Review of Literature & Theoretical Framework Essay
Review of Literature & Theoretical Framework Essay
The purpose of the final paper is to enable you to explore the sociological experiences of individuals who are
different from you historically and/or in their social categories of sex/gender, race, social class, or sexual
orientation. We also aim to challenge you to make connections between real lives and the social trends and
dynamics that we are learning about in class. This paper is also designed to help you develop your
interpersonal skills and writing abilities.
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Paper heading Please use the format below to add a heading to your paper. Headings should be in the upper left-hand side of your paper, single spaced. I would like you to include the information below in your heading. Name: (Your name here) Student ID: (Your student ID number here) Course: SOC101-__ (your section)
Paper formatting The rest of your paper may be double-spaced. Please indent each paragraph, but do not use an extra space between paragraphs (as this is unnecessary). Please also use page numbers at the bottom of each page. Papers should be typed in 12-point serif fonts (such as Garamond or Times New Roman). Your paper must be turned in in-class, typed, on printed paper, and stapled in the upper left-hand corner.
Please print the grading rubric and attach it to the front of your paper with your name on it.
Review of Literature & Theoretical Framework Essay
Overview
The final paper is designed at the comprehension and application level of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational
Objectives. (If you do a Google search on Bloom’s Taxonomy, you will see that comprehension and
application are on the lower middle level in the hierarchy of learning objectives.) To do well, you will need to
interview your chosen informant in a timely fashion, drawing from the suggested questions for your project
option. In addition, you should comprehend the readings, lectures, and any course films well enough to
connect and apply them to your interview findings. You will need to cite course sources as instructed below.
It will be important to boil down the pertinent interview information in a focused and concise way, following
the directions closely. Do your best to present information in an organized way and in your own words.
These tasks, combined, create a challenging assignment, but there should be a lot of personal relevance to the
work. In addition, the skills you can develop from these types of projects (such as knowledge,
comprehension, organization, clear writing, application of ideas) are the types of skills that employers are
looking for in our global information society, so hopefully you will see their value! For guidance before your
paper is due, come to see me.
Getting Started
Read these instructions completely before beginning this assignment. You will have five different options to
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choose from, and you are expected to choose one. Consider who in your social network might fit the
interview criteria for the option you chose, and request participation from the person who you will interview.
OPTION 1: Gender and Historical Change
Option 1 focuses on gender relations and historical change. For this option, we would like you to interview a
grandparent (either male or female). Alternatively, you could interview someone around your grandparents’
ages but who is of a different sex/gender than you.
Sample questions:
What were you taught when you were younger about appropriate behavior for men and women? How did
men and women typically divide up paid work, housework and child care when you were young? What
attitudes and behavior did you notice about sexual activity outside of marriage? Did attitudes in these areas
differ for men and women? Did you observe people living together without being married? If cohabitation
was not accepted, what was the reason? What contraceptive choices were available and used, and was there
typical behavior that was different for men and for women in this area? How was unwed pregnancy seen, and
how were unwed mothers told to solve their situations? What changes in these areas have you noticed across
your lifetime?
(Drawing on course materials and outside sources, you may modify or create other questions related to your
topic. Also, don’t forget to get the full name, age, and birthdate of the person you interviewed.)
Review of Literature & Theoretical Framework Essay Assignment
OPTION 2: Race
Option 2 focuses on race relations and historical change. For this option, we would like you to interview a
grandparent (either male or female). Alternatively, you could interview someone around your grandparents’
ages but who would identify with a different racial group than you.
Sample questions:
What were you taught when you were young about people of other racial backgrounds? How racially
integrated (or segregated) were the neighborhoods, schools, and friendship circles when you were growing
up? What did you see in the society regarding appropriate behavior for whites and non-whites? How were
attitudes different toward African Americans, Hispanics, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and European
Americans? What were the common norms of partnership/marriage in your particular racial group (was it
typical to get married, for spouses to share in the decisionmaking)? What was the common thinking when you
were young about interracial marriage and children? Did you see many interracial couples or children around
you? How did your actions and experiences relate to what you had been taught and what you had seen? What
changes in these areas have you noticed across your lifetime?
(Drawing on course materials and outside sources, you may modify or create other questions related to your
topic. Also, don’t forget to get the full name, age, and birthdate of the person you interviewed.)
OPTION 3: Social Class
Option 3 focuses on social class in contemporary family life. For this option we would like you to interview
an adult (at least 18 years old or older) who has had a very different social class status from you. (If you grew
up low-income, we’d like you to interview someone of a much higher income or education level than your
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family. If you grew up wealthy or middle class, we’d like you to interview someone from a lower income or
education background.)
Sample questions:
Would you share a little bit about your family history? (If older: Will you share some details about your
marital and parenting history?) Were the cost of marriage, having children, or childrearing obstacles for you
(or, if younger, for your parents)? If so, how? How do you think your income and education levels have
affected your partnership and parenting experiences? What kinds of financial and/or job challenges have you
had and how have they affected your family life? What activities were typical for your children (or, if younger,
for you), outside of school? What types of things have been stressful for you and your family? Have your kids
(or siblings) attended college, or if they are not yet old enough, do you expect them to attend college? Why or
why not? Have income and relationship stability affected the extent to which you see your
children/siblings/parents regularly? Explain.
(Drawing on course materials and outside sources, you may modify or create other questions related to your
topic. Also, don’t forget to get the full name, age, and birthdate of the person you interviewed.)
OPTION 4: Gender Relations in Contemporary Life
Option 4 focuses on gender relations in contemporary family life. For this option we would like you to
interview an adult (at least 18 years old or older) who is a different sex/gender than you. (For most of you,
this will be straightforward—if you’re female, you’ll interview an adult male; if you are male, you’ll interview
an adult female. It may make this assignment more interesting to interview someone quite a bit older than
you, but that can be your choice. Because you are likely so used to your own family, we recommend for this
option that you interview someone you did not live with while growing up.)
Sample questions:
When you were young, what kinds of expectations did you notice about appropriate behavior for boys and
girls, young men and young women? Did you feel pressured to behave in certain ways? Do you see any of
those same pressures in the environment today, and how might they or do they affect your own kids (or your
peers)? How did your parents/guardians divide up paid work and family responsibilities? How do you balance
these things in your own family, with your own kids or other relatives and with your partner (if any)? How
flexible were the arrangements you grew up with (regarding “women’s work” and “men’s work”) and how
flexible are the arrangements you have adopted (or plan to adopt)? What is your attitude toward the idea of
gender equality? What do you think about fathers who stay home to take care of children?
(Drawing on course materials and outside sources, you may modify or create other questions related to your
topic. Also, don’t forget to get the full name, age, and birthdate of the person you interviewed.)
OPTION 5: Sexual Orientation
Option 5 focuses on sexual orientation differences in contemporary family life. For this option we would like
you to interview an adult (at least 18 years old or older) who is of a different sexual orientation than you. (So,
if you identify as primarily heterosexual, you’ll interview someone who identifies as gay, lesbian, or bisexual. If
you identify as gay or lesbian, you’ll interview someone who identifies as heterosexual. If you identify as
bisexual, pansexual, or some other in-between category, we’d like you to interview someone you consider to
be very different from you in sexual orientation.)
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Sample questions:
What have you seen in the society regarding appropriate behavior related to sexual orientation? How were
societal attitudes reinforced by your parents, friends, teachers? Do you believe that allowing same sex
marriage in the U.S. will have an effect on heterosexual marriages? How so? In what ways do you see same-
sex couples and heterosexual couples as similar and different? Have you experienced prejudice or
discrimination based upon your sexual orientation? If so, would you explain how that played out? Have you
seen others being disparaged or discriminated against based on their sexual orientation? What are your
thoughts about legal marriage for same sex partners? How important is monogamy to you? What ways do or
would you prefer to balance work and family roles between relationship partners? Do you feel supported by
your family regarding your relationship decisions? Your childbearing and childrearing decisions or intentions?
How do you (or do you intend to) balance paid work and household tasks with your spouse/partner?
Explain. How does the recent Supreme Court decision about DOMA (the Defense of Marriage Act) affect
you, if at all? (Educate about what that is, if the person is unfamiliar.)
(Drawing on course materials and outside sources, you may modify or create other questions related to your
topic. Also, don’t forget to get the full name, age, and birthdate of the person you interviewed.)