Assignments

General Guidelines for Paper Assignments

In this class, you will be honing the following set of skills:

● making an argument based on a set of data; and

● using sociological theory (from the readings in class) to analyze a real-life situation (actual conversations, a description of a conflict, interactions between waitstaff and customers).

Good papers in this class have a clearly stated argument at the beginning and use concrete evidence in the form of quotations from the data to prove your point. Papers that do not draw on the sociological theories discussed in the class readings will receive a failing grade.

All papers should be typed on a word-processor in 12-point font, double-spaced, with standard one-inch margins and page numbers. Please put your name, date, course name or number, my name, and the title of the paper on the first page. Please avoid using funky fonts or colors other than black: these strain my eyes. I'd recommend Times New Roman, Courier, Arial, or similar fonts. Always print out an additional final copy for your records.

I will not accept assignments after their due date because turning in assignments late will make you and me hopelessly backlogged. Obsessively back-up all your computer files for this course and keep paper copies of all your work. Stock up on back-up media, paper, and printer ink.

As you will note, I have not taken into account religious holidays. If you have a conflict with any of the dates for the assignments because of your religious background and beliefs, please see me the first week of class and we will arrange something convenient for both of us.

Paper #1: The Construction of Reality through Words

Directions
Due: September 18th (5%)

Paper #2: Analyzing a Frame

Directions
Due: October 2nd (10%)

Paper #3: The Performance and Display of Gender

Directions
Due: October 9th (10%)

Paper #4: Deference and Demeanor

Directions
Due: October 25th (15%)

Paper #5: Habitus and Social Class

Directions
Due: November 15th (15%)

Paper #6: Language and Social Relations

Directions

Due on: December 11th (15%)

Participation and Attendance

Your civil and respectful participation in class is much appreciated, as much of the learning that takes place in the classroom will be through discussion. Participation involves not only sharing your opinon and thought, but also listening carefully to what others have to say, asking questions about things that puzzle or confuse you, synthesizing or summarizing various comments that have been made, and saying where you think the conversation is going. These ways of participating will require your attention and concentration in class.

In order to participate in a thoughtful way, you should have done the reading prior to class. Comments that reveal that you have not done the reading for that class will not be appreciated.

A definition of an excused absence: I am informed prior to class that you will be unable to make it AND on the day that you return, you provide me with documentation for your absence. If these two conditions are not met, your absence will be considered unexcused. Participation and attendance together will be 10% of your grade.

There will also be a mid-term (in class on October 30th) and a final exam (on Friday, December 14th, at 2pm), each worth 10% of your grade. These exams will primarily focus on definitions and concepts from the theories given in the readings and discussed in class.