Race Class Gender and Development Applications

A Race, Class, Gender and Development Applications project's purpose is to apply what you have learned in your sociology course, as well as what you have learned through independent analysis of journal articles into a research paper.

Project Overview

• Write a research paper on the topic of your choice that analyzes race, ethnicity, gender, and/or class and development.
• Use professional articles from academic journals on race, class, gender and development.

Topics to Address in Research on Race, Class, Gender and Development Applications

1. Demonstrate knowledge of how race/ ethnicity, social class, and/or gender is related to children's experiences.
2. Demonstrate knowledge of contextual theory by specifically addressing two or more of the contexts mentioned in the course (other than individual context). Environmental context, school context, etc....
3. Do not write about your own or others' personal experiences. This should be a formal analytic paper using your professional resources.

How to Organize Your Research Paper

1. Introduce your topic: why it is important, your thesis, and what you plan to do in your paper.
2. Make some integrative, analytic points about this topic. Here are some examples of points you might cover: Do the articles you read agree or disagree about this topic? What differences do race /ethnicity, social class, or gender make in understanding this topic? Does the information reported in class fit what you found in the research? Do not simply repeat sections of your article reports. Although there will be some overlap, this paper should integrate what you learned from the three articles. Do not give detailed reports of the professional articles. Only use them to support points you are making.
3. Make conclusions regarding your analysis.
4. Include a formal reference page. Include sources cited in your paper only.
5. Provide careful analysis and integration of your professional resources, not your description of them.
6. Your paper should have a thesis, supporting points, and a conclusion.
7. Each supporting paragraph should begin with a single point and then support that point with information from your professional resources and/or course material.
8. Be sure you address race /ethnicity, gender, and/or social class substantively in your paper.
9. Be sure to demonstrate explicitly that you know what contextual theory is.
10. Review assignment after completing paper to ensure that you are completing the assignment as required.