1) In one paragraph discuss the context in which the theorist was writing. For example you could address the social, economic, or cultural conditions surrounding the theorist at the time of writing, or what is the theorist arguing against or building upon?
2) In the next 2-3 paragraphs choose two concepts to focus your discussion, and explain them. What is the theorist trying to say? What are the relevant arguments and key quotes from the passage? How do the concepts allow us to evaluate the implicit assumptions of everyday life and challenge commonsense understandings?
3) In your final paragraph offer one critique of the argument. What are the limitations of the argument and how does it compare to another theory?
Context: What are the social, economic, and cultural conditions surrounding the theorist at
the time of writing? What is the theorist arguing against or building upon?
Content: What is the theorist trying to say? What are the relevant concepts, main arguments,
and key quotes from the passage? What can we get out of it as sociologists?
Critique: What are the limitations of the work? How can we improve upon the existing
theory? How do the arguments compare to todays world or other theories?
Examples of citations
Direct in text citation:
Goffman ([1959] 2016) articulates that the individual asserts control over the process of
communication as well as the conduct of others, especially their responsive treatment of
him (550).
Indirect in text citation:
Goffman ([1959] 2016) describes the character as an individual who is attempting to present
a favorable side to them thus deceiving the audience of who they truly are.
Indirectly citing the editors who are also the writers in this text:
Appelrouth and Edles (2016) argue that Goffman is one of the founding fathers of symbolic
interactionism.
Symbolic interactionism is an example of micro sociology (Appelrouth and Edles 2016).
