Category: American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide, 6th Edition

February 16th, 2021 American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide, 6th Edition, Other Comments Off on D5

D5

Please answer any 2 of the following questions:

1. Please discuss whether your findings on the YouTube videos and ads support or detract from arguments made in the Chapter 7 text section ‘Imitation of Violence’.

2. *For the social comparison on social media article, compare rumination to self reflection, discuss which is better for identity formation and why?

3. We all have implicit biases. As you learned about implicit bias, what areas of life do you think you may need to be more aware of your thoughts? What are ways to mitigate these thought and ideas?

4. Think about all the readings about how our life, beliefs, behavior and values are socially constructed.  You may want to refer back to module 4 and my review of the ISL readings thus far.  How does social media construct our social life and social being? Use examples from the unit and from life.

NOTES:

Attachments

The Presentation of Self in Virtual Spaces summary
Erving Goffman proposed that we actively work to shape the perceptions others’ have of us. This impression management occurs each time we interact with others as we work to carefully present the image we want others to see. In the decades since Goffman wrote The Presentation of Self, the Internet has become a common part of our social life. Multiple virtual platforms have emerged that allow people to form communities where they interact and develop relationships with one another without ever meeting physically. Gottschalk examines the “virtual life” that many people create (and live) on the digital platform Second Life. They are able to do many of the things that online that are possible in the real world – such as shopping, visiting museums, starting a business, and learning – including developing relationships. Through Second Life, people can create an avatar to do all these things, which makes it a platform where people around the world can have close relationships with each other even without being physically close. As you can image, the allure of Second Life is part of what makes impression management so important – anyone can be anything they want to be. While people in the real life are constrained by what they can do or how they can look to manage their presentation to others, Second Life allows almost complete customization of avatars. The ease of changing an avatar’s look makes it easy to carefully control what is presented to the other people on Second Life. Yet, at the same time, it is generally expected that the avatar will be in line with the physical appearance of the controller (albeit highly idealized). Significant deviations in the race, gender, or age of the controller with their avatar can be perceived as deceptive by their friends. Gottschalk’s description of the self-avatar paradox speaks to the limits of Second Life avatars to be separate from their controller’s self. It is impossible to completely change the way we speak (not to mention changing the language) and communication style often indicates the education, gender, region, class, and other characteristics that distinguish us from others. Controllers can also feel like their avatar is a more accurate representation of their self than their physical self is. Therefore, the controller’s avatar can evolve as the controller does, without the cultural and structural constraints that are present in the physical world.

Links:
https://www.businessinsider.com/sex-violence-against-women-ads-2013-5?international=true&r=US&IR=T#

School Fights
[A forewarning that some of videos listed under the query school fights on youtube are disturbing depictions of acts of violence carried out by young people. Some of the ads that allude to sexual violence may be disturbing as well].  For purposes of illustrating the ASP text content on ‘the imitation of violence’, we are asking that you view at least 3 separate videos.  You may choose any from the many found on the page. After viewing these videos, please make a note of the number of views/likes and dislikes the videos have. These number may give you a clear picture regarding the popularity of viewing the video among young people as well as possibly illustrate reasons why one would record the acts. 

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=school+fights (Links to an external site.)

https://youtu.be/dVp9Z5k0dEE

https://youtu.be/GP-cqFLS8Q4

February 13th, 2021 American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide, 6th Edition, Social Sciences Comments Off on Rebuttal

Rebuttal

INITIAL ANSWER:
One of the standard steps in producing a scientifically verifiable research study is to conduct a review of the existing literature.  However, as we debated in the first Discussion, authority and documentation are sources of knowledge that may have their weaknesses.  Written treatises are not infallible and may lack the empiricism and objectivity of the scientific method.  Even if they are based on observable evidence and follow the scientific method, part of the literature review process is to critique the studies and potentially find flaws or gaps that were not addressed.  So, why do we do this in the first place?

1). Describe the multitude of reasons we conduct a literature review, from determining what was already discovered; to developing a theoretical framework; to finding flaws in the instrumentation, validity, reliability, and analysis and interpretation of data; and finding gaps in the literature.  How does this position us as researchers to conducting a comprehensive inquiry?  What benefit does it provide to discuss why we expect either similar or different results to the existing study?

2). What about sampling?  What are the pros and cons of conducting a census to generate parameters about your population?  What are the pros and cons of pulling a sample from the population to generate statistics?

3). What would you consider adequate sample size and sampling technique if you were conducting a nationwide poll on perceptions of Sociology degree holders?  What would an adequate sample size and sampling technique if you wanted to find out why Sociology programs include research methods courses?  Who would you talk to to get that data?

     

Answer: 

        The world is significantly evolving, resulting in the replacement of ancient techniques with the latest inventions which are more effective and contribute to better results. Research is the background of any invention or improvements on the current approach. Specific parameters such as the selection of the study population, methodology, sample size estimation, and literature review are standard for any form of study. A comprehensive analysis of the aspects of sociological research sheds light on the relevance of literature review and sample size in the quality of research.

            Literature review entails the examination of data from studies conducted in a similar field and comparing the findings. The reasons for a literature review include identifying the gaps that need to be addressed in interest, ensuring that the study to be conducted does not reinvent the wheel, identify the expected limitations of the study, and provision of criticism on previous research (Kalman 2020). The gaps identified challenges the researchers to conduct a comprehensive inquiry that will fill in the details that have been left out on former studies. Besides increasing the quality of research, a literature review enables the researchers to realize the factors that might affect the accuracy of data and put in the prophylactic measures required to reduce the study limitations (Kalman 2020). It applies to point out any expected improvements from the previous studies since the approach acts as an illustration that the study will be more comprehensive and less biased.

        Sampling involves selecting a subset of the population to act as the representatives in the research. The entire study population can also be involved in activities such as census, which has the advantage of comprehensive and specific data despite the high costs. The advantage of sampling is reduced costs and efforts required to reach out to individuals, but the information is generalized (Kalman 2020). Selecting an adequate sample size depends on the number of people in the study area. I would ensure a representation of ten percent when conducting a nationwide poll on sociology degree holders. I would use simple stratified sampling to determine why sociology programs include research programs, and there will be a representation of individuals from every group. I will talk to the sociology students and graduates to obtain data. Therefore, any research should include a selection of sampling techniques and a comprehensive review of the literature to influence the pattern of the study and improve on the results accuracy.

Reference(s):

Andrassy, Kalman Julius. 2020. Guide to Research Methods in the Social and Behavioral Sciences. 1st ed.

INITIAL REPLY, COLLEAGUE 1&2:

COLLEAGUE 1:
As usual, I enjoyed your post. Do you ever get tired of hearing this? We both seem to have stressed the importance of the times and conditions of our society with respect to the need for current research. Interestingly, I feel I may have understood the last question differently, so I approached my answer differently. thus I was looking at the national population’s attitudes regarding those who have Sociology degrees. Either way, I felt that without the resources for a national consensus, a portion of the population must be sampled. However, I feel that your approach would yield a good sample of those who are in the field of Sociology. It would be important to gather information from both the students and the professors to establish well-rounded opinions and reduce bias.

MY REPLY:
I appreciate your honesty, NOPE.. challenges me to search for more approaches to answering a question. The last question answered from your unique perspective was a scoping of precision. Analyzing all data-sets extracted from unbias from both senior-philosophers, and juniors yields an immense calibrated and comprehensive context worth debriefing. Furthermore, Sampling sizes and techniques used in data-collection vary depending on the nature of the research. For instance, the appropriate sample size in conducting nationwide polls about sociology degree holders’ perceptions should be about ten percent of their total population.

        Systematic-sampling is also an appropriate technique for the study because it involves selecting members of populations by researchers at regular intervals, which are determined in advance. Sampling-intervals are calculated by dividing populations by their sample-sizes. Sometimes, data can be obtained through talking, especially in research that entails finding out facts about research programs like sociology, including research methods courses.

COLLEAGUE 2:
Great post. You are correct a literature review entails an examination of data from other research studies that have already been conducted in a similar field in which you compare and contrast findings in the the research. I was intrigued when you mentioned  that gaps identified in a literature review exposes challenges researcher to conduct a comprehensive inquiries that would lead to details left out from the former studies in the research process. I agree that sampling involves selecting a subset of population to act as the representatives. Last, you are correct that selecting an adequate sample size depends on the number of people in the same study are important for data purposes. 

INSTRUCTOR”S REPLY:
Very Good, When you mean representation, do you mean 10% each relevant demographic or 10% of the whole 330 million population?  The latter would be a bit excessive and prohibitive in cost and time. 

February 4th, 2021 American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide, 6th Edition, Social Sciences Comments Off on A Reply needed, Only 3 rebuttles are needed

A Reply needed, Only 3 rebuttles are needed

One of the standard steps in producing a scientifically verifiable research study is to conduct a review of the existing literature.  However, as we debated in the first Discussion, authority and documentation are sources of knowledge that may have their weaknesses.  Written treatises are not infallible and may lack the empiricism and objectivity of the scientific method.  Even if they are based on observable evidence and follow the scientific method, part of the literature review process is to critique the studies and potentially find flaws or gaps that were not addressed.  So, why do we do this in the first place?

1) Describe the multitude of reasons we conduct a literature review, from determining what was already discovered; to developing a theoretical framework; to finding flaw in the instrumentation, validity, reliability, and analysis and interpretation of data; and finding gaps  in the literature.  How does this position us as researchers to conducting a comprehensive inquiry?  What benefit does it provide to discuss why we expect either similar or different results to the existing study?

2) What about sampling?  What are the pros and cons of conducting a census to generate parameters about your population?  What are the pros and cons of pulling a sample from the population to generate statistics?

3) What would you consider an adequate sample size and sampling technique if you were conducting a nationwide poll on perceptions of Sociology degree holders?  What would an adequate sample size and sampling technique if you wanted to find out why Sociology programs include research methods courses?  Who would you talk to to get that data?

February 4th, 2021 American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide, 6th Edition, Social Sciences Comments Off on A Reply needed, Only a rebuttle is needed

A Reply needed, Only a rebuttle is needed

How could you design a bystander intervention in your workplace for sexual harassment?

As a student of both sociology and psychology, I have found myself to be a firm believer in symbolic interactions and subsequently the social learning theory. This is not to say that what we learn from our role models is set in stone. I believe there is a fluidity in the types of people we choose to emulate based upon exposure to new experiences. What appears to be somewhat difficult to establish within the examples of intervention relating to sexual harassment is the effectiveness over time. 

Lets begin with the problem: sexual harassment. A survey of employees should signify the strengths and weaknesses within the workplace and therefore give us an opportunity to address behaviors that may be interpreted as acceptable norms but are sexually aggressive in nature. The stakeholders in the intervention of these behaviors include the company itself, as it would want to legally protect itself as well as maintain an efficient and confident workplace that enhances productivity but also includes all employees who desire a safe and productive work environment free of harassment. Inclusive of the stakeholders are the clients who benefit from productive employees providing goods or services.

The solution to the problem identified is to reduce workplace harassment.

To begin the intervention process I believe we can start by applying the social norms theory; we need to establish what behaviors are acceptable and further identify what behaviors are not acceptable. According to the cognitive learning model, these norms need to be acknowledged and acted upon by a role model. I would establish an outside expert to speak on this subject rather than a role model from within the company. This would eliminate the possibility of biases within the workplace. Intervention would apply the cognitive dissonance theory by requiring initial training using examples of sexual harassment that would conflict with the norms defined to cause cognitive dissonance.

The goals associated with this intervention would include reducing sexual harassment and increasing the number of stakeholders by holding all employees accountable for their behaviors. To accomplish this goal, positive behaviors are rewarded and acknowledged. 

Following the initial training, I would include bi-weekly assessments and follow-up training. This would apply the selective exposure theory, which states that pre-existing views are hard to combat, therefore repeated exposure to acceptable norms is important. Follow-up assessments and training may also address the possibility of stress surrounding the subject of sexual harassment that may be present during the initial training which may result in a cognitive load disabling the commitment of new information into our individual paradigms. Follow up assessments would moreover be used to reinforce the positive behaviors that may arise from the initial training. 

To ensure that this intervention did not need to be adjusted, surveys would need to be completed by employees semi-annually to ensure the costs of the intervention is outweighed by the benefits.

In reference to Kimmel, is it any wonder that someone studying the negative effects of masculinity, would indeed see the masculinity norms being adhered to and then revert to those norms? These norms are pushed upon us from birth and reinforced through media and social connections. Its not an excuse for his behavior, but he is fighting a lifetime of male programming.

December 7th, 2020 American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide, 6th Edition, Other Comments Off on Comprehensive Essay

Comprehensive Essay

You should answer one question from Group A and one question from Group B.

You are free to use any outside sources you wish for this exam; however, you must properly cite your sources according to American Sociological Association (ASA) style guidelines. You should also provide a reference section that includes all works cited in this portion of your exam. This reference section should adhere to ASA style guidelines.

Each question is worth up to 200 points. Of these 200 points, up to 170 points will be awarded for substance. To get the full 170 points, your answer must draw upon at least three outside scholarly sources (i.e., peer-reviewed journal articles or scholarly books, not counting your textbook, Wikipedia, etc.). Up to 30 points will be based upon adherence to ASA style for your in-text citations and reference list. (These points will be awarded as follows: no ASA style errors = 30 points; the minimal number of minor ASA errors = 24 points; multiple numbers of minor ASA errors or major stylistic errors = 18 points. For examples of ASA style guidelines see https://owl.purdue.edu/owl/research_and_citation/using_research/formatting_in_sociology_asa_style/index.html (Links to an external site.))

The maximum word length for each question is 1,200 words (excluding references). You are certainly free to write fewer than 1,200 words — but make sure your answer is long enough to substantively address the question.

Question Group A: (answer one of the following)

1) Khaldun, Marx, Durkheim and Giddens each had ideas about the underlying mechanism or forces that drive change in societies. Choose three of these theorists and explain their ideas about what causes social change.

2) Explain Emile Durkheims concept of anomie and Karl Marxs concept of alienation. Be sure to include the root cause of each concept in your explanation, and be sure to explain how the two concepts differ. Then provide a modern-day example of either anomie or alienation. (Be sure to identify which concept your modern-day example illustrates.)

3) Methodology was inherently linked to theory in the work of Emile Durkheim and Max Weber. Explain and contrast their methodological approaches to the study of social phenomena.

Question Group B: (answer one of the following)

4) Discuss the work of W.E.B. DuBois and put it in historical context. Explain at least two of his key concepts. Are these ideas still relevant today? If so, why? And if not, why not?

5) What does David Gauntlett mean by making is connecting? How does Web 2.0 fit into that? And what theorists does he draw upon to formulate his ideas?

6)  Of the theorists we studied this semester, who was your favorite and why? Explain his or her main concepts. What historical, social or technological forces or events might have shaped these ideas and how? Do any of these ideas provide insight into your field or area of interest? If so, which ones and what do they help explain?

November 27th, 2020 American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide, 6th Edition, Other Comments Off on Naomi Klein

Naomi Klein

What are your thoughts about Naomi Klein’s analysis of capitalism and its impact on society and the environment?

How do you think her ideas about capitalism and about the ability of people to affect social change compare to some of the theorists we have studied this semester?

NOTES:
Social theory purists might ask why I included Naomi Klein in an applied sociological theory course? After all, she is not a sociologist and not really a social theorist in the traditional sense. She is, however, a very perceptive observer of the contemporary world who raises questions that touch upon some of the most important themes we have discused in this course — among them capitalism and its impact on society, social structures and the ability of people to initiate social change. Naomi Klein is stinging in her critique of the impact of capitalism, yet refuses to give up to nihilistic despair. She sees the world facing a crisis and believes that crisis could give rise to a new, more democratic and egalitarian order.

What is more, Naomi Klein is a master of using multiple communication channels to deliver her message. Books, interviews, television, films and the Internet, she uses them all in an integrated fashion. Regardless of whether you agree with her views, she provides a model for 21st century intellectuals who want to get their ideas out to people. After all, in a digital age, should we expect the next Emile Durkheim or Max Weber to advance the discipline using an intellectual approach designed for the 19 century?

Link1:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mlwzOPxN-QA

Link2:
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2011/oct/07/fight-climate-change-99

October 29th, 2020 American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide, 6th Edition, Other Comments Off on Putting It All Together

Putting It All Together

Respond to the following discussion prompts

What items in the sociological tool kit might prove especially useful in conducting a needs assessment for a school?

Discuss the difference between program evaluations that measure progress against goals and those that measure capacity development.

Which type do you think is most needed for the schools in your community — and why?

Helpful Links:
https://www.betterevaluation.org/en/themes/capacitydevelopment

https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology2ndedition/chapter/chapter-2-sociological-research/

https://opentextbc.ca/introductiontosociology/chapter/chapter2-sociological-research/

October 22nd, 2020 American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide, 6th Edition, Other Comments Off on Lets Talk Theory

Lets Talk Theory

How do sociologists use theory?
And what do you think about Lieberson’s ideas about the use of evidence in testing sociological theory?

Notes for answering the questions:
Einstein, Renoir, and Greeley: Some Thoughts about Evidence in Sociology: 1991 Presidential Address (UPLOAD)

BARKING UP THE WRONG BRANCH: ScientificAlternatives to the Current Model of sociological Science (UPLOAD)

Chapter 3, The Role of Theory in Sociological Practice in Doing Sociology.
(UPLOAD)

Reference(s):
Chapter 3, The Role of Theory in Sociological Practice in Doing Sociology.

Lieberson, Stanley. 1991. Einstein, Renoir, and Greeley: Some Thoughts About Evidence in Sociology. American Sociological Review 57 (1): 1 15.

Liberson, Stanley, and Freda B. Lynn. 2002. Barking up the Wrong Branch: Scientific Alternatives to the Current Model of Sociological Science.  Annual Review of Sociology 28: 1 19.

October 10th, 2020 American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide, 6th Edition, Other Comments Off on Sociological Practice

Sociological Practice

Questi9on(s):

Respond to one of the following discussion prompts.
What are your thoughts on the tools of sociology (perspective, theories, concepts, methods) and their impact on sociological practice?

Discuss the applied sociological enterprise in the information age and the role played by applied sociologists and basic researchers.

Answering Material:

https://plato.stanford.edu/index.html

Applied Sociology in an Information Age
Most of us toss around the term information age when describing the contemporary world, but as sociologists, our interest in this term should go much deeper than mere semantic shorthand for the times in which we live. For, this is an age where information has truly become a commodity. Our economic and social structures depend upon it, just as they relied upon iron, coal, and later petroleum in the industrial age.

The information has become the essential raw ingredient in a chain of production that goes from information to knowledge to innovation. At each stage, imagination and creativity are the catalysts from which emerges the next step of the process. And each stage of the process has the potential to generate new information, making information a renewable resource and the chain of production self-accelerating. If not a perpetual motion machine, this chain of production is at least a perpetual information creator.

How then is knowledge generated from this torrent of information? Clearly, one answer is through the arts and humanities. Another is through basic research. Science has become a huge force connecting bits of information to create patterns of meaning (i.e., knowledge). These patterns, in turn, become blueprints for innovations that change our lives in ways big and small. For example, advances in physics are translated into cell phones which not only make it easier for friends to communicate on the go but connect people on the periphery to commercial institutions at the core of the world system.

Granted, processing Barclays credit card hardly makes a street vendor in Tunis or Addis Ababa a major player in the global financial system. Cell phones alone seem an unlikely tool with which to overturn the world system envisioned by people like Immanuel Wallerstein. However, as the Arab Spring and other recent events have shown, in the hands of a radical it can be a rebellious instrument. In the information age, the revolution wont be televised, it will be Tweeted.

Where does sociology stand?

What is the role of sociology in this new chain of production? Judging from most presentations at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association, the majority of articles published in the journals of the discipline, and the zeitgeist of most sociology departments, sociology has firmly planted its flag in the knowledge stage of the process. After all, thanks to microcomputers vast arrays of information are available to us in digital form; indeed, entire constellations of data points electronically beckon to us from cyberspace. As scientists, we sociologists connect these data points, drawing meaning from them. In this paradigm, our job is to make sense of the passing parade while the task of being a drum-major falls to others.*

In its own way, this is a powerful paradigm whose roots stretch deep into modernity. However, it seems ill-fitted to the information age. As a discipline, we must cover each phase of the production process information, knowledge, and innovation to be successful in this era. In effect, we must be vertically integrated. Basic research is clearly vital to our enterprise, but basic research alone is not enough.

Sociologists should be actively engaged in the process of acquiring information. If the person generating data has a solid theoretical understanding of the field, the information they present to a basic researcher is likely to be more useful in his or her attempt to generate knowledge.

Sociologists must also take the knowledge developed by their research colleagues and transform it into innovative approaches that change organizations and/or civil society. This is often work undertaken at the behest of clients, and it can have a significant impact on the people involved. A project to improve the workplace at a company may seem rather prosaic except to individual employees who see tangible improvements in their daily life as a result. In this paradigm, the applied sociologist who affects that change is as important as the basic researcher who defined the relationship upon which that change rests and both are dependent upon the quality of that initial data. 

model showing connections between applied sociology and basic research and back to applied sociology.

If it all seems rather circular, it is. Dynamic is another word for it. As shown in Figure 1, the process becomes non-linear and constantly feeds back on itself. One of the most exciting things, I think, is that this paradigm opens new frontiers upon which to do sociology. Our greatest strength remains our sociological tool kit of the method, theory, and sociological imagination. But these tools are put to use in the information and innovation phases of the chain of production as well as the knowledge generation phase. We have two new arenas in which to play. We can be drum majors in as well as detached observers of the passing parade.

_____________________________

* Not to paint with too broad a brush, there are exceptions. The discipline has heard reports from the frontiers of other visions. As president of ASA, Michael Burawoy championed the idea of public sociology, and some leaders in the organization have sought ways to more fully incorporate applied and clinical sociologists and their interests into its proceedings, publications, and advocacy work. 

Reference(s):
Durkheim, Emile. 1997. Suicide. New York: The Free Press.

Price, Jammie, Roger A. Straus, and Jeffrey R. Breese. 2009. Doing Sociology: Case Studies in Sociological Practice. Lanham, Maryland: Lexington Books.

Steele, Stephen F. and Jammie Price. 2008. Applied Sociology: Terms, Topics, Tools, and Tasks. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth.

American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide, 6th Edition.

October 10th, 2020 American Sociological Association (ASA) Style Guide, 6th Edition, Other Comments Off on Max Weber part 1

Max Weber part 1

Questi9on(s):
So, what are your reactions to Max Weber?
Any concepts that resonate with you?
Any that seem way off base?

Answering Material:
https://prezi.com/ubbdczh9sjzq/copy-of-max-weber/?utm_campaign=share&utm_medium=copy

Macfarlane on Max Weber:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNC3Ur2Uc6A&feature=youtu.be

Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy:
https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/weber/

Reference(s):
Edles, Laura Desfor, and Scott Appelrouth. 2010. Sociological Theory in the Classical Era. Thousand Oaks, CA: Pine Forge Press.

Grenfell, Michael James (ed). 2012. Pierre Bourdieu: Key Concepts. New York: Routledge.

pages 153 – 162 (biographical sketch, intellectual influences, and core ideas); 167 – 181 (Protestant ethic and the spirit of capitalism); and 201 – 220 (the types of legitimate domination).