Framing a Sociological Topic as a Trained Sociologist

Framing a Sociological Topic as a Trained Sociologist

This assignment, Project 4, addresses course outcomes 1, 3 and 4. This assignment will require you to think about key sociological concepts, such as race, gender, social class and social change. You will need to think about social institutions such as the economy and education using the sociological perspective. Finally, you will begin to understand how sociological knowledge influences the way we interpret the world. As your text book points out, everyone collects data in their daily lives and uses it to inform their understanding of the way society works. Sociologists collect data to determine how society actually works. In this assignment you will revisit M2A1: Project 1. In module 2, you were asked to select a topic and discuss what you knew about that topic from the perspective of your experiences. Project 4 requires you to revisit that topic from the perspective of what you have learned over the term, now as a practicing sociologist. While the first paper was a thought paper, Project 4 is an academic research paper. You are required to add two academic resources to support your analysis and arguments. These can be found through the Excelsior library. If you are not sure how to identify an academic source, the librarians can assist you with this. Before beginning this project, please be sure you have thoroughly read and reviewed all of the content in this first module. Pay special attention to the terms and concepts from your reading material that help you understand the way that sociologists look at and make sense of the world. In module 2, you were asked to select a topic and discuss what you knew about that topic from the perspective of your experiences. As you revisit your prior work in Project 4, you are to expand on what you have learned across the course. Project 4 is an academic research paper, and you are required to find and use two academic resources to support your analysis and arguments. These can be found in the Excelsior library and specifically using the Sociology Research Guide https://libguides.excelsior.edu/friendly.php?s=sociology . You will write a research paper on the topic that you chose in Module 2. Please write an approximately 1,000 word research paper (4 pages of double-spaced, 12-point font of text) addressing the following question prompts. A references list should make up an additional page. 1. Summarize the arguments that you made in your first paper on this topic. 2. Using the information that you have learned across this term and a minimum of two academic resources, explain how and why this situation exists. Explain what sociologists argue about the topic. For example, which sociological terms or concepts speak to your now deeper understanding of this topic (e.g., does the sociological imagination differ from analysis you draw as an everyday sociologist)? 3. Summarize how your expanded knowledge differs from what you wrote in your first paper. 4. How were you surprised and enlightened by what you learned? Your essay will be evaluated in terms of how thoroughly you: answer the questions above; use resources to document your main points; and properly cite referenced work. Your essay should address all of the questions above and should consist of approximately 1,000 words (4 pages of double-spaced, 12-point font of text). Citations and a references list will likely make up an additional page.