How to write the 26-mark essay in Cambridge Sociology (9699)

Short answer: The Cambridge Sociology 9699 26-mark essay asks you to evaluate a view. Define the key idea, state a thesis, build three or four developed points with evidence and a counter-view, then reach a judgement. Keep AO1, AO2 and AO3 in balance.

Where the 26-mark essay appears

You meet this essay in three papers. Each paper is a separate exam.

• Paper 1 (Socialisation, identity and methods of research): Section B is one 26-mark essay, chosen from two [1].
• Paper 2 (The Family): the same structure as Paper 1 [1].
• Paper 3 (Education): four compulsory questions with rising marks. Question 4 is a 26-mark essay [1].

Paper 4 (Globalisation, Media and Religion) is different. It has two 35-mark essays, each from a different section [1]. The same plan works there, but you need more depth and more evaluation.

This syllabus is for exams up to 2026 [1]. If you sit in 2027 or later, check the syllabus for your exam year on the Cambridge website before you revise.

What the assessment objectives mean in practice

An assessment objective (AO) is a skill the examiner rewards. Cambridge uses three: AO1 knowledge and understanding, AO2 interpretation and application, and AO3 analysis and evaluation [1].

• AO1: you show accurate knowledge of concepts, theories and studies. This earns marks because it is the base for everything else.
• AO2: you apply that knowledge to the question and to evidence. So you explain what a study or statistic shows about this exact view.
• AO3: you weigh arguments, test their strengths and limits, and reach a judgement.

These figures come from the Cambridge syllabus [1]. They are weights for whole components, not for single essays.

The syllabus does not publish an AO split for each essay [1]. So we cannot say exactly how many of the 26 marks go to each skill.

We can still infer a pattern. Paper 4 gives AO3 the largest share, so evaluation matters most in the 35-mark essays. In Papers 1 and 2, AO1 has the largest weight, so secure knowledge matters. Treat this as guidance, not a mark split.

What the command word evaluate asks you to do

Cambridge defines evaluate as judging the quality, importance, amount or value of something [1]. So a list of studies is not enough.

You must decide how strong each argument is and say why. Use because to show your reasoning. For example: this view is partly convincing because the evidence covers only one type of society.

Do not confuse evaluate with explain. Explain means setting out reasons, saying why or how, with evidence [1]. Each point in your essay should explain first, then evaluate.

A plan for the Cambridge Sociology 9699 26-mark essay

Paper 1 gives 90 minutes for 60 marks [1]. That is 1.5 minutes per mark, so a 26-mark essay suggests about 39 minutes (26 × 1.5). Use the first few minutes of that time to plan. A clear plan protects you from wandering.

1. Define (AO1). Define the key terms in the question in one or two sentences.
2. Thesis (AO3). State your line of argument, such as: this view is partly true, but it overstates change.
3. Three or four developed points. Each has a point, a named theory or study (AO1), evidence applied to the question (AO2), and a counter-view with a verdict (AO3).
4. Judgement (AO3). Return to the question and say which argument is strongest, and why.

Three well-developed points usually beat five thin ones. Add a fourth only if time allows.

Also use evidence from several societies. Cambridge is an international qualification, so your examples should not come from one country only.

A worked paragraph on the family

Here is an original CC practice question in the style of Paper 2, Section B (26 marks, in our own words):

Evaluate the view that family diversity has replaced the nuclear family as the main family form in modern societies.

Notice how each sentence has a job. The theory is AO1, the statistics are applied to the question for AO2, and the counter-view and verdict are AO3. The paragraph also admits that UK data is only one context, which shows judgement about how far evidence can be used.

One statistic, two arguments

In 2025, about 8.6 million people in the UK lived alone, which is 29.5% of households. Of these, 49.6% were aged 65 or over [2].

This is a useful lesson in AO2. The same figure can support two arguments. It can suggest growing individualisation, where people put personal choice ahead of family ties. It can also reflect an ageing population, because half of those living alone are older people.

So do not simply quote a figure. Say what it shows, and then ask what else could explain it. That second step is where evaluation marks come from.

Common mistakes

• Writing everything you know. A topic dump earns AO1 only. Select material that answers this question.
• Describing studies without applying them. Always say what the evidence shows about the view in the title.
• Leaving evaluation to the last paragraph. Evaluate inside every point, then judge at the end.
• Listing criticisms without weighing them. Say which criticism matters most and why.
• Using evidence from one society. Add examples from other societies, because the paper is international.
• Assuming a hidden mark split. The syllabus does not publish one, so aim for balance across all three AOs.