Activity assignment 1

Research project proposal

Activity Assignment 1
Social Problems
Fall 2013

Research project proposal

Assignment:

Think of a social problem that you would like to write a research paper on. Discuss each step with respect to your proposed research project. Here are the steps. See the sample below.

Also, discuss each step as if you are going to do this research project for this class. That is, with very limited time and resources. Read the steps to doing sociological research and research paper guidelines before completing this assignment. http://academic.cuesta.edu/fha/2/soc202.htm

1. Define the problem

2. Review the existing evidence

3. Formulate a hypothesis

4. Develop a research design

5. Collect the data

6. Analyze the data

7. Develop conclusions

8. Present the findings

Due date:

Due the day of the first midterm by midnight. For the Tuesday Thursday class, it is due Tuesday, September 10. For the Monday Wednesday class, it is due Wednesday, September 11.

How to turn in:

Turn in a copy to Turnitin.com on the day we take midterm 1.

Point value:

This activity is worth 20 points.

Considerations:

We will discuss this topic in class and you are encouraged to talk about this topic with your classmates outside of class. You can even read each other’s papers. However, simply copying and editing another person’s paper is considered plagiarism and you will, at a minimum, get a zero on this assignment. Turnitin.com is very good at catching plagiarizers. Please do not attempt.

Resubmission policy:

Any paper that receives a score of 19 or less (93%) can be revised and resubmitted. However, the resubmit option can only be used once. And the maximum score possible for a paper that is resubmitted is 19. There is a section on Turnitin.com where you can turn in a resubmission. You will have until the next exam to resubmit.

Grading rubric:

1. Covers every step
2. Demonstrates understanding of each step
3. Clearly explains how each step applies to their research topic

Sample:

Proposed research steps to be applied to the research topic: Control of children in public places

1. Define the problem

Do control strategies used by parents in public places vary by type of public place?

2. Review the existing evidence

I will search the Cuesta library databases, including EBSCO and NetLibrary, and the internet looking for books and articles related to the control of children in public places. I will then discuss the most relevant information in the literature review section of my research paper, making sure to cite my sources. (You can largely copy this.)

3. Formulate a hypothesis

Hypothesis: Parents will use more coercive strategies in situations where there is a stronger demand for good behavior.

4. Develop a research design

I will do an ethnography. I will spend time examining parents using control strategies in public places.

5. Collect the data

I will spend two hours in several different public places where there are parents and children. I will document in a notebook the control strategies observed.

6. Analyze the data

I will compare the control strategies used in restrictive places (e.g., restaurants) to control strategies used in permissive places (e.g., playground).

7. Develop conclusions

In the conclusions section of my research paper, I will discuss how my findings relate to larger issues. In particular, focusing on how my research reflects parent-child relationship dynamics in late modern society.

8. Present the findings

I will present my findings in class. (You do not have to modify this part. Just copy this sentence.)