Due: Check schedule for due date

Topic: Scientific/Sociological Methods

Read: Chapter 2 in the text, Bassis and Levine, and the example for this assignment in the workbook before starting this assignment.
 

Winter 01: Your topic, "1" below, will be based on your groups project.  You may work with your group to develop and discuss ideas but your paper should be unique and yours.

Using the Basis and Levine text (Sociology: An Introduction) "The Research Procedure" the seven steps on page 43-47. choose and state a topic of sociological interest, preferably in one sentence. State the topic and discuss briefly in the first paragraph, report what others have to say about the problem (paragraph 2), apply a theory, propose a research method for solving the problem, and guess possible findings (paragraph 3 and 4), create and explain hypothetical data that could have come from your study (paragraph 6). Bring statements answering step 1 to class. Your statement will serve as a basis for discussion in your groups about how to complete the rest of the steps.

1. Select a topic: Choose a socially relevant topic. State the topic in one sentence and discuss and clarify in an understandable manner in the first paragraph.

2. Review the literature: Your second paragraph.  Don't actually do this in a formal manner (you don't have to perform a library research for this project as you would for a real project).  Instead see what you can find in the text or other social science texts you may have relevant to your topic.  State what you believe/know about your topic area). Use our text as a source for information on your topic, where possible.

3. Formulate the problem: Your third paragraph. Define the problem in terms of a hypothesis, a proposed relationship of cause and effect (this is the theoretical component.  Why do you think this relationship exists? This should be based on step 2.

1. State the dependent and independent variables (variables are the causes [independent] and effects [dependent], it is the relationship you are examining-this should be based on theoretical are logical considerations discussed in step 2).
2. What reasons do you have for believing the variables are related. What is your theory and/are logic.
• Cite sources for hypothesis, e.g., check our text, or any introductory text.
• Explain your logic for believing there is a relationship.

1. What method would be appropriate for your topic? (Hint: survey, experiment, etc.)
2. What sampling procedure would be appropriate? Be sure to specify the population and sample. (Example: a random sample of all CSUB students.

6. Interpret data: Your sixth paragraph. Create hypothetical data that could have been found if the study had been collected (a table perhaps, a chart).  Make the data (tables, charts, etc.) either support,  reject or be inconclusive about your hypothesis.  In conclusion specify the possible next steps of research that should be done on this topic.

Grading Criteria:

Your annotations should be well written (typed with a cover sheet containing your name, date and assignment number and abibliography page at the end ( use ASA format for citations), grammatical, complete, free of spelling errors, and neat. Your paper should have a paragraph for each step listed above and proper references where appropriate (minimally the text should be referenced). You will be graded down for papers that look or read like first drafts, proof your write up before submitting. Remember, your audience is someone like yourself who is not taking this class. Can they read, understand, and apply the ideas in  your paper?

(b) Subtlety or profundity of the annotation. This somewhat subjective criterion identifies the difference between acceptable and accurate work on the one hand, and, on the other, really interesting work; in other words, the difference between "C" and "B" work, and "A" work

(c) My overall evaluation will be based on whether a student like you, but not in this class,  could read, understand and apply what you have written.