Sociology

Writing in Sociology

A Quick Model

Introduction

1. Explain what Sociology is and how sociologists study things.

2. Describe the phenomenon (fact or situation) the essay is about.

3. Give a statistic or fact about the phenomenon being discussed in the essay.

4. Explain why discussing or studying this fact or situation is important to society.

5. Provide the structure of your paper by describing to the reader what you will do.

Theory

1. Explain how/why sociologists use theory. 2. Give a brief description of the perspective’s

influential (classic, modern or contemporary) thinkers.

3. Explain how the theory relates to the phenomenon you are writing about.

4. Continue to explain how the theory relates to the phenomenon you are writing about.

5. Continue to relate theory to the phenomenon you are writing about.

Core Point 1

Go back to your thesis from the introduction and select the first concept to write about.

1. Define the first concept in your thesis (what a credentialing society?).

2. Explain how America or a subgroup may fit into the concept (credentialing society).

3. Explain how the concept (credentialing society) contributes to your topic (housing insecurity).

4. Continue to explain how the concept (credentialing society) contributes to your topic.

5. Continue to relate how the concept (credentialing society) contributes to the topic.

Core Point 2

Go back to your thesis from the introduction and select the second concept to write about.

1. Define the second concept in your thesis (class vs caste system).

2. Explain how America or a subgroup may fit into the concept (caste system).

3. Explain how the concept (caste system) contributes to your topic (housing insecurity).

4. Continue to explain how the concept (caste system) contributes to your topic.

5. Continue to relate how the concept (caste system) contributes to the topic.

Recommendations

You presented an analysis of an issue (housing insecurity) now state what you recommend people do about it by focusing on one of the following categories (a) solve the problem, (b) manage the problem (c) learn more about the problem.

1. Summarize your use of theory and how your two core points relate to your issue.

2. Provide a recommendation for how the information in your paper can be used by others.

3. Elaborate on the recommendation. 4. Continue to elaborate on the recommendation. 5. State that the recommendation is necessary because the

topic is important to society.

Application Activity

Students will arrange the following sentences in order based on the provided model for writing various sections of a sociology paper.

A trend social researchers are finding is the growing rate of housing insecurity among working-class families unable to find and/or afford adequate housing.

For America to sustain itself as a global leader and economic powerhouse the country must have an informed and healthy workforce, which is not possible without access and the affordability of something as essential as a stable residence.

This paper makes a recommendation for mitigating the issue of housing insecurity by first using the Conflict Perspective and then discussing the interrelated factors of credentialing, which creates a perpetual underclass of Americans.

According to OpenStax (2015b), a single person working 40 hours a week at $8.00 an hour makes under $17,000 before taxes and deductions—this is only compounded for families with children who may not be able to afford ever increasing rents (p. 192).

The role of a sociologist is to explain why and how social issues occur and the groups most affected by a particular issue —this is important because the discipline uses evidence-based research to draw connections and make observations (OpenStax, 2015a, p. 2).

1. Explain what Sociology is and how sociologists study things.

2. Describe the phenomenon (fact or situation) the essay is about.

3. Give a statistic or fact about the phenomenon being discussed in the essay.

4. Explain why discussing or studying this fact or situation is important to society.

5. Provide the structure of your paper by describing to the reader what you will do.

A trend social researchers are finding is the growing rate of housing insecurity among working-class families unable to find and/or afford adequate housing.

For America to sustain itself as a global leader and economic powerhouse the country must have an informed and healthy workforce, which is not possible without access and the affordability of something as essential as a stable residence.

This paper makes a recommendation for mitigating the issue of housing insecurity by first using the Conflict Perspective and then discussing the interrelated factors of credentialing, which creates a perpetual underclass of Americans.

According to OpenStax (2015b), a single person working 40 hours a week at $8.00 an hour makes under $17,000 before taxes and deductions—this is only compounded for families with children who may not be able to afford ever increasing rents (p. 192).

The role of a sociologist is to explain why and how social issues occur and the groups most affected by a particular issue —this is important because the discipline uses evidence-based research to draw connections and make observations (OpenStax, 2015a, p. 2).

1. Explain what Sociology is and how sociologists study things.

2. Describe the phenomenon (fact or situation) the essay is about.

3. Give a statistic or fact about the phenomenon being discussed in the essay.

4. Explain why discussing or studying this fact or situation is important to society.

5. Provide the structure of your paper by describing to the reader what you will do.

Moreover, this perspective does not view inequality an inevitable feature of society but as “an output of intentional policies and structures that seemingly thrive on the illusion of scarcity”

The Conflict perspective is apt to discuss the issue of housing insecurity because it classically identifies two groups in society: those with stable access to housing they can afford and those without said resources.

According to Grice (2017a), “theory informs research and research informs theory” both are necessary to understand and explain human group behavior.

Within this same line of thought, according to OpenStax (2015d), the devaluing of the labor of America’s service-sector jobs reinforces meritocratic views on why certain groups cannot afford adequate housing (p. 197).

German philosopher, economist, and theorist Karl Marx is often cited (OpenStax, 2015c) as the “founder” of the Conflict perspective—but its theoretical framework has transition beyond his economic driven view of “the haves versus the have-nots” into a larger understanding of differences in power and resources (p. 67).

1. Explain how/why sociologists use theory.

2. Give a brief description of the perspective’s influential (classic, modern or contemporary) thinkers.

3. Explain how the theory relates to the phenomenon you are writing about.

4. Continue to explain how the theory relates to the phenomenon you are writing about.

5. Continue to relate theory to the phenomenon you are writing about.

Moreover, this perspective does not view inequality an inevitable feature of society but as “an output of intentional policies and structures that seemingly thrive on the illusion of scarcity”

The Conflict perspective is apt to discuss the issue of housing insecurity because it classically identifies two groups in society: those with stable access to housing they can afford and those without said resources.

According to Grice (2017a), “theory informs research and research informs theory” both are necessary to understand and explain human group behavior.

Within this same line of thought, according to OpenStax (2015d), the devaluing of the labor of America’s service-sector jobs reinforces meritocratic views on why certain groups cannot afford adequate housing (p. 197).

German philosopher, economist, and theorist Karl Marx is often cited (OpenStax, 2015c) as the “founder” of the Conflict perspective—but its theoretical framework has transition beyond his economic driven view of “the haves versus the have-nots” into a larger understanding of differences in power and resources (p. 67).

1. Explain how/why sociologists use theory.

2. Give a brief description of the perspective’s influential (classic, modern or contemporary) thinkers.

3. Explain how the theory relates to the phenomenon you are writing about.

4. Continue to explain how the theory relates to the phenomenon you are writing about.

5. Continue to relate theory to the phenomenon you are writing about.

This places the blame on the victim for not being able to afford adequate housing without fully investigating the implications of class reproduction or the social structures that allow for market [not people]-driven policies of higher rents [versus corporate responsible practices] (Grice, 2017c).

In short, America has created a system that punishes (e.g. low-pay, undervalued jobs) citizens without specific credentials instead of providing viable pathways to economic vitality, which lends itself to stable housing.

Starting at the elementary school level, kids are now expected to begin thinking about college—but from a fear-based perspective of not being prepared or successful.

Unfortunately, American society over-relies on this limited concept as a primary measure of who is successful or unsuccessful; creating two classes or groups in society (i.e., those who can afford housing, and those who are housing insecure).

Credentialism can be defined as an over “emphasis on certificates or degrees to show that a person has a certain skill, has attained a certain level of education, or has met certain job qualifications”

1. Define the first concept in your thesis (what a credentialing society?).

2. Explain how America or a subgroup may fit into the concept (credentialing society).

3. Explain how the concept (credentialing society) contributes to your topic (housing insecurity).

4. Continue to explain how the concept (credentialing society) contributes to your topic.

5. Continue to relate how the concept (credentialing society) contributes to the topic.

This places the blame on the victim for not being able to afford adequate housing without fully investigating the implications of class reproduction or the social structures that allow for market [not people]-driven policies of higher rents [versus corporate responsible practices] (Grice, 2017c).

In short, America has created a system that punishes (e.g. low-pay, undervalued jobs) citizens without specific credentials instead of providing viable pathways to economic vitality, which lends itself to stable housing.

Starting at the elementary school level, kids are now expected to begin thinking about college—but from a fear-based perspective of not being prepared or successful.

Unfortunately, American society over-relies on this limited concept as a primary measure of who is successful or unsuccessful; creating two classes or groups in society (i.e., those who can afford housing, and those who are housing insecure).

Credentialism can be defined as an over “emphasis on certificates or degrees to show that a person has a certain skill, has attained a certain level of education, or has met certain job qualifications”

1. Define the first concept in your thesis (what a credentialing society?).

2. Explain how America or a subgroup may fit into the concept (credentialing society).

3. Explain how the concept (credentialing society) contributes to your topic (housing insecurity).

4. Continue to explain how the concept (credentialing society) contributes to your topic.

5. Continue to relate how the concept (credentialing society) contributes to the topic.

The Conflict perspective provides an insight into the intersectional factors of how America’s credentialing society leads to economic instability and social segregation.

Because housing insecurity is one of many problems affecting America’s families and its workforce it is important to address this issue with scalable and comprehensive programs.

In addition to mixed-use/mixed-income developments, the federal government should recalculate the income limits for qualifying for subsidized-housing vouchers—this will assist many working class families without ghettoizing them.

The paper hereof only scratches the metaphoric surface in addressing this issue, therefore more research and a deeper exploration of the everyday social implications of credentialing is necessary—yet, there are more programmatic steps that can be taken now.

For example, similar to mixed-used developments that blend retail and commercial space with residential housing, cities should encourage developers to build mixed-income housing developments.

1. Summarize your use of theory and how your two core points relate to your issue.

2. Provide a recommendation for how the information in your paper can be used by others.

3. Elaborate on the recommendation. 4. Continue to elaborate on the

recommendation. 5. State that the recommendation is

necessary because the topic is important to society.

The Conflict perspective provides an insight into the intersectional factors of how America’s credentialing society leads to economic instability and social segregation.

Because housing insecurity is one of many problems affecting America’s families and its workforce it is important to address this issue with scalable and comprehensive programs.

In addition to mixed-use/mixed-income developments, the federal government should recalculate the income limits for qualifying for subsidized-housing vouchers—this will assist many working class families without ghettoizing them.

The paper hereof only scratches the metaphoric surface in addressing this issue, therefore more research and a deeper exploration of the everyday social implications of credentialing is necessary—yet, there are more programmatic steps that can be taken now.

For example, similar to mixed-used developments that blend retail and commercial space with residential housing, cities should encourage developers to build mixed-income housing developments.

1. Summarize your use of theory and how your two core points relate to your issue.

2. Provide a recommendation for how the information in your paper can be used by others.

3. Elaborate on the recommendation. 4. Continue to elaborate on the

recommendation. 5. State that the recommendation is

necessary because the topic is important to society.