I will be asking you to write a college-level argumentative essay. This should relate to current issues and/or social problems. Please put your ideas into an organized analysis. Hence, your paper should be mostly argumentative and not a review or summary script! Naturally, this topic will illustrate how society is affected and how members of society may react differently to the social forces of culture, institutions and structure. Remember, since this is an argumentative paper, you should use the “I think” format and explain what you believe to be true. You are encouraged to limit your sources. Use your textbook, one extra article or source, and only 1 statistical chart/graph (My suggestion is that you utilize the GSS for graphs). The minimum word-count requirement for this paper is 800 words. Do NO REPEAT THE QUESTIONS BELOW IN YOUR ESSAY FOR WORD-WOUNT REASONS!!!
If you get stuck, try to address some of the questions:
1)What are some of the arguments (pro vs con) made about your topic. 2)Do you agree or disagree with some of the standard arguments Yes or No? Why?
3)Why do you think so many Americans are ideologically split on this issue (If this is the case)? How is it part of or related to the broader Culture War (if you think it is)?
4) Try to look at this debate through a sociological lens. Apply any of the sociological perspectives (Functionalist, Social-Conflict, Symbolic, Feminist) while analyzing this specific debate. What do you think society should do about this issue?
Important: Please cut and paste pie charts/graph directly into your essay.
Write a minimum 200-word interpretation of a visual artifact (pie Charts) related to paper content (charts/graphs are in link above.) Use the charts in the link that best helps to support your argument/perspective. State whether you are analyzing a pie chart, line graph or both, describe the color, do the colors represent certain data. Meaning, tell me what the pie charts/graph are telling you. What are the numbers telling you? (Discuss all the numbers/percentages within pie charts. I will take off 10 points if you do not discuss every set of numbers you use! How do the percentages in the chart/graph support your argument? What are the implications- (What conclusions can be drawn from these statistics/percentages?)
(For help on this go to tutorial on using GSS data below!)
Second, you must also apply one Sociological theory (see list below) in your paper to defend your argument (Conflict/Critical, Functionalism, Symbolic Interactionism, Feminist theory). Failure to include one perspective will translate into point deductions.