Thinking Like a Sociologist

Critical thinking writing assignment: Thinking Like a Sociologist

Readings: Jody Miller, Getting Played

Ferris & Stein, The Real World

Description of the writing assignment:

Drawing on your reading from the book Getting Played choose two major themes and concepts

that you found extremely interesting from each chapter, discuss the major arguments, and then

connect the theme to a thematic session from the textbook. You should choose the themes from

Miller’s book specifically from chapters 2, 3, 4, 5 & 6, and connect each theme to only one

chapter/thematic session from the textbook.

The structure of the paper:

1. A brief introductory paragraph should address the author’s research topic.

2. The main body of the paragraph should identify the chapter and theme.

3. Discuss thoroughly the theme(s) that you chose by providing arguments. Do this for

every chapter.

4. Connect the theme(s) you chose with a chapter from the textbook. It is not necessary to

apply specific concepts-you are more than welcome to do so-but rather the sociological

significance of the chapter. For example: how can you apply the chapter on culture to

understand a cultural aspect in the lives of girls in the study?

5. By all means, the paper should be a sociological one. Your arguments should be based on

sociological findings i.e. the information you learned from each chapter during the

semester.

6. Conclude the paper with a statement of the importance of sociological thinking and the

acquisition of sociological imagination in understanding every aspect of social life-even

those aspects that you are not directly involved. Develop two policies that you think may

improve the lives of girls and boys in disadvantaged communities.

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