Paper Topic Description

Sociology 215
Paper Topic
3/5/09

A. For this assignment, each of you will identify and investigate a social problem other than the ones we will be considering in class. Of course, since everything is interrelated, it is quite possible that whatever problem you choose to focus on may be indirectly connected to the social problems we are focusing on in class. Nonetheless, I'd like them to be sufficiently different, and in order to insure that, you will need to get my ok for your topic NO LATER THAN THURSDAY, MARCH 26TH, which is our last class before Spring Break.

In identifying a social problem, you will need to make a case for why it is a social problem and how serious it is based on my class lectures on the ground or basis for defining social problems which I presented during the first couple weeks of the semester (some of which I posted on this blog). You will have to do some research to at least describe the nature of the problem and make the case for why it should be considered a serious social problem. Beyond that, I then want you to discuss HOW you would go about investigating this problem. For example, what sources might you consult? what institutions and individuals are involved? who might you interview and what sort of questions would you ask?, etc. In short, the paper as a whole can be looked upon as a formal proposal you might write to do an independent study or independent Interim. Indeed, doing such an independent study or Interim might be something to consider in the future and this paper (with some minor changes) might serve as your proposal.

B. The paper should be roughly 6-7 pages. Be sure to indicate the page number(s) and source(s) in parentheses following any quotation(s) you incorporate in your paper (eg. p. 97, Schor). Please include a bibliography of sources at the end, including web addresses of any Internet sources consulted.

C. The paper itself is due THURSDAY, APRIL 30TH. On that day, you will all be called upon to give a brief presentation (5-10 minutes) of your paper in class, which will also be evaluated. The paper is worth 40 points and the class presentation 10 points, for a total of 50 for this assignment.

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Tomorrow (Fri. 3/6) I will be posting some more lecture notes on "Affluenza," along with a description of the family exercise involving making up midterm exam questions for the midterm exam which will be given on Tuesday, March 17th, as I announced this morning. Finally, all of you individually should be thinking of some questions over the weekend so you'll have something to discuss with your other family members next Tuesday.