SOC 2302: Social Problems
Module 5 Short Paper Guidelines and Rubric
Overview:
In this assignment you will analyze how race/ethnicity is defined by researchers. It will help you to understand how you
can use different methodology in sociology and how the methodology helps to identify and define social problems. Before
starting this assignment, first review the article, How Americans see the State of Race Relations in America. Pay careful
attention to the race/ethnicity groupings and definitions. Next, review Race and Ethnicity and consider how the U.S.
Census defines race/ethnicity.
Prompt:
Using one of the following sociology journals:
American Sociological Review
Analyses of Social Issues and Public Policy
Comparative Sociology
Crime and Justice
Demography
Deviant Behavior
Ethnicity and Health
Gender and Society
Patterns of Prejudice
Race and Class
Race and Justice
Social Identities
Sociology
Sociology of Race and Ethnicity
Find an example of research on your final project topic that also addresses race and ethnicity or uses it as a variable in
their research. Include the link to the article that you selected.
Summarize the research you found and how it relates to both your final project and race/ethnicity.
Compare and contrast how the researchers defined race/ethnicity with the How Americans see the State of Race
Relations in America article and the Census Bureau definitions of race and ethnicity found in the Race and
Ethnicity article.
SOC 2302: Social Problems
Explain why you think there are differences between the articles and how they ask about race/ethnicity? Do you
think the research topic determines how the researcher defines race/ethnicity? How does this have implications
for future research and social policy?
Based on your specific final project topic, explain if one of the ways of asking about race/ethnicity is more useful
as you think about your topic? Why do you think that it is more useful?
SOC 2302: Social Problems
Rubric for Short Paper (100 pts) Guidelines for Submission: Your paper must be submitted as a two- to three-page Microsoft Word document with double spacing, 12-point Times New
Roman font, one-inch margins, and at least one source cited in APA format.
Instructor Feedback: This activity uses an integrated rubric in Blackboard. Students can view instructor feedback in the Grade Center.
Critical
Elements
Satisfactory (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Research Summarizes a research article
that addresses the final project
topic and race/ethnicity
Summarizes a research article
that addresses the final project
topic
Summarizes a research article
that addresses the final project
topic and race/ethnicity but
response lacks detail, accuracy,
and/or connections
Does not summarize a research
article
22
Definitions Compares and contrasts
definitions of race/ethnicity
among three articles with
sophisticated awareness
Compares and contrasts
definitions of race/ethnicity
among three articles
Compares and contrasts
definitions of race/ethnicity
among three articles but
response lacks detail, accuracy,
and/or connections
Does not compare and contrast
definitions of race/ethnicity
22
Differences Explains why there are
differences in the articles and
how it impacts research and
policy with sophisticated
awareness
Explains why there are
differences in the articles and
how it impacts research and
policy
Explains why there are
differences in the articles and
how it impacts research and
policy but response lacks detail
and/or accuracy
Does not explain why there are
differences in the articles. and
how it impacts research and
policy
22
Final Project Explains if one of the ways of
asking about race/ethnicity is
more useful in the final project
with sophisticated awareness
Explains if one of the ways of
asking about race/ethnicity is
more useful in the final project
Explains if one of the ways of
asking about race/ethnicity is
more useful in the final project but
response lacks detail, accuracy,
and/or connections
Does not explain if one of the
ways of asking race/ethnicity is
more useful
22
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, and
organization and is presented in
a professional and easy to read
format
Submission has no major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
Submission has major errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that negatively impact readability
and articulation of main ideas
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas
12
