The paper assignment for this course is intended to help you improve your critical thinking skills and to help you develop deeper connections between the material we are learning and real-life experiences. In particular, you can use this short essay as an opportunity to link the concepts we are learning in class with the real world. Make sure you choose a topic that interests you in order to make this assignment enjoyable.
List of Topics you can choose from:
Race and Family Stereotypes in the Media
Work and Family
Family, Race and the Criminal Justice System
Gender and the Workplace
Divorce
Modern Parenting
Gender Socialization
LGBTQ Adoption
Family Planning: Access to Birth Control and Abortion
Family and Poverty
A Few tips
Use topic sentences when beginning new paragraphs. The first sentence of a paragraph should convey what you intend to discuss in that paragraph.
Define terms clearly. It’s easy to vaguely reference sociological concepts in a paper, but you should define the terms you use.
Cite your sources. I do not require a specific citation style, but you should give a citation if you use quoted material and/or specific concepts. You could use APA, ASA or MLA.
Use a statistic or two when appropriate. Most textbooks and our lectures are full of interesting statistics, and you can also find additional statistics on from the Census Bureau website [as one example].
Edit and revise your papers and use the proper paper formatting [mentioned above].
GRADING CRITERIA FOR REFLECTION ESSAY
Principles of Sociology
Reflection essays should be double-spaced, 12-point font, Times New Roman with one-inch margins.
Content and Depth [80 points total]
_____Author highlights necessary points/concepts/themes from course material.
_____Author analyzes points/concepts/themes in an in-depth manner.
_____Author uses clear evidence from readings/course materials and library sources to support all statements/assertions/connections to movie chosen.
_____Author displays critical comprehension of the points/concepts/themes.
Stylistic Presentation and Structure [20 points total]
_____Paper begins with an introduction describing points/concepts/themes you intend to cover.
_____Paper ends with a short summary of your conclusions.
_____Paper is the appropriate length and is formatted correctly.
_____Paper is well-written with few grammatical or spelling errors.
For this reflection paper, you should choose one of the topics listed below. Your paper should draw connections between the topic and the sociological considerations of marriage and family covered in this class.
Provide an introduction that briefly summarizes your topic and tells the reader what your paper is about. Next, give a thorough description of each concept or theme within your topic using course materials. You may use your own life experiences/story as an example, but make sure to always support your claims with existing research. You will also need to provide a conclusion that recaps your main points and closes your essay with a final thought. USE IN-TEXT CITATIONS and include a reference page.
List of Topics you can choose from:
Race and Family Stereotypes in the Media
Work and Family
Family, Race and the Criminal Justice System
Gender and the Workplace
Divorce
Modern Parenting
Gender Socialization
LGBTQ Adoption
Family Planning: Access to Birth Control and Abortion
Family and Poverty
