What is the sociological imagination?

Sociology 001
Sociological Imagination Paper Spring 2022
This paper will be your opportunity to display what you know about the sociological imagination. You will be analyzing three things that you do that seem on the surface like completely personal choices- the foods that you enjoy the most, your favorite music, and the hobby that you spend the most time at- and discuss how those things are also influenced by the broader social forces around you.
The Paper Elements
Part 1 (approximately 1 page)
What is the sociological imagination? Explain this as if you were explaining it to a nave reader (e.g. another college student who has never taken a sociology course). Provide three examples of the sociological imagination (not about your favorite food, music, or hobbies). Think of yourself here as a teacher explaining this topic. The goal is to be comprehensive, but also straightforward and simple in your examples and language. Simply cutting and pasting definitions from the textbook, readings and my Power Points will garner weak scores.
Part 2 (approximately 4 pages)
What are the foods that you love the most? What broader social forces influenced you to love them? What is your favorite music (be as broad or specific as youd like)? What broader social forces influenced you to have this taste? What is the hobby (not school or family) that you enjoy the most? What broader social forces influenced you in your choice of hobby.
NOTE: Race, gender and social class must be discussed for each of the three things above- even if to simply mention that your gender did not have anything to do with your love of cotton candy, broccoli, Nirvana, videogames…etc. In most cases though, these social structures often do impact our choices. The absence of these elements in your discussion will garner weak scores.
Paper requirements
The paper is worth 10% of your grade
The paper will be double spaced, type-written, using 12-point Times New Roman font.
The paper will be 4-6 pages in length
The paper is before April 11th at 2:30pm due as a PDF submitted to Canvas under the
Culture Module.
Late papers will be docked 20% at 2:31pm on April 11th and an additional 20% each
subsequent 24 hours.
Plagiarism will not be tolerated. If I find that your paper is not SOLELY your own work,
you will receive 0% on the paper, a failing grade for the class grade, and referred to the
Student Judiciary Committee.
Your works cited page will use American Sociological Association formatting and will
not include any sources from outside of this course.

The best papers will…
have been edited for grammar and content more than once
be very clear and concise about what the sociological imagination
provide thoughtful analysis of how their individual choices were pushed and pulled by
social forces larger than themselves.
well organized so that the paper flows cleanly
Sociology 001 Paper Rubric Spring 2022
DEFINING THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION
Did the student define the sociological imagination correctly? Did the student provide three appropriate examples? APPLYING THE SOCIOLOGICAL IMAGINATION Did the student appropriately discuss the foods that they love?
Did the student appropriately discuss the music that they love?
Did the student appropriately discuss the hobby that they love?
Grammar Editing, Font, Margins, Page Limits
Was the paper easy to read- that is, was it well organized with clearly written paragraphs?
Total Points Possible
Possible points
9 6
5
5
5
5 5
100
Paper points

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