SP Response

Response Paper Guidelines (Refer to Page 6 of the Syllabus)

Due 2.00pm April 28, 2021

Please read the description of the assignment provided on page 6 of the Syllabus, repeated below for your convenience.

Select on the following social issue/movement or a natural disaster;

Civil Rights Movement

Feminist Movement

Welfare Reform Act (1996)

Hurricane Katrina

Hurricane Maria

Write a 2-3 page essay addressing the following questions regarding the social issue/movement or a natural disaster that you have selected

a) Why and how do you think that it reflects a social problem?

b) How will you apply ‘Sociological Imagination’ in explaining it?

c) How are the issues of the race, class, gender stratification embedded in it?

It is advisable to pick a problem that you feel most passionately about and have knowledge about. The description of the problem should not be more than one paragraph. The rest of the paper should be devoted to answering the three specific questions that have been asked. To score high points, it is important that to write an analytical response rather than merely mention the concepts such as sociological imagination/intersections/social construction/various sociological perspectives. Also, make sure that you answer all the three questions. There will be a significant deduction of points in case you have not addressed all the three questions. I suggest you demarcate the answers to each part with a new paragraph.

The paper should be 2-3 pages, typed, double spaced, 12 font sized. The assignment is due at 2.00pm Wednesday, April 28, 2021. You are required to submit the assignment using the ‘Safe Assign’ mode. No email or late submissions will be accepted. The instructions for submission via ‘Safe Assign’ are provided in the ‘Student Tools’ section of the Blackboard. Safe Assign helps screen for plagiarism. The ‘Note on Plagiarism’ posted in the ‘Student Tools’ section of the Blackboard should be helpful in understanding what constitutes plagiarism. Also, see ‘Academic misconduct and plagiarism policy’ in the Syllabus (page 7). Follow the ‘Good Writing Style Tips’, ‘Note on Plagiarism’ and proof read the paper to avoid unnecessary loss of points. In order for the assignment to be graded, please make sure that you upload the assignment in a downloadable format and that you have responded to the right assignment. The downloaded format is MS Word or pdf.

I encourage you to carefully review the grading rubric provided below.

Once again, please note that any evidence of plagiarism would disqualify the assignment from receiving a grade. It may impact the final course grade too.

Grading rubric

Grade A – all the three questions answered; answered all three questions analytically with appropriate application of the sociological concepts; followed academic and professional writing style and ‘Good Writing Style Tips’ AND no evidence of plagiarism.

Contd. on next page

Grade B – all the three questions answered but not answered the questions very analytically yet demonstrated an attempt to apply the concepts; or not followed ‘Good Writing Style Tips’ AND no evidence of plagiarism.

Grade C – not answered one of the questions even if answered the other two very well or not answered any of the three questions using sociological concepts and theories AND no evidence of plagiarism.

Grade D or lower – not answered two or more questions even if used sociological concepts in answering the one of the three questions AND no evidence of plagiarism.

Grade F – evidence of plagiarism

Instruction on Page 6 on syllabus:

Response Paper – 10%

Write a 2-3 page essay addressing the following questions regarding the social issue;

a) Why and how do you think that it reflects a social problem?

b) How will you apply ‘Sociological Imagination’ in explaining it?

c) How are the issues of the race, class, gender stratification embedded in it?

The details of the Response Paper will be posted at least a week in advance of the submission date. You will use the ‘Safe Assign’ function under the Assignments button of the Blackboard to submit assignments. I will not accept assignments sent via email. Please pay very close attention to the ‘Late Work and Extension Policy’ delineated above.

General Instructions for all Write-ups

The written assignments should be typed as double spaced with 12 font size and standard margins. As mentioned before, the written assignments will be graded on content, grammar, and expression. It is therefore important that you conduct spell check, and proof read the written assignments. Specific guidelines outlining the expectations and the format of the papers will be provided in advance. You will find tips on good writing style posted on the Blackboard posted in the ‘Course Tools’ section.

Once again, all written assignments need to be submitted via Safe Assign. Please make sure that you have the file ready in the correct downloadable (that is MS Word or pdf) format and that is indeed the final version that you wish to submit. Further, please make sure that you have submitted the correct assignment.