About this Assignment
In this assignment you will apply sociological theories, research methods, and social structures by writing an essay that examines social movements.
Course Learning Outcomes
The following course learning outcomes are assessed in this assignment:
· Explain the impact of social stratification, including factors such as race, gender, and class, on social dynamics and inequalities.
· Describe the effects of social movements and collective behavior on societies over time.
· Compare global perspectives on sociology and how societal issues vary across cultures.
Related Lessons
·
C. Wright Mills: Contributions, Issues & Theory
·
Global Stratification: Definition, Models & Examples
·
Social Power Theories: Pluralist, Power-Elite & Marxist Models
·
Social Movement Stages: Emergence, Coalescence, Bureaucratization & Decline
·
Social Movement: Definition, Types & Examples
Prompt
For this assignment, you will be researching a social movement in the United States, either historical or ongoing, that sought to or seeks to address a social problem. The social problem should be related to unequal treatment based on race, gender, class, and/or other similar demographic categories, such as age, disability status, sexual orientation, gender identity, etc. You will explain what successes and/or failures the Movement has had in changing society. Then, you will research a similar social movement in another country and explore its successes or challenges. This social movement should be one that you are interested in, have participated in, or have some prior knowledge about so that you can offer your personal opinions after you have conducted some research.
This essay consists of 4 written sections plus a reference page, and should be about 1500-2000 words long, not including the separate reference page at the end:
Description of the Movement (300-600 words)
Write a brief history of the movement. Include such topics as:
· In response to what social problem did the movement emerge?
· When and where did it begin?
· Who were the primary individual(s) that first began speaking about it and why?
· What were the actions that people took to get others to join their cause?
· What coverage did the movement receive in the media or on social media?
Social Changes (300-600 words)
Explain social changes that resulted from this movement:
· Did the movement manage to cause any changes in society (such as changes in or the enactment of laws or changes in public opinion)? If they did not succeed, explain what the goals were.
· Did the movement meet some goals and fail to meet others? In what ways?
· Based on what a researcher has said about this movement, why do they meet with success or failure?
· Is the movement still ongoing or has it concluded?
International Context (approx. 300 words)
Compare an international movement:
· Find an example of the same social problem in another country and a movement that addresses it.
· Explain the similarities and differences between this movement and the one in the United States.
· Did this movement take inspiration from the successes or learn from the failures of the one in the United States, or did this movement influence the one in the U.S.? In what ways?
Analysis (approx. 300 words)
Give your opinion:
· Based on what you have learned in this class, what could both the US-based and the international movements do or could have done differently to achieve greater success in their goals?
· What would you tell someone to convince them to participate?
Reference Page
Include a reference page in APA format with all sources you used
Formatting & Sources
Please write your paper in APA format. You may refer to the course material for supporting evidence, but you must also use
five sources and cite them using APA format. Please include a mix of both primary and secondary sources, with at least one source from a scholarly peer-reviewed journal. Primary sources can include websites that formally represent the social movement, biographical or autobiographical accounts of organizers or participants, and magazine or newspaper articles that contain news coverage. The scholarly peer-reviewed journal article should be from a sociology journal about the movement you have chosen. If you use any Study.com lessons as sources, please also cite them in APA (including the lesson title and instructor’s name).
· Primary sources are first-hand accounts such as interviews, advertisements, speeches, company documents, statements, and press releases published by the company in question.
· Secondary sources come from peer-reviewed scholarly journals, such as the American Journal of Sociology. You may use sources like JSTOR, Google Scholar, and The American Sociological Association to find articles from these journals. Secondary sources may also come from reputable websites with .gov, .edu, or .org in the domain. (Wikipedia is not a reputable source, though the sources listed in Wikipedia articles may be acceptable.)
If you’re unsure about how to use APA format to cite your sources, please see the following lessons:
·
What is APA Format? Style & Definition
Use of AI in Study.com Assignments
Acceptable use of generative AI tools such as ChatGPT or Grammarly is outlined in the
Study.com Academic Integrity Policy; please familiarize yourself with this policy to ensure that you have appropriately cited and used AI tools in an authorized manner in the creation of your assignment. You may wish to use GPTZero to ensure that your assignment is sufficiently unique and free from AI plagiarism.
If you use Grammarly or a similar tool to assist with your assignment, you must disclose and describe the nature of your usage upon submission. This includes specifying how Grammarly was used, such as improving grammar, refining sentence structure, or enhancing style. Failure to disclose this information may result in a rules violation for unethical AI usage.
Reminders about using AI:
· AI may be used as a tool to support your process for creating this assignment but may not create or write your assignment response for you. Plagiarized submissions will not be graded and may result in disciplinary actions.
· All AI usage for this assignment must be properly cited and documented according to the guidelines in the
How to Use & Cite AI Tools in College Saver Course Assignments article.
· In addition to in-text citations and inclusion in your Works Cited for the assignment, you must submit a separate document as outlined in the Documenting and Attributing AI section of the above article.
· It is important to fact-check any output you obtain using AI as it may produce inaccuracy or misinformation.
· You are solely responsible for all submitted work that you provide with the use of AI.
· Do not input any confidential or personal information while using AI tools.
For additional information on generative AI tools, please refer to
Understanding Generative AI as a Student: Uses, Benefits & Drawbacks.
Grading Rubric
Your essay will be graded based on the following rubric:
|
Criteria |
Excellent (5) |
Good (4) |
Needs Improvement (2-3) |
Unacceptable (0-1) |
Total Possible Points |
|
Content Depth (x6) |
Comprehensive and detailed discussion of both the U.S. and international movements, including all required elements (history, social changes, international context, and analysis). Each section is fully developed and supported by well-chosen examples and evidence. |
Addresses most required elements with adequate detail and relevant examples. Some minor gaps in discussion or evidence. |
Discusses some required elements but lacks depth or contains significant gaps in evidence or examples. Limited understanding of the movements. |
Fails to adequately address the required elements. Little to no evidence or examples provided. |
30 |
|
Critical Analysis (x7) |
Offers deep and insightful analysis of both movements and strategies, supported by research and personal reflection. Provides innovative or thoughtful recommendations. |
Analysis is solid but lacks depth or originality in recommendations. Demonstrates understanding but limited critical engagement. |
Analysis is surface-level or overly general. Recommendations lack depth or relevance. |
Little to no analysis provided. Fails to engage critically with the topic. |
35 |
|
References (x3) |
References are highly relevant, properly cited, and integrated seamlessly into the essay. Demonstrates strong use of external research. |
References are relevant and properly cited, but integration into the essay is somewhat uneven. |
References are minimally used, improperly cited, or lack relevance to the topic. |
No references provided or citations are missing/inaccurate. |
15 |
|
Organization & Clarity (x2) |
Essay is exceptionally well-organized, with clear, logical progression between sections. Transitions enhance readability, and ideas are consistently expressed with clarity. |
Essay is generally well-organized, with minor lapses in flow or transitions. Ideas are mostly clear. |
Organization is inconsistent or disjointed, making the essay difficult to follow at times. Ideas are occasionally unclear. |
Essay lacks organization and is difficult to follow. Poor transitions and unclear ideas. |
10 |
|
Grammar, Spelling and Mechanics (x2) |
No significant errors in grammar, spelling, punctuation, or formatting. Writing is polished and professional. |
Minor errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation that do not detract from readability. |
Frequent errors in grammar, spelling, or punctuation that hinder readability. |
Numerous errors that significantly impact readability and demonstrate lack of proofreading. |
10 |
Before You Submit
Before you submit your assignment, please review the
Academic Integrity Policy to ensure that you fully understand what constitutes plagiarism and its consequences.
Written assignments should be
completely original, free of any plagiarism, and properly cited. Plagiarizing your assignments may result in an automatic zero for your assignment or course grade, and the potential termination of your Study.com subscription.
We recommend proofreading your assignment and verifying that it’s completely original by using an online plagiarism checker such as PlagScan or Duplichecker to make sure that your assignment is not too similar to any existing materials.
How to Submit Your Assignment
When you are ready to submit your assignment,
please fill out the following submission form by attaching your assignment as a Microsoft Word document, PDF, or Text file. After turning in your assignment, you may go ahead and take the proctored final exam. You do not need to wait for your written response to be graded. You should receive your assignment grade within one week.
If you are not satisfied with the score you receive on your assignment, you may revise or rewrite it and resubmit them for grading using the same submission form above. Keep in mind that the grade you receive on your assignment is only a portion of your overall grade for the course, and you are free to retake the proctored final exam as well if you choose. Please see the course syllabus for a more detailed breakdown of the grading policy.
