Sociology 357 - Methods of Sociological Inquiry Exercise 1-
At the UW-Madison, African American and Hispanic students have a lower completion rate than white students. Three explanations have been proposed to account for this phenomenon: (a) Some claim that minority students were not as prepared in cognitive skills as majority white students; (b) others claim that minority students are more likely to have financial difficulties than white students; and (c) others claim that this difference reflects a discriminatory climate against minority students on the UW campus.
1. Draw a "causal" model for each of the explanations. You can draw a diagram or describe the model in words. Be sure to describe all of the relevant concepts.
2. What does this phenomenon say about the prospects of completing college for your African American and Hispanic friends?
3. Which of the three explanations do you personally subscribe to? Given your explanation, what could the university or society in general do to remedy the problem?