USING SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION: ESSAY QUESTIONS (20 points)
DIRECTION: SELECT TWO QUESTIONS TO ANSWER. Read each question carefully BEFORE
answering. Formulate your answer in your head – use an outline to help you THINK through
your answer. Be sure to answer EACH question that is asked. Answer thoroughly, being specific,
giving examples. Demonstrate that you understand the concepts by using terms and people you
learned in chapter one. You MAY USE YOUR NOTES, if you want.
1. You are a researcher interested in the effect of TV-watching on school children’s grades.
How would you go about setting up an experiment to measure the effects? Describe
what kind of experiment you would do and what you think would be the outcome. Why
do you think you would get this outcome? (10 points)
2. What issues facing your local community would you like to address with applied
sociological research? What question would you want answered? What research
METHOD would you use? WHO would you want to talk to or study? What would be your
INDEPENDENT (causes the effect/influence) variable and your DEPENDENT (depends on
the influence) variable? What are some of your predictions (what is your hypothesis)?
(10 points)
3. SELECT ONE: gang violence, prostitution, or teenage pregnancy. You are a sociologist
who uses the conflict perspective to study various aspects of our society. How do you
think you would interpret the social problem you selected (gang violence, prostitution
or teenage pregnancy) from a conflict perspective? You should discuss at least three key
issues with your problem. Contrast this view with the functionalist perspective. Do you
think your comments would differ if you took the feminist view, and if so, how? (10
points)
IF YOU HAVE TIME: BONUS: (up to 6 points)
1. Answer the ESSAY question you did NOT select as your bonus question.
2. Describe an ethical situation a sociologist conducting research may find
himself/herself in. How would they handle the ethical dilemma?