Assessment for Unit 1: The Sociological Perspective

Below are the directions for this assessment:

This first unit has been all about how sociologists see the world, or the sociological perspective. For this first assessment, you are required to write an essay that examines your own life from a sociological perspective. Here is the prompt:

Explain the sociological perspective and use examples from your own life to write an authentic essay.

In order to make the assessment easier, break it down into smaller parts/paragraphs.  (This essay should have four parts/paragraphs), but you will submit each part/paragraph separately.

1.  Explain the focus of this unit - what is a sociological perspective? How do sociologists view the world? How can this make you more mindful?  Be specific - try to connect the sociological perspective to your own life and how you may be thinking with a sociological perspective since our class began.

2.  Explains one of the theories. What is the theory? Explain it and give unique example from your own life.  How can this theory apply to your life and make you more mindful?

3.  Explain one of the paradigms.  What is the paradigm? Explain it and give a unique example from your own life.  How can this paradigm apply to your life and make you more mindful?
4.  Explain another paradigm of your choice.  What is the paradigm? Explain it and give a unique example from your own life.  How can this theory apply to you and make you more mindful?

 

As a reminder, we learned about 2 theories and 3 paradigms:

Theories
Social Construction of Reality
Sociological Imagination

Paradigms
Structural-Functional
Conflict

Symbolic Interaction 

Submit this assessment here.

Suggestions and tips:

• I recommend that you write your essay in Google docs or an app that will save your work and allow you to edit it.  Then, when you are finished submit the assessment here.
• Use proper grammar and prose. Spell check and proofread. Turn it in by the starting time of our next class. This is the due date whether or not you are present in class that day.  If you have trouble uploading it, you can find me at the beginning of class and let me know that you are having difficulty. 
• Have a well developed paragraph for EACH of the 3 paradigms/theories you choose. That paragraph should: 

1.  First, explains what is the paradigm/theory and how is it different than the other paradigms/theories. How does the theory/paradigm help to develop a sociological perspective?

2.  Apply the paradigm/theory to a unique example from your own life or perspective.  Throughout our lessons, I have asked you to apply the theories to your own examples, for example your name or going to college. You may use these examples as long as they are unique to you. Your writing should be authentic - which means that it only applies uniquely to yourself.  

 You will be graded using the following rubric:

10-1 Academic Standards:  Was it turned in on time? Was it written properly and understandably? Was spelling, grammar, and punctuation correct?

10-1 Introduction: Did you explain, in general, the sociological perspective (how sociologists view the world)?  Did you connect it to your own life/perspective and perhaps how you have been viewing the world differently in any ways since our class began?

10-1 Theory: Was the theory explained fully?  Was the applied example(s) authentic and detailed based on the student's own perspective?

10-1 Paradigm #1: Was the theory explained fully?  Was the applied example(s) authentic and detailed based on the student's own perspective?

10-1 Paradigm #2: Was the theory explained fully?  Was the applied example(s) authentic and detailed based on the student's own perspective?

 

Finally - I will hold extended office hours for this first paper.  If you can email me, it would be helpful, but I will be available on campus:  after class Thursday until 11:45; Friday from 9:15 - 11:45; Monday 9:15-11:45.