Two Papers

You will each write two long papers, showing that you can apply the thought of our four social theorists to a present-day social issue.

  • The first paper should be 10-12 pages in length, typewritten, double-spaced with standard mar­gins (that’s about 2500-3000 words).
  • The second paper should be 7-8 pages long (1750-2000 words).

Both should be based on primary sources (esp. the “B” readings) though you may use secondary sources for ideas and guidance.  Include proper footnotes, references and a bibliography (not part of the page length), in ASA style (look it up!).

You will write several drafts of each paper—this IS a WB course, remember!  Turn them in at the course Moodle site, in the Homework Dropbox folder.

  • For the first paper: Imagine that Karl Marx and Emile Durkheim are sitting in the Plaza Café (or a similar watering spot) discussing some current social issue.
    • Write a paper which recreates their conversation.
    • In it, show what each of these theorists would say about the problem, and what each would recommend to solve it.
    • Use dialogue to show what each fails to appreciate about the problem and how this failure is the result of his basic approach to social life.
    • Be sure to give each theorist a chance to respond to these criticisms.
    • You may write yourself into the conversation, if you like, though you do not need to.
  • For the second paper: Imagine that you are Max Weber, who has been asked to give a speech on the same issue.
    • Write a paper recreating that speech.
    • In it, let Weber give his analysis of this social issue, along with his specific recommendations for dealing with it (or not, if that is what he would recommend).
    • Allow two pages at the end for W.E.B. Du Bois to comment on the speech, both its analysis and its recommendations.

Here are the steps for Paper #1:

  1. Choose a writing partner or partners by the day listed on the Schedule page.   Make sure you notify me in writing of your choice.
  2. Chose a current social issue about which you are seriously interested.  Learn everything you can about it.  Locate and read at least 6 sociological accounts of the issue, written from at least three different points of view.  Work these into an annotated bibliography, which you are to turn in before class time on the day listed on the Schedule page.
  3. As soon as we have finished the unit on Marx, decide what Marx would say about this social problem.  Organize your arguments into an outline, turning them in before class time  on the day listed on the Schedule page.  Turn this in on Moodle.
    • Begin thinking about where Marx & Durkheim will meet, what personalities you want to give them, etc.
    • I suggest that you begin drafting Marx’s dialogue, also.
  4. As soon as we have finished the unit on Durkheim, decide what Durkheim would say about this social problem.  Organize your arguments into an outline, turning them before class time on the day listed on the Schedule page. Turn this in on Moodle.
    • By the same date and time, turn in your decision about where Marx & Durkheim will meet, any special circumstances of their meeting, and give a general sense of the personalities that you will give them.  Two pages maximum!  Turn this in on the course Moodle site, in the Homework Dropbox folder.
  5. Write a complete draft of your paper and turn in a copy before class on the day listed on the Schedule page. Turn this in on Moodle.  Simultaneously, give a printed copy to your writing partner for written peer review.
    • I am serious when I say that this draft should be complete; it should be as good as the typical paper that you turn in for the typical class.  It should have no typographic errors, no issues of spelling or grammar, etc.  It should also make sense.  Handing in a piece of junk at this stage will result in no credit for the assignment.
    • A word to the wise: you are advised to make this the actual second draft, having written a previous, private draft to get your ideas on paper.  Good writers always write a throw-away draft.  This frees them to write a second draft, whose ideas are inevitably better developed.  This is the most important writing advice you will receive in this course. 
  6. Review your writing partner’s (or group’s) paper(s), focusing first on the intellectual content and only secondarily on the style.  (Authors: Don’t depend on your partner to fix your grammar; do that yourself.)  Type at least 2 full pages of comments for each paper, in addition to the comments that you mark on the papers themselves.  Submit a copy of your typed comments to the author and to me before class on the day listed on the Schedule page.
  7. Write a final draft and submit it to me, along with a short summary (1 page) of the changes that you made based on your writing partner’s/s’ feedback.  Turn this in before class on the day listed on the Schedule page. Turn this in on Moodle.


Here are the steps for Paper #2:

  1. As we are reading the unit on Weber, decide what Weber would have to say about the same social problem on which you have had Marx and Durkheim comment.  Organize your arguments into an outline, turning them in before class on the day listed on the Schedule page. Turn this in on Moodle.
  2. Write a complete draft of your paper and turn in a copy before class on the day listed on the Schedule page.  Turn this in on Moodle.
    • Again, I am serious when I say that this draft should be complete…(yada yada)…and that you should write a first, private draft to organize your thoughts—one that you should throw out.  Besides giving me a copy, give a copy to your writing partner (or group) for written peer review.
  3. Review your writing partner’s (or group’s) paper(s), focusing first on their intellectual content and only secondarily on style.  Write up at least 2 full pages of comments for each paper, in addition to the comments that you mark on the papers themselves.  Submit a copy of your comments to the author and to me before class on the last regularly scheduled class period. 
  4. Write a final draft and submit it to me, along with a short summary (1 page) of the changes that you made based on your writing partner’s/s’ feedback.  Turn this in on Moodle by the time of the Final Exam (as scheduled by the Registrar’s Office).

Part of your grade will be based on the quality of your feedback to your writing partner or partners.  The rest of your grade will be based on your paper’s content and on its writing at each stage of the process.  (I.e.: drafts count.)

You can find due dates for these paper elements on our Schedule page.