In this assessment, you will be required to write a sociological paper that explores an aspect of your personal experiences through a sociological len
In this assessment, you will be required to write a sociological paper that explores an aspect of your personal experiences through a sociological lens. You will choose one topic from the list provided and develop a comprehensive analysis using sociological theories and doing website research. This paper aims to connect your lived experiences with broader sociological concepts and provide potential solutions to the issues discussed. This assessment will help you develop a deeper understanding of how sociological theories apply to real-world issues and personal experiences. It will also encourage you to think critically about potential solutions to societal problems.
Please choose one topic from the list below.
Topic 1: Your socialization experiences as a child focusing on learned gender roles
Topic 2: Your experience with stereotypes, prejudice, and discrimination (based on race, gender, culture, sexual orientation, mental health, disability — including learning disability, and/or physical characteristics)
Topic 3: Your experiences with health/health care (think about access to health care/health care costs, or health and stigma)
Topic 4: Your experiences with social stratification/social inequity and access to educational opportunities
Your paper should include the following headings (shown in bold).
I. Introduction to Topic (one page)
● Clearly identify your topic
● Discuss how the issue has impacted your life
● Discuss ways you have adapted or dealt with the issue
II. Theory (one page)
● Choose one of the three main sociological theories and connect it to your topic:
○ Structural Functionalism, or
○ Conflict Theory, or
○ Symbolic Interactionism
● How does this sociological theory apply to your experiences?
● Use examples from your personal experiences to further illustrate your understanding of the theory.
● Use your textbook for guidance. For example, how did the chapter on gender socialization tie in theory?
III. Solutions (one page)
● Research potential solutions by visiting various websites of non-profits, political, or educational organizations.
● The organization you chose should address your topic with the idea/goal of reducing the problem on a societal level (for example, an organization created to promote gender equity/reducing the pay gap, or organizations to improve health and/or education access based on income inequality, or organizations that promote racial equality/tolerance).
● Choose one organization to research in-depth and carefully explore its website.
● Describe what the organization does. What are its goals? How is it trying to reduce the social problem?
● What is one way the organization could improve? (For example, what additional resources could they offer, or what new goals should they address? Be specific. Pretend you’ve been hired by the organization to improve upon what they do.) Include the link to the website in your paper.
IV. Conclusion (one paragraph)
● Wrap up your ideas; include your final thoughts.
● Three pages (at least; each section should be roughly one page)
● Double-spaced
● 12-point font (no larger)
● One-inch margins (no larger)
Rubric
Sociological Analysis of Personal Experiences
Criteria
Ratings
Pt
s
This criterion is linked to a
Learning
Outcome
Topic/Ad
apting
10 pts5 pts
Full CreditPartial Credit
The topic
isThe topic is clearly andidentified but thoroughlylacks depth or
identified. Theclarity and/or impact of thethe
impact is issue on thediscussed but student’s life islacks depth or clearly
andspecificity thoughtfullyand/or the discussed. Thestudent student
clearlymentions discusses waysadaptation or
they havecoping
adapted
or dealtstrategies but with the issue.lacks detail.
0 pts
No Credit
The topic is poorly identified or not clearly stated and/or the impact
is barely mentioned or poorly explained and/or the student does not discuss
adaptation or coping strategies.
10
pts
This criterion is linked to a
Learning
Outcome
Applicati
on of Theory
15 pts
Full Credit
The
student
clearly identifies
and
accurately
explains one of the three main sociologica l theories.
7.5 pts
Partial Credit
The
theory is
identified but not
fully
explaine
d and/or the student applies
0 pts
No Cred
it
The
appli
catio n of the theor y is mini mal
15
pts
The
student
thoroughly and
accurately
applies the theory to their personal experience s, with clear examples. The
student
effectively integrates ideas from the textbook or other course materials.
the
theory to their experien ces but with minor inaccura cies or lacking depth
and/or the student refers to the textbook or materials but lacks integratio
n or
depth.
or uncle
ar and/ or the stude nt menti ons the textb ook or mate
rials but
does not integ rate
them
effect
ively.
This
criterion is linked to a
Learning
Outcome
Selectio n of Organiz ation and
Solution s
15 pts
Full Credi
t
The stude
nt thoro ughly resea rches and
select
s an
appro
7.5 pts
Par
ial
Cre
dit
The
stud ent
sele cts an appr opri ate org
t
a
0 pt s
No Cr ed
it
Th e
stu de
nt sel
ect s an
15
pts
priate
organ
izatio
n addre
ssing the topic.
The stude nt provi
des a
detail
ed and
clear
descr iption of the organ
izatio
n’s goals and
actio ns.
The stude nt offers a
well-t
houg
ht-out
and
specif ic
sugg
estio n
for how
the organ
izatio
n could
nizat ion
but the rese arch
is
not thor
oug h and/ or the desc riptio
n is accu
rate but lack s detai l or
clarit
y and/ or
sugg
estio n for impr ove men
t is mini
mal, vagu e, or not clear ly relat
ed
to the
orga nizat
or ga
niz ati
on wit
h mi
ni m
al re se
ar ch or rel
ev an ce
an
d/ or th
e de
scr
ipti
on
is
va gu
e,
un
cle ar,
or ina cc ur at e an
d/ or th
e su
impro ve.
ion’s
goal s.
gg
est ion
lac ks de pt h
or sp
eci fici
ty.
This
criterion is linked to a
Learning
Outcome
Conclusi
on
5 pt s
F
ul
l
Cr e
di
t
T he co
nc
lu si
on eff
ec
tiv el y
wr ap s up
th
3 p
t
s
P a
r t i
a
l
P o
i
n
t
s
T h e c o
n c
l
u s
0 p
ts
N o C
r
e
di
t
T h e c o
n
cl
u
si
o n
is w
e a
k,
u
5
pts
e es sa
y,
pr ov idi
ng th
ou gh tfu
l
fin al re
fle cti
on
s.
i
o n i
s c l
e a r
b u t l
a c k s d e p t
h o
r f i
n a
l
r
e
f l
e c
t i
o n s
.
n
cl e
ar
,
or d o e
s n
ot ef fe
ct iv el y
w
ra p u p
th e e s
s a
y.
Total
Points: 50