Writing and Analyzing a Comparative Report

Assignment 2- Writing and Analyzing a Comparative Report

The University of Wollongong offers the psychology and sociology, which are the two of the major learning discipline areas. Paxton (2007) and Peters (1985) has described Psychology and sociology as different culture, which can be distinguish in terms of their substance, methodology and source of knowledge.

The first area of contrast is in the substance of the psychology and Sociology. Psychology is concerned with the scientific and systematic study of the workings of the human mind, why people think and behave as they do. Sociology tends to examine groups of persons (societies), communities, and nations. Researchers might examine and discuss such things as folkways, mores, changes in populations, effects of events on entire communities, etc... So one way to look at it is that psychology is more about the individual or small group, and sociology is more about communities and larger groups of persons. According to the research that studies of Psychology and Sociology, both are meant to benefit individuals and individuals or communities within society which inevitably would benefit the society as a whole.

Another area of contrast is in the methodology of the disciplines.

In the sociology, specific areas of study involve social theory, social research methods and observation. The faculty of arts provides lectures and tutorials for sociology students. The interviewee reported that tutors generally focus on case study, and students also have some practical experience in their tutorials. In contrast that psychology use research laboratories, which are equipped with latest technology.

Theoretical interpretation is important in sociology, however researchers are interested in observing people in ordinary social phenomena and events, which is rarely strictly neutral in sociology whereas in psychology people use empirical methods and inductive procedures (Peters, 1985).

The final area is the source of knowledge, in the psychology, the first year level and often defines the discipline for first year students. According to Hyland's research that is significant because it points to the role of textbook play in introducing the novice to the epistemology of the new discipline (Paxton, 2007). However, students apply the secondary source in their studies. There is comparison between the first year textbook and secondary source, textbook offers for the first year of psychology students not only present knowledge and values of the discipline, they also provide the literacy practices of the new discipline, on the other hand, secondary source used by sociology students who use journal articles in stead of textbook in their studies.

In conclusion, the above features, substance, methodology, and source of knowledge, which make the sociology different from the psychology.