Paper 2: Writing
Assignment List
1.) Be sure to write the title (or question that you have chosen to address) at the top of your paper. (With so many papers to read, it helps me do focus on your particular topic quickly).
2.) You must cite all sources very clearly so that I can
find them. If you plagiarize someone else’s work, you will be dismissed
from this class. You may use a broad
variety of source material: Newspaper
and magazine articles, books and monographs, professional journals,
documentaries, etc. You are welcome to
use internet source material, but be sure to reference it very carefully.
3.) I want to see at least 5 references. (You may use the text as one of them).
4.) If you need help with
citations, refer to “Citing Sources” under “Writing
Assignments” in Blackboard. It
is critical that you cite all sources thoroughly. You may use APA; MPA; and other formats. The important thing is that I can get to the
particular source and access it.
5.) Please set your margins to 1” all
around the page. Double-space
your typing. Use no larger than 12 pt type, (Times New Roman is
preferred). Be sure to number your pages. Proofread your work carefully. Due to the large numbers of papers I’ll
be grading, I generally stop reading at the 5th typographical error,
so proofread your work. It is acceptable
for you to let others proofread for you, as long as they don’t write your
paper!
6.) By all means, feel free to use VCU’s writing center for help with grammar and
writing.
7.) Save your paper in .doc; .docx; or .rtf format.
Do NOT save it in MsWorks; or Word Perfect
format. Please name your document as follows: lastname,
first initial, 302paper2. In other words, if your name is Thomas Friedman, your
paper would be titled, "friedmant302paper2".
You may choose to write on any ONE of the following questions from Chapters 6; 7; 8; 13; 9; 10; 11; 12; and 14: (Crime, Violence, Sexuality, Family, Drugs, Health, Economy and Politics, Work, and Education).
Chapter 6: Crime
and Criminal Justice
|
Here are some web sites that you may find useful: (There is a wealth of information available
on the web. Try to be objective in
your analysis. FBI Home Page: http://www.fbi.gov/ Pro-Death Penalty.com http://www.prodeathpenalty.com/ |
1. Regarding the debate over the death penalty, what is your
opinion? Should the death penalty be
abolished in the
2. The U.S. incarcerates more of its citizens than any other
nation in the world, both in terms of numbers and percentages. Some states are spending more on prisons (and
the
Chapter 7: Violence
|
There is a wealth of information available to you on the web on all
of these topics: http://aappolicy.aappublications.org/cgi/content/full/pediatrics;108/5/1222
http://www.healthyminds.org/mediaviolence.cfm http://www.fbi.gov/page2/jan07/gang_threat011807.htm |
1. Does violence in the media (including television, movies,
popular music, and video games) increase the overall level of violence in
society in general? Examine both sides
of this issue when formulating your opinion.
2. Gang violence is an increasing concern
in this country. Once considered primarily
an urban problem, it is now found outside urban areas as well. Examine the statistics on this topic and
address some of the more effective ways of dealing with it. (Which sociological perspective is most
helpful in explaining why it occurs as a social phenomenon).
Chapter 8: Sexuality
|
Here are some websites that deal with the subject of
prostitution. The first is the
Prostitute’s Education Network <http://www.bayswan.org/penet.html>
Examine this site closely as it contains a wealth of information. What is the significance of discarding the
term “prostitute” for “sex worker”? What are the key
objectives that advocates of legalized prostitution want to achieve for all
sex workers? Read one sex
worker’s account of her employment at the |
1. Prostitution is
defined as a “victimless crime” with the implication that it is
sexual activity between two consenting adults that does not harm others.
2. Chapter 8 discusses the
topic of abortion. Abortion is one of
the most controversial and divisive subjects in the
Chapter 13: Family Life
|
On the web you’ll find a host of conservative and liberal
organizations that are all too eager to expound upon the family as the central
building block of American society. The following link will take you to the http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/ofa/
|
1. Should
society recognize marriage between gay people in the same way that it
recognizes marriage between heterosexuals?
What are the arguments, pro and con?
Try to examine them with a mind to the political spectrum (e.g.
liberalism; conservatism).
2. Compared to earlier
welfare legislation, has
the 1996 Welfare Reform Act (officially, the Personal Responsibility and Work
Chapter 9: Alcohol and other Drugs
|
Alcohol and tobacco are this nation’s most harmful drugs, yet
national attention is generally focused on illegal drugs. There are lots of web sites devoted to this
topic. The two links, below address
the topic of the use of drugs by pregnant women. http://www.drugpolicy.org/law/womenpregnan/
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=940DE3D91F30F933A0575BC0A96E948260 |
1. Should marijuana usage be
decriminalized or even legalized in the
2. According to the text,
“[e]ach year, almost half a million drug-exposed infants are born in the
Chapter 10: Physical
and Mental Health
|
Here’s a link to the This link is to the United Nations World Health Organization: |
1.
Which of the three political
analyses of health care included in Chapter 10 do you find the most
convincing? Why—Be sure to back up
your answer with factual information.
2. According to the text,
the number of college students who suffer from mental health problems is
increasing (p. 286). Research this
topic. What are the major health
problems found among this countries college student population? What have been advanced as the primary causes
of these health problems? What types of solutions
have shown promise in helping to solve them?
Chapter 11: Economy and Politics
|
There are many articles on the topic of the recent Bail-Out: |
1. Which
model, “power elite: or “pluralist” best describes the power
structure in the
2. Regarding
the current economic situation, which many have called a “Financial
Crisis,” should the federal government provide an $800+ billion dollar
assistance package (“bail-out”) of the U.S. banking and mortgage
industry? Examine both sides of this
question—What are the major reasons offered in opposition to it? What are the reasons offered in support of
it?
Chapter 12: Work and the Work Place
|
U. S. Department of Labor: http://www.dol.gov/
AFL – CIO: http://www.aflcio.org/ ExxonMobil Corporation: http://www.exxonmobil.com/Corporate/default.aspx? |
1. Examine the relative power of U.S. multinational corporations, the federal government, and labor unions. Based on your review of the literature, which of the three exerts the most power in American society? (Back up your answer with factual information).
2. The
numbers of temporary and contractual workers in the
Chapter 14: Education
|
Visit the website of the National Education Association
(NEA), < http://www.nea.org/ >, “ |
1. Are Standards of Learning (SOLs) a
reasonable way to assess the job that public schools do in educating
children? Explain your answer and
provide supporting data for your arguments.
2. Discuss mainstreaming and summarize the arguments
that both sides make regarding whether or not public schools should adopt this
controversial program. Be sure to
provide evidence to back up your arguments.
