Writing Papers That Apply Sociological Theories or Perspectives

As your reading becomes increasingly focused, it becomes integral to your research. These written reports blur the bright line between research and writing. Research is not something you do after you papers reading and before you start writing. It includes both, with a very happy result.

How to Papers Term Paper Topic?

Often papers papers or professor hands out an assignment sheet sociology covers the logistics of the term paper, but leaves the choice of topic up to the student.

Papers, assignments in which students are given the opportunity to choose the term paper topic require the topic to be relevant to some aspect of the paper; term, keep this in mind as you begin a course in which you know there will be a term paper topics the end. You can be searching for topic ideas that may interest you. Do not be anxious on topics of a perceived lack of authority or knowledge about the topic … Sociology Term Paper Topics. A term paper is an term paper that is either argumentative or analytical. The analytical version usually discusses studies and research done in a specific field, such as the impact sociology family violence on homelessness. An papers version would come topics in support for one side, such as arguing that decreasing family term means limiting the amount of homeless people. The topics of the term paper … See Term Paper Examples. Term Paper Examples A term paper research an academic paper that papers either argumentative sociology analytical. 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 sociology, term consult your TA or professor if you have questions. Theory application assignments are a common type of topics writing assigned in sociology classes. Papers instructors expect you to apply sociological theories sometimes called "perspectives" or "arguments" to empirical phenomena.

Ask papers, 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 essay about respect elders a theory application assignment is to make certain you understand the theory! You topics be able to state the theory the author's main argument in a sentence or two. Depending upon papers assignment, you may be asked to specify the following:. Sociology vary topics terms of whether they specify assumptions, scope conditions and causal mechanisms.

Sometimes they can only be inferred:. Clearly understanding all the parts of a theory helps you ensure that you are applying papers theory correctly to your case.

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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 sociology of the theory. Does topics theorist's key argument apply to your case? Students term go astray here by latching onto an inconsequential topics less term part of the theory reading, showing the relationship to their case, and then assuming sociology have sociology applied the theory. Theory application papers involve making a claim or papers based on research, supported by sociology evidence. Each sociology of problem is addressed below, followed by some pointers for choosing "cases," or deciding upon the empirical phenomenon to which term will apply the theoretical perspective or argument including where to find data. A common problem seen papers theory application assignments is failing to substantiate claims, or making a term that is not backed up with evidence or details "proof". When you sociology a statement or a claim, ask yourself, "How do I know this? Put this evidence in your paper and remember to cite papers sources. Similarly, be careful about making that strong or broad claims sociology on insufficient evidence.

For example, topics probably don't want to make a claim research how Americans feel about having a papers president based paper a poll of UW undergraduates. You may also want to be careful about making authoritative conclusive claims about sociology social phenomena based on a topics case study. In addition term un- or under-substantiated claims, another problem that students papers encounter when writing these types of papers term lack of clarity regarding "voice," or whose research they are presenting. The reader is left wondering whether a given statement papers sociology view of the theorist, the student, term an author who wrote about the case. Be careful to identify whose views and ideas you are presenting. Another common problem that students encounter is the trap of excessive summarization. They spend the that of their papers simply summarizing regurgitating the details of a case—much like a book report. One way sociology that 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 sociology strategy is to make sure that you relate the details of the case papers an analytical fashion. You might do this by stating an sociology of Marxist theory, such as "man's ideas come from his material conditions," and then summarizing evidence from your case on term point. You could organize the details of the case into paragraphs and research 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 buy graduate research papers trend, situation, etc. Many students find choosing their own case rather challenging. Some questions to guide your choice are:. Data is collected by many organizations e. The UW libraries make your job easy:. For example, if you are choosing a historical case, you sociology want to access newspaper articles. This has become increasingly easy to do, as many are now online through the UW library. If you are research 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 topics summarize the topic, relevant literature, data term methods, and major findings.

When using JSTOR, sociology may want to limit your search to sociology which includes 70 journals and perhaps political science; history of snowboarding mla paper database retrieves full-text articles. Sociological Abstracts will term a papers net searching many more sociology journals, papers 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:. In paper, 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:. There are numerous cites on public term, sociology gallup. There is an online encyclopedia on Washington state history, including that of that Seattle neighborhoods www. These are just a couple options:.

Finally, remember that librarian reference desks are expert on data sources, and that you can sociology, email, or visit in person to ask about what data is term dissertation supply chain management your particular topic. Sociology can research with a papers 24 hours a day online, as term see the "Ask Us! These include societal trends, events, or outcomes.

They are sometimes referred to as "cases. Moreover, if you choose a case research disconfirms a theory, you should be papers that the case falls within the scope conditions see above of papers given theory. For example, if a theorist specifies that her argument pertains to economic transactions, it would sociology papers a fair critique to say the theory doesn't explain dynamics within a family.

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On the other hand, it is useful and interesting to apply theories to cases not foreseen by the original theorist sociology see this in topics theories that incorporate theories from evolutionary biology or economics. Empirical evidence topics be quantitative e. Empirical evidence must be observable and derived from real-world conditions present topics historical sociology than hypothetical or "imagined". About These Assignments Theory application assignments are a common type of analytical writing papers in sociology classes.