Book or Articles Critique Assignment

(Due April 15 -- 125 pts.)

 

Choose one!

 

I.                    Book Critique (see approval form attached)

a.       Choose an academic book that relates to some aspect of social deviance – examples listed below. No novels or texts will be approved. Some of the books listed below are mine. You may borrow them BUT you will receive no credit for your assignment until my book is returned.

                                                               i.      Creating Fear – Altheide

                                                             ii.      The Politics of Cruelty – Millett

                                                            iii.      In Bad Company: America’s Terrorist Underground – Hamm

                                                           iv.      White Men Falling – Ferber

                                                             v.      Warrior Marks – Walker

                                                           vi.      Surviving Heroin: Interviews with Women in Methadone Clinics – Friedman and Alicea

                                                          vii.      The Culture of Fear – Glassner

                                                        viii.      Crimes of Style: Urban Graffiti and the Politics of Criminality – Ferrell

                                                           ix.      Sweatshop Warriors – Yoon Louie

                                                             x.      Understanding Domestic Homicide – Websdale

                                                           xi.      In the Name of Hate – Perry

                                                          xii.      Random Violence -- Best

 

b.      Assignment submission – typed, 12 pt. font, double spaced, 1” margins, proofed and spell checked. A well done project will probably range from 10-12 pages, maybe longer but not likely less.

                                                               i.      Title and author

                                                             ii.      Four to five page discussion of the book – its purpose, method of analysis if relevant, key points, conclusions

                                                            iii.      Then identify at least 10 different concepts/theories we have discussed in class and how they were used, defined, made reference to, etc. in the book.

                                                           iv.      Conclude your assignment with a discussion of how the book contributed to your understanding of deviance, for example did it provide support for or a challenge to our discussions in class, did it make you aware of an aspect of deviance not previously considered, and so on.

 

II.                 Articles critique (see approval form attached)

a.       Choose 8 articles from academic journals (examples listed below) that examine social deviance. You may choose 8 articles on a single topic or a mix of topics. Examples include Deviant Behavior, Journal of Social Issues, Criminology, Sociological Spectrum, Social Problems, Victims and Victimology, Symbolic Interaction

b.      Assignment submission -- typed, 12 pt. font, double spaced, 1” margins, proofed and spell checked. A well done project will probably range from 15-20 pages, maybe longer but not likely less. For each article do the following:

                                                               i.      Give title, author, journal, pages and year

                                                             ii.      In 1-2 pages describe its purpose, method of analysis if relevant, key points, conclusions. DO NOT COPY the abstract.

c.       Taking all 8 articles into consideration identify at least 10 different concepts/theories we have discussed in class and how they were used, defined, made reference to, etc. in the articles.

d.      Conclude your assignment with a discussion of how the articles contributed to your understanding of deviance, for example did they provide support for or a challenge to our discussions in class, did they make you aware of aspects of deviance not previously considered, and so on.

 

You will be assessed a five pt. per day penalty for late assignments and none will be accepted after April 27th, our last day of class. If you have an emergency that impacts your ability to turn in your assignment, please bring it to my attention but I do not guarantee leniency.

Choice Approval Form

(To be submitted not later than March 4)

 

 

Ø      Name __________________________________

 

Ø      Book title and author (Bring book with this form)

 

 

__________________________________________________________________

 

 

OR

 

Ø      Articles – List title, author, and journal for EACH article

 

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8.

 

Ø      My approval signature: __________________________________________ (This form must accompany your final project.)