SOC470 Writing Sociology

Faculty of Social Studies
Spring 2009
Extent and Intensity
1/1. 15 credit(s). Recommended Type of Completion: zk (examination). Other types of completion: z (credit).
Teacher(s)
Mgr. Benjamin Jeremiah Vail, Ph.D., M.Sc. (lecturer)
Guaranteed by
doc. PhDr. Ing. Radim Marada, Ph.D.
Department of Sociology – Faculty of Social Studies
Contact Person: Ing. Soňa Enenkelová
Timetable
Thu 10:00–11:40 U34
Prerequisites (in Czech)
SOUHLAS
Course Enrolment Limitations
The course is only offered to the students of the study fields the course is directly associated with.

The capacity limit for the course is 8 student(s).
Current registration and enrolment status: enrolled: 0/8, only registered: 0/8
fields of study / plans the course is directly associated with
Course objectives
This course is intended to help masters students improve their academic writing skills and practice English. This is a writing-intensive course that provides training in the methods of researching and writing Sociology essays in several different styles. The intent is to boost students’ confidence in all stages of the writing process, to prepare students to write well in a variety of academic literary genres, to introduce various perspectives on proper professional writing, and to enhance students’ knowledge and understanding of sociological theory and methods.

By the end of the semester, students will gain experience writing:
- Book reviews
- Expository essays
- Social issue reaction papers
- Reports on quantitative and qualitative research according to social science journal guidelines

Special attention is given to learning effective methods of research and norms for proper citation of sources to maintain academic honesty.

Student also gain experience organizing the writing process, making in-class presentations, offering and receiving constructive criticism, and revising first drafts.
Syllabus
  • Weekly schedule of seminar meetings:
  • Week 1 - Introductions and course orientation
  • Week 2 - Proper citation, writing guidelines, and outlining
  • Week 3 - Writing an expository essay (5-paragraph essay)
  • Week 4 - Discuss expository essay 1st draft
  • Week 5 - No class – reading and research
  • Week 6 - Writing a book review
  • Week 7 - Discuss book review 1st draft
  • Week 8 - No class – reading and research
  • Week 9 - Writing a social issue paper
  • Week 10 - Discuss social issue paper 1st draft
  • Week 11 - Writing a quantitative report
  • Week 12 - Writing a qualitative report
  • Week 13 - No class – reading and research
  • Week 14 - Discuss quantitative/qualitative report 1st draft
  • Literature includes, but is not limited to:
  • Arber, S. 1998. “The Research Process: Planning Social Surverys,” Pp. 312-317 in Marsh, I., Cambell, R. and Keating, M. Classic and contemporary readings in sociology. Harlow, UK: Prentice Hall.
  • American Sociological Association. 2007. American Sociological Association Style Guide. Washington, DC: American Sociological Association.
  • Charon, Joel M. and Lee Garth Vigilant. 2002. The Meaning of Sociology, 8th edition. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.
  • Duneier, Mitchell. 1999. “A Statement on Method,” pp. 333-357 in Sidewalk. New York: Farrar, Strauss and Giroux.
  • Fowler, H. Ramsey and Jane E. Aaron. 1989. The Little, Brown Handbook, 4th ed. Glenview, IL:Scott, Foresman and Co.
  • Georges, R.A. and Jones, M.O. 2001. “The Human Element in Fieldwork.” Pp. 384-385 in Giddens, A., ed. Sociology: Introductory readings, revised edition. Cambridge: Polity press.
  • Giddens, Anthony. 2006. “What is Sociology?” in Sociology. Cambridge: Polity Press.
  • Holdway, S. 1998. “Participant Observation (1): Inside the British Police,” Pp. 318-323 in Marsh, I., Cambell, R. and Keating, M. Classic and contemporary readings in sociology. Harlow, UK: Prentice Hall.
  • Homan, R. 1998. “The Effects of Social Research,” Pp. 350-355 in Marsh, I., Cambell, R. and Keating, M. Classic and contemporary readings in sociology. Harlow, UK: Prentice Hall.
  • Johnson, W., et al. 2006. The sociology student writer’s manual (5th edition). Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall.
  • Kerlin, B. 2000. “Qualitative Research in the United States,” Forum: Qualitative Social Research 1(1).
  • Mack, J. and Lansley, S. 2001. “Absolute and Relative Poverty in Britain: An Illustration of Survey Work,” pp. 386-388 in Giddens, A., ed. Sociology: Introductory readings, revised edition. Cambridge: Polity press.
  • Mahrer, Kenneth D. 2004. “Proofreading your own writing? Forget it!” The Leading Edge, November.
  • Marsh, C. 2001. “The Value of the Survey Method,” Pp. 382-383 in Giddens, A., ed. Sociology: Introductory readings, revised edition. Cambridge: Polity press.
  • Mills, C. Wright. 1959. The Sociological Imagination. Oxford University Press.
  • Orwell, G. 1946. “Politics and the English language.”
  • Polsky, N. 1998. “Participant Observation (2): Deviant Lives and Careers,” Pp. 324-331 in Marsh, I., Cambell, R. and Keating, M. Classic and contemporary readings in sociology. Harlow, UK: Prentice Hall.
  • Strunk, William. 1918 [1999]. Elements of Style. Ithaca, N.Y.: Priv. print. [Geneva, N.Y.: Press of W.P. Humphrey].
  • Sociology Writing Group. 2008. A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers. 6th ed. New York: Worth Publishers.
  • Van Poppel, F. and Day, L.H. 1996. “A Test of Durkheim's Theory of Suicide--Without Committing the ‘Ecological Fallacy,’” American Sociological Review 61(3):500-507.
Literature
  • A guide to writing sociology papers. 6th ed. New York, NY: Worth Publishers, 2007, xv, 230. ISBN 9780716776260. info
  • American sociological association style guide. 3rd ed. Washington, DC: American Sociological Association, 2007, xvi, 108. ISBN 9780912764309. info
  • The sociology student writer's manual. Edited by William A. Johnson. 5th ed. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Pearson/Prentice Hall, 2006, xii, 260. ISBN 0131928511. URL info
Assessment methods
Student evaluations are based on several writing assignments and class attendance and participation, as described below.

Writing assignments
- Weekly essays: Approximately every two weeks, students will write two drafts of an essay, based on the assigned reading, of 1500-2000 words in length
- Final essay: A research essay of 2000-3000 words

Class participation
- Students are required to attend every seminar meeting
- Active participation in classroom discussion
- Critique of other students’ writing

Students receive a final letter grade (A-F) based on the following criteria:

33% - Essay assignments
33% - Class participation
33% - Final essay
Language of instruction
English
Further comments (probably available only in Czech)
Study Materials
The course is also listed under the following terms Spring 2008, Autumn 2008, Autumn 2009, Spring 2010, Autumn 2010, Spring 2011, Spring 2012, Spring 2013.
  • Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2009, recent)
  • Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/fss/spring2009/SOC470