked in one community.
- Flexibility: research questions can be refined as the fieldwork reveals new issues.
- Voice to the unheard: it is well suited to marginal groups such as tribal communities, migrant workers or slum dwellers.
- Source of hypotheses: its findings often guide later surveys and statistical studies.
Demerits of the ethnographic method
- Subjectivity: findings depend heavily on one observer's interpretation, and the risk of "going native" can weaken detachment.
- Limited generalisation: a study of one village or group cannot easily speak for a whole society.
- Time and cost: long stays in the field demand money, patience and language skills.
- Observer effect: people may change their behaviour because they know they are being watched.
- Ethical problems: informed consent, covert observation and protecting identities in a small, recognisable community are hard to manage.
- Difficult to replicate: another researcher cannot repeat the same fieldwork to check the results.
Conclusion
Ethnography trades breadth for depth. Its weaknesses in objectivity and generalisation are real, but reflexive writing, triangulation with other methods and careful ethics reduce them. Newer forms such as digital ethnography of online communities show that the method keeps adapting, which is why it remains central to sociological research.
Hall length: this answer runs to about 560 words, written for revision. To bring it to about 400, keep the introduction, Malinowski and Srinivas in two lines, four features, four merits, four demerits and the conclusion; drop the steps paragraph.
Questionnaire, schedule and interview: 2 of 5 earlier papers Block 2, Unit 7 20 marks
BSOC-114 Question 2: the interview as a technique of data collection
2. Explain interview as a technique of data collection. 20
Introduction
An interview is a planned verbal exchange in which an interviewer asks questions to obtain facts, opinions or experiences from a respondent. It may be face to face, by telephone or online. Textbooks often call it a conversation with a purpose: unlike everyday talk, it is guided by research objectives and its answers are recorded for analysis.
Types of interview
- Structured interview: fixed questions asked in a fixed order, usually from an interview schedule. Answers are easy to compare, so it suits large surveys.
- Unstructured or in-depth interview: only a broad interview guide is used, and the respondent talks freely. It suits qualitative studies of experience and meaning.
- Semi-structured interview: a set of core questions with freedom to probe further, combining comparability with depth.
- Focused interview: developed by Robert K. Merton and colleagues, it explores a respondent's reaction to a specific situation, such as a film or broadcast, that the researcher has analysed in advance.
- Group interview and focus group: a small group, usually six to ten people, discusses a topic, and the interaction itself becomes data.
Process of conducting an interview
- Preparation: fix the objectives, draft the schedule or guide, and pilot it.
- Rapport: introduce yourself, explain the purpose and assure confidentiality.
- Questioning: use simple, neutral language, one idea per question, without leading the respondent.
- Probing: follow up vague answers with prompts such as "Could you give an example?"
- Recording: take notes or audio-record with consent, writing up details soon after.
- Closing: thank the respondent and leave the door open for a follow-up.
Merits of the interview
- It gives depth and detail, including reasons and feelings behind answers.
- Questions can be explained and misunderstandings cleared on the spot.
- It works with respondents who cannot read or write, which matters in rural India.
- Response rates are higher than for mailed questionnaires.
- The interviewer can note tone, gestures and setting as added evidence.
- Sensitive topics can be approached gradually once trust is built.
Limitations of the interview
- Interviewer bias: wording, tone or the interviewer's identity may shape answers.
- Respondent bias: people may give socially acceptable answers rather than true ones.
- Time and cost: travel, training and long sessions make large samples expensive.
- Skill demand: good probing and listening need trained interviewers.
- Comparability: answers from unstructured interviews are hard to code and compare.
Conclusion
The interview is one of the most widely used tools in sociology because it can be tightened into a structured survey instrument or loosened into an in-depth conversation. Used with rapport, neutral questioning and careful recording, and checked against observation or documents, it yields data that is both rich and reliable.
Hall length: this answer runs to about 450 words. If time is short, keep the introduction, the five types in one line each, the six process steps as a list, four merits, three limitations and the conclusion.
BSOC-114 questions answered only in the full file
These six questions are printed exactly as in the June 2026 paper. Their answers are not shown on this page.
3. What do you understand by 'Quota Sampling'? Explain. 20
4. What are field notes? Explain their importance in sociological research. 20
5. Outline main ethical concerns in field-based research. 20
6. What is a Venn-diagram? Explain its types. 20
7. Explain Weber's method of interpretative understanding. 20
8. Distinguish between: 10 + 10
(a) Questionnaire and Schedule 10
(b) Census and Survey 10
Quota sampling is the sixth different sampling type IGNOU has asked in six papers, and the Questionnaire versus Schedule distinction returned after June 2023. Both answers in the full file use comparison tables you can reproduce in the exam hall.
BSOC-114 Sociological Research Methods II block and unit wise syllabus
BSOC-114 is a 6-credit course split into 4 blocks and 14 units, moving from research design through data collection and statistics to writing a research proposal.
The block and unit titles below follow IGNOU's BSOC-114 Research Methods-II study material on eGyanKosh. The topics column lists what each unit actually tests in the term-end papers we checked.
| Block | Unit | Topics tested in BSOC-114 papers |
|---|---|---|
| Block 1: Doing Social Research | Unit 1 Research Design | Elements of research design; intensive and extensive research; types of social research |
| Block 1: Doing Social Research | Unit 2 Doing Fieldwork | Building rapport with informants; recording data and field notes; fieldwork as the backbone of research |
| Block 1: Doing Social Research | Unit 3 Ethics of Social Research | Informed consent; anonymity and confidentiality; ethical concerns in field-based research |
| Block 2: Methods of Data Collection | Unit 4 Sampling | Stratified, systematic and simple random sampling; cluster sampling; quota and other non-probability types |
| Block 2: Methods of Data Collection | Unit 5 Census and Survey | Uses of census data; census as a sampling frame; survey versus census |
| Block 2: Methods of Data Collection | Unit 6 Observation | Participant observation in Malinowski's work; merits and demerits of observation |
| Block 2: Methods of Data Collection | Unit 7 Questionnaire, Schedule and Interview | Questionnaire versus schedule; open-ended and closed-ended questions; types of interview |
| Block 2: Methods of Data Collection | Unit 8 Case Study and Life History | Case study method; life history method; Cora Du Bois and the Alorese |
| Block 2: Methods of Data Collection | Unit 9 Ethnographic Method | Ethnography's merits and demerits; digital ethnography; emerging trends |
| Block 3: Statistical Methods | Unit 10 Graphical and Diagrammatic Presentation of Data | Discrete, continuous and cumulative frequency distributions; graphs and diagrams; ungrouped data |
| Block 3: Statistical Methods | Unit 11 Measures of Central Tendency | Mean, median and mode for grouped and ungrouped data |
| Block 3: Statistical Methods | Unit 12 Measures of Dispersion | Range, quartile deviation and standard deviation; meaning of dispersion |
| Block 4: Developing a Research Project | Unit 13 Identifying a Research Problem | Meaning of a research problem; steps in identifying it; framing a hypothesis |
| Block 4: Developing a Research Project | Unit 14 Preparing a Research Proposal | Parts of a research proposal; its significance in social research |
Block 2 is the heaviest part of the course, with six units, and it supplied four of the eight June 2026 questions. Block 3 statistics appears more often as short notes and distinctions than as full essays.
June 2026 by block: Block 1 gave 2 questions (Q4, Q5), Block 2 gave 4 (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q8), Block 3 gave 1 (Q6), Block 4 gave 0, and Q7 on Weber sits outside every unit title. 2 + 4 + 1 + 0 + 1 = 8.
BSOC-114 June 2026 question paper pattern and marks
The BSOC-114 June 2026 paper set 8 questions of 20 marks each, and students had to attempt any five in about 400 words, for 100 marks in 3 hours.
| Feature | BSOC-114 June 2026 paper |
|---|---|
| Questions set | 8, all essay-type |
| Questions to attempt | Any 5 |
| Marks per question | 20 (all questions carry equal marks) |
| Split question | Question 8: Questionnaire vs Schedule (10) and Census vs Survey (10) |
| Expected length | About 400 words per answer |
| Time and maximum marks | 3 hours, 100 marks |
| Weightage in final result | Term-end exam 70%, three assignments 30% |
The June 2026 IGNOU BSOC-114 Question Paper broke one recent habit. In June 2025 and December 2025, Question 8 was a 4 x 5 set of short notes or distinctions; this time it became two 10-mark distinctions, so each comparison needed a fuller answer than a short note.
If you want the other sessions in the same format, our BASOH Question Paper collection groups BSOC-114 with the rest of the Honours Sociology papers.
Word limit check: 400 words ÷ 11.5 words a minute ≈ 35 minutes of writing, against 36 minutes per answer. It can be met, but only just, so treat 400 as a ceiling. For Q8, each 10-mark distinction gets about 18 minutes and 200 words, ideally as a comparison table.
Blocks 1 and 2 alone gave six full answers in June 2026 (Q1, Q2, Q3, Q4, Q5 and Q8), one more than you need. Block 2 alone gave four, one short. Blocks 3 and 4 could have been skipped entirely this session.
Most repeated BSOC-114 topics from June 2023 to June 2026
Sampling and case study with life history are the most repeated BSOC-114 topics: each appeared in all five earlier IGNOU papers we checked. Sampling came back in June 2026 as quota sampling; case study did not come back at all.
We counted topics across six official BSOC-114 papers: June 2023, December 2023, June 2024, June 2025, December 2025 and June 2026. The December 2024 paper could not be found on IGNOU's websites, so it is not counted. A topic counts once per session, even if it appears in two parts of one paper.
| Topic | Block and unit | Earlier sessions asked | Count (of 5) | In June 2026? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sampling types (stratified, systematic, simple random, non-probability, cluster, quota) | Block 2, Unit 4 | Jun 2023, Dec 2023, Jun 2024, Jun 2025, Dec 2025 | 5 | Yes, Q3 quota sampling |
| Case study and life history, including the Alorese case studies | Block 2, Unit 8 | Jun 2023, Dec 2023, Jun 2024, Jun 2025, Dec 2025 | 5 | No |
| Ethnographic method, including digital ethnography | Block 2, Unit 9 | Jun 2023, Dec 2023, Jun 2025, Dec 2025 | 4 | Yes, Q1 |
| Census and survey, uses of census data | Block 2, Unit 5 | Jun 2023, Dec 2023, Jun 2025, Dec 2025 | 4 | Yes, Q8(b), 10 marks |
| Fieldwork and building rapport | Block 1, Unit 2 | Dec 2023, Jun 2024, Jun 2025, Dec 2025 | 4 | No |
| Research ethics, anonymity and confidentiality | Block 1, Unit 3 | Jun 2023, Jun 2024, Dec 2025 | 3 | Yes, Q5 |
| Frequency distributions, graphs and diagrams | Block 3, Unit 10 | Jun 2023, Jun 2024, Dec 2025 | 3 | Yes, Q6 Venn diagram |
| Research design and its importance | Block 1, Unit 1 | Jun 2023, Dec 2023, Jun 2024 | 3 | No |
| Research problem and how it is identified | Block 4, Unit 13 | Jun 2023, Jun 2024, Dec 2025 | 3 | No |
| Types of research, intensive and extensive | Block 1, Unit 1 | Jun 2023, Dec 2023, Dec 2025 | 3 | No |
| Questionnaire, schedule and interview | Block 2, Unit 7 | Jun 2023, Dec 2025 | 2 | Yes, Q2 and Q8(a) |
| Observation and participant observation | Block 2, Unit 6 | Dec 2023, Jun 2025 | 2 | No |
| Recording field data and field notes | Block 1, Unit 2 | Jun 2024 | 1 | Yes, Q4 |
| Weber's interpretative understanding | Not in a BSOC-114 unit title | None | 0 | Yes, Q7 |
The pattern is clear: Block 2 data-collection methods dominate, and the same method returns with a new angle, such as ethnography becoming digital ethnography in June 2025. For a ranked list built on this pattern, see our IGNOU Solved Guess Paper page.
Hit rate: 7 of the 13 topics with an earlier record came back in June 2026 = 54%. Five came back as full 20-mark questions; census and survey came back only as a 10-mark half of Q8, and the questionnaire-schedule pair as the other half alongside the full interview question.
The skipped topics and the empty units agree. June 2026 used 7 of the 14 units (2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9 and 10). Case study (Unit 8), research design and types of research (Unit 1), the research problem (Unit 13) and observation (Unit 6) were all skipped, and all four units gave nothing. Two independent signals point at the same units.
The five earlier papers hold three June papers and two December papers, so the window is too lopsided for a June-against-December comparison. No session pattern is claimed here.
Units June 2026 used and skipped
June 2026 drew on only 7 of the 14 units, and all of Block 4 was left out.
The empty units are Unit 1 (research design), Unit 6 (observation), Unit 8 (case study and life history), Units 11 and 12 (central tendency and dispersion) and Units 13 and 14 (research problem and research proposal). Block 3 statistics was used only through the Venn diagram in Unit 10.
Unit 2 was used only by half: Q4 asked about field notes, but rapport and the wider practice of fieldwork, asked in four of the five earlier papers, were not.
Q7 on Weber's method of interpretative understanding does not sit in any BSOC-114 unit title. The idea is taught with Weber in the sister course BSOC-112, which asked about Weber's ideal types in the same June 2026 session.
Topics to revise first for December 2026
The skipped topics with the strongest record, sitting in units June 2026 left empty, come first.
- Case study and life history (Unit 8): in all 5 earlier papers, skipped in June 2026, unit empty. The top pick on every signal.
- Fieldwork and building rapport (Unit 2): 4 of 5 earlier papers, skipped in June 2026; only the field-notes half of the unit was asked.
- Research design and types of research (Unit 1): 3 of 5 each, both skipped, unit empty.
- Research problem and research proposal (Units 13 and 14): the problem was asked in 3 of 5 earlier papers; all of Block 4 was empty in June 2026.
- Observation and participant observation (Unit 6): 2 of 5, skipped, unit empty.
- Central tendency and dispersion (Units 11 and 12): both empty in June 2026. Not tracked in the repeat table above, so their earlier counts still need checking.
How our BSOC-114 answers are written and checked
Every BSOC-114 answer in our file is written by our sociology team to the 400-word length the paper asks for, then reviewed against the IGNOU study blocks before release.
We started from the official June 2026 paper and studied how IGNOU framed the same topics in the five earlier papers listed above. That told us, for example, that an ethnography answer must cover merits and demerits together, because IGNOU asked for both in December 2025 and again in June 2026.
Each answer follows the same exam-ready shape: a definition-led introduction, headed sub-sections, Indian and classic examples such as Malinowski and M.N. Srinivas, and a short conclusion. Distinction questions get side-by-side tables, and the answers stay close to the language of the BSOC-114 Study Material so examiners see familiar terms.
Prateek Talwar, Academic Head of Unnati Educations, wrote and edited the file, and Sheetal Kirola reviewed it for accuracy and clarity before it went out to students.
BSOC-114 solved file index
The full BSOC-114 file solves all 8 June 2026 questions; 2 answers are on this page and the other 6 are in the full file only.
| Q. no. | Question topic | Course unit | Answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ethnographic method, merits and demerits | Block 2, Unit 9 Ethnographic Method | On this page |
| 2 | Interview as a technique of data collection | Block 2, Unit 7 Questionnaire, Schedule and Interview | On this page |
| 3 | Quota sampling | Block 2, Unit 4 Sampling | Full file only |
| 4 | Field notes and their importance | Block 1, Unit 2 Doing Fieldwork | Full file only |
| 5 | Ethical concerns in field-based research | Block 1, Unit 3 Ethics of Social Research | Full file only |
| 6 | Venn diagram and its types | Block 3, Unit 10 Graphical and Diagrammatic Presentation of Data | Full file only |
| 7 | Weber's method of interpretative understanding | Interpretative approach; not named in a BSOC-114 unit title | Full file only |
| 8 | Questionnaire vs Schedule; Census vs Survey | Block 2, Units 7 and 5 | Full file only |
Programmes that include BSOC-114 Sociological Research Methods II
BSOC-114 is a Semester VI core course in IGNOU's Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Sociology (BASOH), and the 2026-27 assignment booklet lists it for BAFSO, the four-year Bachelor of Arts (Major) Sociology, as well.
| Programme | Code | Where BSOC-114 sits |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Sociology | BASOH | Semester VI core course, printed on the June 2026 paper |
| Bachelor of Arts (Major) Sociology, four-year programme | BAFSO | Named with BASOH on the 2026-27 BSOC-114 assignment booklet |
Students usually take BSOC-114 after BSOC-112 Sociological Research Methods I, which covers the logic of research, comparative and historical methods, and feminist perspectives. BSOC-114 then turns those ideas into fieldwork and data skills. You can see the full course list on our IGNOU Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Sociology page.
How to get the full BSOC-114 Solved Question Paper on WhatsApp
Send a WhatsApp message to 9899436384 to get the full BSOC-114 Solved Question Paper with model answers to all 8 June 2026 questions.
Ordering takes three steps. First, message us on WhatsApp 9899436384 with the code BSOC 114 and the session June 2026. Second, our team confirms the file and price. Third, you receive the complete solved PDF on WhatsApp, with the 2 answers you have read here and the 6 answers that are not on this page.
Students preparing for the next term-end exam use the IGNOU BSOC-114 Solved Question Paper as a model: it shows the length, headings and examples that a 20-mark BSOC-114 Sociological Research Methods II answer needs.
BSOC-114 FAQs
What does the BSOC-114 Solved Question Paper June 2026 include?
It includes model answers to all 8 questions from IGNOU's June 2026 BSOC-114 Sociological Research Methods II paper. Each answer is written to about 400 words with an introduction, headed sections, examples and a conclusion. Question 8 is answered as two separate distinctions with comparison tables. Two answers, on ethnography and the interview, are shown in full on this page as samples of the complete file.
How can I get the full BSOC-114 June 2026 solved file on WhatsApp?
Send a WhatsApp message to 9899436384 with the code BSOC 114 and the session June 2026. Our team will confirm the file and the price, and after that you receive the complete PDF on WhatsApp. It contains answers to all 8 questions: the 2 sample answers shown on this page plus the 6 answers on quota sampling, field notes, ethics, Venn diagrams, Weber and the two distinctions.
How many questions must I attempt in the BSOC-114 exam?
You must attempt any five of the eight questions in the BSOC-114 term-end exam. Every question carries 20 marks, so the paper totals 100 marks, and the time allowed is 3 hours. IGNOU expects each answer in about 400 words. In June 2026, Question 8 was split into two 10-mark distinctions, Questionnaire versus Schedule and Census versus Survey, so plan your time for both parts.
Which BSOC-114 topics are asked most often in IGNOU exams?
Sampling is the most repeated BSOC-114 topic, appearing in all six papers we checked from June 2023 to June 2026, each time with a different sampling type. Ethnography, census and survey, and case study with life history each appeared five times. Research ethics, fieldwork and rapport, and graphical presentation of data each appeared four times. The December 2024 paper was not available, so it is not counted.
Are the BSOC-114 answers written to the IGNOU word limit?
Yes, every BSOC-114 answer in our file is written to the length the paper asks for, about 400 words for a 20-mark question. Longer topics such as ethnography run a little over so that both merits and demerits are covered fully. Each answer opens with a definition, uses clear sub-headings and examples such as Malinowski and M.N. Srinivas, and ends with a short conclusion you can adapt.
How is BSOC-114 different from BSOC-112?
BSOC-112 Sociological Research Methods I deals with the logic of research: theory and research, sociological imagination, comparative and historical methods, and feminist perspectives. BSOC-114 Sociological Research Methods II is the practical sequel. It covers research design, fieldwork, ethics, sampling, census and survey, observation, interviews, case study, ethnography, basic statistics and preparing a research proposal. Both are core courses in IGNOU's BASOH programme.
Which IGNOU programmes include BSOC-114 Sociological Research Methods II?
BSOC-114 is a Semester VI core course in IGNOU's Bachelor of Arts (Honours) Sociology, programme code BASOH, which is printed on the June 2026 paper. The 2026-27 BSOC-114 assignment booklet also names BAFSO, the four-year Bachelor of Arts (Major) Sociology programme. Students of both programmes sit the same BSOC-114 term-end exam pattern, so this solved paper suits either group.
How many credits and units does BSOC-114 have?
BSOC-114 is a 6-credit course, which is why it carries three Tutor Marked Assignments worth 30% of the final result. Its study material has 4 blocks and 14 units: Doing Social Research, Methods of Data Collection, Statistical Methods and Developing a Research Project. Block 2 is the largest, with six units from sampling to the ethnographic method, and it supplies most exam questions.
Who wrote and reviewed this page
This page was prepared by the Unnati Educations sociology team, which writes solved papers, guess papers and study notes for IGNOU BA (Honours) and BA (Major) Sociology learners, including the companion course BSOC-112.
Prateek Talwar, Academic Head, wrote the answers and led the analysis on this page: the repeat table restated over the five earlier papers, which showed that case study and life history sat in every earlier paper and was skipped in June 2026; the unit count showing that only 7 of 14 units were used and that the empty units match the skipped topics; the finding that Blocks 1 and 2 alone gave six answers; the link between the Weber question and BSOC-112; and the December 2026 shortlist.
Sheetal Kirola reviewed the page. She checked Malinowski's Trobriand fieldwork and Argonauts of the Western Pacific (1922), M.N. Srinivas's Rampura study and The Remembered Village (1976), Geertz's term "thick description", Merton's focused interview, Cora Du Bois's work on the Alorese, the 10 + 10 split of Question 8, the 4-block, 14-unit structure, and the session lists in all 13 repeat-table rows.