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3. Note: The 620 course point total includes two 70-point essays worth 140 points. No one has to write any essays for any exams. However, students who elect not to write one or two essays for exams will have to find the 70-140 points elsewhere from among the extra credit opportunities.
4. Writing the Essay. Essays must be six pages in length or somewhat longer if you wish, not counting a cover page if there is one. The writer should use one-inch margins on all six pages, double spaced, and with the font not larger than 12. The essays may be submitted electronically as an email or Word or WordPerfect document. Articulation, continuity, coherence, integration, and command of the materials and facts count, as does style and expression of sociological information. Submitted draft essays must be complete and must be at least five pages in length. 70-Point Essays and 35-Point Essays: What is the difference?
- 70-Point Essay. Students who submit a timely full (at least five pages) draft of an essay question and make the required revisions are the ones who will earn the 70 points. A timely full draft means 48 hours before the examination date, unless I change the submission deadline.
- 35 Point Essay. However, it is not a requirement that you submit a full draft. You can just hand in an essay on Exam day, without any input from me or without submitting it to me as a draft. Be aware, however, that such essays (without prior submission of full draft, without prior review by me, and without any revisions I ask being made) will earn no more than 35 points.
- Why the difference. The grading structure is designed to strongly encourage students to write and to submit their work to me for review, constructive criticism, and feedback from me. Very few students at this level can hand in a well-written college-level essay without instructor feedback, assistance, and review.
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All of the following essay questions are worth 70 points. Each must be at least 6 pages long, excluding any covere page; one-inch margins on all pages, and font no larger than 10 or 12. Drafts may be submitted by email. Final copy may also be submitted by email or on paper. If on paper, staple, number the pages, and sign the essay.
OUTLINE FOR EXAM ONE ESSAY:
DISCUSS WHAT IS SOCIOLOGY?
YOUR ESSAY MUST BE AT LEAST SIX PAGES IN LENGTH, EXCLUDING ANY COVER PAGE. THE MARGINS ON EACH PAGE MUST BE ONE INCH ON ALL SIDE. THE FONT MUST BE A 10 OR 12 FONT.
A WELL-WRITTEN, COHERENT, AND INTEGRATED ESSAY, NOT A SERIES OF SHORT ANSWERS. YOU MUST USE TRANSITION LANGUAGE TO MOVE FROM ONE SUBTOPIC TO ANOTHER SO THAT YOU HAVE ONE INTEGRATED ESSAY.
SOCIOLOGY AS A SOCIAL SCIENCE: WHY DID IT EMERGE AS A SCIENCE? Lecture & Text.
- The Origins of Sociology : Historical and Social contexts for its emergence
- The Sociological Imagination: Integration of Earl Babbies An Idea Whose Time Has Come.
- The Industrial Revolution.
- Ways of Knowing: common sense, revealed word, conventional wisdom, other social sciences
- Use the document in Blackboard entitled Social Sciences selectively.
WHAT IS SCIENCE AND THE SCIENTIFIC METHOD? Lecture & Text.
- Use the document in Blackboard entitled History of Science selectively.
- Definition of Science.
- Social, Historical, and Consequences of its Growth: contexts for its emergence.
- Major Steps of the Sociological Perspective in Blackboard.
- Strengths and limitations of the Scientific Method
SCIENCE THEORY. Text & Lecture.
- Definition of Theory in Science
- Popular versus Scientific meanings of Theory
- Advantages and Limitations of Scientific Theory
SCIENTIFIC SOCIOLOGY: Research Methodology Text.
You can use the texts overviews of the different research methodologies.
- Concepts, Variables, Measurement
- Reliability and Validity
- Correlation and Cause
- Participant Observation
- Survey Research
- Ethical issues in Sociological Research.
MAJOR SOCIOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVES. Text & Lecture.
You can use the texts overviews of the following:
- Continuous Concern: Social Stability versus Change
- Functionalist, Conflict, and Symbolic Interactionist
- Interpretative Sociology and Conflict Sociology.
Outline for Exam 1 Essay:
DISCUSS: HUMAN EVOLUTION AND CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT
HUMAN EVOLUTION: Definitions and Process of Human Evolution (Biology, Genetics, Paleoanthropology; Physical Anthropology):
The Basic Process (greatly oversimplied):
- DNA can change and/or mutate over time in a population
- Genetic Mutation: good, bad, and neutral.
- Speciation: over long, long periods of time, new species can result through evolution.
2. Process of Genetic (DNA) Mutations: a constant random process at the genetic level.
A. X rays
B. Cosmic rays
C. Nuclear radiation
D. Random chemical reactions in cells
3. Definition and Processes of Natural Selection: Randonness versus Natural Selection (which mutations live and are passed on; and which are not). Natural Selection is the mechanism of Evolution.
4. Dating Methodology
HUMAN EVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENT IN THE FOSSIL RECORD: Approximately 6 Million Years BCE (Before the Common Era) to the Present or CE (Common Era):
WHAT DEGREE OF CULTURAL DEVELOPMENT WAS AND IS POSSIBLE FOR EACH CATEGORY:
Religion?
Economics?
Politics?
Marriage and the Family?
Language?
Government?
Education?
Technology?
Writing?
Literature?
Agricultural surplus?
Settlements?
Cities?
Bureaucracy?
I. HOMINIDS: 7 million years ago to 1.4 million years ago.
Australopithecus ramidus
Australopithecus afarensis
Australopithecus africanus
Australopithecus robustus
II. HUMANS: 2.5 million years ago to the present.
Homo habilis.... first real human
Homoo erectus
Homo sapiens
Homo sapiens neanderthalensis
Homo sapiens sapiens...that's us, folks!
TODAY: UNIQUE CHARACTERISTICS OF HUMAN BEINGS MAKING CULTURE POSSIBLE
PHYSICAL AND ANATOMICAL CHACTERISTICS: (We do not have fur, speed, claws, fangs, strength, etc. of other primates and mammals.)
A. Brain size
B. Erect Posture and BiPedalism
C. Skin and Heat Diffusion
D. Hands and Opposable Thumb
E. Face and Eyes
F. Jaws and Teeth
G. Throat and Position of Larynx
H. Sexual Differentiation-Dimorphism
I. Retardation of Maturation
SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGICAL AND CULTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF MODERN HUMANS:
A. Symbols
B. Language
C. Norms
D. Laws
E. Mores
F. Folkways
G. Cognitive
H. Moods
I. Levels of Consciousness
J. Use of Language
K. Emotions
L. Suspension of Disbelief
N. Conceive Holistically
COMPONENTS OF CULTURE: TEXT & CLASS LECTURES
Do humans have Instincts?
EXAM 2 ESSAY
DISCUSS: U. S. STRUCTURED INEQUALITY & SOCIAL CLASSES: 70 points.
Six Pages
You may use materials from both the text and the handouts to develop and write this sociological essay. However, make sure you do not simply lift, verbatim or word for word,, text from your book. Make sure you translate any text in your OWN words. Do not just cut and paste from your text.
You should be able to develop a good solid essay utilizing at least 6 pages. However, please remember that length does not necessarily translate into higher quality. If you wish to go past six pages, that too, is fine, assuming the additional text is relevant, well integrated and coordinated.
I. Brief Introduction: Essay Objectives:
II. Structured Inequality in the US and Texas: An Essay of Six Pages
United States...Some Reasons for the Growing Inequality in Distribution of Income among American Households since the Early 1980s...Document in Blackboard in Announcements and in Course Documents, Chapter 8, and Class Lectures. One Page.
United States...Using the text (Macionis, Sociology: The Basics, Chapter 8, pages 186-210, for this section of the essay, summarize lectures notes and Chapter 8 materials that analyze Social Classes/Class Differences and Inequality, Social Mobility, and Poverty in the U.S. Textbook plus Class Lectures. Three pages.
Texas...The American Dream in Texas: Selected Income Categories for Selected Cities, 1990-2000-2001and Texas...Income Gap Continues to Grow Despite Strong Texas EconomyBoth of these documents are listed in Announcements and in Course Documents, Chapter 8. Summarize these two documents in Two Pages. Documents and Class Lectures.
EXAM 2: ESSAY
DISCUSS: SEX, GENDER, GENDER ROLES, AND SEXISM
Using materials from your text, Chapter 10: Gender Stratification, and class lectures, develop an integrated and coherent Sociological essay that incorporates the following Concepts. I do not want a series of separate and unrelated short answer essays. I want an integrated essay that uses all the concepts below to describe and explain US sex, gender, gender roles, and sexism in our society.
SEX
GENDER
PATRIARCHY
SEXISM
SEXUAL HARASSMENT
FEMINISM
HOUSEWORK
GENDER & SOCIALIZATION
GENDER & SOCIAL STRATIFICATION
GENDER, INCOME, WEALTH
WOMEN AS A MINORITY GROUP
VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN
BASIC IDEAS OF FEMINISM
TYPES OF FEMINISM
Incorporate and integrate the materials that have been placed in the Gender Inequality folder in Blackboard.
EXAM 2 ESSAY
DISCUSS: RACE, ETHNICITY, AND RACISM IN THE US
Write an Integrated and Coherent Essay that describes the United States Ethnic and Racial Relationships among different groups using the following Sociological Concepts:
Race
Ethnicity
Prejudice
Discrimination
Racism
Scapegoating
Institutional Racism (Discrimination)
Pluralism
Assimilation
Segregation
Genocide
As part of this Essay, integrate the most important points from the following Blackboard Documents:
Jim Crow: American Apartheid and Racism.
Black Noir Codes
Two articles on social sciences (Anthropologys) scientific view of Race.
Exam Three (Final Exam)
RELIGION ESSAY
70 POINTS
USING TEXT MATERIAL BUT PRIMARILY LECTURE MATERIALS, DEVELOP AN ESSAY ON THE SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION THAT INCLUDES THE COMPARISON AND CONTRAST OF THE FOLLOWING WORLD RELGIONS:
JUDAISM
CHRISTIANITY
ISLAM
HINDUISM
WHERE, HOW, AND WHY DID THEY ORIGINATE? WHAT DO THEY HAVE IN COMMON AND HOW AND WHERE DO THEY DIFFER? WHY ARE THEY STILL AROUND?
IN BLACKBOARD, YOU WILL FIND ADDITIONAL MATERIAL IN COURSE DOCUMENTS, UNDER THE CHAPTER ENTITLED RELIGIONS.
DO NOT PROSLETYZE. DEVELOP THE ESSAY AS A SOCIAL SCIENCE ESSAY.
Exam Three (Final Exam)
DEMOGRAPHY ESSAY
70 POINTS
USING TEXT, LECTURE, AND BLACKBOARD MATERIALS, DEVELOP A COHERENT SOCIOLOGICAL ESSAY THAT ANALYZES, DISCUSSES, AND DESCRIBES THE DEMOGRAPHIC FACTS, PROCESSES, AND DYNAMICS IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN THE WORLD.
THERE IS NO SINGLE RIGHT WAY TO DO THIS. I WANT TO SEE HOW GOOD YOU ARE AT ORGANIZING A NUMBER OF RELATED CONCEPTS, TERMS, LECTURES, AND MATERIALS INTO A COHERENT ESSAY THAT INFORMS THE READER OF THE DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS AND PATTERNS THAT HAVE EMERGED AND ARE EMERGING IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN THE WORLD.
THIS WILL GIVE YOU MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY IN ORGANIZING THE ESSAY.
AS ALWAYS, IF YOU USE TEXT AND/OR BLACKBOARD MATERIALS, DO NOT JUST CUT AND PASTE. USE YOUR OWN WORDS TO CONVEY THE MEANINGS OF THESE MATERIALS.
THE ESSAY SHOULD BE 5.5-7 PAGES IN LENGTH, EXCLUDING THE COVER PAGE IF YOU USE ONE. FONT NO LARGER THAN 12. ONE-INCH MARGINS ON ALL PAGES. YOU MAY SUBMIT VIA EMAIL OR AS A WORD FILE OR ON PAPER (SIGN, PRINT, AND STAPLE).
Exam Three (Final Exam)
FAMILY/MARRIAGE ESSAY
70 POINTS
USING TEXT, LECTURE, AND BLACKBOARD MATERIALS, DEVLOP AN ESSAY ON THE SOCIOLOGY OF MARRIAGE AND THE FAMILY IN THE UNITED STATES.
THERE IS NO SINGLE RIGHT WAY TO DO THIS. I WANT TO SEE HOW GOOD YOU ARE AT ORGANIZING A NUMBER OF RELATED CONCEPTS, TERMS, LECTURES, AND MATERIALS INTO A COHERENT ESSAY THAT INFORMS THE READER OF THE CHANGES THAT HAVE OCCURRED IN AMERICAN FAMILIES AND MARRIAGES.
THIS WILL GIVE YOU MAXIMUM FLEXIBILITY IN ORGANIZING AN ESSAY.
AS ALWAYS, IF YOU USE TEXT AND/OR BLACKBOARD MATERIALS, DO NOT JUST CUT AND PASTE. USE YOUR OWN WORDS TO CONVEY THE MEANINGS OF THESE MATERIALS.
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