SOC 3306 Professional Writing for Sociology

Fall 2005

Instructor and Contact Information

Dr. Bobby C. Alexander
Office: GR 3.516
Office Hours: TR 4:30 – 5:30 p.m., 6:455-7:15 p.m., and by appointment
Phone: 972-883-6898
E- mail: bcalex@utdallas.edu

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
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. Students who miss
class when the guidelines for the various writing assignments are handed out can obtain
copies of the guidelines on WebCT. Due dates for all assignments are printed in the
course calendar below. Students will turn in their assignments in class. No electronic
submissions will be accepted, except in case of an emergency.

Late Work
In order to receive approval to submit work late, students must notify the instructor
before the assignments are due as soon as they foresee being late in order to receive
approval to make up an assignment or submit it late. Students must have a legitimate
excuse and must put their reason in writing. 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 promote
fairness to other students who do the work on time, and to coordinate delivering draft
assignments to students’ writing partners . Please be on time in order to help your
partner!

Course Grade
The course grade is based on the average of the four writing assignments, each of which
will count as 25% of the grade. Students who attend class regularly and who contribute
to class discussion may earn up to two additional points, which will be added to the final
course grade.

Scholastic Dishonesty
Scholastic dishonesty is a serious offense and is governed by official university policy,
which students can find on UTD’s web site.

Course Calendar

August 18
Orientation to the Course
August 23, 25
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” (especially “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”),

Library Session on Internet Searches (session on August 23rd)

August 30, September 1

Choosing a Topic / Library Research Strategies

Students should complete the reading before the August 30th class, which will include a
session in the library. Meet in our classroom at the beginning of the hour.

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 September 1 st will discuss 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 September 1st

Read A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:

Ch. 8: “Reviewing the Literature,” pages 142-143 only (review)

September 6, 8
Literature Review continued

Read A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:

Ch. 8: “The Quantitative Research Paper,”
Ch. 3: “Acknowledging Sources,” remainder of chapter
Ch. 4: “Polishing Your Paper,”
Part Three: “Finishing Up”
Draft Literature Review due September 8th

September 13, 15
Literature Review continued

Read A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:

Ch. 7: “The Ethnographic Field Research Paper”

Draft Literature Review returned September 15th

September 20, 22
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 September 22nd

Research Design (session on September 22nd)

Review A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:

Ch. 8: “The Quantitative Research Paper”

Read 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step Two: Building the Paper’s Structure”

September 27, 29
Research Design continued

Review 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step Two: Building the Paper’s Structure,” pages 11-25 on interviews
and surveys

Draft Research Design due September 29th

October 4, 6
Research Design continued

Read 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step Three: Preparing to Write”

Draft Research Design returned October 6th

October 11, 13
Research Design continued

Read 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step Four: Drafting”

Final Research Design due October 13th

Issues in the Presentation of Data (session on October 13th )

Reread A Guide to Writing Sociology Papers:

Pages 119-121 (ethnographic data)
Pages 148-150 (quantitative data)
Pages159-177 (sample student paper in textbook)

Read Handout on Analyzing Data

Guest Speaker on data analysis for part of class.

October 18, 20
Issues in the Presentation of Data continued

Read 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step Five: Revising at the Content Level”

Draft Data Analysis due October 20th

October 25, 27
Issues in the Presentation of Data continued

Read 6 Steps to Effective Writing in Sociology:

“Step Six: Revising at the Sentence Level”

Draft Data Analysis returned October 27th

Writing term papers (session on October 27th )

November 1, 3
Issues in the Presentation / Analysis of Data continued

Final Data Analysis due November 3rd

Policy Analysis (session on November 3rd)

Guest Speaker on Policy Analysis for part of class on November 3rd

November 8, 10
Policy Analysis continued

Draft Policy Analysis due November 10th

November 15, 17
Policy Analysis continued

Draft Policy Analysis returned November 17th

Guest Speaker on Professional Writing for Careers in Sociology for part of class on
November17th

November 22 Class does not meet on November 24th : Thanksgiving Holiday

Final Policy Analysis due November 22nd