SOC 3306 Professional Writing for Sociology

Spring 2006

Instructor and Contact Information

Dr. Bobby C. Alexander
Office: GR 3.516
Phone: 972-883-6898
E-mail: bcalex@utdallas.edu Please use Pipeline instead of WebCT.
Office Hours: TR 3:30 – 5:15 p.m., and by appointment

Course Objectives
The course teaches professional writing and analytic skills used by sociologists by
reviewing models of writing in sociology—a literature review, research design, data
interpretation, and policy proposal—and by practice writing following the models.
Students will develop writing skills for each model, which they then will apply to the
assignments that follow. The different assignments also are tied together by using the
same peer-reviewed journal articles students select for the first assignment (the literature
review) for each of the remaining assignments. Students will share their writing with
other students, who will provide a critique of the assignments. The instructor also will
critique students’ work and will meet briefly with each student one-on-one during each
class session.

The course satisfies the Advanced Writing Requirement in the Core Curriculum for
sociology Majors. Since it is difficult to write about sociology without knowledge of
sociological theory and methods and the major issues sociologists have studies, students
must have completed SOC 1301, SOC 3303, and SOC 3304 before enrolling in the
course (in most cases). Please ask the instructor if you have questions.

Course Requirements:

Readings
The two required texts are: A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers, by Roseann Giarrusso,
Judith Richlin-Klonsky, William G. Roy, and Ellen Strenski, 5th edition, New York:
Worth Publishers, 2001, and 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology, by Judy H.
Schmidt, Michael K. Hooper, and Diane Kholos Wysocki, Toronto: Wadsworth /
Thomson, 2003. Both are available in the UTD Bookstore and at Off Campus Books. The
reading assignments are printed in the course calendar below. Students are required to
read the assigned materials before class in order to contribute to class discussion.

The remainder of the readings for the course will be the journal articles students select for
the literature review.

Writing Assignments
Students will write and revise a series of four written assignments. The first is a literature
review on a topic within sociology students will choose that is of interest to them and that
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the instructor will approve. The literature review involves reading and summarizing
recent scholarly research published in peer-reviewed, academic journals and books. The
second assignment is a research proposal that builds upon the literature review. The third
assignment summarizes data on the topic students have selected in a research report. The
fourth assignment is a policy analysis paper exploring and assessing policy implications
of the topic chosen.

Each major assignment will be 5-10 pages in length. Each assignment will be critiqued
by the instructor and by other students in the course, revised based on the instructor’s
comments, and those of other students, and resubmitted for a final evaluation by the
instructor. Parts of some class sessions will be devoted to brief individual sessions with
the instructor, and with students’ writing partners, who will be selected at the beginning
of the course.

Guidelines for each of the assignments will be handed out in class, when the instructor
will give detailed instructions. All guidelines for all assignments will be posted on
WebCT. Due dates for all assignments are printed in the course calendar below.
Students must submit hard copies of all assignments in class on the due dates; e-mailed
electronic files of the assignments are not accepted, with the exception of emergencies.

Late Work
Students must notify the instructor before the assignments are due in order to receive
approval to submit work late. Students must have a legitimate excuse and must put their
reason in writing to the instructor. Legitimate excuses must be of a serious nature, such
as medical emergencies. Documentation will be required in most cases. Students who
face emergencies and are unable to request permission in advance must submit
documentation as soon as they are able. The policy is intended to help students track on
track in submitting written work, to coordinate delivering draft assignments to
students’ writing partners, and to promote fairness to students who submit work on
time.

Course Grade
The course grade is based mainly on the average of the four writing assignments, each of
which will count as 20% of the course grade, or a total of 80% of the course grade. 20%
of the course grade will be based on the average of four critiques of students’ writing
partners’ writing assignments, each of which will count as 5% of the grade. Students
who attend class regularly and who contribute to class discussion can earn up to three
additional points, which will be added to the other grades to complete the course grade.

Scholastic Dishonesty
Scholastic dishonesty is a serious offense and is governed by official university policy,
which can be found in the UTD catalogue and on the UTD web site.
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Course Calendar

January 10 and 12
Orientation to the Course
Sociological Perspectives / Overview of Sociological Research

Read A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:

“To the Student,” pages xiii-xv,
Part One: “Essentials,”
Ch.1: “Getting Started” (read carefully “What Is Sociology?” and
“Framing a Question”)
Part Two: “Writing from Various Data Sources,” read pages 53-54
Ch. 6: “The General Research Paper Based on Library or Internet Data”
(including “Choosing a Topic”)

January 17 and 19
Choosing a Topic / Library Research Strategies

Library Session on Internet Searches on January 17th: MEET AT THE

CIRCULATION DESK IN THE LIBRARY.

Read 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step One: Thinking About Writing Projects”: “Generating Ideas for
Writing Topics,” pages 7-11 only
A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:
Ch. 2: “The Writing Process,” including the section on “Outlining”
Ch. 3: “Acknowledging Sources,” pages 42-48 only

Literature Review: Style and Structure

The class on January 19th will be devoted to the literature review. Students will have
individual sessions with the instructor in order for him to approve the topic for the
literature review assignment and all other assignments.

Course Topic due in class January 19th

Read A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:

Ch. 8: “The Quantitative Research Paper,” pages 142-143 only
(“Reviewing the Literature”)

January 24 and 26
Literature Review continued

Read A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:

Ch. 8: “The Quantitative Research Paper,” pages 140-154 only
Ch. 3: “Acknowledging Sources,” remainder of chapter
Ch. 4: “Polishing Your Paper,”
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Part Three: “Finishing Up”

Draft Literature Review due in class January 26th

January 31 and February 2

Literature Review continued

Read A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:

Ch. 7: “The Ethnographic Field Research Paper”

Draft Literature Review returned February 2 nd

February 7 and 9
Literature Review continued

Read 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step One: Thinking about Writing Projects,” remainder of chapter
A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:
Ch. 5: “The Textual Analysis Paper” (skim)

Final Literature Review due in class February 9 th

Research Design (session on February 9th)

Review A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:

Ch. 8: “The Quantitative Research Paper,” review pages 140-154 only

Read 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step Two: Building the Paper’s Structure”

February 14 and 16
Research Design continued

Review 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step Two: Building the Paper’s Structure,” pages 19-26 on interviews
and surveys

Draft Research Design due in class February 16th

February 21 and 23
Research Design continued

Read 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step Three: Preparing to Write”

Draft Research Design returned February 23rd

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February 28 and March 2

Research Design continued

Read 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step Four: Drafting”

Final Research Design due in class March 2 nd

Issues in the Presentation of / Analyzing Data (session on March 2 nd )

Reread A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:

Ch. 8: “The Quantitative Research Paper,” review pages 140-154 only
(on quantitative data), and
Pages155-177 (sample student paper in textbook)

Read Handout on Analyzing Data

March 7 and 9: No Class: Spring Break

March 14 and 16
Issues in the Presentation of / Analyzing Data continued

Read 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step Five: Revising at the Content Level”

Draft Data Analysis due in class March 16th

March 21 and 23
Issues in the Presentation of / Analyzing Data continued

Read 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step Six: Revising at the Sentence Level”

Draft Data Analysis returned March 23rd

March 28 and 30
Issues in the Presentation / Analysis of Data continued

Final Data Analysis due in class March 30th

Policy Recommendation (session on March 30th)

Guest Speaker on Policy Recommendation for part of class on March 30th

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April 4 and 6
Policy Recommendation continued

Draft Policy Recommendation due in class April 6 th

April 11 and 13
Policy Recommendation continued

Draft Policy Recommendation returned April 13th

April 18 and 20

Guest Speaker on Professional Writing for Careers in Sociology for part of class on April
18th

Final Policy Recommendation due in class April 20th