The following out of class assignments require the student to define/utilize/and apply many relevant sociological concepts presented in the course. These activities are intended to be interesting, fun, and enlightening. Your written response for each assignment below should be between 1.5 and 2 pages in length (typed, double spaced, 12 point font, 1 inch margins).
#1: SURVEY
Create and conduct a brief survey regarding an issue or topic of your choice related to sociology. Look at the chapter titles in the book for ideas. In your assignment summary paper, summarize your findings, draw conclusions regarding your research, and include a blank copy of the survey you created.
Step 1. Choose a research question and conceptualize your variables
(E.g. Does respondent age (IV) effect political orientation (DV)?)
Step 2. Consider how you will operationalize your IV and DV
(E.g. I will measure respondent age in whole years; I will measure respondent political orientation with a likert scale of responses, ranging from strongly liberal to strongly conservative)
Step 3. Create your survey instrument using no fewer than 5 questions
(e.g. 1 question per variable, plus other demographic questions)
Step 4. Collect data using your survey from a convenience sample of at least 25 people
(Collect data yourself from respondents; do not hand out surveys and ask for returns)
Step 5. Write your assignment summary paper, summarizing your findings and discussing conclusions (Remember to include a blank copy of your survey at the end of your paper!!)
#2: ETHNOGRAPHY
Conduct a participant observation (ethnographic study) wherein you study through participation in a particular cross- cultural group event or social organizational meeting. Samples of events may include a visit to a religious group other than the one you usually attend, hanging out at a greasy spoon café or coffee shop and observing tipping behavior, attending a cross-cultural sporting event (e.g. if you are American, perhaps soccer but NOT American football or
baseball), or volunteering with an organization that serves a cultural population somehow different than your own. To complete the assignment paper, first consider what cultural norms may be different from your own and discuss them in writing. Then, participate in the event, writing down your observations, noting any patterns you observe, and pointing out any observations or patterns that particularly surprise you. Why are they surprising to you? What might be the purpose(s) behind the perceived difference? Throughout your paper, you should reflect on your own cultural identity compared to the group being observed. Additionally, you should apply Sociological theory in an attempt to explain
multicultural and global diversity.
#3: BREACHING EXPERIMENT
Conduct a non-intrusive "breaching experiment", wherein you attempt to validate the existence of a particular norm. This may include singing on the bus, singing in an elevator, not talking to anyone for a day, or any other informally deviant activity. No formal deviance (crime) allowed! In writing your assignment paper, describe your experiment and
the specific norm that you will attempt to breach. Consider in writing the potential reactions you will receive while conducting your breaching experiment, and attempt to explain these potential reactions using Sociological theories. Report people's actual reactions to your behavior during your breaching experiment, and discuss conclusions that you have reached about the relative importance of the social norm being studied.
#4: MEDIA ANALYSIS
Evaluate a book, movie or television show episode/series. In writing your assignment paper, do not simply summarize,
but rather interpret the book/movie/episode/series in terms of sociological concepts, phenomena, and research addressed in the text and in class. Any genre of media is acceptable (e.g. Hollywood action film, fiction novel, TV show episode/series, biography (or autobiography), documentary film, independent or foreign film, etc.). For the purpose of the media analysis assignment, substantive media must be used. In other words, no YouTube videos or
other short clips will be allowed!
#5: SOCIOLOGICAL AUTOBIOGRAPHY
Write a short autobiography wherein you highlight, explain and discuss important sociological factors that have influenced your life. Those may include social class, religion, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, position in the global social structure, or any other sociological topics covered in the course. You do not necessarily have to cover your entire life story in the assignment paper, although you may do so (concisely!) if you wish. In-depth discussion and analysis of one or more major life events that have shaped your social/self-identity will suffice.