Question description
1
ASSIGNMENT 3
USING A SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH
Due Week 10: 200 points
By now, you have practiced and should understand the
sociological research process. You also have a good handle on
how the major sociological theories explain social issues. Now, it’s
your turn to apply this knowledge. For your final assignment, you’ll
review a research article to identify the research conclusion. Then,
you’ll take another look at that conclusion from the perspective of
one of the major sociological theories.
Instructions:
Complete all three parts of the assignment by
following the instructions below.
PART A: WHAT DID THE RESEARCHERS LEARN?
1)
Article Review
:
a)
Prepare to complete your assignment by
reviewing the articles below. Select one for the
focus of your assignment.
•
Money, Not Access, Key to Resident Food
Choices in ‘Food Deserts’
https://news.ncsu.edu/2017/03/money-
food-deserts-2017/
2
•
“The narrowing, but persistent, gender gap in
pay”
http://www.pewresearch.org/fact-
tank/2017/04/03/gender-pay-gap-facts/
•
“Bridging a Digital Divide That Leaves
Schoolchildren Behind”
https://www.nytimes.com/2016/02/23/
technology/fcc-internet-access-school.html
b)
Review your selected article several times to
familiarize yourself with the content before going
to the next step of this assignment.
2)
Learn
: Use the research information in the article to
answer the questions below. You should write at least
one paragraph for this step. Refer to Chapter 2 of your
webtext as necessary.
a)
What were the key findings of the research?
b)
What conclusion was drawn from the research?
PART B: WHAT WOULD THE THEORIES SAY?
Remember
: The four major sociological theories are Functional
–
ism, Conflict Theory, Symbolic Interactionism, and Rational Choice
Theory. For more information, review Sections 1.8 – 1.12 in your
webtext.
Use one of the four major sociological theories to explain the key
findings in the research article you reviewed in Part A. You should
write two paragraphs, one for each question.
a)
How would this theory explain the key findings or
conclusion of the research in the article?
b)
What limitations does this theory demonstrate
in addressing the problem examined in the
research article?
3
PART C: WHAT DO YOU THINK?
Use your article to help answer the questions below. You should
write two paragraphs, one for each question.
a)
What would you suggest to address this
problem?
b)
What additional research would you conduct
to help address the problem examined in the
research article?
Your assignment must follow these formatting requirements:
•
Use Times New Roman font (size 12), with one-inch
margins on all sides.
•
Use section headers (Learn, Theory, and Solution) and
write left indented paragraphs under each correspond
–
ing section.
•
References are not required for this assignment as you
will use one of the assigned articles and your webtext.
•
Include a cover page containing the title of the assign
–
ment, the student’s name, the professor’s name, the
course title, and the date.
4
RUBRIC
Grading for this assignment will be based on the following rubric:
POINTS: 200
ASSIGNMENT 3: USING A SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH
Criteria
Unacceptable
Below 60% – F
Meets Minimum
Expectations
60-69% – D
Fair
70-79% – C
Proficient
80-89% – B
Exemplary
90-100% – A
1. Describe the
key findings of
the researchers
and the conclu
–
sion drawn from
the research.
Weight: 20%
Does not de
–
scribe the key
findings and/or
conclusion and
does not pro
–
vide supporting
details.
Inaccurately
describes key
findings or con
–
clusion and sup
–
porting details
are sparse.
Partially de
–
scribes key
findings and con
–
clusion but some
of the supporting
details are miss
–
ing.
Accurately
describes key
findings and
conclusion and
includes support
–
ing details.
Accurately
describes key
findings and
conclusion and
includes sup
–
porting details.
Demonstrates
strong under
–
standing by using
sociology terms
and providing
logical, accurate,
and concise infor
–
mation.
2. Use a major
sociological the
–
ory to explain
the key findings
or conclusion,
and address any
limitations of
the theory.
Weight: 40%
Does not use a
major sociolog
–
ical theory to
explain the key
findings or con
–
clusion and does
not address the
–
ory limitations.
Inaccurately
uses a major
sociological
theory to explain
the key findings
or conclusion,
or inaccurately
addresses theory
limitations and
supporting de
–
tails are sparse.
Partially uses
a major socio
–
logical theory
to explain the
key findings or
conclusion, or
partially address
–
es theory limita
–
tions, but some
of the supporting
details are miss
–
ing.
Accurately uses
a major socio
–
logical theory
to explain the
key findings
or conclusion,
and addresses
theory limitations
with supporting
details.
Accurately uses
a major socio
–
logical theory
to explain the
key findings
or conclusion,
and addresses
theory limitations
with supporting
details. Demon
–
strates strong
understanding by
using sociology
terms and provid
–
ing logical, accu
–
rate, and concise
information.
5
POINTS: 200
ASSIGNMENT 3: USING A SOCIOLOGICAL APPROACH
Criteria
Unacceptable
Below 60% – F
Meets Minimum
Expectations
60-69% – D
Fair
70-79% – C
Proficient
80-89% – B
Exemplary
90-100% – A
3. Propose a
solution and
additional re
–
search ideas.
Weight: 30%
Does not pro
–
pose a solution
or does not pro
–
vide additional
research ideas.
Proposes a solu
–
tion that isn’t
fully aligned with
the key findings
of the research,
or the support
–
ing details for
the additional
research ideas
are sparse.
Proposes a
solution that isn’t
fully aligned with
the key findings
of the research,
or the additional
research ideas
are missing
details.
Proposes a
solution that is
aligned with the
key findings of
the research, and
provides addi
–
tional research
ideas that in
–
clude supporting
details.
Proposes a
solution that is
aligned with the
key findings of
the research, and
provides addi
–
tional research
ideas that in
–
clude supporting
details. Demon
–
strates strong
understanding
by using sociolo
–
gy terms.
4. Write in a
skillful manner
using stated
formatting and
correct gram
–
mar and spell
–
ing.
Weight: 10%
Writing does not
meet minimal
standards. Tone
is not appro
–
priate. Wholly
lacking in logic,
clarity, and/or
stated format
–
ting. Contains
many spelling
and/or grammat
–
ical errors.
Writing meets
minimal stan
–
dards. Tone is
not appropri
–
ate. Lacking
one or more
of logic, clarity,
and/or stated
formatting. May
contain many
spelling and/
or grammatical
errors.
Writing is satis
–
factory. Appro
–
priate and/or
consistent tone
is developing.
Shows moder
–
ate logic, clarity,
and/or stated
formatting.
May contain
more than a few
spelling and/
or grammatical
errors.
Writing is profi
–
cient. Tone is ap
–
propriate. Shows
logic, clarity,
and stated
formatting. May
contain few or
no spelling and/
or grammatical
errors.
Writing is ex
–
cellent. Tone is
appropriate and
demonstrates
excellent word
choice. Shows
exceptional
logic, clarity, and
stated format
–
ting. Contains no
spelling or gram
–
matical errors.
