Sociology homework help
Sociology homework help. SOCY 100: Introduction to Sociology
Spring 2020
Professor Witte
Due: Sunday, April 19 (by 11:59 p.m.)
The implications for sociological analysis are endless when one opens the morning newspaper or flips through a
popular magazine. This assignment is meant to get you thinking about how sociological analysis can add insight to
everyday situations and our comprehension of current events. It will allow you to better appreciate the day to day
applications and potential of sociology and recognize how useful some of the sociological concepts we’ve been
learning in class may be to help better understand the world around us.
You will be expected to submit a short (3-5 page) paper in which you use a sociological theory and applicable
information from a chapter in your textbook in order to analyze the way by which an article in the popular media
presents an example of social stratification. Because there are multiple ways by which we can be stratified, you
should choose one of the following broad topics below:
Social Class and Inequality (Chapter 7)
Global Inequalities (Chapter 8)
Race and Ethnicity (Chapter 9)
Sex and Gender (Chapter 10)
Paper Expectations:
• Choose one of the topics listed above and find a popular media article (newspaper, magazine, pamphlet,
etc.) that relates to your corresponding topic.
o The article you choose should be an example of a way by which we are stratified. It should NOT be a
discussion of either stratification or one of the topics above in a general/broad sense. If you email it to
me, I would be more than happy to take a quick look at the article (before the due date for the
assignment) in order to make sure that it is appropriate.
The article should be an example of some group/individual who has more (or less) access to
valuable resources based on their social class or gender or race/ethnicity or global inequalities.
News stories or newsmagazine articles that describe an event or are a narrative work best. Please
do not choose an opinion piece.
o I DO NOT want you to find an article from a peer reviewed (academic) journal. Your article should be
something that is easily found and read in our everyday lives. You should be able to provide a link to
SOCY 100, Spring 2020 Assignment 2: Stratification
the article. It should be from a well-known and reputable source. It should NOT be from a source with
a known (or discoverable) bias.
• After finding your article, you will write a 3-4 page paper in which you analyze it using one of the
following theories: symbolic interactionism, conflict theory, or functionalism. You should use either
information from the chapter that corresponds to your topic and/or Chapter 1 to demonstrate in your paper
that you understand the theory and can apply it to help better understand the information in your article.
The best papers will use one of the major sociological theories to answer the “why” or “what” behind your
article.
• In addition to a theory, you will also choose, describe, and apply one concept (vocabulary term) from the
chapter that corresponds to your topic (chapter 7, 8, 9, or 10).
o For both the theory and the concept, make sure to bold or underline the terms you are using.
o Although you are discouraged from using any source other than your textbook and your article, if
you do, you MUST cite.
• Your paper should include the following:
o an introductory section/paragraph in which you briefly encapsulate what you will be discussing in the
paper; you should say very specifically the main idea of your article, what concept and theory you will
use, and how you will apply these terms to your article.
o a section (approximately 1-3 paragraphs) in which you briefly summarize what is discussed in the
article (remember that you MUST cite when you summarize, paraphrase, and quote);
o the bulk of the paper should be dedicated to discussing the theory and concept you will be using and
applying those terms to your article in order to reach a deeper level of understanding of the
information presented in your popular media source.
In this section, you must show a clear understanding of the theory and vocabulary term you will be
using by very clearly defining/explaining the information from your textbook. You want to be sure
to give your article context by laying a clear theoretical and conceptual foundation.
Using information from your chapter, you should be able to say something interesting and
insightful about your article that may not necessarily have been apparent at first read of the popular
news article. The information in your text should help you to answer “why is this situation so” in a
way that goes beyond the information given in your popular article. Spend time really digging into
the article through the use of your theoretical or conceptual framework.
Some possible questions to consider while writing the paper include: How can sociological
information add insight to the information presented in the article?; Do you have a new or different
understanding of the information in the article based on the information provided in your
textbook?; Is the presentation of your article consistent with the information provided in your
book?
o finally, a conclusion in which you summarize if/how sociological knowledge has helped you to better
understand the information in the popular news story that you chose.
• Make sure to include a link to the article with your paper. Your paper will not be counted as complete
unless I have received a link to the article about which you are writing.
SOCY 100, Spring 2020 Assignment 2: Stratification
• You need to include a references section in which you cite your popular media article and your
textbook. The “references” section in the back of your text book gives you a good guideline to follow
regarding how to cite appropriately. Please ask if you would like some guidance on citation procedures.
(You will lose points on your paper if you do not cite the information you use and include a references
page!)
• The paper should be typed, 12-point font, double spaced. Although I recommend that your paper be
between 3-4 pages, I am more interested in quality than quantity.
• You must hand in your assignment on the date listed above. Late papers are highly discouraged and will
receive points off for each day they are late.
• The synthesis of the information in your book and the article should be your own, original work. If you use
any outside information, including from the text book and the article, you must cite accordingly! I take
plagiarism very seriously. If you have plagiarized any portion of your paper it is grounds for failing the
course and may lead to further sanctions.
• Read, re-read, and re-read. Make sure that you have proofread your paper! Pay particular attention to
spelling and grammar. Use this paper as a way to practice getting your writing very clear and concise.
• Please keep the following point distribution in mind when writing the paper:
o 10 points: Mechanics. (Did you follow the paper requirements outlined above, include a link to
your popular media article, and use appropriate citation procedures?)
o 5 points: Introduction. (Does your introduction clearly mention which theory/concept you will be
applying to your article and how you will make the connection, laying the groundwork for where
your paper is headed?)
o 20 points: Article Summary. (Do you clearly summarize the major points in your popular media
article?)
o 25 points: Theoretical/Conceptual Understanding. (Is your description of the theoretical
perspective and concept you’ll be applying in your paper sufficient enough that someone who may
not be familiar with these terms be able to understand them? In other words, do you show a clear
grasp of the material?)
o 30 points: Theoretical/Conceptual Application/Analysis. (Were you able to appropriately apply a
sociological theory and concept to the events discussed in your article in order to gain thoughtful
insight and a deeper understanding of that particular social institution? Did you show this
connection clearly in your paper by, for instance, using appropriate examples in order to
demonstrate the theory “at work”?)
o 10 points: Writing Style. (As a whole, to what extent does the quality and clarity of your writing
aid or hinder your ability to present your argument? Was the information presented in a clear and
interesting manner?)
Please email me with any questions that you may have about the assignment including appropriate articles,
synthesis of the information in the text with the information in the article, writing issues, or anything else about
which you may need help or clarification.
Hopefully, this assignment will give you the chance to see how Sociology is relevant in our everyday lives. Be as
creative as possible in choosing your articles; the more interesting the article, the easier it will be for you to engage
the material. Enjoy!