Sociology 101 - Saint Mary's College of California
Sociology 101 The Sociological Imagination
Fall, 2013 TTH: 8:00-9:35
Professor Robert Bulman, Ph.D., Office hours: TTH 11:30-12:30 and by appt.
Saint Mary's College of California Garaventa 311 Office extension: 8321
rbulman@stmarys-ca.edu
Overview of the course
This course is designed as an intermediate course between the lower and upper division courses in sociology. It will reinforce and expand upon many of the concepts you have been introduced to in Introduction to Sociology and Social Problems. In addition to reviewing the perspective of the sociological imagination, we will pay particular attention to understanding issues of race, urban poverty, masculinity, and racial stereotypes in the late 20th/eary 21st century United States. You will learn how to conduct a sociological literature review, collect primary data, use sociological theories to explain empirical data, and write sociological papers. This is a “Writing in the Discipline” (WID) course which will build upon the skills you have learned in English 4 and 5. There will be a significant focus on the development of your writing as sociologists. This course will also provide students with a solid substantive base of skills which will serve them well in other upper division sociology courses – the Sociological Theory and Sociological Research Methods courses in particular.
Learning outcomes -- By the end of this course you will be able to:
Examine the life of an individual in social context and critically evaluate how individuals have been affected by the time, place, and social categories of their lives.
Reflect upon the implications for personal and social responsibility in contemporary society.
Collect primary data and use that data to build a sociological argument.
Effectively apply sociological theories to interpret empirical data.
Recognize and compose readable prose, as characterized by clear and careful organization, coherent paragraphs and well-constructed sentences that employ the conventions of standard written English and appropriate diction
Recognize and formulate effective written communication, giving appropriate consideration to audience, context and format
Develop search strategies and use library catalogs and databases to find relevant material
Critically evaluate sources
Integrate and cite evidence appropriately using ASA format.
Understand the concept of intellectual property and practice academic honesty.
Course pre-requisites: Sociology 2 or 4. English 5
Writing in the Disciplines (WID)
As a WID-designated course, Sociology 101 satisfies the college-wide Writing in the Discipline requirement for graduation. This course builds upon skills you have developed in English 4 and 5 and applies them directly to the work that sociologists do. It is assumed that you have the skills and resources to write essays with correct and clear written English and grammar. Your work in this course (and all other sociology courses) will be evaluated in part by the quality and clarity of the writing as well as your ability to construct organized essays that use evidence to support an argument. I expect that you have retained the texts that were assigned to you in English 4 and 5. You will use these texts as reference in this class. Additionally, portions of the Hubbich text will be assigned for you to re-read at appropriate places in the semester (see below in syllabus).
There are many writing resources available to you. In addition to my own instruction, you should feel free to consult the tutors at the Center for Writing Across the Curriculum (CWAC). We will have one in-class workshop with CWAC staff, but you are encouraged to meet with tutors individually at the center as you develop your papers.
Free Writing Advising at the Center for Writing Across the Curriculum:
Students of all levels and disciplines are welcome to drop in or make appointments for one-on-one sessions with CWAC Writing Advisers. Students may request weekly or biweekly sessions with the same peer student Adviser. The Center, in Dante 202, is open 5-8 p.m. Sunday and 2-8 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The phone number is 925.631.4684. Through collaborative engagement, Advisers guide their peers toward expressing ideas clearly and revising their own papers with an eye toward audience and purpose. Writers should bring their assignments, texts, and related material. Writers visit the Center to brainstorm ideas, revise drafts, or work on specific aspects of writing, such as grammar, citation, thesis development, organization, critical reading, or research methods. Discussions may involve any type of writing, including poetry, science lab reports, argument-driven research, or professional application letters.
Also, library staff members are available to help you as you find the appropriate sources for your papers. In addition to a workshop we will participate in as a class at the library, the reference librarians are available to help you brainstorm strategies to search for sources, to use the appropriate databases, to evaluate the quality of sources and to answer your questions. Specifically, as sociologists we work closely with Patty Wade (pwade@stmarys-ca.edu). 925-631-4288. She is familiar with the assignments in this class and she should be the first person at the library you contact for help locating sources. If she is not available there are reference librarians waiting to help you when the library is open. You can also click the “Ask Us!” link on the library home page for assistance.
We will periodically have writing exercises in class – reflection pieces, paraphrasing work, peer editing, “one minute” papers, etc. These assignments will not be used to evaluate your grade, but will be used to help you develop your skills as a writer.
Final grades will be determined by the following assignments:
Quality of Participation: 5% of your grade.
What you need to do:
In addition to regular attendance, this class requires active participation – participation in class discussion, leading class on certain days (see syllabus), and occasionally posting responses to articles on Moodle. Also, students may show their engagement with course material by attending office hours and corresponding with me via email.
What you will learn:
Participation is an important part of active learning. As you take active notes, share your ideas, ask questions, back up your thoughts with evidence, cooperate with others, and respond to questions you will make cognitive connections that help you better to comprehend, remember, and use information.
How you will be graded:
I take daily roll. I also take notes after each class to indicate who has participated in a meaningful way. Talking just to talk does not “count” as much as asking intelligent questions, offering critical and helpful observations, making contributions that show a serious engagement with the material, communicating with others respectfully, and working cooperatively in small groups. I also take not of visits to office hours, email communication, and other attempts to show to me that you are participating actively in the course.
Research Journal: Worth 5% of your grade. Due in two installments – October 22 and the day of our final exam.
What you need to do:
All students must keep a three-ring binder journal in which they keep notes on each of the readings assigned in the course. Each entry should provide a summary of the main points in that day’s assigned reading. In addition, if you disagreed with the reading, explain why. If you found it confusing, explain where and why you struggled. You will also include in the journal your field notes from participant observation, your summary of the articles you found for the research paper (and their proper citation), and any other entries related to the work you do for this course. Don’t wait until the last moment to do this assignment! The point is that you regularly take notes and make contributions to your research journal.
What you will learn:
This requirement will help you to keep organized for all of the assignments in this class. It requires you to take notes as you read actively, which will increase your comprehension and retention. It requires you to keep a log of the library research you have done so that you write an organized literature review and cite sources properly. It will help you to keep track of all the observations you make in the participant observation research so that you are able to analyze more effectively the data and write the final paper. But you will accomplish these learning goals only if you keep up with the journal on a daily basis.
How you will be graded:
At the middle of the semester I will review your journals and give you general feedback about the quality and thoroughness of your entries so that you have time to make adjustments in the second half of the class. At the end of the semester I will look at the entirety of the journal and evaluate it based on the journal’s completeness, thoughtfulness, organization, and how seriously you wrestle with each reading.
Midterm Paper: 20% of your grade. Due in class October 3.
What you will do:
In this approximately 5 page paper you should explain the overall argument made by Mitchell Duneier in the book Slim’s Table. In addition to explaining the central research questions, method, and arguments of the book you should explain how this book is an example of C.W. Mills’ concept of the sociological imagination. Use this as an opportunity to explain the sociological perspective. Some questions to consider as you write the paper: What is distinctively sociological about this book? How has this book helped you to understand issues of importance to sociologists? What are the book’s shortcomings?
You also need to find one academic book review of Slim’s Table. Read the review carefully. Write a section of the paper that evaluates the review – What was the essence of the review? Did you agree with the reviewer’s assessment of the book? Why or why not? Did the review give you new insight into an understanding of the book? Explain how. You should conclude with a personal reflection – Given what you now understand about the sociological imagination and the issues raised in Slim’s Table, what obligations do we have personally and socially to others in society? What are our ethical obligations as sociologists when we conduct research?
What you will learn:
It is important as sociologists that we carefully read books in order to understand accurately what the research questions are, what the methods are, how the data do or do not support the author’s argument, and how others have understood and evaluated the work. As you write this paper you will develop a more complete understanding of Slim’s Table, you will begin to see how Duneier’s argument is structured and supported (or not), you will develop your own evaluation of the strength and weakness of the book, and you will learn how other scholars have responded to the book. You will also reflect upon our roles as sociologists in the social world. What can we know? What can’t we know? What ethical responsibilities do we have to the social world we study?
How you will be graded:
To evaluate formal writing in this course I will be using a grading matrix that has been adapted from English Composition and Collegiate Seminar. I have included a sample of the matrix at the end of this syllabus. Briefly, I will look for the quality of the paper’s thesis (argument), the structure, organization, and development of the paper, the proper use of language and grammar, and the appropriate use of and documentation of sources.
Literature Review Paper: . 20% of your grade. Due in class October 22.
What you need to do:
In this paper you should find three peer-reviewed academic journal articles on the topic of social interactions in public places. Inspired by the ethnographic study of the Valois in Slim’s Table, this literature review is a first draft of part of the final research paper. The final research paper asks you to study the ways in which Saint Mary’s students behave and interact with each other in the Sodexo dining hall and/or Café Louis. Try to find academic articles about the social dynamics in cafeterias, coffee shops, or restaurants. You may want to search for articles that explore a particular interest you have – for instance, how race, class, gender, sexuality, age, athletic status, solitude, etc. affect behaviors in public places. For each article, complete a one page worksheet that explains 1) the primary research question(s) the author(s) are asking. That is, what do they want to learn? 2) The methods they use to collect data. That is, what steps do they take to collect information to answer the question? Do they use interviews, surveys, participant observation, etc? 3) What do their data reveal? That is, what is the empirical answer to the research question(s) they pose? What is their argument? 4) What theory do they use to frame the issue? That is, do they use a particular theoretical perspective to interpret their data?
In addition to these three worksheets, you should write a one page “literature review” that summarizes thematically what these three articles tell you about your research question. That is, don’t write about them one by one, but try to write a review that discusses the contributions of the articles in an integrated way. Are these articles in conversation with each other? Do their findings support each other? Do they use similar methods? Etc
What you will learn:
You will learn how to find appropriate sources in order to address specific research questions. You will learn how to understand the methods, data, argument, and contribution of each of the sources you find. You will learn how to write about these sources in a coherent and cohesive way. You will learn how to compare and contrast the various contributions that each source brings to an understanding your research question.
How you will be graded:
I will grade this assignment based on: A. The appropriateness of each source for the purpose at hand. B. Your ability to deconstruct each article so that you understand their question, method, data, argument, and theory. C. Your ability to summarize the contributions of all three sources in a concise and well written literature review.
The final research paper: 30% of your grade. Due the day of our final exam
What you will do:
Inspired by the research done in Café Valois in Slim’s Table, this class will first ask the exploratory research question, “How do member of the Saint Mary’s College community interact with each other in the Sodexo dining hall and/or Café Louis?” This inductive research will use the method of participant observation. You will conduct at least 6 sessions of participant observation in which you take detailed field notes of what you observe. You will not only describe the setting in rich detail, but you will look for social patterns and generate hypotheses to be tested further.
Next, you will conduct deductive research in which each of you develop an explanatory research question and hypothesis to be tested both with additional observations and with a brief survey. You may want to examine the ways in which variables such as race, class, age, gender, position at the college, athletic status, time of day, or location affect social interactions and behavior in the dining hall or café Louis.
You will build an argument using the data from the participant observation field notes and survey results. You will also use the literature to frame and support your argument. A portion of this paper will be a revised version of your literature review paper. You will also incorporate at least one of the theories studied in class to help explain your data. I’ve attached an outline of the expected components of this paper at the end of the syllabus.
What you will learn:
In this assignment you put everything that you’ve learned this semester together in one package. You will learn how to look at data about the social world, analyze them, and organize them into an argument. You’ll learn how to relate your findings to existing literature in the field. You’ll learn how to apply a theoretical perspective to an interpretation of data. You’ll learn how to build the components of an effective sociological research essay. You’ll learn how to evaluate the results of the study and make recommendations for policy changes and/or future research.
How you will be graded:
As with the midterm, I will be using a grading matrix that has been adapted from English Composition and Collegiate Seminar. I have included a sample of the matrix at the end of this syllabus. Briefly, I will look for the quality of the paper’s thesis (argument), the structure, organization, and development of the paper, The use of data to support your argument, the ability to integrate literature into your analysis of the data, the proper use of language and grammar, and the appropriate use of and documentation of sources.
Theory final exam: It is worth 20% of your grade. Takes place the day of our regularly scheduled final exam, 9-11 AM, December 10
What you will do:
In the final exam you will be asked to analyze the movie Frozen River from at least three different theoretical perspectives that we have studied in class. Using material from the readings and lecture, how would you use three different theoretical approaches to interpret aspects of this film? In the in-class exam you will explain each of the chosen theoretical perspectives and apply each to a theoretical analysis of some aspect of the film.
What you will learn:
You will learn not only to understand the essential elements of different sociological theories, but you will learn how to take those elements and apply them to an interpretation of an empirical example – the film Frozen River. It will help you to think creatively about different ways of making sense of the social world and you will gain experience using different theoretical tools to explain empirical phenomena.
How you will be graded:
You will be graded on the thoroughness and accuracy of your summary of each theory. You will also be graded on the appropriate use of each theory to explain some aspect of the film. I will be looking for the application of specific elements of each theory to explain specific examples from the film. The level of detail and substantive development of your theoretical analysis will be reflected in your grade.
Important Details: Please read carefully!
* It should go without saying, but academic dishonesty will be dealt with quite seriously. If anyone has trouble keeping up with the course work I urge you to speak with me about such difficulties. You are responsible for being aware of the honor code.
* Violations of the academic honor code are serious: “The standard sanction upon a student who commits a violation of the Academic Honor Code is the assignment of an “XF” grade in the course…The “XF” grade indicates failure in the course, and that the course failure was the result of a violation of the Academic Honor Code.”
* In addition to dishonest work on papers and exams, you should know that it is a violation of the honor code if you sign a roll sheet for an absent student or ask someone to sign a roll sheet in your absence.
* Department Grade Change Policy:. If a student is dissatisfied with her or his grade on an exam, paper or other graded work; he or she needs to write a one to two page argument for why he or she believes a better grade is called for. The student should back up the argument for a better grade with class material that supports his or her argument that the grade does not reflect the quality of the work. The argument should only address how the answer (for an exam) or essay (for a paper) did address the topic and showed an understanding of the material that was not reflected in the grade (that is, the grade change argument can only be based on what was handed in and not on “this is what I meant”). This policy is not meant in any way to discourage a student who feels that her or his work was misunderstood, misread or, in general, under-valued from seeking clarification or a grade change. It is meant to encourage the students to clarify their arguments for a grade change and for the professor to respond, in writing, on what basis the grade was made and why or why not the grade was changed.
* Department “Incomplete” Grade Policy: Before a student will be considered for an “Incomplete” grade, she/he needs to fulfill the following requirements–
• They must have completed over half the course’s assigned work with a passing grade.
• They must have regularly attended class.
• At least one week before the final or the last course assignment is due, the student must submit a written request for an “incomplete” grade that explains the reasons for the incomplete.
• The student must complete the work needed to take care of the incomplete by the designated date set by the registrar (seventh week of the following term).
* Attendance: Attendance is required for all courses in the department. Missing more than 3 class meetings will adversely affect your grade.
* : All written assignments must be uploaded to Turnitin via our course Moodle site. Papers will not be graded until the assignment has been posted on Turnitin.
* In order to receive credit toward the major or minor you must receive a grade of C- or higher in this course.
* Reasonable and appropriate accommodations, that take into account the context of the course and its essential elements, for individuals with qualifying disabilities, are extended through the office of Student Disability Services. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact the Student Disability Services Coordinator at (925) 631-4164 to set up a confidential appointment to discuss accommodation guidelines and available services.
* Be sure to regularly back-up copies of your work in this course. Computer problems are not an excuse for turning work in late. Also, save all work for at least one semester after the course is over.
* There is a Moodle account for this course. We will need to use it from time to time.
* You also MUST check your Saint Mary’s email on a regular basis!
* Papers must conform to the following specifications: 1) one inch margins on all sides. 2) Times New Roman 12 point font. 3) double-spaced. 4) page numbers on all pages. 5) stapled.
* Late assignments will be marked down as follows: 1-2 days late: 1/3 of a letter grade. 3-5 days late: 2/3 of a letter grade. 6-7 days late: 1 letter grade. No assignments will be accepted over one week late, except under extreme circumstances. Weekend days count as “days.”
* Technology policy: You are permitted to use personal electronic devices in class only for the purpose of taking notes or for looking up information when prompted by the professor. All other non-course related use of technology will be penalized by a mark of absence of the day of the violation.
* With the exception of the number of assignments and their proportion of the final grade, this syllabus is subject to minor changes.
*Required Books (available at the Saint Mary's bookstore and elsewhere).
Slim’s Table: Race, Respectability, and Masculinity, Mitchell Duneier
Writing Research Papers Across the Curriculum, Susan M. Hubbich
Assorted Readings on e-reserve – see syllabus
* Recommended book: A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers, The Sociology Writing Group
Week 1: Introductions / Exploring social identities
Tuesday, September 3
Welcome/Introductions/Overview – Introduction to the sociological imagination
Thursday, September 5
Reading: “The Promise” from The Sociological Imagination by C.W. Mills (e-reserve)
Week 2: Slim’s Table
September 10:
Slim’s Table: Parts I– discussion organized by student volunteers
Hubbich text, chapter 4
September 12
Slim’s Table: Part II – discussion organized by student volunteers
Week 3: Slim’s Table
September 17
Slim’s Table: Part III – discussion organized by student volunteers
September 19
Slim’s Table: Part IV – discussion organized by student volunteers
Bring a copy of an academic book review of Slim’s Table to class today
Week 4: Writing and Methods
September 24
Writing strategies -- Critical reading, paraphrasing, avoiding plagiarism, outlines, revising, etc.
Hubbich text, chapter 5
September 26 Methods
Lecture: Exploratory and Explanatory research questions; inductive and deductive research, independent and dependent variables, hypothesis, the limits of empirical knowledge, different methodological tools, choosing the right method for the right question, participant observation.
Start your participant observation!
Week 5:More methods
October 1
Lecture: conceptualizing and operationalizing variables, unit of analysis, population, sampling techniques, research ethics
October 3 [the Slim’s Table paper is due in class today]
Lecture: Survey methods. We will begin constructing a brief survey in class today.
Week 6: Library and Writing Resources
October 8 Library Session
Library Research session: we will review resources and strategies for finding the appropriate academic sources for your research papers.
Begin searching for and reading the three academic peer-reviewed articles that will be the basis of your literature review paper due October 22.
Hubbich text, Chapter 3
October 10 Writing Workshop
Bring to class one of the articles you have found so far in your literature review
How to incorporate sources into your essays. Workshop with CWAC staff.
Week 7: Research updates/Durkheim
October 15
Participant observation update. Survey update. Literature search update.
Surveys to begin today.
October 17
Emile Durkheim, “The Dualism of Human Nature and its Social Conditions” (e-reserve)
Week 8: Sociological Theory: Durkheim
October 22 Literature Review papers are due in class today.
Lecture: Durkheim’s sociology
October 24
NO CLASS, midterm holiday
Week 9: Sociological Theory: Marx
October 29
Karl Marx, “The Communist Manifesto” (e-reserve)
October 31
Lecture: Marx’s sociology
Survey data collection ends. Analysis to begin.
Week 10: Sociological Theory: Weber
November 5
Max Weber, “Class, Status, Party” (e-reserve)
November 7
Lecture: Weber’s sociology
Week 11: Sociological Theory: Symbolic Interactionism
November 12
Herbert Blumer, “Symbolic Interactionism” (e-reserve)
November 14
Erving Goffman, selections from The Presentation of Self in Everyday Life (e-reserve)
Week 12: Sociological Theory: Dubois/feminist theory
November 19
W.E.B. Dubois, selections from The Souls of Black Folk (e-reserve)
November 21
Patricia Hill Collins, “Defining Black Feminist Thought” (e-reserve)
Week 13: Thanksgiving week
November 26
Research progress reports
November 28: No Class. Thanksgiving.
Week 14: Last week of class
December 3
Film: Frozen River
December 5
Last day of class!
Applying theories to explain aspects of Frozen River
Final questions answered!
Finals Week
The final exam is on December 10 from 9-11 AM. Research journals due. Final paper due.
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Appendix A
Sociological Imagination final paper suggested guidelines
The final paper is due May 22nd. It should be between 7-10 pages, roughly. The following guidelines will help you as you organize and write the paper.
1. Introduction: Explain what the research question is, what inspired the question (Slim’s Table), why it is of interest, what methods were used to collect the data (participant observation and maybe an interview), and what your findings are (what your argument is). You all started with the exploratory question, “How do members of the SMC community interact with each other in the Sodexo cafeteria and/or Café’ Louis?” Many of you may have asked a more explanatory question as the research progressed. An example of an explanatory question is, “do women behave differently in the cafeteria than men?” Your argument (findings) is the answer to your research question. (no more than one page)
2. Literature Review: explain briefly what other researchers have learned by studying a similar question. Find 3 journal articles that are somewhat related to your research question. After you have understood the other scholar’s research questions, methods, and findings you should offer your critique of the existing research (for instance, does the existing literature ask the right question? Use the right methods? Choose the right sample? Is there agreement or disagreement between scholars on the answer to the research question? Write an integrated literature review that summarizes globally what you’ve learned from the literature. This section is a revision of your literature review paper from earlier in the semester. (about 2 pages)
3. Methods: Describe what methods you used to collect data. Describe how often you conducted fieldwork, where you conducted it, and how you made observations and took notes. Did you conduct any interviews? Describe why you think participant observation and possibly interviews are good methods to help you answer your research question. Also, discuss the survey we conducted as a class. Describe how we sampled and what sort of data we gathered. (no more than one to two pages)
4. Findings: Present the data. Explain what you learned by doing this research. What do the data tell you about your research question? Be sure to use rich descriptions and observations from your field notes to support your argument. Also use the appropriate cross-tabs as needed to make your argument. Your job is to convince the reader that you have the data (the detailed observations and survey data) to support your argument. (approx. 3 pages)
5. Discussion: some people combine the “discussion” section with the “findings” section. Some write it separately. It is up to you. In any case, between these two sections you need to present the data and analyze the data – tell us how you interpret the data and what you think it all means. Furthermore, the “discussion” section should indicate what theoretical perspective might be used best to make sense of these findings. It should also show how your findings support or challenging other studies in the literature. (no more than one page)
6. Conclusion: Wrap it all up. This is a good time to make some comments about what you learned about participant observation (strengths and weaknesses), what you would do differently next time, or what related research questions you think others should ask in the future. If you have any personal recommendations (for instance, about how SMC or Sodexo might change their way of doing business) it would be in this section. (no more than one page)
7. References: Be sure to cite each source using proper ASA formatting.
Appendix B: ASA formatting
References in the main text:
Include the last name of the author and the year of publication. In order to avoid plagiarism (inappropriately using another person's words without proper citation), you must directly quote verbatim, using quotation marks and the name, date, and page number in parentheses, or you must paraphrase and mention the source of the idea (name and date only).
Use page numbers only when you quote an author's words:
Sociological analysis of cities is “critical to achieving far-reaching social change in this century,” according to Duncan (1959:71).
If the author's name is in the text, follow the name with the year in parentheses:
According to Duncan (1959), sociological analysis of cities is critical to creating positive social change in America.
If the author's name is not in the text, enclose both the last name and year in parentheses:
Sociological analysis of cities is critical to creating social change (Duncan 1959).
For joint authors, use both last names:
(Martin and Bailey 1988)
For institutional authorship, supply minimum identification in the text and the complete citation under References:
(U.S. Bureau of the Census 1963:117)
Separate a series of references with a semicolon:
(Burgess 1968; Maxwell 1971)
If there is no date for a publication, use "n.d." in place of the year.
For unpublished materials, use “forthcoming” to indicate material scheduled for publication. For dissertations and unpublished papers, cite the date:
(Smith, forthcoming)
For works with three authors, list all last names in the first citation in the text; thereafter use “et al.” For more than three authors, use “et al.” throughout:
(Carr, Smith, and Jones 1962), then (Carr et al. 1962)
Block quotations are presented in smaller type and are set off in a separate, indented paragraph. They are not enclosed in quotation marks:
As stated by Wright and Jacobs (1994):
The variation in men's earnings relative to their peers in the labor force was not a reliable predictor of men's attrition. This finding is inconsistent with the prediction that declines in earnings are responsible for male flight from feminizing occupations. (P. 531).
Footnotes & Endnotes:
Endnotes are used to explain or amplify text, cite materials of limited availability, or append information presented in a table or figure. Number endnotes and list them at the end of your paper. Increasingly people use endnotes rather than footnotes and use either one sparingly as they tend to disrupt the flow of the text. Use footnotes and endnotes only when necessary. Footnotes appear at the bottom of the page in which they originate.
Miscellaneous Style & Grammar Matters:
Foreign words in your text should be italicized. Commonly used foreign words or terms, however, should appear in regular type. Examples are per se, ad hoc, and et al.
When using an acronym, spell out the complete term the first time you use it and present the acronym in parentheses:
First use: “The Current Population Survey (CPS) includes . . . .”
Later: “CPS data show that . . .”
Equations in the text should be typed or printed. Use consecutive Arabic numerals in parentheses at the right margin to identify important equations. Align all expressions and clearly mark compound subscripts and superscripts.
Do not use abbreviations such as etc., e.g., or i.e. in your text. However, you may use these abbreviations in parenthetical information:
For example, some terms used in specific areas of sociology are not readily understood by the general sociologist (e.g., cultural capital, etc.).
Cited References (Reference List):
A bibliography includes all the works you read or scanned during the writing process. List references in alphabetical order by authors' last names. References without an author name appear at the beginning of the list. For two or more references by the same author, list them in order of the year of publication. Use six hyphens and a period (------.) in place of the name when the authorship is the same as in the preceding citation. To list two or more works by the same author from the same year, distinguish them by adding letters (a, b, c, etc.) to the year and list in alphabetical order by the title.
Sample formats:
Books:
Berlin, Gorden and Andrew Sum. 1988. Toward a More Perfect Union: Basic Skills, Poor Families, and Our Economic Future. New York: Ford Foundation.
Mason, Karen O. 1974. Women's Labor Force Participation and Fertility. Research Triangle Park, NC: National Institutes of Health.
U.S. Bureau of the Census. 1960. Characteristics of Population. Vol. 1. Washington, DC: U.S. Government Printing Office.
Journal Articles:
Conger, Rand D. Forthcoming. “The Effects of Positive Feedback on Direction and Amount of Verbalization in a Social Setting.” Sociological Perspectives.
Goodman, Leo A. 1947a. “Exploratory Latent Structure Analysis Using Both Identifiable and Unidentifiable Models.” Biometrika 61:215-31.
------. 1947b. “Systems in Qualitative Variables When Some of the Variables Are Unobservable, Part I – A Modified Latent Structure Approach.” American Journal of Sociology 79:1179-1259.
In most cases, journal pages are numbered consecutively within a volume year. Therefore you can often omit the issue number. Include the issue number or month only when it is needed to distinguish one issue from another within a volume year.
Articles from Collected Works/Chapters in Books:
Clausen, John A. 1972. “The Life Course of Individuals.” Pp. 457-514 in Aging and Society, vol. 3, A Sociology of Age Stratification, edited by M. W. Riley, M. Johnson, and A. Foner. New York: Russell Sage.
Unpublished Manuscripts:
Osterman, Paul. 1990. “Welfare Participation in a Full Employment Economy: The Impact of Family Structure and Neighborhood.” Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA. Unpublished manuscript.
Mechanics:
Page Numbering: Although you count pages from the first page of the text, page numbering starts to appear on the second page (as page 2). Carry the numbers system through endnotes and references.
Tables: Number consecutively throughout the text. Place tables at the end of the paper, but refer to them in the text by number. Each table includes a descriptive title and headings for both columns and rows.
Figures and Other Artwork: Number consecutively throughout the text. Place figures at the end of the paper, but refer to them in the text by number. Each figure must have a descriptive title and appropriate headings.
Appendix C: Essay Grading Matrix
| |The A essay |The B essay |The C essay |The D essay |
|Purpose |The A essay exhibits a |The B essay exhibits a |The C essay addresses the |The D essay may lack |
| |strong sense of purpose and|clear sense of purpose and |topic and has good focus. |coherence or the discussion|
| |audience, and has a clearly|audience, and has a |The essay, however, may not|may be weak or overly |
| |defined focus. It exhibits|sufficiently narrow focus. |explore the topic with |general. The overall sense|
| |depth and complexity in its|It explores the topic in |sufficient complexity or it|of purpose of the essay may|
| |analysis and originality in|some depth and with some |may be too broad. Relevant|not be clear or consistent.|
| |its thought. It is |complexity. It uses course|pieces of information from |Course material may not be |
| |grounded in course material|material effectively and, |the course may be missing |used effectively or it may |
| |and demonstrates an |for the most part, shows a |and the understanding of |be missing entirely. The |
| |excellent understanding of |strong understanding of the|the sociological |essay may not demonstrate a|
| |sociology. It fully meets |course material. For the |perspective may be uneven. |basic understanding of |
| |the expectations of the |most part it meets the |It may not fully satisfy |sociology. It may be |
| |assignment and may exceed |expectations of the |each expectation of the |lacking in some essential |
| |expectations. |assignment. |assignment. |elements of the assignment.|
|Organization and Development |The A essay is |The B essay proceeds |The C essay offers textual |The D essay may fail to |
| |distinguished by sound |logically and offers |evidence. However, this |provide adequate textual |
| |logic. It offers |appropriate textual |support may not be |evidence. It may |
| |sufficient and appropriate |evidence. It is a |evaluated or analyzed |substitute repetition for |
| |support in the form of |generally unified essay, |thoroughly or thoughtfully.|development. It may lack a|
| |concrete, specific, and |with a clear introduction, |The C essay has an |clear structure and |
| |relevant evidence. It is a|coherent paragraphs and |introduction, body and |paragraphs may lack |
| |unified essay that proceeds|effective transitions. Its|conclusion, generally |coherence. Transitions may|
| |coherently with an |conclusion attempts to draw|unified paragraphs, and |be awkward or nonexistent. |
| |effective introduction, |together preceding insights|transitions between | |
| |well-developed and unified |in a new way. |paragraphs. However, it | |
| |paragraphs, graceful | |may proceed formulaically | |
| |transitions, and a | |or mechanically. The | |
| |conclusion that explores | |conclusion may not move | |
| |the implications of the | |beyond the initial thesis. | |
| |preceding analysis. | | | |
|Language |The A essay has skillfully |The B essay, sentences are |The C essay employs |The D essay often lacks |
| |crafted and effectively |sufficiently varied. |readable prose, but the |variety in sentence |
| |varied sentences. Language|Language is generally |sentences may be simple and|structure and suffers from |
| |is fresh, precise, and |concise and appropriate. |lack variety. There may be|inappropriate diction. |
| |economical. It maintains a| |awkward and confusing |Sentences are often awkward|
| |consistent and appropriate | |sentences. |and ideas are unclear. |
| |tone. | | | |
|Mechanics |The A essay is free of |The B essay employs |The C essay employs |A D essay is often |
| |errors in grammar, syntax, |generally correct grammar, |generally correct grammar, |characterized by |
| |and spelling |syntax, and spelling. |syntax and spelling. |grammatical errors such as |
| | |Errors, when they appear, |Errors, however, may be |but not limited to; |
| | |do not detract from the |serious enough to detract |fragments, run-ons, comma |
| | |overall effectiveness of |from the effectiveness of |splices, agreement error, |
| | |the essay. |the essay. |shifts in tense, voice, or |
| | | | |mood, spelling errors. |
|Tasks of the assignment | | | | |
The F essay is seriously deficient. It may exhibit a poor grasp of the assignment or be deficient in purpose, organization, language and/or mechanics.
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