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

 

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