APPENDIX A: Introduction to Sociology (SOCI 1311) SIGNATURE ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADING RUBRICS
Signature Assignment #1 – Empirical and Quantitative Skills Assignment
Students will prepare a brief research report related to a social issue of their choosing using data from the General Social Survey and the GSS’s Data Explorer tool (http://gss.norc.org/). Students will use the GSS Data Explorer to perform a bivariate analysis (concept from rubric: analysis). Students will present a table or graph from their analysis using the GSS Data Explorer. The report must be in essay format and uploaded into Canvas.
The written essay report should be approximately three pages in length (not including the GSS graph). Your GSS graph should be the entire first page of your report. Your three-page written report should begin on page 2. Your entire report with the GSS graph must be four pages long.
The report should be in simplified MLA format and include: your full name in the header (see above): 12-point Times New Roman font, 1” margins, double-spaced, simple in-text citations where appropriate, and a full citation for each source (the text and the GSS) immediately after the last paragraph of your report. Do not include a separate title page or works cited page. The only sources you will use for this report will be your text and the GSS.
By following the outline provided below, you will ensure you have met each of the rubric items. In the report, students are required to do each of the following:
- Students will identify their selected social issue (concept from rubric: identification). Source: GSS.
- Students will clearly identify their independent and dependent variables from the GSS. One of these variables must be related to their selected social issue. Students will explain how these variables are related to their selected social issue. Source: GSS. (concept from rubric: assimilation).
- Students will identify the values for their independent and dependent variables. Source: GSS. (concept from rubric: assimilation).
- Students will propose a hypothesis using inductive reasoning (Chambliss and Eglitis. 2020: 53). HINT: As a freebie, you should use this exact in-text citation in your Signature Assignment! (concept from rubric: analysis).
- Students will describe the relationships between the two variables (concept from rubric: presentation). This will comprise the bulk of your report. (concept from rubric: assimilation).
o Begin by describing the longitudinal trends you find in your graph. Do this for each value of your independent variable (e.g. male and female/white, black, hispanic, other, etc) and do so in relation to your dependent variable (the question and response you selected). If you notice sharp rises or declines among any values for your independent variables, describe those changes as well (also in relation to your dependent variable).
o Choose at least three points (years) on your GSS graph to analyze. For each year, analyze the relationship between your dependent and independent variables for that year.
- Students will draw a conclusion about any relationship between the two variables. (concept from rubric: analysis).
- Students will provide a short summary of their findings and indicate whether the relationship between the two variables supported their hypothesis (concept from rubric: application).
- Students should use in-text citations throughout their research essay where appropriate (e.g. (gss.norc.org) and/or (Chambliss and Eglitis. 2020: 53) and include two full citations for both sources immediately after the last paragraph of their report (concept from rubric: identification).
Full citations at the end of your report should look like this:
Chambliss and Eglitis. 2020. Discovering Sociology. Sage Publishing.
Copy/paste the citation from your GSS graph (looks like a paragraph directly underneath the graph)
Empirical and Quantitative Skills Rubric for Signature Assignment #1
| Point Value | Detailed Description of Point Assessment | Simple Explanation |
| 5 | A report scoring a 5 demonstrates the following: · Identification: The purpose, components, and variables of the investigation/project are clearly identified. · Assimilation: The information that is required for an analysis of all investigative components is clearly evident. If applicable, values are correctly translated into variables and all necessary formulas are present. · Analysis: All investigative or quantitative components are methodically scrutinized. The steps followed are logical and relevant to the desired result. The proper tools/ technology were used and well integrated into the final product. Any notation is consistent and well defined. · Presentation: A concise summary of the analysis is presented. The presented information is correct, of high quality, and the terminology/figures are accurate and easy to understand. All visual representations of evidence are well-scaled and well represent the analysis findings. · Application: The coherent integration of all steps of the investigation lead to an accurate, complete, relevant conclusion that is relative to the initial investigative statement. | Excellent |
| 4 | A report scoring a 4 demonstrates the following: · Identification: The purpose, components, and variables of the investigation/project are clearly identified. · Assimilation: The information that is required for an analysis of all investigative components is evident. If applicable, most values are correctly translated into variables and all necessary formulas are present. · Analysis: All investigative or quantitative components are scrutinized. The steps followed are logical and relevant to the desired result. The proper tools/ technology were used and mostly integrated into the final product. Any notation is consistent and well defined. · Presentation: A good summary of the analysis is presented. The presented information is correct, of good quality, and the terminology/figures are accurate and easy to understand. Most visual representations of evidence are well-scaled and/or well represent the analysis findings. · Application: The coherent integration of all steps of the investigation lead to an accurate, mostly complete, relevant conclusion that is relative to the initial investigative statement. | Good |
| 3 | A report scoring a 3 demonstrates the following: · Identification: The purpose, components, and variables of the investigation/project are mostly identified. · Assimilation: The information that is required for an analysis of all investigative components is mostly evident. If applicable, some values are correctly translated into variables and most necessary formulas are present. · Analysis: All investigative or quantitative components are somewhat scrutinized. The steps followed are mostly logical and relevant to the desired result. The proper tools/ technology were mostly used and somewhat integrated into the final product. Any notation is mostly consistent and defined. · Presentation: A summary of the analysis is presented. The presented information is mostly correct, of good quality, and the terminology/figures are mostly accurate and easy to understand. Most visual representations of evidence are acceptably scaled and represent the analysis findings. · Application: The coherent integration of most steps of the investigation lead to an accurate, mostly complete, acceptable conclusion that is relative to the initial investigative statement.
| Competent |
| 2 | A report scoring a 2 demonstrates the following: · Identification: The purpose, components, and variables of the investigation/project are somewhat identified. · Assimilation: The information that is required for an analysis of all investigative components is somewhat evident. If applicable, values are incorrectly translated into variables and some necessary formulas are present. · Analysis: Some investigative or quantitative components are scrutinized. Some steps followed are somewhat logical and relevant to the desired result. The proper tools/ technology were somewhat used and not integrated into the final product. Any notation is somewhat consistent but not defined. · Presentation: A partial summary of the analysis is presented. The presented information is somewhat correct, of adequate quality, and the terminology/figures are somewhat accurate and relatively easy to understand. Some visual representations of evidence are acceptably scaled and represent the analysis findings. · Application: The integration of most steps of the investigation lead to a somewhat accurate, partially complete conclusion that is relative to the initial investigative statement. | Marginal |
| 1 | A report scoring a 1 demonstrates the following: · Identification: The purpose, components, and variables of the investigation/project are not identified. · Assimilation: The information that is required for an analysis of all investigative components is not evident. If applicable, values are incorrectly translated into variables and no necessary formulas are present. · Analysis: Most investigative or quantitative components are not scrutinized. The steps followed are illogical and/or irrelevant to the desired result. The proper tools/ technology were not used and/or integrated into the final product. Any notation is not consistent and not defined. · Presentation: A summary of the analysis is either inadequately presented or not presented at all. The presented information is mostly incorrect, and/or of poor quality, and/or the terminology/figures are inaccurate and/or hard to understand. Few or no visual representations of evidence are acceptably scaled/ represent the analysis findings. · Application: The integration does not include all steps of the investigation and does not lead to an accurate, nor complete conclusion that relates to the initial investigative argument. | Poor |
This rubric is from “General Education Competency Information including Rubrics 2012-2013” (Amarillo College).
Answer preview
Many factors affect the socio-economic dynamics of our society today. One notable difference in the world population is the differences based on race. All races have different strengths and weaknesses, with some appearing more superior to others. To understand the diversity in races, it is important to investigate reliable population data that goes back several decades.
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