Learning about Sociology should not merely be about the memorization of names, concepts, and theories.
sociology
Description
Sociological Toolkit – Reaction Paper Assignments
Learning about Sociology should not merely be about the memorization of names,
concepts, and theories. Learning Sociology is about understanding and applying them in
the context of your individual lives, your community, and/or the world around you.
Remember one of the goals of a liberal arts education is to develop and enhance your
critical thinking skills! Writing regularly will also improve writing skills, such as
structuring an argument, choosing the best textual evidence, and making inferences or
connections. Finally, writing assignments offer an alternative to time-specific
assessments such as tests and exams, because it involves using the content rather than
simply repeating it.
One of the benefits of the course textbook is its use of the Sociological Toolkit. Every
chapter offers readers multiple ways to practice sociology. These include: Sociology in
Practice; Sociology in my Community; Sociology in my Life; and Critical Thinking in
Action. These are presented in distinct “boxes” throughout the textbook.
Each assignment is worth 2% of your final grade for a total of 30% of your overall grade
in the course. Under NO circumstances will late assignments be accepted. Please DO
NOT ASK FOR AN EXTENSION – the answer will be NO. If you miss an assignment, you
can make up your marks by doing some of the bonus assignments for extra marks.
The task for the Sociological Toolkit Reaction Paper Assignments is to (1) read the
relevant Toolkit item and (2) respond to the “Think Outside the Box” section. There will
be one Reaction Paper Assignment for each chapter. For each assignment, students will
be graded on their ability to address the purpose and answer the “Think Outside the
Box” section AND writing and formatting abilities (see Rubric below).
What is the purpose?
• Demonstrate your comprehension of the relevant course content;
• Provide your reaction to the assigned questions/concepts/issues.
