For this assignment you are to analyze a current news article about a topic or concept related to or directly discussed in the realm of this course (from a reputable source, this includes, newspapers, online news, magazines, etc.) in sociological terms. Find a story that intrigues you about an issue pertaining to our class discussions and/or readings. Critically analyze the article using the concepts weve discussed in class. Be sure to discuss how the article frames the issue. Although the first part asks for a brief summary of the facts this is the least important part of the assignment. The most important part is the questions that follow! Do not forget to answer all of the questions for full credit and answer them with knowledge gained from this course(you need to demonstrate your understanding and application of course material).
Identify the following basic information from the article to place in the summary:
Who is involved?
What happened?
Why did it happen?
Where did it occur?
When did it occur?
What issue(s) are being addressed?
Throughout the body of your paper be sure to thoroughly answer the following questions:
How can the issue in question be explained using our course concepts?
How (if) could this issue be resolved in this situation?
Be sure to clearly state how the groups or people involved are invested in the problem (either in resolving it or perpetuating it).
Was this incident an isolated case or is this an example of a larger issue? Explain.
Be sure to apply a sociological theory (select one theory-conflict, structural functionalism, symbolic interactionism- to explain the issue in combination with any applicable key concepts or terms) correctly!
Finally, how is the topic framed in the news source? Why? What impression does the reader get? (look at the phrasing, tone of the story, word choices by the outlet, etc.) Is the author balanced or biased? Explain
Sample Paper
This is a sample paperPreview the document from a previous class that you can use to see what an “A” level paper is.
Required Paper Format
This is a minimum three full page, double-spaced, Times New Roman size 12 font, one-inch margin paper. Citations should be in ASA, MLA, Chicago or similar format for the article and any course material that you utilize in your explanation. You should have a work cited/reference page for the article and if you include any direct reference to other sources you should include those references as well.
Structure of your paper
Your paper should be presented as an essay with separate paragraphs (not a bullet point list) and should be free of major spelling and grammar errors. Below is a reminder of the general layout of your paper.
The first part of your paper should be an introduction to the topic or issue that you will be discussing. The introduction should be about a third of a page in length and is where you state the purpose of your paper for the reader. Your thesis statement will usually be the last sentence of your introduction paragraph.
The main portions or the body of the paper should focus on explaining those main points and on answering the questions I have asked you to elaborate on.
The last part of your paper should be the conclusion. This is the time to recap your ideas, thoughts or ways of preventing/dealing with the issue. Go back and read your paper and make sure any point you might have brought up has been resolved, discussed, or critically questioned.
