sociology ka assignment

How to Write a Sociology Assignment – Explained With Examples

What is a sociology assignment?

A sociology assignment is a task to find out the answer to unknown questions in society. It contributes to understanding, analyze as well to comparing, and contrasting the past, present as well as future. It helps the readers to understand society and its institutions.

The article will be divided into the following sections:

To make this article more understandable, we will take a running example. Through the help of the example, we hope to provide an A to Z guidance about writing a sociology assignment. 

Understanding the Sociology Assignment Question 

The first and essential part of any assignment is to make sure that you understand the question well. Students very often lose out on marks because they fail to understand the question asked. Understanding the question in the beginning itself leaves almost no margin for silly mistakes. 

For example

This question is pretty straightforward, but that doesn’t mean that it’ll be easy. The one thing you can always count on in sociology is to offer simple questions with critical answers. For the question asked above, what needs to be done is to read the mentioned article critically and then reflect on it. 

from the choices offered and read it in such a manner that you can answer all the sub-questions asked. 

Selecting the Resources 

In our case, we already know the exact article that needs to be read in order to complete the review or reflexive assignment. 

You will read the article thoroughly and in its entirety. Since the professor has asked for a review of the paper, we will focus on targeted reading. Follow the pointers mentioned below to make the most out of your reading. 

For example:

In this assignment, your task is to review it. You have read the article and made notes by now. Now it is your turn to form a rough template determining how you wish to proceed with your answer. You can create a template similar to this one:

Writing Sociology Assignment

All the efforts and the hard work you have done will now be applied. What is an assignment if not to convey what you have in your mind to the reader? A sociology assignment should be written in a concise and factually correct manner. Keep in mind that sociology is the scientific study of human society, and statements cannot be made lightly in passing. At this moment, you know what the question has asked. You also have designated a plan to complete the assignment. All that needs to be done now is to put all that background research into words. 

Introduction 

Start your review by giving a brief summary of what the paper really talks about. Give the reader a very broad idea about what this reading is about. In the introductory paragraph, you can leave out the finer details and focus on the main theme running across the piece of writing. Additionally, you can also provide an overview to the reader telling them what and how you plan to tackle this review. Inform the reader what to expect from this assignment. 

Main Body (the arguments presented by the author and the examples offered by you)

For example, you could write something like this:

Thomas Mathiesen talks about another concept that is leading society today, Synopticism. This is also a critique of Panopticism. Mathiesen suggests that unlike what Foucault said, today we are living in a ‘viewer society’, where the many see a few. This is possible because of the ever-growing prevalence of mass media. He asserts that while talking about Panopticism, Foucault completely omitted to mention mass media even when both these functions were growing simultaneously. The reason for this, Mathiesen states, can be because if Foucault did include mass media in the analysis, then his entire argument of Panopticon would have changed (Mathiesen, 1997, 219). 

Your reflection and examples put forth:-

Conclusion 

Also Check: Compare and Contrast Essay – Guide

In conclusion, I would say that this was a fairly well-written article, but it did have its own shortcomings. First of all, the concept of the Panopticon used by Foucault could have been explained in a more detailed way. For the people who do not know this theory, it gets a little generic and vague to understand what Panopticon is and how it is related to surveillance and discipline. Secondly, the section written on the use of the Internet and its significance in the Synoptic system was described very poorly. It is not justified, and its placement in the article broke the flow. Lastly, I would reiterate that this article was easy to understand for those who know what Panopticon means in the Foucauldian sense. And it was interesting to see how both the systems of Panopticon and Synopticon operate simultaneously and shape the society we live in today. 

Academic writing is impossible to complete in a single sitting. You should revise, rewrite, and reread your material several times. Do not revise your essay immediately after completing the first draft. Allow for a period of time, at least four hours. Then go back over your essay and make changes based on three criteria. The first thing you should look for is any grammatical or spelling errors. The second criterion is to examine the arguments you’ve made and whether or not the examples you’ve provided are related. The third criterion is to read the article objectively and as a reader. The more you modify, the better your results will be. However, the Sociology Group believes that your third iteration is the most important. Draft 1 is a raw version, Draft 2 is an updated version, and Draft 3 is the final version.

There are many different styles of citations and you can determine which you want to follow. Some of the most common styles of citation and referencing are MLA, APA, and Chicago styles. If you are working on Google Docs or Word then the application makes your work easier because they help you curate your citations. 

How to add citations in Google Doc: Tools → Citation

Example: Syrkin, A. 1984. “Notes on the Buddha’s Threats in the Dīgha Nikāya ”, Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies , vol. 7(1), pp.147-58.

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IGNOU Assignment 2024-25: Submission Last Date, Question Paper

IGNOU Assignment 2024-25: Submission Last Date – The IGNOU Assignment Question Paper is now available for Download for TEE Session December 2024 as well as TEE June 2025. IGNOU Assignment Submission Last Date is 30th September 2024 which is applicable for TEE December 2024 students. Therefore, the students who going to appear in TEE December 2024 should download and submit their IGNOU Assignment before the last date.

After getting admission to IGNOU University, all candidates have to download and submit only the latest session assignments for their selected programs. The candidates can download the IGNOU assignment question paper for each course from here after their admission is confirmed by the university. Furthermore, it is required for students to submit the required assignments to appear in the IGNOU term end examinations. The assignments for IGNOU courses are now uploaded online and the students can now check and download the latest assignment questions for TEE December 2024 and June 2025.

IGNOU Assignment 2024-25

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IGNOU Assignment Submission Last Date 2024

The Last Date for Submission of the IGNOU Assignment for the Term End Exam December 2024 is 30th September 2024. The due date is subject to change only after the official announcement from IGNOU Head Office otherwise it remains unchanged. The last date may differ for each program so the candidate is advised to confirm the due date from their concerned course of IGNOU after downloading the assignment question from this page. Candidates are requested to submit their assignments before the last date without waiting for the next extension period for the submission of assignments. The given last date will be the final date to accept the assignments by the study centre. The last date is still too far from now and it is enough time to write all your assignments before the time duration and can be submitted without any issues.

IGNOU Assignment Weightage in 2024

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In assignments, you must get 40% marks for passing, and thereafter you can fill IGNOU Exam Form to appear in the TEE Examination. For e.g. if the assignment has total marks of 100 then students have to get at least 40 marks to pass out .

IGNOU Assignment Question Paper 2024

We have categorized the IGNOU Assignment Question Papers by UG, PG, Diploma, and Certificates so that the students can easily find their course assignments only by looking at their respective lists of assignments. Just find your programme from the list of assignments and start downloading it on your device. Start writing each and every course assignment by your hand because no printing or typing is allowed in the assignments.

Before start writing your assignments do not forget to read all Instructions for IGNOU Assignments to make your assignment perfect, mistake-free, and considerable.

IGNOU Bachelor Degree Assignment 2024

IGNOU Master Degree Assignment 2024

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IGNOU Assignment Submission Methods for 2024

The students have multiple options to submit their assignments to IGNOU through online as well as offline mode. However, the preferred method can vary at each regional centre that should be confirmed by contacting to the respective regional centre.

Also Check: How To Submit IGNOU Assignment Dec 2024?

Generally, the students have to submit their assignments through offline mode by visiting their respective study centres to hand over the assignments to the coordinator. However, the regional centre can facilitate receiving the assignment through online mode by creating a separate link or portal to receive submissions or they can collect the same through official email.

Also Check:

• IGNOU Regional Centre List
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Note – Candidates are also requested to keep their physical assignment in a safe place because you may have to submit the physical copy of your written assignment to the study centre if it is requested by the study centre.

IGNOU Assignment Guidelines 2024

Many of the students are confused that which assignments should be submitted for December 2024 Term End Examination so here is the solution to it.

If you have a program that is having an exam annually then you should submit January 2024 session assignment for TEE December 2024. However, if you have a program with a semester system then you should submit July 2024 session assignment to appear for December 2024 session term-end examination.

We hope that your questions and doubts are now clear about which assignment needs to be submitted for Dec 2024 so let’s get started to write the assignment solution of your program.

IGNOU Assignment Helpline 2024

If your programme/course is not available in the list given above then you can contact IGNOU officials by talking with the IGNOU Student Service Centre via 011-29572513 or 011-29572514.

Above all assignments are just available with questions, so you have to solve it with the help of reference books or any other materials but do not copy whole answers to the assignments but read the answer in the material, think, and rewrite the answer in your response sheet with your own.

IGNOU Assignment 2024-25: FAQs

Q1. Is it Compulsory to Submit an IGNOU Assignment? Answer: Yes. It is mandatory to submit the assignment to complete your program.

Q2. Can I Submit the IGNOU Assignment Online? Answer: A few IGNOU Regional Centres are accepting Assignment Submissions through online mode for TEE 2024.

Q3. What is the Last Date for the Submission of IGNOU Assignment? Answer: It is 30th September 2024 for TEE December 2024.

Q4. Is IGNOU Assignment Last Date Extended? Answer: No. The university has not extended the last date of assignment for TEE December 2024.

Q5. Can I Send an IGNOU Assignment by Post or Courier? Answer: No, Candidates have to submit the assignment either through email or personally.

Q6. To whom I can Submit IGNOU Assignment? Answer: Coordinator of the Concerned Study centre of IGNOU.

Q7. Can I give IGNOU exam without submitting the assignment? Answer: Yes, you can appear in the examination, but it is not recommended to appear without submission of assignment.

Q8. Is it necessary to write questions in IGNOU Assignments? Answer: Yes, You should do.

Q9. Can I submit the assignment on Saturday & Sunday? Answer: Yes. Majority of the study centres are open on Saturday and Sunday to receive submission of assignments.

2,134 thoughts on “IGNOU Assignment 2024-25: Submission Last Date, Question Paper”

Sir, If I submit the assignments in September 2024 , Can I answer the exam in year end December 2025?

ONE OF THE ASSIGNMENTS I HAVE SUBMITTED THE MARKS HAVEN’T BEEN UPLOADED YET AND THERE IS NO UPDATE ON THE ASSIGNMENT ON THE STATUS TOO THE SUBJECT IS BANE 144

which assignment should i do for mba 1st semester in distance

l’m not getting MEG 6 Assignment questions 2024-2025

mene apne ma second years ke assignment submit kiye the 2024 me by mail through link aaya tha mail pr but koi update nhi aa raha hai only ma first year ka ho show ho raha

I would like to know where can i download the Assignment papers for my sociology honours.2024-25

Sir, mera MSO2 2022 ka assignment marks abhi tak nehi aya .Maine Assignment paper Apne Reginol Center Pasighat East siang Arunachal Pradesh pin 791102. se submit kiya tha abhi tek grade card mai not complete deka raha hai.maine kitini application be submit kiya per kuch pata nehi chal raha hai. mera enrolment Number 2109422703. RC code: 03: Itanagar

hello sir mere ibo-04 ke assignment ke marks ab tak update nahi huye hai 2021 se mai mail krti aayi hu last mene offline assignment bhi summit karwaye but koi update nahi aaya hau [Vaishali Sharma] [Enrollment no:-2100217122]

sir,I have taken admission on January 2024 BAPSH.But i am not getting any information of course as a assignment any instructions or I not got book till yet.sir please provide to me any information as assignment with date . Then I could submitted assignment in time . thanks

I have submitted my MSW course assignments ( MSW1, MSW2, MSW5, MSW4, MSW32) on 24 September 2022.My enrollment number is 2200289574. Session January 2022. I have submitted the assignments at my study Centre Vidyasagar College for Women (8A, ShibNarayan Das Lane, Kolkata-06). The record number on the submission slip is S602 to S606. Total Number of assignments is 5. My ignou grade card is not updated with the marks of assignment number MSW32 till date. Rest all other assignment details are mentioned there as scheduled. Please help me with the necessary actions needed as I have registered for June 2024 TEE.

Can you please share the online link for submission of the assignment ? Also, the last date for assignment submission was yesterday .i.e. 15th May 2024 but the centre was closed as it opens on Thursday to Sunday, so can I still submit the hardy copy of the assignment today .i.e. Thursday ?

i have applied for PGDET in Jan 2024 what is the assignment submission date for it

January 2024 ka assignment submit karna ka last date kya hai

On which days of the week i can submit my assignments?

sir mera assingment submit nh ho para upload hone m problem aari h …. mai apna assingment kese submit kru …. due date se pehle ..

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A Level Sociology Essays – How to Write Them

Table of Contents

Last Updated on November 10, 2022 by

This post offers some advice on how you might plan and write essays in the A level sociology exams. 

Essays will either be 20 or 30 marks depending on the paper but the general advice for answering them remains the same:

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Skills in the a level sociology exam, ao1: knowledge and understanding.

You can demonstrate these by:

AO2: Application 

Ao3: analysis and evaluation.

NB ‘Assess’ is basically the same as Evaluation

You can demonstrate analysis by….

Use the item

Signposting.

For more exams advice please see my exams and essay advice page

Seven examples of sociology essays, and more advice…

The contents are as follows:.

Introductory Section

These appear first in template form, then with answers, with the skills employed shown in colour. Answers are ‘overkill’ versions designed to get full marks in the exam.

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What this handout is about

This handout introduces you to the wonderful world of writing sociology. Before you can write a clear and coherent sociology paper, you need a firm understanding of the assumptions and expectations of the discipline. You need to know your audience, the way they view the world and how they order and evaluate information. So, without further ado, let’s figure out just what sociology is, and how one goes about writing it.

What is sociology, and what do sociologists write about?

Unlike many of the other subjects here at UNC, such as history or English, sociology is a new subject for many students. Therefore, it may be helpful to give a quick introduction to what sociologists do. Sociologists are interested in all sorts of topics. For example, some sociologists focus on the family, addressing issues such as marriage, divorce, child-rearing, and domestic abuse, the ways these things are defined in different cultures and times, and their effect on both individuals and institutions. Others examine larger social organizations such as businesses and governments, looking at their structure and hierarchies. Still others focus on social movements and political protest, such as the American civil rights movement. Finally, sociologists may look at divisions and inequality within society, examining phenomena such as race, gender, and class, and their effect on people’s choices and opportunities. As you can see, sociologists study just about everything. Thus, it is not the subject matter that makes a paper sociological, but rather the perspective used in writing it.

So, just what is a sociological perspective? At its most basic, sociology is an attempt to understand and explain the way that individuals and groups interact within a society. How exactly does one approach this goal? C. Wright Mills, in his book The Sociological Imagination (1959), writes that “neither the life of an individual nor the history of a society can be understood without understanding both.” Why? Well, as Karl Marx observes at the beginning of The Eighteenth Brumaire of Louis Bonaparte (1852), humans “make their own history, but they do not make it just as they please; they do not make it under circumstances chosen by themselves, but under circumstances directly encountered, given and transmitted from the past.” Thus, a good sociological argument needs to balance both individual agency and structural constraints. That is certainly a tall order, but it is the basis of all effective sociological writing. Keep it in mind as you think about your own writing.

Key assumptions and characteristics of sociological writing

What are the most important things to keep in mind as you write in sociology? Pay special attention to the following issues.

The first thing to remember in writing a sociological argument is to be as clear as possible in stating your thesis. Of course, that is true in all papers, but there are a couple of pitfalls common to sociology that you should be aware of and avoid at all cost. As previously defined, sociology is the study of the interaction between individuals and larger social forces. Different traditions within sociology tend to favor one side of the equation over the other, with some focusing on the agency of individual actors and others on structural factors. The danger is that you may go too far in either of these directions and thus lose the complexity of sociological thinking. Although this mistake can manifest itself in any number of ways, three types of flawed arguments are particularly common: 

• The “ individual argument ” generally takes this form: “The individual is free to make choices, and any outcomes can be explained exclusively through the study of their ideas and decisions.” While it is of course true that we all make our own choices, we must also keep in mind that, to paraphrase Marx, we make these choices under circumstances given to us by the structures of society. Therefore, it is important to investigate what conditions made these choices possible in the first place, as well as what allows some individuals to successfully act on their choices while others cannot.
• The “ human nature argument ” seeks to explain social behavior through a quasi-biological argument about humans, and often takes a form such as: “Humans are by nature X, therefore it is not surprising that Y.” While sociologists disagree over whether a universal human nature even exists, they all agree that it is not an acceptable basis of explanation. Instead, sociology demands that you question why we call some behavior natural, and to look into the social factors which have constructed this “natural” state.
• The “ society argument ” often arises in response to critiques of the above styles of argumentation, and tends to appear in a form such as: “Society made me do it.” Students often think that this is a good sociological argument, since it uses society as the basis for explanation. However, the problem is that the use of the broad concept “society” masks the real workings of the situation, making it next to impossible to build a strong case. This is an example of reification, which is when we turn processes into things. Society is really a process, made up of ongoing interactions at multiple levels of size and complexity, and to turn it into a monolithic thing is to lose all that complexity. People make decisions and choices. Some groups and individuals benefit, while others do not. Identifying these intermediate levels is the basis of sociological analysis.

Although each of these three arguments seems quite different, they all share one common feature: they assume exactly what they need to be explaining. They are excellent starting points, but lousy conclusions.

Once you have developed a working argument, you will next need to find evidence to support your claim. What counts as evidence in a sociology paper? First and foremost, sociology is an empirical discipline. Empiricism in sociology means basing your conclusions on evidence that is documented and collected with as much rigor as possible. This evidence usually draws upon observed patterns and information from collected cases and experiences, not just from isolated, anecdotal reports. Just because your second cousin was able to climb the ladder from poverty to the executive boardroom does not prove that the American class system is open. You will need more systematic evidence to make your claim convincing. Above all else, remember that your opinion alone is not sufficient support for a sociological argument. Even if you are making a theoretical argument, you must be able to point to documented instances of social phenomena that fit your argument. Logic is necessary for making the argument, but is not sufficient support by itself.

Sociological evidence falls into two main groups: 

• Quantitative data are based on surveys, censuses, and statistics. These provide large numbers of data points, which is particularly useful for studying large-scale social processes, such as income inequality, population changes, changes in social attitudes, etc.
• Qualitative data, on the other hand, comes from participant observation, in-depth interviews, data and texts, as well as from the researcher’s own impressions and reactions. Qualitative research gives insight into the way people actively construct and find meaning in their world.

Quantitative data produces a measurement of subjects’ characteristics and behavior, while qualitative research generates information on their meanings and practices. Thus, the methods you choose will reflect the type of evidence most appropriate to the questions you ask. If you wanted to look at the importance of race in an organization, a quantitative study might use information on the percentage of different races in the organization, what positions they hold, as well as survey results on people’s attitudes on race. This would measure the distribution of race and racial beliefs in the organization. A qualitative study would go about this differently, perhaps hanging around the office studying people’s interactions, or doing in-depth interviews with some of the subjects. The qualitative researcher would see how people act out their beliefs, and how these beliefs interact with the beliefs of others as well as the constraints of the organization.

Some sociologists favor qualitative over quantitative data, or vice versa, and it is perfectly reasonable to rely on only one method in your own work. However, since each method has its own strengths and weaknesses, combining methods can be a particularly effective way to bolster your argument. But these distinctions are not just important if you have to collect your own data for your paper. You also need to be aware of them even when you are relying on secondary sources for your research. In order to critically evaluate the research and data you are reading, you should have a good understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of the different methods.

Units of analysis

Given that social life is so complex, you need to have a point of entry into studying this world. In sociological jargon, you need a unit of analysis. The unit of analysis is exactly that: it is the unit that you have chosen to analyze in your study. Again, this is only a question of emphasis and focus, and not of precedence and importance. You will find a variety of units of analysis in sociological writing, ranging from the individual up to groups or organizations. You should choose yours based on the interests and theoretical assumptions driving your research. The unit of analysis will determine much of what will qualify as relevant evidence in your work. Thus you must not only clearly identify that unit, but also consistently use it throughout your paper.

Let’s look at an example to see just how changing the units of analysis will change the face of research. What if you wanted to study globalization? That’s a big topic, so you will need to focus your attention. Where would you start?

You might focus on individual human actors, studying the way that people are affected by the globalizing world. This approach could possibly include a study of Asian sweatshop workers’ experiences, or perhaps how consumers’ decisions shape the overall system.

Or you might choose to focus on social structures or organizations. This approach might involve looking at the decisions being made at the national or international level, such as the free-trade agreements that change the relationships between governments and corporations. Or you might look into the organizational structures of corporations and measure how they are changing under globalization. Another structural approach would be to focus on the social networks linking subjects together. That could lead you to look at how migrants rely on social contacts to make their way to other countries, as well as to help them find work upon their arrival.

Finally, you might want to focus on cultural objects or social artifacts as your unit of analysis. One fine example would be to look at the production of those tennis shoes the kids seem to like so much. You could look at either the material production of the shoe (tracing it from its sweatshop origins to its arrival on the showroom floor of malls across America) or its cultural production (attempting to understand how advertising and celebrities have turned such shoes into necessities and cultural icons).

Whichever unit of analysis you choose, be careful not to commit the dreaded ecological fallacy. An ecological fallacy is when you assume that something that you learned about the group level of analysis also applies to the individuals that make up that group. So, to continue the globalization example, if you were to compare its effects on the poorest 20% and the richest 20% of countries, you would need to be careful not to apply your results to the poorest and richest individuals.

These are just general examples of how sociological study of a single topic can vary. Because you can approach a subject from several different perspectives, it is important to decide early how you plan to focus your analysis and then stick with that perspective throughout your paper. Avoid mixing units of analysis without strong justification. Different units of analysis generally demand different kinds of evidence for building your argument. You can reconcile the varying levels of analysis, but doing so may require a complex, sophisticated theory, no small feat within the confines of a short paper. Check with your instructor if you are concerned about this happening in your paper.

Typical writing assignments in sociology

So how does all of this apply to an actual writing assignment? Undergraduate writing assignments in sociology may take a number of forms, but they typically involve reviewing sociological literature on a subject; applying or testing a particular concept, theory, or perspective; or producing a small-scale research report, which usually involves a synthesis of both the literature review and application.

The critical review

The review involves investigating the research that has been done on a particular topic and then summarizing and evaluating what you have found. The important task in this kind of assignment is to organize your material clearly and synthesize it for your reader. A good review does not just summarize the literature, but looks for patterns and connections in the literature and discusses the strengths and weaknesses of what others have written on your topic. You want to help your reader see how the information you have gathered fits together, what information can be most trusted (and why), what implications you can derive from it, and what further research may need to be done to fill in gaps. Doing so requires considerable thought and organization on your part, as well as thinking of yourself as an expert on the topic. You need to assume that, even though you are new to the material, you can judge the merits of the arguments you have read and offer an informed opinion of which evidence is strongest and why.

Application or testing of a theory or concept

The application assignment asks you to apply a concept or theoretical perspective to a specific example. In other words, it tests your practical understanding of theories and ideas by asking you to explain how well they apply to actual social phenomena. In order to successfully apply a theory to a new case, you must include the following steps:

• First you need to have a very clear understanding of the theory itself: not only what the theorist argues, but also why they argue that point, and how they justify it. That is, you have to understand how the world works according to this theory and how one thing leads to another.
• Next you should choose an appropriate case study. This is a crucial step, one that can make or break your paper. If you choose a case that is too similar to the one used in constructing the theory in the first place, then your paper will be uninteresting as an application, since it will not give you the opportunity to show off your theoretical brilliance. On the other hand, do not choose a case that is so far out in left field that the applicability is only superficial and trivial. In some ways theory application is like making an analogy. The last thing you want is a weak analogy, or one that is so obvious that it does not give any added insight. Instead, you will want to choose a happy medium, one that is not obvious but that allows you to give a developed analysis of the case using the theory you chose.
• This leads to the last point, which is the analysis. A strong analysis will go beyond the surface and explore the processes at work, both in the theory and in the case you have chosen. Just like making an analogy, you are arguing that these two things (the theory and the example) are similar. Be specific and detailed in telling the reader how they are similar. In the course of looking for similarities, however, you are likely to find points at which the theory does not seem to be a good fit. Do not sweep this discovery under the rug, since the differences can be just as important as the similarities, supplying insight into both the applicability of the theory and the uniqueness of the case you are using.

You may also be asked to test a theory. Whereas the application paper assumes that the theory you are using is true, the testing paper does not makes this assumption, but rather asks you to try out the theory to determine whether it works. Here you need to think about what initial conditions inform the theory and what sort of hypothesis or prediction the theory would make based on those conditions. This is another way of saying that you need to determine which cases the theory could be applied to (see above) and what sort of evidence would be needed to either confirm or disconfirm the theory’s hypothesis. In many ways, this is similar to the application paper, with added emphasis on the veracity of the theory being used.

The research paper

Finally, we reach the mighty research paper. Although the thought of doing a research paper can be intimidating, it is actually little more than the combination of many of the parts of the papers we have already discussed. You will begin with a critical review of the literature and use this review as a basis for forming your research question. The question will often take the form of an application (“These ideas will help us to explain Z.”) or of hypothesis testing (“If these ideas are correct, we should find X when we investigate Y.”). The skills you have already used in writing the other types of papers will help you immensely as you write your research papers.

And so we reach the end of this all-too-brief glimpse into the world of sociological writing. Sociologists can be an idiosyncratic bunch, so paper guidelines and expectations will no doubt vary from class to class, from instructor to instructor. However, these basic guidelines will help you get started.

Works consulted

We consulted these works while writing this handout. This is not a comprehensive list of resources on the handout’s topic, and we encourage you to do your own research to find additional publications. Please do not use this list as a model for the format of your own reference list, as it may not match the citation style you are using. For guidance on formatting citations, please see the UNC Libraries citation tutorial . We revise these tips periodically and welcome feedback.

Anson, Chris M., and Robert A. Schwegler. 2010. The Longman Handbook for Writers and Readers , 6th ed. New York: Longman.

Cuba, Lee. 2002. A Short Guide to Writing About Social Science , 4th ed. New York: Longman.

Lunsford, Andrea A. 2015. The St. Martin’s Handbook , 8th ed. Boston: Bedford/St Martin’s.

Rosen, Leonard J., and Laurence Behrens. 2003. The Allyn & Bacon Handbook , 5th ed. New York: Longman.

Ruszkiewicz, John J., Christy Friend, Daniel Seward, and Maxine Hairston. 2010. The Scott, Foresman Handbook for Writers , 9th ed. Boston: Pearson Education.

You may reproduce it for non-commercial use if you use the entire handout and attribute the source: The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

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Assignments and discussions.

Assignment prompts are provided with this course for instructors to use at their discretion. Since they are openly licensed, instructors may use them as is or to adapt to better fit the class’s focus, time frame and learning outcomes.

Assignments may be delivered pre-populated in your LMS assignment tool in your LMS course shell, where you may modify or delete them as you wish. The recommended expectation for the discussion assignments is that students should do their initial post first before seeing replies from other students (This is generally an option faculty need to select once inside the LMS and looks like “Participants must create a thread in order to view other threads in this forum.” or “Users must post before seeing replies”).

We do NOT recommend assigning every discussion and assignment , as some are large and time-consuming or may not fit well with your course schedule. Some marked as “larger assignments” could be introduced in earlier modules or split into several parts.

If you would like to include your own assignments or have recommendations for additions or modifications, you are invited to contribute! If you would like to share your materials with other faculty and have them included in our list of options, please send them with an explanatory message to  [email protected] . Be sure to mention which course and learning outcome(s) they align with when you send a message.

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Department of Sociology

• Common Paper Assignments
• Student Writing Guide

As a sociology major, you will complete a variety of writing assignments to demonstrate your knowledge and research skills, your ability to apply and synthesize abstract concepts and theories, or even show your critical thinking skills. Below is a brief description of the types of paper assignments that are common across the sociological discipline. Of course, your instructors may have other ideas of how you should demonstrate your writing abilities, but these assignments will certainly show up sooner or later in your academic career. ( Writing tips for thesis statements)

Critical Thinking/Social Issue Paper

Probably the most common paper you will be asked to write as a sociology student will require you to examine a specific social issue in which you have to consider the social, political, or economic forces that contribute to or influence theis issue. An instructor may ask you to apply a certain concept or theory, or even take a position and provide supporting evidence. It may also require critiquing a position. Regardless of the topic or directions, instructors will use this assignment to evaluate your  critical thinking  skills.

The Literature Review (a/k/a the Term Paper)

This specific approach to writing usually entails two tasks: (1) identifying a research question or topic of interest and (2) conducting library and/or Internet research to locate scholarly research articles, books, or Internet materials that address the topic selected. This paper is not a mere listing of research findings, but a synthesis of materials to develop a new way of thinking about a topic or suggests directions for further inquiry (see Giarrusso et al., A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers [2008]). This assignment will also require you to use an appropriate citation and reference style; you can check out our suggestions in the Writer's Guide.However, always follow the instructor's suggestions for citation styles. You can find examples of this type of writing in:

• Literature Review using APA Style Citations
• Literature Review examples from Students  (PDF)
• The Process of Writing a Literature Review  (provided by Dr. Cameron Lippard) (PDF)

The Research Paper/Project

Like the literature review paper, you will be required to select a research question or topic and conduct library and/or Internet research regarding scholarly work. However, you will go one step further and conduct your own original research on the topic. This is where you will do what most scientists do: formulate and test hypotheses, use research methods to collect data, complete a quantitative or qualitative analysis of the data collected, and provide conclusions that link your data to the theoretical arguments you discussed in your literature review. In general, this paper will include the following sections: (a) Introduction, (b) Literature Review, (c) Methods Description, (d) Results (data analysis section), (e) Discussions and Conclusions, and (f) References. Usually you will complete a paper like this during your Research Methods and/or Senior Seminar courses. Finally, just like the literature review paper, you will have to use an established citation and reference style. The links below, to already published papers, are good examples of how to do this.

• Determining What Works for Girls in the Juvenile Justice System: A Summary of Evaluation Evidence  (PDF)
• Judging Women and Defining Crime: Police Officers' Attitudes Toward Women and Rape  (PDF)

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Writing Guide

Writing sociological topics.

“Sociology is the scientific study of human social life. Sociologists seek to describe social patterns and to develop theories for explanation and prediction of social processes of all sizes. Sociology applies objective and systematic methods of investigation to identify patterns and forms of social life and to understand the processes of development and change in human societies.”

Sociology can be described as the scientific study of society.

Sociologists follow the scientific method in research and translate that research into language that is applicable to diverse audiences.

Even if you don’t plan on becoming a sociologist, learning to communicate in the writing and oral styles that are specific to sociology can be useful in many professions. Even though sociological writing is presenting research about the social world, which we all live in and experience that does not mean that the sociological style of writing will come naturally.

Whether you’re writing a “low-stakes” summary of assigned readings, or a “high-stakes” research proposal, there are stylistic rules specific to sociology that need to be followed. This writing guide aims to help students in sociology courses understand these guidelines and improve their sociological writing.

Departmental Expectations

• Enable students to understand the interactions among individuals, groups, and social institutions in society.
• Develop student competence in understanding, critically assessing, and applying major sociological concepts.
• Introduce students to the various theoretical perspectives of sociology.
• Develop student understanding of research methods appropriate to sociological inquiry.
• Develop student competence in posing research questions, evaluating evidence, and developing logical arguments.

Disciplinary Genres

Writing in sociology can be either argumentative or analytical. Too often, students in sociology try to find the “right” answer, rather than taking a stance on the literature.

There are various writing genres within sociology. These genres include, but are not limited to: social issue analyses, article critiques, literature reviews, quantitative research designs, quantitative research papers, qualitative research designs, and qualitative research papers. Common types of writing in sociology classes at UNC Charlotte include summaries of readings, topic essays, literature reviews, methodological designs, and research proposals.

For these writing assignments, you will be asked to analyze and critique previous research or make an argument for proposed research, or both. While the exact style of writing will vary by assignment, and by professor, the writing norms of sociology will always apply.

Writing and Speaking Norms in Sociology

The learning objectives for sociology courses can be reached through communicating in a way that is appropriate to the field of Sociology. As a student in Sociology, you will regularly engage in various types of writing.

As is the case in other academic disciplines, sociologists have developed a style of writing that is most appropriate. The American Sociological Association style guide presents the fundamentals of sociological writing.

Following these guidelines, writing in sociology should be:

• Clear in expression, with respect to ideas and structure
• Concise and coherent, avoiding wordy phrases
• Absent of language reflecting bias or stereotypes
• Using an active voice
• Use verb tense that is consistent within a section
• Proper citations, using American Sociological Association (ASA) guidelines

Examples of Common Assignments

The sociology department, as well as all departments at UNC Charlotte, incorporates low-stakes, medium-stakes, and high-stakes writing into the curriculum. It is not uncommon for sociology courses to assign written work from all of these levels.

Low-stakes assignments serve as a means for input: exploration, discovery, hypothesizing, problem-solving, and so on. Think of these assignments as “writing to learn”. Below are some examples of low-stakes assignments commonly used in sociology courses.

• Brief in-class writing assignments on course topics.
• Summaries of assigned readings.
• Creating a hypothesis.
• Brief, or list-like, writings about a topic.

Medium Stakes

Medium-stakes assignments focus on certain thinking processes within the discipline. These assignments are still primarily informal but require more guidelines for format, structure, and style that are appropriate to sociology . These assignments are typically done in one sitting and do not require extensive revision. Below are some examples of medium-stakes assignments commonly used in sociology courses.

• Response papers on lecture or other course materials that incorporate sociological perspectives.
• Wiki contributions, blog posts, discussion board posts.
• Reflection papers on personal experiences.
• Analyses of current issues or events.

High Stakes

High-stakes assignments are easily recognizable. These assignments incorporate analysis, argumentation, or both to a broad range of concepts or readings. High-stakes writing assignments are subject to several revisions and follow more closely the style guidelines of sociology. Below are some common high-stakes writing assignments in sociology:

• Research proposal or research report.
• Written report on qualitative or quantitative research done by the student.
• Final papers that integrate the entirety of course topics.

Here’s an example of a high-stakes research proposal with instructor comments.

Writing Outcomes

Listed at the bottom of this page in the attachments section is an example of a survey research paper done by a UNC Charlotte student as well as the rubric the instructor utilized for grading purposes.

Below are several tools and tips to help you communicate effectively in sociology.

General Advice for Non-Majors will help students not familiar with writing in sociology.

ASA Style Guide will provide examples of the writing and speaking norms in sociology, as well as show how to properly cite resources.

This Reading Guide will help students learn how to approach sociological literature.

The Writing Resource Center at UNC Charlotte provides writing services to students.

Citation Guide will help you make sure that all of your resources are properly cited.

List of ASA (American Sociological Association) Writing Style Guides

The University Center for Academic Excellence (UCAE) provides academic support for UNC Charlotte students.

The Dr. Abel Scribe citation tool is another useful guide for learning about the ASA’s formatting rules as well as its citation guidelines.

Endnote – Citation software program available to UNC Charlotte students.

Marquette University’s Writing Guide for Social Science Majors

University of California, Berkeley’s Writing Guide for Sociology Majors

These sections adapted from:

American Sociological Association. 2010. American Sociological Association Style Guide. 4th ed. Washington, DC: American Sociological Association.

Bean, John C. 2001. Engaging Ideas: The Professor’s Guide to Integrating Writing, Critical Thinking, and Active Learning in the Classroom. San Francisco, CA: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Darmouth Institute for Writing and Rhetoric “General Advice for Non-Majors” accessed 2013.

Harris, Angelique and Alia R. Tyner-Mullings. 2013. Writing for Emerging Sociologists. Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications

Johnson, William A. et al. 2004. The Sociology Student Writer’s Manual. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall

UNC Charlotte Department of Sociology “Home” section accessed 2013.

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sociology , a social science that studies human societies, their interactions, and the processes that preserve and change them. It does this by examining the dynamics of constituent parts of societies such as institutions, communities , populations, and gender, racial, or age groups. Sociology also studies social status or stratification, social movements , and social change , as well as societal disorder in the form of crime, deviance , and revolution .

Social life overwhelmingly regulates the behaviour of humans , largely because humans lack the instincts that guide most animal behaviour . Humans therefore depend on social institutions and organizations to inform their decisions and actions. Given the important role organizations play in influencing human action, it is sociology’s task to discover how organizations affect the behaviour of persons, how they are established, how organizations interact with one another, how they decay, and, ultimately, how they disappear. Among the most basic organizational structures are economic, religious, educational, and political institutions, as well as more specialized institutions such as the family, the community , the military, peer groups, clubs, and volunteer associations.

Sociology, as a generalizing social science, is surpassed in its breadth only by anthropology —a discipline that encompasses archaeology , physical anthropology , and linguistics . The broad nature of sociological inquiry causes it to overlap with other social sciences such as economics , political science , psychology , geography , education , and law . Sociology’s distinguishing feature is its practice of drawing on a larger societal context to explain social phenomena.

Sociologists also utilize some aspects of these other fields. Psychology and sociology, for instance, share an interest in the subfield of social psychology , although psychologists traditionally focus on individuals and their mental mechanisms. Sociology devotes most of its attention to the collective aspects of human behaviour , because sociologists place greater emphasis on the ways external groups influence the behaviour of individuals.

The field of social anthropology has been historically quite close to sociology. Until about the first quarter of the 20th century, the two subjects were usually combined in one department (especially in Britain), differentiated mainly by anthropology’s emphasis on the sociology of preliterate peoples. Recently, however, this distinction has faded, as social anthropologists have turned their interests toward the study of modern culture .

Two other social sciences, political science and economics, developed largely from the practical interests of nations. Increasingly, both fields have recognized the utility of sociological concepts and methods. A comparable synergy has also developed with respect to law, education, and religion and even in such contrasting fields as engineering and architecture. All of these fields can benefit from the study of institutions and social interaction.

Historical development of sociology

Though sociology draws on the Western tradition of rational inquiry established by the ancient Greeks, it is specifically the offspring of 18th- and 19th-century philosophy and has been viewed, along with economics and political science, as a reaction against speculative philosophy and folklore. Consequently, sociology separated from moral philosophy to become a specialized discipline. While he is not credited with the founding of the discipline of sociology, French philosopher Auguste Comte is recognized for having coined the term sociology .

The founders of sociology spent decades searching for the proper direction of the new discipline. They tried several highly divergent pathways, some driven by methods and contents borrowed from other sciences, others invented by the scholars themselves. To better view the various turns the discipline has taken, the development of sociology may be divided into four periods: the establishment of the discipline from the late 19th century until World War I , interwar consolidation, explosive growth from 1945 to 1975, and the subsequent period of segmentation.

Some of the earliest sociologists developed an approach based on Darwinian evolutionary theory. In their attempts to establish a scientifically based academic discipline, a line of creative thinkers, including Herbert Spencer , Benjamin Kidd, Lewis H. Morgan , E.B. Tylor , and L.T. Hobhouse , developed analogies between human society and the biological organism. They introduced into sociological theory such biological concepts as variance, natural selection , and inheritance—asserting that these evolutionary factors resulted in the progress of societies from stages of savagery and barbarism to civilization by virtue of the survival of the fittest . Some writers believed that these stages of society could be seen in the developmental stages of each individual. Strange customs were explained by assuming that they were throwbacks to useful practices of an earlier period, such as the make-believe struggle sometimes enacted between the bridegroom and the bride’s relatives reflecting the earlier custom of bride capture.

In its popular period of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, social Darwinism , along with the doctrines of Adam Smith and Thomas Malthus , touted unrestricted competition and laissez-faire so that the “fittest” would survive and civilization would continue to advance. Although the popularity of social Darwinism waned in the 20th century, the ideas on competition and analogies from biological ecology were appropriated by the Chicago School of sociology (a University of Chicago program focusing on urban studies, founded by Albion Small in 1892) to form the theory of human ecology that endures as a viable study approach.

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Writing Papers That Apply Sociological Theories or Perspectives

This document is intended as an additional resource for undergraduate students taking sociology courses at UW. It is not intended to replace instructions from your professors and TAs. In all cases follow course-specific assignment instructions, and consult your TA or professor if you have questions.

About These Assignments

Theory application assignments are a common type of analytical writing assigned in sociology classes.  Many instructors expect you to apply sociological theories (sometimes called "perspectives" or "arguments") to empirical phenomena. [1]   There are different ways to do this, depending upon your objectives, and of course, the specifics of each assignment. You can choose cases that confirm (support), disconfirm (contradict), [2]  or partially confirm any theory.   

How to Apply Theory to Empirical Phenomena

Theory application assignments generally require you to look at empirical phenomena through the lens of theory.  Ask yourself, what would the theory predict ("have to say") about a particular situation. According to the theory, if particular conditions are present or you see a change in a particular variable, what outcome should you expect? 

Generally, a first step in a theory application assignment is to make certain you understand the theory! You should be able to state the theory (the author's main argument) in a sentence or two.  Usually, this means specifying the causal relationship (X—>Y) or the causal model (which might involve multiple variables and relationships). 

For those taking sociological theory classes, in particular, you need to be aware that theories are constituted by more than causal relationships.  Depending upon the assignment, you may be asked to specify the following:

• Causal Mechanism: This is a detailed explanation about how X—>Y, often made at a lower level of analysis (i.e., using smaller units) than the causal relationship.
• Level of Analysis: Macro-level theories refer to society- or group-level causes and processes; micro-level theories address individual-level causes and processes.
• Scope Conditions: These are parameters or boundaries specified by the theorist that identify the types of empirical phenomena to which the theory applies.
• Assumptions: Most theories begin by assuming certain "facts." These often concern the bases of human behavior: for example, people are inherently aggressive or inherently kind, people act out of self-interest or based upon values, etc.

Theories vary in terms of whether they specify assumptions, scope conditions and causal mechanisms.  Sometimes they can only be inferred: when this is the case, be clear about that in your paper.

Clearly understanding all the parts of a theory helps you ensure that you are applying the theory correctly to your case. For example, you can ask whether your case fits the theory's assumptions and scope conditions.  Most importantly, however, you should single out the main argument or point (usually the causal relationship and mechanism) of the theory.  Does the theorist's key argument apply to your case? Students often go astray here by latching onto an inconsequential or less important part of the theory reading, showing the relationship to their case, and then assuming they have fully applied the theory.

Using Evidence to Make Your Argument

Theory application papers involve making a claim or argument based on theory, supported by empirical evidence. [3]   There are a few common problems that students encounter while writing these types of assignments: unsubstantiated claims/generalizations; "voice" issues or lack of attribution; excessive summarization/insufficient analysis.  Each class of problem is addressed below, followed by some pointers for choosing "cases," or deciding upon the empirical phenomenon to which you will apply the theoretical perspective or argument (including where to find data).

A common problem seen in theory application assignments is failing to substantiate claims, or making a statement that is not backed up with evidence or details ("proof").  When you make a statement or a claim, ask yourself, "How do I know this?"  What evidence can you marshal to support your claim? Put this evidence in your paper (and remember to cite your sources).  Similarly, be careful about making overly strong or broad claims based on insufficient evidence.  For example, you probably don't want to make a claim about how Americans feel about having a black president based on a poll of UW undergraduates.  You may also want to be careful about making authoritative (conclusive) claims about broad social phenomena based on a single case study.

In addition to un- or under-substantiated claims, another problem that students often encounter when writing these types of papers is lack of clarity regarding "voice," or whose ideas they are presenting.  The reader is left wondering whether a given statement represents the view of the theorist, the student, or an author who wrote about the case.  Be careful to identify whose views and ideas you are presenting. For example, you could write, "Marx views class conflict as the engine of history;" or, "I argue that American politics can best be understood through the lens of class conflict;" [4]  or, "According to Ehrenreich, Walmart employees cannot afford to purchase Walmart goods."

Another common problem that students encounter is the trap of excessive summarization.  They spend the majority of their papers simply summarizing (regurgitating the details) of a case—much like a book report.  One way to avoid this is to remember that theory indicates which details (or variables) of a case are most relevant, and to focus your discussion on those aspects.  A second strategy is to make sure that you relate the details of the case in an analytical fashion. You might do this by stating an assumption of Marxist theory, such as "man's ideas come from his material conditions," and then summarizing evidence from your case on that point.  You could organize the details of the case into paragraphs and start each paragraph with an analytical sentence about how the theory relates to different aspects of the case. 

Some theory application papers require that you choose your own case (an empirical phenomenon, trend, situation, etc.), whereas others specify the case for you (e.g., ask you to apply conflict theory to explain some aspect of globalization described in an article). Many students find choosing their own case rather challenging.  Some questions to guide your choice are:

• Can I obtain sufficient data with relative ease on my case?
• Is my case specific enough?  If your subject matter is too broad or abstract, it becomes both difficult to gather data and challenging to apply the theory.
• Is the case an interesting one? Professors often prefer that you avoid examples used by the theorist themselves, those used in lectures and sections, and those that are extremely obvious.

Where You Can Find Data

Data is collected by many organizations (e.g., commercial, governmental, nonprofit, academic) and can frequently be found in books, reports, articles, and online sources.  The UW libraries make your job easy: on the front page of the library website ( www.lib.washington.edu ), in the left hand corner you will see a list of options under the heading "Find It" that allows you to go directly to databases, specific online journals, newspapers, etc. For example, if you are choosing a historical case, you might want to access newspaper articles.  This has become increasingly easy to do, as many are now online through the UW library.  For example, you can search The New York Times and get full-text online for every single issue from 1851 through today!  If you are interested in interview or observational data, you might try to find books or articles that are case-studies on your topic of interest by conducting a simple keyword search of the UW library book holdings, or using an electronic database, such as JSTOR or Sociological Abstracts.  Scholarly articles are easy to search through, since they contain abstracts, or paragraphs that summarize the topic, relevant literature, data and methods, and major findings.  When using JSTOR, you may want to limit your search to sociology (which includes 70 journals) and perhaps political science; this database retrieves full-text articles. Sociological Abstracts will cast a wider net searching many more sociology journals, but the article may or may not be available online (find out by clicking "check for UW holdings").  A final word about using academic articles for data: remember that you need to cite your sources, and follow the instructions of your assignment.  This includes making your own argument about your case, not using an argument you find in a scholarly article.

In addition, there are many data sources online.  For example, you can get data from the US census, including for particular neighborhoods, from a number of cites. You can get some crime data online: the Seattle Police Department publishes several years' worth of crime rates.  There are numerous cites on public opinion, including gallup.com. There is an online encyclopedia on Washington state history, including that of individual Seattle neighborhoods ( www.historylink.org ). These are just a couple options: a simple google search will yield hundreds more.  Finally, remember that librarian reference desks are expert on data sources, and that you can call, email, or visit in person to ask about what data is available on your particular topic.  You can chat with a librarian 24 hours a day online, as well (see the "Ask Us!" link on the front page of UW libraries website for contact information).

[1] By empirical phenomena, we mean some sort of observed, real-world conditions. These include societal trends, events, or outcomes. They are sometimes referred to as "cases."   Return to Reading

[2] A cautionary note about critiquing theories: no social theory explains all cases, so avoid claiming that a single case "disproves" a theory, or that a single case "proves" a theory correct. Moreover, if you choose a case that disconfirms a theory, you should be careful that the case falls within the scope conditions (see above) of the given theory. For example, if a theorist specifies that her argument pertains to economic transactions, it would not be a fair critique to say the theory doesn't explain dynamics within a family. On the other hand, it is useful and interesting to apply theories to cases not foreseen by the original theorist (we see this in sociological theories that incorporate theories from evolutionary biology or economics).   Return to Reading

[3] By empirical evidence, we mean data on social phenomena, derived from scientific observation or experiment.  Empirical evidence may be quantitative (e.g., statistical data) or qualitative (e.g., descriptions derived from systematic observation or interviewing), or a mixture of both. Empirical evidence must be observable and derived from real-world conditions (present or historical) rather than hypothetical or "imagined".  For additional help, see the "Where You Can Find Data" section on the next page.   Return to Reading

[4] If your instructor does not want you to use the first-person, you could write, "This paper argues…"   Return to Reading

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An introduction to writing of assignments in sociology

On this page you will find information about use of sources and some general tips for writing assignments in sociology.

This guide is compiled by PhD Candidate Eivind Grip Fjær.

You can download the entire page as a booklet in pdf-format .

Planning the assignment

1. introduction, 2. background, 3. discussion, 4. conclusion, tips for the writing process, 1. work on the structure, 2. work on the text, 3. words and terms, use of sources, 1. citations, 2. references in the text, 3. the list of references, 4. what not to do with your references, 5. plagiarism, tips for books on academic writing.

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जानिए एमए सोशियोलॉजी के सिलेबस के बारे में

• Updated on  
• सितम्बर 2, 2022

सोशियोलॉजी दो शब्दों से मिलकर बना है, socio यानी सोशल और ology यानी साइंस। सोशियोलॉजी में हम संस्कृति, वर्ग, जाति, धर्म, क्राइम, डिस्क्रिमिनेशन, परिवार, लिंग, पापुलेशन एजुकेशन आदि क्षेत्रों का अध्ययन करते हैं। मानव समाज अब तक की सबसे जटिल, अनोखी और पेचीदा सभ्यता है। मानव समाज में सामाजिक व्यवहार और सोसाइटी डेवलपमेंट के बारे में खोज में रुचि रखने वालों के लिए, समाजशास्त्र मानव समाज के साथ-साथ मानव संस्कृति और रीति-रिवाजों के कामकाज की एक व्यावहारिक समझ प्रदान करता है। अगर आप भी सोशियोलॉजी में रुचि रखते हैं और MA sociology syllabus in Hindi में जानना चाहते हैं तो इस ब्लॉग को पूरा जरूर पढ़े। 

This Blog Includes:

एमए सोशियोलॉजी क्या हैं , एमए सोशियोलॉजी के लिए योग्यता  , एमए सोशियोलॉजी सिलेबस इन हिंदी, वैकल्पिक विषय, एमए सोशियोलॉजी प्रोजेक्ट के लिए सैंपल टॉपिक, विदेश में एमए सोशियोलॉजी सिलेबस, एमए सोशियोलॉजी सिलेबस इग्नू, जेएनयू के लिए एमए सोशियोलॉजी सिलेबस, एमए समाजशास्त्र एचपीयू के लिए सिलेबस, एमजेपीआरयू के लिए एमए समाजशास्त्र सिलेबस  , एमए सोशियोलॉजी सिलेबस बीएचयू , विश्व के शीर्ष रैंक वाले विश्वविद्यालय , भारत की टॉप यूनिवर्सिटीज  , आवेदन प्रक्रिया, आवश्यक दस्तावेज़, सोशियोलॉजी की बेस्ट बुक्स, करियर के अवसर एमए सोशियोलॉजी के बाद .

एमए सोशियोलॉजी सोशल साइंस की एक ब्रांच है। एमए सोशियोलॉजी में छात्रों को किसी भी व्यक्ति या समाज के प्रति सोशल रिलेशन और सोशल ग्रुप्स के साथ उनके व्यवहार के बारे में वैज्ञानिक अध्ययन करते है। अगस्टे कॉम्टे वह पहले विद्वान थे, जिन्होंने ह्यूमन सोशल रिलेशन का वैज्ञानिक नाम ‘समाज विज्ञान’ यानी sociology शब्द का प्रयोग किया था। आसान शब्दों में कहा जाये तो ये एक ऐसा विज्ञान है जिसमें मानव और सामाजिक सम्बन्धों के बीच अध्ययन किया जाता है। 

एमए सोशियोलॉजी करने के लिए छात्रों के लिए सामान्य योग्यता नीचे दी गई है, जो कुछ इस प्रकार हैं:

• छात्र को 10+2 किसी भी मान्यता प्राप्त बोर्ड से किसी भी स्ट्रीम से पास करनी होगी। 
• बैचलर डिग्री प्रोग्राम में छात्र के पास न्यूनतम 50% – 55% अंक होने आवश्यक हैं ।
• विदेश में पढ़ाई करने के लिए अंग्रेजी भाषा दक्षता प्रमाण के लिए TOEFL / IELTS / PTE स्कोर की आवश्यकता होती है।
• लेटर ऑफ़ रिकमेन्डेशन  
• स्टेटमेंट ऑफ़ पर्पस 

MA sociology syllabus in Hindi में नीचे कुछ सामान्य विषयों की लिस्ट दी गई हैं, जो छात्रों को उनके शैक्षणिक सत्र के दौरान पढ़ाए जाते हैं। यह विषय यूनिवर्सिटी के अनुसार और राज्य के अनुसार थोड़े अलग हो सकते हैं ।

MA sociology syllabus in Hindi में छात्रों के लिए कुछ वैकल्पिक विषय की सूची दी गई हैं, जिन्हें छात्र अपनी स्पेशलाइजेशन के अनुसार चुन सकते हैं। 

• एनवायर्नमेंटल पॉलिटिक्स एंड सोशियोलॉजी
• क्रिटिकल सोशल रिसर्च : ट्रुथ, एथिक्स एंड पॉवर
• क्वालिटेटिव रिसर्च
• क्वांटिटेटिव डेटा एनालिसिस
• सोशल चेंज एंड द पॉलिटिकल सिस्टम
• सोशियोलॉजी ऑफ़ वायलेंस
• सोशल रिसर्च डिज़ाइन

छात्रों के लिए नीचे कुछ प्रोजेक्ट सैंपल की लिस्ट दी गई हैं जो छात्रों को अपने फाइनल ईयर में अपनी विशेषज्ञता के अनुसार करने होते हैं। 

• श्रमिकों के मुखर व्यवहार को प्रभावित करने वाले कारकों के रूप में लिंग और परिवार का प्रकार
• नाइजीरियाई पुलिस और नागरिक सुरक्षा वाहिनी के बीच संघर्ष प्रबंधन की संस्थागत भूमिकाएँ
• नाइजीरिया में पुलिस तनाव का असर
• नाइजीरियाई पुलिस अधिकारी पर रात की पाली का प्रभाव
• पुलिस का तनाव : समस्या और समाधान
• पुलिस अधिकारियों में अवसाद, चिंता और तनाव का स्तर
• पुलिस तनाव: तनाव के लक्षणों की पहचान और प्रबंधन
• कानून प्रवर्तन अधिकारियों पर तनाव और थकान का प्रभाव 
• पर्यावरणीय गिरावट पर ग्रामीण गरीबी का प्रभाव
• नाइजीरिया में महिला आपराधिकता का सामाजिक-आर्थिक संबंध [कडुना जेल का एक केस स्टडी]
• बेन्यू स्टेट यूनिवर्सिटी, मकुरदी में छात्रों के अकादमिक प्रदर्शन पर नशीली दवाओं के दुरुपयोग का प्रभाव
• मकुर्दी स्थानीय शासन क्षेत्र में एकल पितृत्व की समाजशास्त्रीय परीक्षा
• तृतीयक संस्थाओं में भूतपूर्व कृषकों का पुनर्वास
• नाइजीरियाई होम वीडियो: फिल्में: एक समाजशास्त्रीय सर्वेक्षण
• कोल्बेन में एक पाठ्यक्रम के रूप में प्रारंभिक बाल शिक्षा के अध्ययन के प्रति प्रारंभिक बचपन देखभाल शिक्षा के छात्रों का ज्ञान और दृष्टिकोण
• नाइजीरिया में जनसंख्या में कमी के एक एजेंट के रूप में परिवार नियोजन: बेनिन शहर में ओविया उत्तर पूर्व स्थानीय सरकार क्षेत्र में कुछ चयनित समुदाय का एक केस स्टडी
• नाइजीरिया तृतीयक संस्थानों में महिला वेश्यावृत्ति के कारणों, प्रसार और प्रभाव की जांच: एक केस स्टडी के रूप में शिक्षा कॉलेज, एकियाडोलोर-बेनिन
• टूटे हुए घरों पर सामाजिक कल्याण सेवाओं की भूमिका ईदो राज्य के ओरेडो स्थानीय सरकार क्षेत्र का एक केस स्टडी
• नाइजीरिया में बढ़ती जनसंख्या के नियंत्रण में परिवार नियोजन का महत्व: ईदो राज्य के ओरेडो स्थानीय सरकार क्षेत्र का एक केस स्टडी
• नाइजीरिया में एक बहुविवाहित परिवार में बालिकाओं को शिक्षित करना: ईदो राज्य के ओरेडो स्थानीय सरकार क्षेत्र का एक केस स्टडी
• एसन पश्चिम स्थानीय सरकारी क्षेत्र में अनपढ़ माताओं में बच्चों के टीकाकरण से जुड़ी समस्याएं
• ईदो राज्य के ओरेडो स्थानीय सरकार क्षेत्र में स्ट्रीट ट्रेडिंग और बलात्कार: कारण और प्रभाव

नीचे विदेश में  यूएसए, कनाडा, ऑस्ट्रेलिया, यूके में पढ़ाए जाने वाले सोशियोलॉजी सिलेबस की लिस्ट दी गई हैं जो कुछ इस प्रकार हैं:

• क्वांटिटेटिव मेथड्स ऑफ़ सोशियोलॉजी
• क्वालिटेटिव मेथड्स ऑफ़ सोशियोलॉजी
• रिसर्च मेथड्स ऑफ़ सोशियोलॉजी
• ग्रोथ एंड सस्टेनेबिलिटी
• कंटेम्पररी मॉड्यूल्स ऑफ़ सोशियोलॉजी
• हेल्थ एंड सोसाइटी
• वर्ल्ड इश्यूस एंड आस्पेक्ट्स ऑफ़ सोशियोलॉजी

अलग-अलग यूनिवर्सिटीज के लिए एमए सोशियोलॉजी सिलेबस

नीचे अलग अलग भारतीय यूनिवर्सिटी के द्वारा फॉलो किए जाने वाले सिलेबस की जानकारी दी गई हैं, जो कुछ इस प्रकार हैं:

• एसएस 451N – सामाजिक विज्ञान की पद्धति
• एसएस 452N – समाजशास्त्रीय विचारक
• एसएस 453N – संस्कृति, व्यक्तित्व और समाज
• एसएस 454एन – भारत में पारिवारिक जीवन और नातेदारी
• एसएस 455N – मानवशास्त्रीय सिद्धांत
• एसएस 456N – भारत में अर्थव्यवस्था और समाज
• एसएस 457N – भारत में सामाजिक स्तरीकरण का समाजशास्त्र
• एसएस 458N – भारत में धर्म और समाज
• एसएस 459N – समाजशास्त्रीय सिद्धांत
• एसएस 460एन – सामाजिक अनुसंधान की तकनीक
• एसएस 461N – भारत में राजनीति और समाज
• एसएस 413एन – भारत में उद्योग और समाज
• एसएस 414एन – ज्ञान का समाजशास्त्र
• एसएस 415N – भारत में कानून और समाज
• एसएस 416एन – मेडिसिन का समाजशास्त्र
• एसएस 417N – विज्ञान का समाजशास्त्र
• एसएस 418N – अल्पसंख्यकों और जातीय समूहों का समाजशास्त्र
• एसएस 419N – भारत में नौकरशाही और विकास
• एसएस 420N – भारत में शिक्षा का समाजशास्त्र
• एसएस 421एन – भारत में जनजातीय समाजशास्त्र
• एसएस 422एन – भारत में किसान समाजशास्त्र
• एसएस 423एन – भारत में शहरी जीवन का समाजशास्त्र
• एसएस 424N – व्यवसायों का समाजशास्त्र
• एसएस 425N – सामाजिक नृविज्ञान में विषय – मोनोग्राफ का विश्लेषण
• एसएस 426एन – सामाजिक विज्ञान में सांख्यिकी
• एसएस 427N – भारत में जनसंख्या और समाज

• शास्त्रीय समाजशास्त्रीय परंपराएं 
• सामाजिक अनुसंधान की पद्धति
• लिंग और समाज (वैकल्पिक)
• पर्यावरण और समाज (वैकल्पिक)
• भारत में रॉयल सोसाइटी (वैकल्पिक)
• सीमांत समुदायों का समाजशास्त्र (वैकल्पिक) 
• वैश्वीकरण और समाज (वैकल्पिक)
• समाजशास्त्र में सैद्धांतिक परिप्रेक्ष्य
• भारतीय समाजों पर परिप्रेक्ष्य 
• भारत में शहरी समाज (वैकल्पिक)
• उम्र बढ़ने का समाजशास्त्र (वैकल्पिक)
• भारत में उद्योग और समाज (वैकल्पिक)
• भारतीय डायस्पोरा का अध्ययन (वैकल्पिक)
• राजनीतिक समाजशास्त्र (वैकल्पिक)

सेमेस्टर 1 

• पेपर S1:01 सोशल एंथ्रोपोलॉजी
• पेपर S1:02 सामाजिक विज्ञान की कार्यप्रणाली
• पेपर S1:03 समूह प्रक्रियाएं और गतिशीलता
• पेपर S1:04 शास्त्रीय सामाजिक विचारक
• पेपर S1:05 पर्यावरण का समाजशास्त्र
• पेपर S2:01 जनजातीय अर्थव्यवस्था और समाज
• पेपर S2:02 सामाजिक सांख्यिकी
• पेपर S2:03 ग्रुप इंटरेक्शन के सिद्धांत
• पेपर S2:04 पारंपरिक सैद्धांतिक नींव
• पेपर S2:05 समाजशास्त्रीय समीक्षा और चिरायु- Voce               

सेमेस्टर 3 

• अनिवार्य कागजात
• पेपर S3:01 आधुनिक समाजशास्त्रीय सिद्धांत
• पेपर S3:02 भारत का समाजशास्त्र
• वैकल्पिक पेपर
• पेपर S3:03 रूरल सोशियोलॉजी
• पेपर S3:04 अर्बन सोशियोलॉजी   
• पेपर S3:03 सामाजिक जनसांख्यिकी
• पेपर S3:04 सामुदायिक स्वास्थ्य के जनसांख्यिकीय आयाम
• पेपर S3:03 महिलाएं और समाज
• पेपर S3:04 भारत में महिलाएं और सामाजिक परिवर्तन
• पेपर S3:03 औद्योगिक समाजशास्त्र
• पेपर S3:04 औद्योगिक प्रबंधन
• पेपर S3:03 सामाजिक नृविज्ञान: वैचारिक और पद्धति संबंधी मुद्दे
• पेपर S3:04 भारत में जनजातियाँ
• पेपर S3:05 निबंध
• पेपर S4:01 उन्नत समाजशास्त्रीय सिद्धांत
• पेपर S4:02 भारत में निरंतरता और परिवर्तन
• पेपर S4:03 किसान समाज और सामाजिक परिवर्तन
• पेपर S4:04 शहरीकरण और सामाजिक परिवर्तन
• पेपर S4:03 जनसंख्या वृद्धि और नीतियां
• पेपर S4:04 सामुदायिक स्वास्थ्य प्रबंधन
• पेपर S4:03 लिंग और विकास
• पेपर S4:04 जेंडर मोबिलिटी और चेंज
• पेपर S4:03 श्रमिक वर्ग और औद्योगिक विकास
• पेपर S4:04 औद्योगिक संबंध और कार्मिक प्रबंधन
• पेपर S4:03 जनजातीय संस्थान
• पेपर S4:04 जनजातीय विकास के दृष्टिकोण
• पेपर S4:05 चिरायु -आप

छात्रों द्वारा मोस्ट प्रिफर्ड और QS 2022 वर्ल्ड रैंकिंग यूनिवर्सिटीज की लिस्ट कुछ इस प्रकार हैं:

• इरास्मस स्कूल ऑफ सोशल एंड बिहेवियरल साइंसेज
• लिस्बन विश्वविद्यालय संस्थान
• चार्ल्स विश्वविद्यालय
• अल्गार्वे विश्वविद्यालय
• बांगोर विश्वविद्यालय
• कार्डिफ विश्वविद्यालय
• केंटो विश्वविद्यालय
• प्रिटोरिया विश्वविद्यालय
• लिमरिक विश्वविद्यालय
• द न्यू स्कूल
• हार्वर्ड विश्वविद्यालय
• ऑक्सफोर्ड विश्वविद्यालय। ऑक्सफोर्ड, यूनाइटेड किंगडम
• लंदन स्कूल ऑफ इकोनॉमिक्स एंड पॉलिटिकल साइंस   (एलएसई) लंदन, यूनाइटेड किंगडम
• कैलिफोर्निया विश्वविद्यालय, बर्कले (यूसीबी)
• स्टैनफोर्ड विश्वविद्यालय
• कैम्ब्रिज विश्वविद्यालय
• कैलिफोर्निया विश्वविद्यालय, लॉस एंजिल्स (यूसीएलए)
• शिकागो विश्वविद्यालय

आइए जानते हैं NIRF की रिपोर्ट 2021 के अनुसार भारत की टॉप यूनिवर्सिटीज के बारे में जहां एमए सोशियोलॉजी कोर्स करने के लिए प्रवेश ले सकते हैं। 

• पंजाब विश्वविद्यालय, चंडीगढ़
• गलगोटिया विश्वविद्यालय, ग्रेटर नोएडा
• निम्स विश्वविद्यालय, जयपुर
• उत्कल विश्वविद्यालय, भुवनेश्वर
• तेजपुर विश्वविद्यालय, तेजपुर
• आरटीएमएनयू नागपुर – राष्ट्रसंत तुकड़ोजी महाराज नागपुर विश्वविद्यालय
• गुजरात विश्वविद्यालय, अहमदाबाद
• एसएनडीटी महिला विश्वविद्यालय, मुंबई
• दिल्ली विश्वविद्यालय 
• एलपीयू जालंधर – लवली प्रोफेशनल यूनिवर्सिटी
• इग्नू दिल्ली – इंदिरा गांधी राष्ट्रीय मुक्त विश्वविद्यालय
• एमएसयू बड़ौदा – महाराजा सयाजीराव यूनिवर्सिटी ऑफ बड़ौदा
• क्राइस्ट यूनिवर्सिटी, बैंगलोर
• बीएचयू वाराणसी – बनारस हिंदू विश्वविद्यालय
• हैदराबाद विश्वविद्यालय, हैदराबाद
• डॉ बीआर अंबेडकर मुक्त विश्वविद्यालय, हैदराबाद
• मणिपाल विश्वविद्यालय (एमएएचई) – मणिपाल उच्च शिक्षा अकादमी
• प्रेसीडेंसी विश्वविद्यालय, कोलकाता
• हिमाचल प्रदेश विश्वविद्यालय
• महात्मा ज्योतिबा फुले रोहिलखंड विश्वविद्यालय, बरेली
• जवाहरलाल नेहरू विश्वविद्यालय

किसी भी कोर्स में एडमिशन लेने के लिए आपको उसकी प्रक्रिया पता होनी चाहिए। भारत और विदेश में एमए सोशियोलॉजी करने के लिए नीचे बतायी गई प्रक्रिया को चरण दर चरण फॉलो करना होगा।

भारत और विदेश में एमए समाजशास्त्र करने के लिए आवेदन प्रक्रिया

• विश्वविद्यालय की ऑफिशियल वेबसाइट पर रजिस्ट्रेशन करें। यूके में एडमिशन के लिए आप यूसीएएस वेबसाइट ( UCAS ) पर जाकर रजिस्ट्रेशन करें। यहाँ से आपको यूजर आईडी और पासवर्ड प्राप्त होंगे।
• यूजर आईडी से साइन इन करें और कोर्स चुनें जिसे आप चुनना चाहते हैं। 
• अगली स्टेप में अपनी शैक्षणिक जानकारी भरें।  
• विदेश में शैक्षणिक योग्यता के साथ  IELTS , TOEFL , प्रवेश परीक्षा स्कोर, SOP , LOR की जानकारी भरें। 
• पिछले वर्षों की नौकरी की जानकारी भरें। 
• रजिस्ट्रेशन फीस का भुगतान करें।
• अंत में आवेदन पत्र जमा करें।
• कुछ यूनिवर्सिटी, सिलेक्शन के बाद वर्चुअल इंटरव्यू के लिए इनवाइट करती हैं।

विदेशी विश्वविद्यालय में एडमिशन लेने के लिए नीचे दिए गए डॉक्यूमेंट होने आवश्यक है:

• सभी ऑफिसियल शैक्षणिक ट्रांसक्रिप्टस और ग्रेड कार्ड
• पासपोर्ट साइज फोटो
• पासपोर्ट फोटो कॉपी
• वीजा  
• रिज्यूमे 
• अंग्रेजी भाषा कुशलता परीक्षा के अंक
• सिफारिश पत्र या LOR
• स्टेटमेंट ऑफ़ पर्पस 
• एमाजशास्त्र (मक्ग्रॉ हिल एजुकेशन) – एस. एस. पाण्डेय
• समाजशास्त्र – एम. एल. गुप्ता एवं डी. डी. शर्मा
• IGNOU समाजशास्त्र (हिंदी) BA अध्ययन सामग्री
• मुख्य समाजशास्त्रीय विचारक (पाश्चात्य एवं भारतीय चिंतक) – एस. एल. दोषी एवं पी. सी. जैन समाजशास्त्र नोट्स (हिंदी माध्यम) (सम्पूर्ण पाठ्यक्रम) – एस. एस. पाण्डेय
• 11वीं और 12वीं कक्षा की NCERT किताबें

एमए सोशियोलॉजी करने के बाद छात्रों के पास कई जॉब अवसर उपलब्ध हैं जहां वह अपना सुनहरा करियर बना सकते हैं। 

• शिक्षण संस्थान 
• परामर्श और चिकित्सा
• समाज सेवा एनजीओ
• परिवीक्षा और जेल सेवा
• सामुदायिक विकास 
• मानव संसाधन प्रबंधक
• प्रोजेक्ट मैनेजर
• सार्वजनिक संबंधो के विशेषज्ञ
• पार्षद मार्गदर्शन
• प्रबंधन सलाहकार
• सर्वेक्षण शोधकर्ता
• सामाजिक और सामुदायिक सेवा प्रबंधक
• सहयोगी सलाहकार
• बाज़ार अनुसंधान विश्लेषक
• शहरी और क्षेत्रीय योजनाकार
• नीति अधिकारी
• मादक द्रव्यों के सेवन, और मानसिक स्वास्थ्य परामर्शदाता
• अर्धन्यायिक

यह सामाजिक विज्ञान की एक शाखा है, जो मानवीय सामाजिक संरचना और गतिविधियों से सम्बन्धित जानकारी को परिष्कृत करने और उनका विकास करने के लिए, अनुभवजन्य विवेचन और विवेचनात्मक विश्लेषण की विभिन्न पद्धतियों का उपयोग करता है, अक्सर जिसका ध्येय सामाजिक कल्याण के अनुसरण में ऐसे ज्ञान को लागू करना होता है।

सोशियोलॉजी के जनक ऑगस्त कॉम्त का पूरा नाम था इज़िदोर मारी ऑगस्त फ़्रांस्वा हाविए कॉम्त. उनका जन्म दक्षिण पश्चिम फ़्रांस के मॉन्टपैलिए नगर में 1798 में हुआ था।

सोशियोलॉजी को इस प्रकार दो भाग में बाँटकर देखा जा सकता है जिसमें सामाजिक घटना का एक स्थायी स्वरूप होता है और उसका एक गतिशील स्वरूप होता है | समाजिक क्रियाओं के इन दो स्वरूपों अर्थात् स्थायी (Static) और गतिशील (Dynamic) दोनों प्राकृतिक नियमों द्वारा परिचालित होते हैं।

प्रोफेसर मुकर्जी के ही नेतृत्व में उत्तर प्रदेश में सर्वप्रथम लखनऊ विश्वविद्यालय में 1921 में सोशियोलॉजी का अध्ययन प्रारम्भ हुआ इसलिए वे उत्तर प्रदेश में सोशियोलॉजी के प्रणेता के रूप में भी विख्यात हैं। प्रोफेसर मुकर्जी इतिहास के अत्यन्त मौलिक दार्शनिक थे।

हमें उम्मीद हैं की आपको MA Sociology syllabus in Hindi से जुड़ी सभी उलझन दूर हो गयी होगी। अगर आप भी विदेश एमए सोशियोलॉजी में पढ़ाई करना चाहते है, तो आज ही हमारे Leverage Edu एक्सपर्ट्स से 1800 572 000 पर कॉल कर 30 मिनट का फ्री सेशन बुक करें।

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1.1 What Is Sociology?

Learning objectives.

By the end of this section, you should be able to:

• Explain concepts central to sociology.
• Describe how different sociological perspectives have developed.

What Are Society and Culture?

Sociology is the scientific and systematic study of groups and group interactions, societies and social interactions, from small and personal groups to very large groups. A group of people who live in a defined geographic area, who interact with one another, and who share a common culture is what sociologists call a society .

Sociologists study all aspects and levels of society. Sociologists working from the micro-level study small groups and individual interactions, while those using macro-level analysis look at trends among and between large groups and societies. For example, a micro-level study might look at the accepted rules of conversation in various groups such as among teenagers or business professionals. In contrast, a macro-level analysis might research the ways that language use has changed over time or in social media outlets.

The term culture refers to the group’s shared practices, values, and beliefs. Culture encompasses a group’s way of life, from routine, everyday interactions to the most important parts of group members’ lives. It includes everything produced by a society, including all the social rules.

Sociologists often study culture using the sociological imagination , which pioneer sociologist C. Wright Mills described as an awareness of the relationship between a person’s behavior and experience and the wider culture that shaped the person’s choices and perceptions. It’s a way of seeing our own and other people’s behavior in relationship to history and social structure (1959). One illustration of this is a person’s decision to marry. In the United States, this choice is heavily influenced by individual feelings. However, the social acceptability of marriage relative to the person’s circumstances also plays a part.

Remember, though, that culture is a product of the people in a society. Sociologists take care not to treat the concept of “culture” as though it were alive and real. The error of treating an abstract concept as though it has a real, material existence is known as reification (Sahn, 2013).

Studying Patterns: How Sociologists View Society

All sociologists are interested in the experiences of individuals and how those experiences are shaped by interactions with social groups and society. To a sociologist, the personal decisions an individual makes do not exist in a vacuum. Cultural patterns , social forces and influences put pressure on people to select one choice over another. Sociologists try to identify these general patterns by examining the behavior of large groups of people living in the same society and experiencing the same societal pressures.

Consider the changes in U.S. families. The “typical” family in past decades consisted of married parents living in a home with their unmarried children. Today, the percent of unmarried couples, same-sex couples, single-parent and single-adult households is increasing, as well as is the number of expanded households, in which extended family members such as grandparents, cousins, or adult children live together in the family home. While 15 million mothers still make up the majority of single parents, 3.5 million fathers are also raising their children alone (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020). Increasingly, single people and cohabitating couples are choosing to raise children outside of marriage through surrogates or adoption.

Some sociologists study social facts —the laws, morals, values, religious beliefs, customs, fashions, rituals, and cultural rules that govern social life—that may contribute to these changes in the family. Do people in the United States view marriage and family differently over the years? Do they view them differently than Peruvians? Do employment and economic conditions play a role in families? Other sociologists are studying the consequences of these new patterns, such as the ways children influence and are influenced by them and/or the changing needs for education, housing, and healthcare.

Sociologists identify and study patterns related to all kinds of contemporary social issues. The “Stop and Frisk” policy, the emergence of new political factions, how Twitter influences everyday communication—these are all examples of topics that sociologists might explore.

Studying Part and Whole: How Sociologists View Social Structures

A key component of the sociological perspective is the idea that the individual and society are inseparable. It is impossible to study one without the other. German sociologist Norbert Elias called the process of simultaneously analyzing the behavior of individuals and the society that shapes that behavior figuration .

Consider religion. While people experience religion in a distinctly individual manner, religion exists in a larger social context as a social institution . For instance, an individual’s religious practice may be influenced by what government dictates, holidays, teachers, places of worship, rituals, and so on. These influences underscore the important relationship between individual practices of religion and social pressures that influence that religious experience (Elias, 1978). In simpler terms, figuration means that as one analyzes the social institutions in a society, the individuals using that institution in any fashion need to be ‘figured’ in to the analysis.

Sociology in the Real World

Individual-society connections.

When sociologist Nathan Kierns spoke to his friend Ashley (a pseudonym) about the move she and her partner had made from an urban center to a small Midwestern town, he was curious about how the social pressures placed on a lesbian couple differed from one community to the other. Ashley said that in the city they had been accustomed to getting looks and hearing comments when she and her partner walked hand in hand. Otherwise, she felt that they were at least being tolerated. There had been little to no outright discrimination.

Things changed when they moved to the small town for her partner’s job. For the first time, Ashley found herself experiencing direct discrimination because of her sexual orientation. Some of it was particularly hurtful. Landlords would not rent to them. Ashley, who is a highly trained professional, had a great deal of difficulty finding a new job.

When Nathan asked Ashley if she and her partner became discouraged or bitter about this new situation, Ashley said that rather than letting it get to them, they decided to do something about it. Ashley approached groups at a local college and several churches in the area. Together they decided to form the town's first Gay-Straight Alliance.

The alliance has worked successfully to educate their community about same-sex couples. It also worked to raise awareness about the kinds of discrimination that Ashley and her partner experienced in the town and how those could be eliminated. The alliance has become a strong advocacy group, and it is working to attain equal rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender, or LGBTQ individuals.

Kierns observed that this is an excellent example of how negative social forces can result in a positive response from individuals to bring about social change (Kierns, 2011).

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Access for free at https://openstax.org/books/introduction-sociology-3e/pages/1-introduction

• Authors: Tonja R. Conerly, Kathleen Holmes, Asha Lal Tamang
• Publisher/website: OpenStax
• Book title: Introduction to Sociology 3e
• Publication date: Jun 3, 2021
• Location: Houston, Texas
• Book URL: https://openstax.org/books/introduction-sociology-3e/pages/1-introduction
• Section URL: https://openstax.org/books/introduction-sociology-3e/pages/1-1-what-is-sociology

© Aug 5, 2024 OpenStax. Textbook content produced by OpenStax is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License . The OpenStax name, OpenStax logo, OpenStax book covers, OpenStax CNX name, and OpenStax CNX logo are not subject to the Creative Commons license and may not be reproduced without the prior and express written consent of Rice University.

SOC 101: Intro to Sociology: Poster Presentation Assignment

• Research Methods Lab Assignment
• Poster Presentation Assignment
• Citing Your Information

Poster Presentation Assignment Objectives

Poster Presentation Assignment Objectives: For this particular assignment, you will be asked to:

• Browse the Sociological Images blog
• Sex, gender, race, ethnicity, nationality, and/or class
• Examine how one or more of the characteristics are presented/referenced in the image
• Ads that use the same characteristics in the same way
• Ads that use the same characteristics different ways
• Ads for the exact same product targeted to a different audience
• Design an academic-style poster to be presented during class

This multi-disciplinary, full-text database provides full-text journal coverage for nearly all academic areas of study as well as nearly 4,000 full-text scholarly publications.

Poster Creation with PowerPoint

PowerPoint Poster Templates

Infographic Creation With Canva

I'm in LOVE with Canva for graphic creation. Canva recently released a new infographic feature that allows you to visually represent your data. Consider using an infographic within your poster for more visual effect. Use the resources below to get started with Canva.

Canva Tutorial: Create a Slick Infographic in 15 Minutes

Tutorial: How To Create An Infographic In Minutes   Source:  Kimberly Ann Jimenez,  https://youtu.be/XW33k8j4n0M  

Library Session Worksheet

Resources to Consult

Resources to Consult:

Searching Contexts Magazine with Keywords...

• Begin to scroll down the page.
• A search box will appear at the top right
• Enter your search terms and choose  In This Journal  from the relevance menu that appears

Tips for Creating a Great Academic Poster

Tips for Poster Creation The poster you create should summarize information or research concisely and attractively through the use of brief text, tables, graphs, pictures, and other presentation formats. Consider the following:

• Short titles for section headings that draw interest
• Text is clear, to the point, and readable from a distance
• Use of bullets for reading ease
• Effective use of graphics, color, and fonts
• Consistent and clean layout reading from top left to bottom right
• Inclusion of citations, your name, and institution

Questions to Ask Yourself

• What is the most important/interesting finding from my research?
• How can I visually represent that important/interesting finding? (charts, graphs, images, infographic?)
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• Next: Citing Your Information >>
• Last Updated: Sep 11, 2024 10:32 AM
• URL: https://libguides.manchester.edu/soc101

IGNOU Assignment Question Papers

Search and download latest assignment question papers for your ignou course for free.

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This page contains IGNOU assignment question papers for the following years: 2022-23, 2023, 2023-24, 2024. This covers July and January Sessions.