Journal Assignment One
Please tell me about yourself. I want to know as much as you will let me know.
Topics should include: directory information, family, career plans, hobbies and other "outside" interests. What kind of
music do you listen to; what on television interests you; your favorite movie, etc. Be informative and be creative.
Journal Assignment Two: Finding Sociology
Look at some recent issues of your newspaper and/or magazines like Time, Newsweek, Business Week, etc. Find five
examples of sociological research. Describe each of the examples.
Your description must touch on things like the following:
What is the subject of the research;
What is the hypothesis being tested (or the question being asked);
What are the variables involved;
Identify the independent variable and the dependent variable;
What is the population under study;
What is the type of sample being used;
What conclusion was reached (what were the findings of the research).
Journal Assignment Three: Your Cultural Rule Book
Pick a few days in your life. During these days (during this time), give particular attention to the norms that govern your
behavior. Be comprehensive in your approach. Describe as many of these norms as you can. In your description, place
each of the norms in a category, that is, are the norms mores, folkways, and/or laws and/or taboos. Explain why each
norm belongs in the category in which you placed it. Finally, discuss whether this exercise has changed the way you view
your behavior and the behavior of those around you and explain your reaction.
Journal Assignment Four: Socialization is You
Describe all the agencies of socialization that have influenced your life, that have played a role in you becoming the
"self"—the personality—that you are. What role has each of these agencies played? Which have been the most important
in your "self" development—your personality development--and why? Be comprehensive in your approach.
Journal Assignment Five: And Your Part Is
In this assignment, I want you to give careful attention and analysis to the status positions that you occupy and to the
roles that you play. Take few days in your life (your current, not your past life). During that time, describe the all status
positions that you occupy and the roles that you play in those status positions. Also address other questions/issues such
as: what do you regard as your master status. Does your experience include either role conflict or role strain or both? If
so, describe/explain it. How about the concepts of role set, role distance, role exit? Which roles do you recognize as
aspects of your personality?
NOTE: Be careful that you do not just describe your activity during the time you selected. You must address the
status positions and the roles that govern or control or influence that activity.
Journal Assignment Six: Groups Are Us
Pick a few days of your life (current, not past, life). During that time identify, describe, and analyze all the groups to which
you belong and/or which influence your behavior. Your description and analysis must include things like whether the
groups were primary or secondary; which are in-groups/out-groups; which are reference groups; which contain significant
others; what kind of leadership occurs in each of the groups. Finally, how do these groups connect to your "self," to your
personality. Be comprehensive in your approach.
Journal Assignment Seven: Deviance and Your Web of Social Control
Pick a few days in your life (current, not past, life). During that time describe, analyze and explain all the acts of deviance
that you observe. Then, analyze and describe the forces of social control that act upon you.
Describe which of those forces involve positive sanctions and which involve negative sanctions. Be comprehensive in
your approach.
Journal Assignment Eight: Stratification In Your World
Pick a few days in your life (current, not past, life). During that time carefully observe, describe, and analyze the all social
stratification (inequality) that you find in your world. Look for examples in as many facets of human behavior as you can.
Comment on the consequences of the social stratification that you observe.
Be comprehensive in your approach. You essay should include a wide variety of examples from a broad range
behavior/activity.
Journal Assignment Nine: Prejudice and Discrimination
Pick a few days in your life (current, not past, life). During that time carefully observe, list, describe, and analyze all the
examples of prejudice and discrimination that you witness. Remember prejudice and discrimination may relate to race,
ethnicity, religion, age, gender, and/or other factors. Finally, comment on the consequences that you see that result from
the prejudice and discrimination that you observe. Be comprehensive in your approach. Your essay should include a wide
variety of examples from a broad range of behavior/activity.
Journal Assignment Ten: Your Family
Apply the vocabulary and concepts provided in your textbook (Chapter 12) to your own family (and marriage) experience.
Be comprehensive in your approach. You should try to include as many of the terms and concepts as possible.
IMPORTANT NOTE: On those assignments where you “pick a few days”, the days you pick must be current. I do not
want you to pick time in the past. Pick days that you are living now. Let me be even more specific here. If you decide to
start writing this essay on, let’s say, September 11th. The “few days in your life” that you should be writing about would
start with September 11th and, then, include September 12th, September 13th, and, if necessary, September 14th and so
on, until you gather all the information that you need.
And remember: each essay must be, at least, 750 words in length and you must use good grammar and diction and
correct spelling.