SOC b2500
Sociological Writing
(“Making Sociology Speak”)
B. Nadya Jaworsky
Office 3.66
Consultation Hours:
Wednesdays: 13.00-14.00 or by appointment

Some observations on the response papers
•Be concrete – use examples and connect to something in everyday reality or media •Incorporate the
“links” into the narrative of the text
•Writing improved considerably in most cases
•Staying within the assigned word count is important – being succinct! •Ask sociological questions,
not questions about the content of the article.
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Technicalities:
•The essay should be at least 1,000 words, but no more than 1,200 words (without references).
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•The first draft is due on MONDAY, APRIL 6 at 13:00 – please send a copy to your partner AND post
one in the Homework Vault.
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•Your peer review comments are due before class on Wednesday, April 8 - please send a copy to your
partner and post a copy to the Homework Vault. You may use the First Draft Comment Sheet linked in
the Interactive Syllabus, or a format of your own.
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What you will do in the Social Issue Reaction Paper:
1)Clearly define the issue you will address.
2)
•2) Clearly state your position on the issue.
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•3) Defend your position.
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•4) Conclude concisely.

Peer Review Partners
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•Grahovac, Marko & Konschuh, Veronika
•Rüster, Karl-Albert & Rachůnková, Nadia
•Cercnik Pusavec, Nika reads Janzekovic, Nejc
•Janzekovic, Nejc reads Grauerová, Gabriela
•Grauerová, Gabriela reads Cercnik Pusavec, Nika

Becker on writing
•Rituals & Routines – Why do we feel so shameful about them?
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•The importance of re-writing. Don’t be a one-draft wonder.
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•Pluralistic ignorance – everyone thinks everyone else is getting it done and on time.
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Becker on writing
•Two biggest issues - Passive voice and unwillingness or inability to make causal statements.
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•Persona – everyone has a style of writing. Classy persona, esoteric expertise, “I was there,” all
authoritative in contrast to Becker’s ordinariness and similarity to others. issue of
professionalization, becoming a “real” sociologist.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=otCpCn0l4Wo



GENDER IN THE AP STYLEBOOK
•They, them, their - In most cases, a plural pronoun should agree in number with the
antecedent: The children love the books their uncle gave them. They/them/their is acceptable in
limited cases as a singular and-or gender-neutral pronoun, when alternative wording is overly
awkward or clumsy. However, rewording usually is possible and always is preferable. Clarity is a
top priority; gender-neutral use of a singular they is unfamiliar to many readers. We do not use
other gender-neutral pronouns such as xe or ze. •UNESCO Gender-Neutral Guidelines
http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0011/001149/114950mo.pdf
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