State Project
SOCI 309: Drugs and Society
Spring 2021
Due Friday March 5th by 11:59 PM (central)
The purpose of the State Project is for you to write a technical document using existing data reports on drug use in the United States. In the third week, you will be randomly assigned one of the 50 U.S. states and either the NSDUH or TEDS data set. You will use your assigned data set to create a short report comparing recent substance use trends in your assigned state to national trends. You will also need to use basic Census data to describe the state you were assigned. The NSDUH and TEDS data files you need are available on Canvas.
Your project must be written in complete sentences grouped into paragraphs (not bullet points). This is a technical writing project. Your writing can be terse and to the point. Your report will be written in 12-point Times New Roman and double-spaced in a document with one-inch margins on all sides. You do not need a title page. Your name and the name of the course should be included on the first page.
Each report will have seven sections. I suggest writing approximately a paragraph for each section (you may need two for the last section). All projects will include the same first and last sections. The information included in the other sections will depend on the data set you were assigned. Directions for each section along with a rubric for NSDUH projects and TEDS projects can be found below.
All reports will begin with state information. You will briefly introduce your assigned state by using U.S. Census data to describe:
- The current estimated population
- The percentage of the population under age 18
- The percentage of population 65 or older,
- The U.S. Census Region (name & number)
- The median income
- The percentage of the population in poverty
All reports will end with Summary. You will briefly summarize the trends of your state and comparisons with the nation.
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NSDUH State Projects will include the following sections (after state information):
- Binge Alcohol Use: What percentage of your stateand what percentage of the nation has binged alcohol in the past 30 days in:
- The 12-17 years old age group?
- The 18-25 years old age group
- The 26+ years old age group
- Is your state higher or lower than that national average for some age groups? If so, which ones are different?
- Marijuana: What percentage of your stateand what percentage of the nation has used marijuana in the past year in:
- The 12-17 years old age group
- The 18-25 years old age group
- The 26+ years old age group
- Is your state higher or lower than that national average for all some age groups? If so, which ones are different?
- Methamphetamine: What percentage of your stateand what percentage of the nation has used methamphetamines in the past year in:
- The 12-17 years old age group
- The 18-25 years old age group
- The 26+ years old age group
- Is your state higher or lower than that national average for some age groups? If so, which ones are different?
- Heroin: What percentage of your stateand what percentage of the nation has used heroin during the past year in:
- The 12-17 years old age group
- The 18-25 years old age group
- The 26+ years old age group
- Is your state higher or lower than that national average for all age groups or some age groups? If so, which ones are different?
- Pain Reliever Misuse: What percentage of your stateand what percentage of the nation has misused pain relievers during the past year in:
- The 12-17 years old age group
- The 18-25 years old age group
- The 26+ year old age group
- Is your state higher or lower than that national average for some age groups? If so, which ones are different?
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TEDS State Projects will include the following sections (after state information):
- Alcohol: What was the primary alcohol admissions rate aged 12 and older per 100,000for your state and in the nation for:
- 2008
- 2018
- How did the primary rates of alcohol admission change between 2008 and 2018 in your state andthe nation?
- How does the change in your state over this time period compare to the change in the nation over the same time period?
- Marijuana: What was the primary marijuana admissions rate aged 12 and older per
100,000 for your state and in the nation for:
- 2008
- 2018
- How did the primary rates of marijuana admission change between 2008 and 2018 in your state andthe nation?
- How does the change in your state over this time period compare to the change in the nation over the same time period?
- Methamphetamine: What was the primary methamphetamine admissions rate aged 12and older per 100,000 for your state and in the nation for:
- 2008
- 2018
- How did the primary rates of methamphetamine admission change between 2008 and 2018 in your state andthe nation?
- How does the change in your state over this time period compare to the change in the nation over the same time period?
- Heroin: What was the primary heroin admissions rate aged 12 and older per 100,000 foryour state and in the nation for:
- 2008
- 2018
- How did the primary rates of heroin admission change between 2008 and 2018 in your state andthe nation?
- How does the change in your state over this time period compare to the change in the nation over the same time period?
- Non-Heroin Opiates: What was the primary non-heroin opiates admissions rate aged 12and older per 100,000 for your state and in the nation for
- 2008
- 2018
- How did the primary rates of non-heroin opiates admission change between 2008 and 2018 in your state andthe nation?
- How does the change in your state over this time period compare to the change in the nation over the same time period?
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State Project Grading Rubric, NSDUH
| Sections | Points Possible Points Earned | |||
| Formatting and Spelling/Grammar | ||||
| Correctly formatted | 4 | |||
| Only minimal spelling/grammar errors | 4 | |||
| State Information | ||||
| U.S. Census Region (Name & Number) | 2 | |||
| Current Estimated Population | 2 | |||
| Percent of Population Under 18 | 2 | |||
| Percent of Population 65+ | 2 | |||
| Median Income | 2 | |||
| Percent of Population in Poverty | 2 | |||
| Binged Alcohol | ||||
| Past 30 day use, 12-17 years old (state) | 1 | |||
| Past 30 day use, 12-17 years old (nation) | 1 | |||
| Past 30 day use, 18-25 years old (state) | 1 | |||
| Past 30 day use, 18-25 years old (nation) | 1 | |||
| Past 30 day use, 26+ years old (state) | 1 | |||
| Past 30 day use, 26+ years old (nation) | 1 | |||
| Comparison | 2 | |||
| Marijuana | ||||
| Past year use, 12-17 years old (state) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 12-17 years old (nation) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 18-25 years old (state) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 18-25 years old (nation) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 26+ years old (state) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 26+ years old (nation) | 1 | |||
| Comparison | 2 | |||
| Methamphetamine | ||||
| Past year use, 12-17 years old (state) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 12-17 years old (nation) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 18-25 years old (state) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 18-25 years old (nation) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 26+ years old (state) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 26+ years old (nation) | 1 | |||
| Comparison | 2 | |||
| Heroin | ||||
| Past year use, 12-17 years old (state) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 12-17 years old (nation) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 18-25 years old (state) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 18-25 years old (nation) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 26+ years old (state) | 1 | |||
| Past year use, 26+ years old (nation) | 1 | |||
| Comparison | 2 | |||
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Pain Reliever Misuse
| Past year use, 12-17 years old (state) | 1 | |
| Past year use, 12-17 years old (nation) | 1 | |
| Past year use, 18-25 years old (state) | 1 | |
| Past year use, 18-25 years old (nation) | 1 | |
| Past year use, 26+ years old (state) | 1 | |
| Past year use, 26+ years old (nation) | 1 | |
| Comparison | 2 | |
| Summary and Future Research | ||
| Accurately summarizes differences (state vs. nation) | 5 | |
| Total | 65 |
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State Project Grading Rubric, TEDS
| Sections | Points Possible Points Earned | |||
| Formatting and Spelling/Grammar | ||||
| Correctly formatted | 4 | |||
| Only minimal spelling/grammar errors | 4 | |||
| State Information | ||||
| U.S. Census Region (Name & Number) | 2 | |||
| Current Estimated Population | 2 | |||
| Percent of Population Under 18 | 2 | |||
| Percent of Population 65+ | 2 | |||
| Median Income | 2 | |||
| Percent of Population in Poverty | 2 | |||
| Alcohol | ||||
| Admissions Rate, 2008 (state) | 1 | |||
| Admissions Rate, 2008 (nation) | 1 | |||
| Admissions Rate, 2018 (state) | 1 | |||
| Admissions Rate, 2018 (nation) | 1 | |||
| Change, 2008-2018 (state) | 1 | |||
| Change, 2008-2018 (nation) | 1 | |||
| Comparison | 2 | |||
| Marijuana | ||||
| Admissions Rate, 2008 (state) | 1 | |||
| Admissions Rate, 2008 (nation) | 1 | |||
| Admissions Rate, 2018 (state) | 1 | |||
| Admissions Rate, 2018 (nation) | 1 | |||
| Change, 2008-2018 (state) | 1 | |||
| Change, 2008-2018 (nation) | 1 | |||
| Comparison | 2 | |||
| Methamphetamines | ||||
| Admissions Rate, 2008 (state) | 1 | |||
| Admissions Rate, 2008 (nation) | 1 | |||
| Admissions Rate, 2018 (state) | 1 | |||
| Admissions Rate, 2018 (nation) | 1 | |||
| Change, 2008-2018 (state) | 1 | |||
| Change, 2008-2018 (nation) | 1 | |||
| Comparison | 2 | |||
| Heroin | ||||
| Admissions Rate, 2008 (state) | 1 | |||
| Admissions Rate, 2008 (nation) | 1 | |||
| Admissions Rate, 2018 (state) | 1 | |||
| Admissions Rate, 2018 (nation) | 1 | |||
| Change, 2008-2018 (state) | 1 | |||
| Change, 2008-2018 (nation) | 1 | |||
| Comparison | 2 | |||
| Non-heroin Opiates | ||||
6
| Admissions Rate, 2008 (state) | 1 | |
| Admissions Rate, 2008 (nation) | 1 | |
| Admissions Rate, 2018 (state) | 1 | |
| Admissions Rate, 2018 (nation) | 1 | |
| Change, 2008-2018 (state) | 1 | |
| Change, 2008-2018 (nation) | 1 | |
| Comparison | 2 | |
| Summary and Future Research | ||
| Accurately summarizes differences (state vs. nation) | 5 | |
| Total | 65 |
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