INSTRUCTIONS
You will be writing a paper that demonstrates:
1) your understanding of three of the sociological perspectives we have studied in the course and 2) your ability to apply these perspectives to contemporary social issues.
Answer the following questions in the format provided below. Your final paper should be a five paragraph, 500-750 word essay using a 12-point font, and double-spaced. Failure to adhere to formatting standards may result in a deduction of points from the final grade. You are required to use material from the textbook and the assigned readings. When citing your sources, you must use MLA or APA format, and you must include a “Works Cited” or “References” page. This assignment is worth 10% of your grade
INTRODUCTORY SECTION:
The topic for this paper is social stratification and social class. Using the textbook and assigned readings, define and explain the topic, define appropriate concepts, and provide examples for appropriate concepts.
THEORETICAL SECTION:
STRUCTURAL FUNCTIONALISM: Describe how this topic may be viewed via the structural functionalist perspective. Include a brief overview of the theory, its key focus, and how it can be applied to your topic. Utilize the textbook and assigned readings as appropriate.
SOCIAL CONFLICT: Describe how this topic may be viewed via the social conflict perspective. Include a brief overview of the theory, its key focus, and how it can be applied to your topic. Utilize the textbook and assigned readings as appropriate.
SYMBOLIC INTERACTIONIST: Describe how this topic may be viewed via the symbolic interactionist perspective. Include a brief overview of the theory, its key focus, and how it can be applied to your topic. Utilize the textbook and assigned readings as appropriate.
CRITICAL THINKING ANALYSIS:
In this section, I am looking for you to explicitly illustrate an ability to select and use information appropriately to investigate a point of view or conclusion.
Conclude your paper by doing the following:
Make the case for the “best” theory to explain your chosen topic. In this section you will make the selection and justify the choice by using information appropriately. For example, consider the strengths and weaknesses of each theory.
