The First Blog Post

Your Blog #1 is due THURSDAY APRIL 25TH AT 11:59PM.
You are welcome to submit an OPTIONAL BLOG by Tuesday April 16th at 11:59PM. I will provide feedback on your optional blog so that you can make changes and submit a top-notch blog post for Blog #1. It is a chance to get some hints for a good blog.

Below are a few prompts to get you started, and a guide for posts. Please read carefully!
Please know that you are welcome to email me your work/ideas and drop by my office to discuss anytime before you post. Would love to chat sociology with you!

Prompts:
1. The Sociological Perspective. Discuss the difference between “common sense” and the sociological perspective. Choose a “common sense” assumption and suggest a way to “test” that assumption.
2. Personal Trouble vs. Public Issue. Find a news article of an event and classify it as “personal trouble” or a “public issue”; back up your claims with available statistics if possible.
3. Sociological factors. Explain the difference between individual and structural factors. Choose an example of a social phenomena and cite the individual and structural influences on that behavior.
4. Culture. Choose a concept that is a component of culture. Cite examples from our culture (this can be U.S., Utah, your home country) and a different one.
5. Theories. Choose a theoretical perspective and discuss what “parts” of society a sociologist from that perspective would examine. OR, choose a social problem and suggest what a certain theorist might say causes the problem.

Guide for Blog Posts:
1. Choose a theory, concept or idea that we have discussed in class, or that closely relates to class material, citing an academic source (like a textook or JOURNAL article).
2. Select an example to illustrate the concept, or support/refute the theory. This may be a research article, video, song, news piece, book, personal experience, local story, interview, etc.
3. Provide at least one “discussion question” to provoke classmate’s responses
4. Comment on a classmate's post if possible

Rubric for Blog Posts:
1. Mentions a relevant theory, concept or idea with proper citation
2. Gives a coherent explanation/example that shows comprehension of chosen topic
3. Free of major grammatical errors and offensive remarks
4. AT LEAST one academic reference or statistic from a credible website