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Group Project Assignment #2 (Group)

Group Fact Sheet

Due: Wednesday, October 12th

You and your group members must design a “fact sheet”. A fact sheet provides a brief summary of the important data, research, facts and information on your social problem. The purpose of this assignment is to give students the opportunity to conduct in-depth research about a sociological issue. This project will provide you with the opportunity to access the Mizzou’s library’s website to find academic and scholarly resources (academic journals, books, government reports and research reports).

Keep in Mind:

This project is designed to look at how social systems affect individual behaviors. So taking a person blame approach (as discussed in class) is inappropriate for this assignment. This is a class and project focused on social problems.

Format:

The fact sheet will be 3 pages in length (not including the reference page(s)), single spaced, 12 point font, Times New Roman, and 1” margins. The design of the fact sheets is flexible as long as the required elements are present. Your challenge is to make something that is easy for anyone to follow, visually interesting, and creative.

Resources:

There are many examples of facts on the web. I will be available to answer questions and to review your assignment prior to completion. Please do not hesitate to talk to me if you are having any difficulties! All students must be actively engaged in their group project and you will have the opportunity to evaluate your team members. If a student fails to participate in any meaningful way they may, at the instructor’s discretion, receive a zero for the entire assignment.

Requirements:

Your fact sheet should include a minimum of 10 research sources, 5 of which must be scholarly journals (e.g. American Journal of Sociology, Annual Review of Sociology, Social Forces, etc.). The additional 5 sources must come from either books, government websites (i.e. end in .gov), or another source that is pre-approved by the instructor. If you want to use a website that does not end in .gov you must ask the instructor for pre-approval. Non-.gov sites that are not preapproved will not count toward your 10 references. Websites such as Wikipedia, WebMD, About.com, etc. are not peer reviewed or even reliable and will not be allowed in this project. Therefore, inclusion of such sites will result in an automatic failing grade for this part of the project. All sources must be published within the last 10 years. All references should be cited using ASA format. Go to http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/583/1/ for ASA style guide

The Fact Sheets must include the following:

· Facts and Trends - Include the latest information and statistical trends related to your topic.

· Facts and trends should be up to date and provide a general overview of the prevalence, incidence, and/or impact of the group’s topic in the U.S. This is the most substantive part of the fact sheet.

· Each fact and/trend must be supported by at least one scholarly source.

· Compare the U.S. with other nations, if appropriate.

· Report state and local facts (if available) in subsections.

· Issues and Perspectives - Include relevant issues related to your topic.

· It is important to include different perspectives and opposing arguments

· Represent arguments as different perspectives rather than facts

· National, State, and Local Resources - Include a list of resources where a reader can find additional information about your topic.

Fact Sheet Rubric

Components	Points
Organization and Clarity (10 points)
· Fact sheets must be neat, clear, and presented in an organized manner	_______/2.5 points
· The paper should be typed, single-spaced; 12-point font, 1” margins, & 3 pages not including the reference page (number all pages & staple!)	_______/2.5 points
· Appropriate grammar and spelling	_______/2.5 points
· Avoids biased language	_______/2.5 points
Facts Sheet Content (60 points)
· Facts and Trends - Include the latest information and statistical trends related to your topic.	_______/20 points
· Issues and Perspectives - Include relevant issues related to your topic as well as opposing arguments	_______/20 points
· National, State, and Local Resources - Include a list of resources where a reader can find additional information about your topic	_______/20 points
Citations/Reference (15 points)
· Includes at least 10 current references (published within the past 10 years)	_______/5 points
· Appropriate use of ASA citation style (ASA Guide: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/583/1/ )	_______/5 points
· Reliable sources (scholarly journals or government agencies)	_______/5 points
Peer Evaluation (see below) (15 points)	_______/15 points
Total points	_______/100 points