You Decide Census Paper
Required Resources
Read/review the following resources for this activity:

• Textbook: Chapter 9
• Lesson
• Link (website): Pew Research Center (Links to an external site.)
• https://www.pewresearch.org/interactives/what-census-calls-us/
  • Click on the Social Trends tab.
  • Click on the Interactives tab.
  • Locate the following link: How Census Race Categories Have Changed Over Time
  • Click on “1790” to see two columns comparing the 1790 Census categories with the 2010 Census categories.
• Minimum of 4 outside scholarly sources in addition to the textbook/lesson (may include Pew Research Center as a source)

Instructions
In this week’s lesson, you learned about the U.S. Census Bureau’s most recent racial and ethnic categories. For this assignment, consider the racial and ethnic categories used in the 2010 Census with the four racial, ethnic, and gender categories used in the 1790 Census: Free white males, free white females, all other free persons, slaves (Pew Research Center, 2015). Analyze the concepts of race, ethnicity, and gender as social constructs, just as sociologists do, by addressing the following:

1. Explain how you might have been categorized by the 1790 Census and how you would have been categorized by the 2010 Census.

2. Compare and contrast the two potential categorizations and explain how this exercise shows that the concepts of race, ethnicity, and even gender change over time. Most importantly, explain how this exercise shows that the concepts of race, ethnicity, and gender are social constructs.
3.Determine and describe what ethnic, racial, and/or gender categories, if any, would be best, in your view, for the 2020 Census or the 2030 Census, to most accurately show the diversity of the U.S. population. What categories would be best to reveal the segments of the U.S. population most vulnerable to racial, ethnic, and/or gender inequalities or discrimination? What categories could be listed in the 2020 Census or the 2030 Census that might best educate the U.S. population on differences between race and ethnicity? Explain your decisions.
Include headings for each of the three main sections of the paper:

• What the Census Might Have Called Me
• Social Constructs
• Better Future Census Categories

Each of the three main sections of your paper must contain scholarly support in the form of quotes or paraphrases with respective citations from assigned reading (the textbook/lesson) and the outside scholarly source that you identify on your own.
*This assignment is adapted from Glaser (2018).
Writing Requirements (APA format)

• Length: 3-4 pages (not including references page)
• 1-inch margins
• Double spaced
• 12-point Times New Roman font
• Running header in the upper left of all pages
• Page number in the upper right of all pages
• Minimum of 3 headings (centered, bold, & title case)
• Parenthetical in-text citations included and formatted in APA style
• References page (minimum of 4 outside scholarly sources plus the textbook/lesson)
• Title page not required

Criteria also Follow:
What Census Might Have Called Me Section: The central idea is developed and expanded with depth of critical thought. Student provides a thorough analysis of census categories and the social constructs of race, ethnicity, and gender.
Social Constructs Section: Thorough comparison/contrast of categorizations is provided. Student provides a thorough analysis of how race, ethnicity, and gender change over time, and how these concepts are social constructs.
Better Future Census Categories Section: The central idea is developed and expanded with depth of critical thought. Student thoroughly describes what ethnic, racial, and/or gender categories would be best for a future census.
Source Integration: Paraphrases or quotations from all required resources are included to support the analysis: 4 outside scholarly sources and textbook/lesson.
Writing: Mechanics & Usage: The writing is free of major errors in grammar, spelling, and punctuation that would detract from a clear reading of the paper.
APA Paper Format: Paper is formatted to include all 6 of the following: references page, Times New Roman, 12-point font, double spacing, running header, and page numbers.
APA Resource Citation: All sources are properly cited in the text and references page demonstrating a mastery of APA format.
REFERENCE BOOKS TO USE FOR THIS PAPER:
Ebook: Kendall, D. E. (2018). Sociology in our times: The essentials. Boston MA: Cengage Learning
https://www.chegg.com/reader/9781337517287/270/
• Boston MA: Cengage Learning Schwartz, S. A. (2020). Police brutality and racism in America. Explore (New York, NY).
• Ruggles, S., & Magnuson, D. L. (2020). Census technology, politics, and institutional change, 1790–2020. Journal of Social History.
•Ritchie, K. (2020). Categories We Live by: The Construction of Sex, Gender, Race, and Other Social Categories By Ásta.
•Murray, C. (2020). Human diversity: The biology of gender, race, and class. Hachette UK.