Research Essay
Students may pick any topic that is a significant social issue within Canada (and/or North America). Students are required to write a sociological paper that is analytical and critical. It is imperative to note that the writing of a sociological paper requires the primary use of scholarly sociological sources, such as sociological scholarly journals, sociological books, and sociological edited collections. The paper MUST include a minimum of FIVE Sociological Scholarly Sources (books, scholarly journal articles).
The essay should be 4-5 pages in length, not including title page or bibliography, with APA format. Students are required to include a full bibliography of all materials used in the paper.
Students should also note that the research paper is a SOCIOLOGICAL paper that requires SOCIOLOGICAL analysis. Therefore, scholarly sources are required to be limited to sociological sources. For relevance of the topic within contemporary society, use of at least three (of the five) sources from 2008 to 2018 is required.
Scholarly sociological sources that are ACCEPTABLE are the following:
- Race and ethnicity journals and books
- Feminist and Women’s Studies journals and books
- Men’s Studies journals and books
- Queer Studies journals and books
- Men and Masculinity journals and books
- Sociology journals and books
- Mass Communications journals and books
- Criminology journals and books
- Sociology of Education journals and books
- Sociology of the Family journals and books
- Sociology of Work and Occupations journals and books
- Political science journals and books
- Political economy journals and books
- History journals and books
Please note that references that are NOT scholarly sources and will NOT count in your bibliography as scholarly sources include the following: • newspaper articles (i.e., The Toronto Star, The Toronto Sun, The Globe and Mail, The National Post, etc.) • magazine articles (Maclean’s, Newsweek, The Economist, etc.) • encyclopedia references (including Wikipedia) • dictionary references (including Oxford Dictionary and other dictionaries) • non-scholarly websites, blogs, etc.
Students should also note that government websites and statistical data are NOT scholarly sources and will NOT count as one of the five scholarly sources required for this paper. Government websites and statistical data provide information that is NOT scholarly and NOT analytical. Statistics denote a social trend but can be interpreted in numerous and contradictory ways. Statistics themselves are devoid of analysis. Simply stating a statistic does not explain or explore any critical sociological analysis. Similarly, government websites state government policy that is devoid of analysis, and usually reproduces mainstream stereotypes, assumptions and misconceptions. Critical sociological analysis provides a critique of mainstream stereotypes and assumptions.
The use of government data requires critical sociological analysis. Please note that these government websites and statistics include, but are not limited to the following: Statistics Canada, Ministry of Immigration and Citizenship, Government of Canada website, Government of Ontario website
Scholarly sources that are NOT sociological and will NOT be counted as part of your FIVE required sociological scholarly sources include: Nursing journals and books, Medical journals and books, Economic journals and books, Business journals and books, Social work journals and books, Psychology journals and books, Social psychology journals and books, Behavioural science journals and books, Biology journals and books, Genetics journals and books
Structure and organization: should include the following component
- Introduction: Give information about the subject (some significant facts from your literature), statistics (if required); Its importance and how you would argue (example-institutional, societal or individual level); What theories will you be using to support your argument; Thesis statement (Italicize the thesis statement).
- Content: Your analysis should address why and how this social problem/issue occurs. Your essay should emphasize HOW this social phenomenon becomes normalized. Examine the social processes by which this social phenomenon occurs and is legitimated in our society as normative. Avoid relying too heavily on summarizing and/or describing your research sources, or simply describing the problem. Engage the sources.
Literature: Present the literature supporting your thesis/argument. Also discuss the limitations of the literature reviewed.
Clarity of Argument: Clearly develop the argument and state it and then use literature and theories to prove the argument/s.
Theories: Apply BOTH Conflict Theory and Functionalist theory to your argument. Note: The theories have to be applied not just stated.
- Critical sociological analysis: Critical sociological analysis provides critique of mainstream stereotypes and assumptions.
- Conclusion: Make critical connections and discuss within the context of the contemporary society. You should also include your insights for change and suggest solutions. Note: Do not merely restate or repeat what you have already presented in the content or introduction.
Proper Referencing Style (APA), In-Text Citations, Bibliography and Grammar. Both direct quotes and an author’s ideas must be referenced in your paper. Paper should not have more than one or two (maximum) direct quotes. Credit the scholars to whom those ideas belong. Use at least FIVE scholarly academic sociological sources from the acceptable sources (identify above). For relevance of the topic within contemporary society, use at least three sources from 2008 to 2018.
Use APA 6th edition for referencing. All referencing citations must include the author’s name and the year of the publication. References in your bibliography must include the author’s name, the year of the publication, the exact and complete title of the article/book, the publisher’s name, the city of publication, and (in the case of a journal article or book chapter) page numbers. Do not use sources with no author, no date.
Bibliographic References: The following are examples of proper bibliographic reference styles for books, edited collections, and journal articles.
Book Reference (In Print) Example: Last, F.M. (Year Published) Book. City, State: Publisher.
Book Reference (Online) Example: Last, F.M. (Year Published) Book. Retrieved from URL
Chapter Reference of Edited Collection (In Print) Example: Last, F.M. (Year Published). Title of chapter. In F.M. Last Editor (Ed.), Title of the book (pp.). Publisher City, State: Publisher.
Chapter Reference of Edited Collection (Online) Example: Last, F.M. (Year Published). Section Title. In F.M. Last Editor (Ed.), Title of the book [E-reader version, if used] (pp.). doi:# or Retrieved from URL
Journal Article Reference (In Print) Example: Author, A. (Publication Year). Article title. Periodical Title, Volume (Issue), pp.-pp.
Journal Article Reference (Online) Example: Author, A. (Publication Year). Article title. Periodical Title, Volume (Issue), pp.-pp. doi:# or Retrieved from journal URL
