Overview: Employing an academic writing style (formalized/standard English, spelling, punctuation and grammar) compose a (250 word minimum) essay based on the attached article. Students will be evaluated on their paper's organization, clarity of thought and sociological analysis. Feel free to write more than the minimum in order to thoroughly address the topic.
Instruction: First, examine the article as a whole & briefly discuss its thesis. Next, you will select and support the framework(s) (e.g. Family Dynamics, Mobility Issues, Poverty Concentration, Ethnic/Racial Differences, etc.) you believe best explain this social problem. Finally, as a responsible member of a democratic, civil society, use your critical thinking and analytical skills to present a plan for specific changes that you would implement to resolve this social problem. In other words, imagine you are planning to begin a social movement; what steps would need to be taken? In what ways would you engage others by developing a deliberative dialogue regarding this issue? What role would you personally assume to achieve this change? What forms of civic infrastructure, scientific assessment, etc. could help forward your solution? How would you utilize public opinion and public policy/law to address this issue? What source of funding would you need to acquire? Students are encouraged to support their argument with direct textual evidence and sociological insights (applicable terms and concepts learned over your semester of study).
As your instructor scores your essay they will look for evidence of the following criteria:
(1) The Student's writing includes a through introduction which implicitly or explicitly references the essay's genre, purpose and audience.
(2) The student's writing uses appropriate, relevant and compelling content to illustrate their specific position, which is imaginative, takes into account the complexities of an issue and the limits of the position while recognizing other competing points of view.
(3) The student's writing communicates meaning to readers with clarity, fluency, and is virtually error-free.
(4) The student's writing presents the Issue/problem to be considered clearly, describing the position comprehensively, delivering all relevant information necessary for full understanding.
(5) The student writing connects and extends knowledge (facts, concepts, theories, etc.) from the academic discipline of sociology (i.e. makes inference to at least three sociological theories, concepts and/or facts from the course primary text).
(6) The student writing connects their analysis of the social problem to civic engagement and to one's own participation in civic life, politics, and government.