Sociology

PROJECT OUTLINE

For this project, you will choose a current event occurring in national or international spheres.  Given the past 2-3 years, there is a lot to choose from (pandemic, BLM, politics, social media, technology, etc.)  This is a chance to explore or learn about a topic that we are not able to explore in depth in the course. Some areas include:

Criminology

Family sociology

Health sociology

Social movements

Social inequalities

Urban Sociology

Globalization

Emerging technology

When you have identified your topic area answer the following questions:

1. Research Question: What is one sociological question that you have about this topic? Frame this as one of the 4 types of questions that sociologists ask (see Class slides).
2. Prior Knowledge: What do you know and feel about this topic? Here include posts from social media that you agree or disagree with about the topic. Include the point of view that you have about the topic based on socialization and upbringing or peers. How did you develop your point of view on the topic? Frame your response in terms of the micro or macro social structures or social processes that your topic is important for.
3. Literature Review:  Conduct research on the topic and include a summary of three (3) peer-reviewed research articles from the Olin online library database. Government (.gov), think tanks (institutes e.g., Brookings Institute-.org), associations, and organizational websites are good places to get research information. This can include statistics, tables, graphs, etc.  Add an APA reference page with this article and other sources properly cited.  Based on your literature review, what hypothesis will you make about your topic?
4. Theoretical Application: Use one of the sociological theories or theorists studied in this course (See Class Slides, Theories presentation discussion board—week 3 module, Everyday Sociology Blog) and explain how this question could be explained based on the theory or theorist.  If applicable, state a hypothesis about the question.
5. Policy:  Identify or propose a policy that is related to your topic.
   1. Identify: Answer the following questions
      1. Is there a policy associated with your topic? If there is then briefly describe it.
      2. Conduct a critical analysis of the policy.
      3. Does the policy align with the research that you found? If it does, then describe how it fits with your question or the issue/topic.
      4. If it does not align then how would you update it?
   2. Propose: If there is no current policy, then propose one.
      1. What type of policy is needed to address your question/topic?
      2. Have any policies been proposed to address this topic? If so, what has been the results of these proposals? Who has opposed it and why?
      3. What essential aspects of this topic should a policy address?
      4. List at least 3 essential components of your proposed policy.
      5. Which government department would oversee this policy?
6. Conclusion: Write a reflective summary of what you learned from completing this research project.  What conclusions could you make about your question and the policies that are in place to address your topic? How did it help you to understand the topic/question that you started with?

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CONDUCTING A LITERATURE REVIEW

A literature review is an account of what has been published on a topic by credible scholars and researchers. The purpose of a literature review is to summarize what knowledge and ideas have been established on a topic, and what their strengths and weaknesses are.  

A LIT REVIEW MUST DO THESE THINGS

1. Be organized around and related directly to the thesis or research question you are developing
2. Synthesize results into a summary of what is and is not known
3. Identify areas of controversy in the literature
4. Formulate questions that need further research
5. Include sources from multiple perspectives

Credit: https://libguides.usu.edu/literaturereview

"Think tanks are policy institutes that carry out detailed research and provide analysis of, and information on, a range of policy ideas and programmes."

Think tanks. (2010). In D. Watts, Dictionary of American Government and Politics . Retrieved from http://search.credoreference.com

• Schedule a research appointment with Your Librarian
• Schedule an appointment with the Tutoring & Writing Center
• Search the library FAQ

Your Librarians here at Olin Library are ready to assist and guide you on your research journey.

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