Sociology 110, Section 1
Fall 1998
Professor Aldrich
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT: TERM PAPER GUIDELINES
For an example of a term paper from a previous class, please click on the following link.Excellent term paper by David Mauro
Choosing a Job to Study
Essential Rules:
1. You
MUST study an organization, NOT just someone who is self-employed.2. You
MUST choose someone to study who will let you observe them "in action," rather than on ly interviewing them.Team Papers
You may write a joint paper, under the following conditions:
1. Only two students per team.
2. The two of you must study different organizations in the same industry.
Collecting Information
1. First contact: Make certain that the person whose organization you want to study
KNOWS that you are doing a paper. Discuss what you will be allowed to observe, how you will do it, and if there are any restrictions on you.2. Observing: Take notes as you talk to people. Remember that you will have to provide enough information so that a person who has no conception of the organization will be able to visualize what it involves, just from re ading your description.
3. Interviewing: Ask as many questions as the person will tolerate! Check your assumptions by asking about them. Try to get the person to answer in his/her own words -- do
no t put words in his/her mouth. Use your course concepts for the paper.Overview of the Paper's Content
The paper should cover the following:
1. Describe the organization in terms of the characteristics of organizations we've discussed in this class. Give the reader a feel for what it is like to work in the organization you have studied.
General Suggestions
It's a good idea to use an outline. This will ensure that you address all the important issues, and it will guide their logical presentation as well. Use the Overview questions to subdivide the outline. The first outline you draw up will most likel y need to be changed as your paper is developed. One of the purposes of an outline is to keep your thoughts focused in the right direction, and as you proceed with the project it is natural for related ideas to emerge; simply incorporate the new material into logical places and make minor changes as needed.
Use sub-headings to divide your paper into sections, because it is easier for a reader to follow your argument with such guide posts.
Your paper will be evaluated in terms of form as well as content. In other words, how clearly you express yourself will be as important as your ideas themselves. One key to good writing is the arrangement of thoughts into well-organized paragraphs. A p aragraph is simply a group of sentences that completely explain one major idea. There is no "magic number" of sentences required, but if a paragraph is extremely long (more than 8-10 sentences), this may be an indication that your idea needs to be subdivided further.
Length
The paper should be about eight (8) pages long. If you need more space, please check with us first.
Style
Please observe the following carefully:
1. Double space, with normal margins.
2. Word process if possible; if not, type on a typewriter with a clean, new, dark ribbon.
3. Check carefully for misspelled words and mistakes in grammar -- these errors will lower the evaluation of your paper.
4. Use a separate title page with a descriptive title for your paper, your name, and the date. Start the first page of the text at the top -- no need to repeat the title
Finally
Keep in mind that a good paper is one that has undergone previous revisions. We encourage you to get feedback on your early drafts! Ask other students to critique them, give them to Amy Davis or Prof. Aldrich to review, or visit the friendly folks at the Writing Center (Phillips Annex for appointments: 962-7710, or the Undergraduate Library for walk-in service: 962-4060). In general, try to start writing as soon as possible so that there is enough time for you to properly revise your work.
Excellent term paper by David Mauro