Research Paper on a Social Issue
Students are required to submit a research paper that covers one social issue. You are free to choose from the following general areas: poverty/unemployment; juvenile offender rehabilitation; racial discrimination; transgender discrimination; gender pay inequality; public education reform; or healthcare inequality.
You must also utilize one sociological theory from your textbook to help prepare an informative analysis. Those theories are Symbolic Interaction; Functional Analysis; and Conflict Theory or Feminist Theory. Abstracts are not required for this assignment.
Written Content: Pages 1-4 (Cover Page and Abstract are NOT required for this assignment)
Reference List: Page 5
Total Pages: Five
Font Size: 12 point
Spacing: Double
Margins: 1"
Paper Format: APA (Failure to put your paper in the appropriate format will result in loss of points.)
Reference Page: at least 3 sources plus your textbook (that's at least 4 references for full credit)
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Steps
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Action
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Summary of Proposed Plan
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1. Choose your research topic.
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Your matrix should be aligned with the sociological topic you've chosen for one or both of your analysis briefs - poverty/unemployment; juvenile crime; racial discrimination or gender/transgender inequality; educational inequality; healthcare inequality.
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Please provide an rationale for why you've chosen to study this particular topic. Why are you interested? Is there limited information about this issue? Will studying this issue help identify a better understanding of the problem? Will solutions and interventions come from your study?
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2. Prior research or background information on your topic.
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Provide a minimum of three citations here. Your citation should include author name(s), date and title of research or narrative. Type of publication.
(1) Citation
(2) Citation
(3) Citation
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Provide a short summary of what you've learned about your topic from your three sources. How does this information help validate/support the need for research?
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3. Write your hypothesis.
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Based on the information provided to you in the text, how would you state your hypothesis?
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Please identify both your independent and dependent variables for your hypothesis. In other words what proposed issue or experience causes what effect or outcome?
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4. Choose your research methodology.
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Please share how you would approach research on your topic.
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In 3-4 sentences share why this is the BEST method for your research.
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5. Applying Theory.
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Which of these (a) Conflict Theorist; (b) Functionalist; or (c) Symbolic Interactionist would be the best theory to help support your research method?
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In 3-4 sentences share how your chosen theory is connected to your research method.
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6. Research Implications.
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Hypothetically, please share how your proposed research could provide a new perspective.
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Be specific and share examples of who or in what ways could this research be useful in sociology or an related field.
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