Introduction to Sociology Professor Reymers Spring 2013 Sociology ...

Introduction to Sociology
Professor Reymers
Spring 2013
Print copy due on or before
Friday March 29, 5pm
(Note: emailed assignments will be
counted as LATE, even if on time)
Sociology Paper #2: Basic Library Research Report
In this assignment you should explain why the sociological perspective is more than just
“common sense.” Specifically, you will be responsible for retrieving two very particular pieces
of information to use in this report, following the research steps and using them in your essay
argument following the writing steps described below. This is an assignment designed to
familiarize you with the process of library research, citation, and contribution in written work
common to social science.
ASSIGNMENT:
Following the guidelines below, use the resources from the Research Steps (A) to describe and
explain, following the Writing Steps (B) how “common sense” is understood from the
sociological perspective and discuss the contributions of one of the more well-recognized
sociologists of recent years, Harold Garfinkel. You will find that the scholarly resources already
provided for you in the following research steps will help to inform you about each of these
issues. Feel free to go further with your own research on this topic, but be sure to CITE ALL
SOURCES to avoid charges of plagiarism.
A. RESEARCH STEPS:
For this paper you will use two very specific research sources, available through the MSC
Library research databases. These represent scholarly journal contributions which are the type of
source that you will be required to use in future research papers.
1. First, go to the Library website (at http://library.morrisville.edu) and click the Articles icon
link, then click on the third database listed (titled Academic Search Complete) and type the
search term “sociology.” Next, type in the word “scientist” in the second search box and in the
drop down list to the right, select “SO Journal Name.” Click “Search.” You will find an article
(listing #5) titled “Un-common Sense” by Duncan Watts in the magazine called New Scientist
(July 16 2011). Open the article by clicking “HTML full text” then print, email and/or save the
article. In your paper, you will use this article to help explain how sociologists refute the problem
of their research ideas being seen as just “common sense.”
2. Second, use the database Academic Search Complete again and type the name “Garfinkel” in
the first search box. In the second search box type the words “common sense” and select “TI
Title” from the drop down list. Also look below at the “Limit Your Results” section and select
“Full Text” (check the box). You will find the obituary titled “Harold Garfinkel, a Common-
Sense Sociologist, Dies at 93” by Bruce Weber from the New York Times (May 9, 2011). Open
the article by clicking “HTML full text” then print, email and/or save the article. In your paper,
you should use the information you find to explain why Garfinkel is known as “a common-sense
sociologist.”

B. WRITING STEPS:
1. OUTLINE: Write an outline showing how you are going to organize your essay (the question
presupposes some type of organization). If you don’t know how to write an outline, see any
number of excellent references on the web. Title your paper “Common Sense versus the
Sociological Perspective”.
2. THESIS: This paper should have a general theme (thesis) that sociologists see the world with
a perspective that is different than just every day “common sense.” Your interpretation for this
thesis should be discussed in light of the ideas presented in each research article. Integrate each
of the sources you found above into the body of your outline. Use Garfinkel as an example of a
sociologist who has examined the idea of “common sense.” Give an example of how he has
examined human behavior. Note in your outline where each source would be appropriate to
reference using a citation (see below). You can use the library database, the Microsoft Word
program, or “Citation Machine” on the web (http://www.citationmachine.net/) to be sure you
have an APA-style citation reference for each research source used in your paper.
3. DRAFTS: Write a rough draft of your paper. Do not worry about spelling or grammar yet –
just be sure that what you are writing makes some kind of sense (and is logically consistent). If
you know that you are in particular need of grammar help, write more than one draft and have a
friend, tutor, or your professor (if he/she has time) look it over before finalizing it.
4. CITATIONS: Collect your citations and make a References page. Refer to library documents
regarding APA citation format to learn how to properly cite your researched material. (Note: the
databases used above can provide a pre-formatted citation that you can cut and paste – provided
you remember to save that information for when you are writing your References page). The
References page containing the full citations for the two sources found in your research should
appear at the bottom of the second page of the paper.
In-text (body) citation: If you directly quote the author of “Un-common Sense” to emphasize the
idea in the article that “Common sense is exquisitely adapted to handling the kind of complexity
that arises in everyday situations” (Watts 2011), you should cite the source right there in
parentheses after the quote, noting the last name of the author of the article (Duncan Watts) and
then noting that the article was published in 2011. That’s all the reference you need in the body.
Reference page citation: Now, you must make sure that on the References section you have a
complete citation to Duncan Watts’ article “Un-common Sense” from New Scientist magazine.
Here’s an example of what it should look like:
Watts, D. (2011). Un-common sense. New Scientist, 211(2821), 24-25. Retrieved from
Academic Search Complete (EBSCOhost).
5. FINALIZE: read the final paper aloud to yourself, and proofread/edit it again for grammar
and spelling errors. No cover sheet is necessary, nor do I need your outline or research materials.
Include your name, class and the date on the BACK of the paper. The paper should be 600-800
words, typed, double-spaced, 1” margins, with a 10-12 point readable font. Email copies are not
accepted; a 10-point penalty will be applied to any paper that is received only by email. You
must get me a hard copy of the paper on or before the time due (Friday March 29 at 5pm) in
order to receive full credit.