Course Project Proposal

Your course project will focus on a particular social movement that has had an impact on American society. Examples of potential topics include the Abolitionist (Anti-Slavery) Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, the Women’s Rights Movement, the Environmental Movement, and the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

This week you will submit the proposal for your course project. It should include the following components:

1. Description of the social movement you have chosen, why you have chosen it, what you already know about it, and what you hope to learn through your research.
2. One-page, double spaced.
3. Title page that includes the working title for your project.
4. Reference list with at least three scholarly sources about your topic. These scholarly sources should be articles or books obtained from the Rasmussen Library databases.

Be sure that the components to your paper are properly formatted in APA. You can find resources on APA formatting here.

Project Overview

Throughout the course you will work on a research paper that focuses on a particular social movement that has had an impact on American society. Examples of potential topics include the Abolitionist (Anti-Slavery) Movement, the Civil Rights Movement, the Women’s Rights Movement, the Environmental Movement, and the Anti-Apartheid Movement.

Your research paper needs to include key sociological concepts while consistently demonstrating the sociological perspective. You will apply one of the major sociological theories to the movement you have chosen, explaining how that theory would evaluate the development of the movement and its successes and failures.

Due Date

Your project proposal will be due in Module 2, and your final project is due in Module 6. The due dates for these assignments are highlighted in red in the timeline below. Suggestions for working on your project in the remaining weeks are noted blue.

Timeline

Requirements

Your final paper must be a minimum of 4-5 pages long in addition to having a title and reference page. It should demonstrate a strong thesis statement supported by research from at least 5 different sources. In a research-based project like this, it is important to refer to and cite your sources throughout the paper to show where your information is coming from and to support your points.
In your paper, you are accountable for applying appropriate course concepts, adhering to the standards of academic writing, and adequately supporting your primary position or thesis with appropriate resource materials.

Evaluation

Each assignment leading up to the final assignment is evaluated and graded independently. Your instructor will provide specific grading criteria for each step of the project prior to its due date.

Three Major Sociological Theories

There are three major sociological theories accepted throughout sociology:

1. structural-functional theory (also called functional analysis)
2. conflict theory
3. symbolic interaction theory

Each of these theories asks different questions and seeks to understand society in different ways. Each of these theories will be considered as this course unfolds and used to understand society. The following table provides a basic overview of the three theories:

Sociological Research Design

Sociological research design has developed and taken many avenues over time. Some researchers use a four step method, others use a five-step method, and yet others prefer the eight-step method which allows for more concrete evidence to be submitted in the final results. From each of these there are a variety of offspring that allow for solid research as well.

This is what book we are using this this course.

• Introduction to Sociology, Chapter 1, Sections 1.1 – 1.6 and Chapter 1 Summary
• Innis, J. (2010). Culture and visiting the doctor’s office. Everyday Sociology Blog. Retrieved from http://www.everydaysociologyblog.com/2010/09/culture-and-visiting-the-doctors-office.html.
• Mills, C. W. (2000). The Sociological Imagination. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, Inc.
• Read Chapter 1
• Reading –
  • Introduction to Sociology, Chapter 2, Sections 2.1 – 2.6 and Chapter 2 Summary
  • Introduction to Sociology, Chapter 4, Sections 4.1 – 4.4, and 4.10
  • Haslam, S. & Reicher, S. D. (2012). Contesting the “Nature” Of Conformity: What Milgram and Zimbardo’s Studies Really Show. Plos Biology, 10(11), 1-4. doi:10.1371/journal.pbio.1001426

I only need to decided which topic as the examples above to use. My draft paper will not need to be done until 2 more weeks.