SOC 2302: Social Problems

Module 5 Short Paper Guidelines and Rubric

Overview:

In this assignment you will analyze how race/ethnicity is defined by researchers. It will help you to understand how you

can use different methodology in sociology and how the methodology helps to identify and define social problems. Before

starting this assignment, first review the article, How Americans see the State of Race Relations in America. Pay careful

attention to the race/ethnicity groupings and definitions. Next, review Race and Ethnicity and consider how the U.S.

Census defines race/ethnicity.

Prompt:

Using one of the following sociology journals:

American Sociological Review

Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy

Comparative Sociology

Crime and Justice

Demography

Deviant Behavior

Ethnicity and Health

Gender and Society

Patterns of Prejudice

Race and Class

Race and Justice

Social Identities

Sociology

Sociology of Race and Ethnicity

Find an example of research on your final project topic that also addresses race and ethnicity or uses it as a variable in

their research. Include the link to the article that you selected.

 Summarize the research you found and how it relates to both your final project and race/ethnicity.

 Compare and contrast how the researchers defined race/ethnicity with the How Americans see the State of Race

Relations in America article and the Census Bureau definitions of race and ethnicity found in the Race and

Ethnicity article.

SOC 2302: Social Problems

 Explain why you think there are differences between the articles and how they ask about race/ethnicity? Do you

think the research topic determines how the researcher defines race/ethnicity? How does this have implications

for future research and social policy?

 Based on your specific final project topic, explain if one of the ways of asking about race/ethnicity is more useful

as you think about your topic? Why do you think that it is more useful?

SOC 2302: Social Problems

Rubric for Short Paper (100 pts) Guidelines for Submission: Your paper must be submitted as a two- to three-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New

Roman font, one-inch margins, and at least one source cited in APA format.

Instructor Feedback: This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center.

Critical

Elements

Satisfactory (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value

Research Summarizes a research article

that addresses the final project

topic and race/ethnicity

Summarizes a research article

that addresses the final project

topic

Summarizes a research article

that addresses the final project

topic and race/ethnicity but

response lacks detail, accuracy,

and/or connections

Does not summarize a research

article

22

Definitions Compares and contrasts

definitions of race/ethnicity

among three articles with

sophisticated awareness

Compares and contrasts

definitions of race/ethnicity

among three articles

Compares and contrasts

definitions of race/ethnicity

among three articles but

response lacks detail, accuracy,

and/or connections

Does not compare and contrast

definitions of race/ethnicity

22

Differences Explains why there are

differences in the articles and

how it impacts research and

policy with sophisticated

awareness

Explains why there are

differences in the articles and

how it impacts research and

policy

Explains why there are

differences in the articles and

how it impacts research and

policy but response lacks detail

and/or accuracy

Does not explain why there are

differences in the articles. and

how it impacts research and

policy

22

Final Project Explains if one of the ways of

asking about race/ethnicity is

more useful in the final project

with sophisticated awareness

Explains if one of the ways of

asking about race/ethnicity is

more useful in the final project

Explains if one of the ways of

asking about race/ethnicity is

more useful in the final project but

response lacks detail, accuracy,

and/or connections

Does not explain if one of the

ways of asking race/ethnicity is

more useful

22

Articulation of

Response

Submission is free of errors

related to citations, grammar,

spelling, syntax, and

organization and is presented in

a professional and easy to read

format

Submission has no major errors

related to citations, grammar,

spelling, syntax, or organization

Submission has major errors

related to citations, grammar,

spelling, syntax, or organization

that negatively impact readability

and articulation of main ideas

Submission has critical errors

related to citations, grammar,

spelling, syntax, or organization

that prevent understanding of

ideas

12