HOW TO SURVIVE COMPREHENSIVE EXAMS IN SOCIOLOGICAL THEORY

A Twelve Step Program

1. Proficiency in the domain of theory is based less on a limited set of technical skills than on general literacy. While experts agree on the list of skills required to perform, say, a regression analysis, theorists don’t always see eye to eye on core issues in Marxism, postmodernism, or critical theory. Nor is there an agreed-upon canon that tells you exactly how to apply a given conceptual schema to substantive problems. You can cultivate literacy by reading sociological classics, sampling diverse styles of sociological thought, and applying the concepts you have learned to various problems. Remember that some day you will adopt a particular theoretical perspective for your own work.

2. Crucial for developing a proficiency in theory is your general language facility, especially your writing skills. When a student feels that he or she understands the issue but has a hard time expressing it in words, you know this student has a problem. A clear, well-structured, many-stranded discourse on a theoretical subject is the only proof that one has mastered a theoretical framework. If you have difficulty articulating your views, you might want to work on your basic writing skills.

3. It will help if you keep detailed notes from the required theory classes – The Logic of Social Inquiry (SOC 701), Classical Sociological Theory (SOC 723), and Contemporary Sociological Theory (SOC 724). Pay close attention to the issues raised in class lectures and class discussions, for these are likely to crop up in theory comps. Create an inventory of such issues and see if you can spin a few coherent sentences/thoughts on each subject while you prepare for the theory comp.

4. Reread your midterms, final papers, and class presentations you gave in theory seminars. Check the feedback you received from instructors as well as classmates. Seek additional comments on your papers/presentations if there was a problem with your answers. Remember that compared to a take-home assignment, a comprehensive examination covers a wider range of topics, requires a higher level of comprehension, and is administered under time constraints.

5. Prepare an outline for each major theorist and paradigm, including in it main concepts, methodological innovations, specific research projects, and works published in this tradition. Run in your head a check list of key concepts related to a given theoretical area, be ready to compare and contrast each set of ideas, practice conceptualizing social problems in terms of a given paradigm and articulating a line of research consistent with a particular theoretical framework. If you know the problem you would like to research for your thesis, think how it could be formulated in different theoretical terms.

6. While you prepare for comps, dust off the syllabus for each theory class you took, read the assigned readings you might have glossed over at the time, and consult the comprehensive exam reading list prepared by the Sociology Department. Your theory courses are a necessary but not sufficient basis to prepare for the comprehensive exam. Be sure to read, comprehend, and master the materials on the theory reading list. Bear in mind, though, that any such list is tentative, that you may not find ready-made answers to each comp question in the extant literature, that proficiency in sociological theory presupposes an ability to apply basic concepts to novel problems and situations. Fortunately, there is usually more than one way of articulating a theoretical problem with which you are presented at the comp. So, dare to be bold and different.

7. Go over the theory comps given in the past, paying close attention to the way the questions had been phrased, theoretical issues brought up, and general paradigms engaged. Ask yourself how you would have answered these questions, which sources you need to consult to fill specific gaps in your knowledge, and brush up on the theories about which you feel less confident. You are well advised to take a few hours to write up answers to the questions that came up in past theory exams and to ask both the theory committee members and your own doctoral committee members to review them.

8. Do not hesitate to call on theory instructors when you prepare for the exam. Make a long-term study plan, create a list of specific questions which bother you, try to answer them as best you can, then seek feedback from your teachers. While instructors cannot give you a mini-course covering all the issues discussed over the course of three semesters, they will guide your preparation and help you handle specific problems that give you trouble.

9. Talk to grad students who took the theory comp before, ask them about their class experiences, find out about their comp preparation strategies, ask to read their exam answers. While your impression about a particular class may differ sharply from what this or that student had felt in previous semesters, you might want to compare notes about specific instructors – their expectations and preferences – with students from previous cohorts.

10. Make sure to get yourself in decent physical shape for an upcoming examination. If you can, quit studying a day before the comp, do something relaxing, and try to get a decent night sleep. Bring snacks and drink for the exam. Once you get the questions, outline the ones you choose to answer before you start writing. New ideas are likely to keep emerging in your mind as you work on the problem and structure your exposition. If you handwrite your exam, leave ample room to make additions and corrections in your workbook. Set up a timetable and monitor the time flow as you write.

11. Take special note of key terms and problems you are instructed to address. When dealing with a specific issue, ask yourself if the point you are making is relevant and make sure to relate it explicitly to the call of the question. Avoid tangents that do not advance your main arguments. Embellishments are fine when you have covered major bases but they are a sign of trouble when you fail to identify the key issues or give a perfunctory answer to the question asked. Always go back to the call of the question and explain how the point you raise addresses it.

12. Many students do not pass the full exam on the first try and have to rewrite one of the questions. Some have to retake the whole exam. A failure of this kind need not reflect negatively on your professional aptitude or your future prospects. Nor does it necessarily mean that your teachers have failed you. The setback will most likely be a temporary one. Consider this to be a learning experience, a rite of passage, and work with the DOS faculty to overcome this hurdle. We are committed to helping you get through this trial with your sanity intact.