For this assignment, you will select a sociology topic (provided below) and defend one side of that topic. The purpose of this assignment is to sharpen your critical thinking and writing skills by analyzing and explain a sociological principle and attempting to persuade the reader to agree with your stance.
Select one of the following topics and defend one side of that topic (you may choose the side) or create a topic of your own and clear it with me first:
Organization of Youth Sports
Side A: Youth sports (12 and under) should be about learning skills and having fun, therefore everyone should get an equal amount of playing time
Side B: Youth sports (12 and under) are just as important as high school sports, and should be organized so that the goal of every team is to win, meaning that everyone on the team may not receive an equal amount of playing time.
Drug Testing
Pro: Steroid/drug use is a significant problem in sports, making the need for drug testing a necessary act that must be done on a regular basis
Con: Whether or not an athlete uses steroids/drugs is his/her business, and drug testing is not necessary.
Title IX
Pro: Title IX has been a significant piece of legislation that dramatically influenced the sports world for the better.
Con: While beneficial in some ways, Title IX has ultimately been harmful to sports and should be eliminated.
Sports and Politics
Pro: The Washington Redskins and other Native American mascots is offensive and therefore should be changed
Con: The Washington Redskins and similar mascots is a reflection of Native American pride and should not be changed.
Sports and Taxes
Pro: Sports teams (at any level) benefit the entire city/town and, therefore taxes should be increased, if necessary, to build stadiums or fund programs.
Con: Sports teams (at any level) really only benefit a few people and taxes should not be inflicted upon an entire city/town.
One-and-Done Rule
Pro: College athletes should be able to turn pro after only one year of college
Con: College athletes should have to stay in college for more than one year before turning pro
Paying College Athletes
Pro: College athletes deserve to be paid beyond their tuition and fees.
Con: College athletes are getting a free education and therefore do not deserve to be paid.
Equity in Collegiate Sports
Pro: Men’s and women’s coaches (in comparable sports—basketball, baseball/softball, etc.) should be paid the same amount.
Con: Salaries for college sports should be based on success, visibility of the team, and revenue generated and should not be the same for both men’s and women’s coaches.
As you read about the topic, consider which side you favor. Write notes to support that stance. Think about sources you can use as references to support your stance.
Use critical thinking and writing skills to articulate at least three arguments defending your side. These should include:
An introduction previewing the paper’s topic. What is the overall theme/problem? Why is this topic important?
The body of the paper, detailing your stance and three arguments supporting it.
A conclusion wrapping up the paper and providing a couple take-home messages.
A title and reference page
You will be graded on how well you articulate the topic, spelling/grammar, and use of references. Regardless of your choice, your paper should:
Be approximately 5 pages in length, not including the reference page or title page
Use at least 3 references listed in APA format
Be double spaced with no larger than 12-point font
Not use personal pronouns (“I believe”, “I feel”, etc.)
Use proper spelling/grammar
Be in your own words
Use, at most, 1-2 short quotes (which must be properly referenced); taking information directly from a source with no attempt to put the information in your own words, or properly cite your paper by using quotations for the entire paper will result in automatic failure of the assignment.
Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation will be based paper content (explanation of how the movie relates to theory and research) and writing quality (structure, clarity, grammar, and proper APA format). This assignment is worth 50 points. Your paper will be graded using a rubric.