Developing your Topic:
Based on your Proposal topic and with the incorporation of any changes/recommendations given, you will proceed to develop your topic and write a research essay. However, do not merely copy from your previous assignments. Instead, you should develop your ideas and information, and refine the focus and content. Your essay must demonstrate a clearly identifiable thesis around which the entire work is structured. Individual essay topics are to be approved by the instructor via the Research Proposal assignment. Essays will not be accepted or assigned a grade if they are submitted on a topic other than what was approved by the instructor.
You must demonstrate that a sufficient body of scholarly research material exists to support your essay. The essay must present an objective assessment of the full significance of your specific topic. Focus on the most significant background, context, current/ongoing issues and examples, scholars, and details concerning your subject do not attempt to tell the entire story. Rather, your task is to examine the most noteworthy events, policies, people, communities, scholars, programs, organizations, etc. And remember, this is to be situated within Canada, but that does not mean it has to cover all of Canada, that would be too much to cover in a short Essay like this. Keep it narrow and specific in focus!
Remember, in this assignment you are to write a RESEARCH ESSAY on a current/ongoing topicnot a comprehensive history or case study. Some attention must therefore be given to the topics background, social-political context, relevant policies, or laws, and discuss current and ongoing information and anything else that helps explain the topic/problem and what is being or can be done about it.
How to organizae your Essay:
The first step in writing an accurate analysis/research paper is to develop a clear understanding of the broader environment or context within which the particular story being told takes place. Therefore, your essay must begin with a general overview of the most relevant social, economic, and/or political events occurringas they relate to your specific topic. As well, your introduction section/paragraph(s) must provide an overview of the particular context of your selected topic.
In other words, your introductory paragraphs will provide a clear and effectivebrief/conciseoverview of the most relevant social, economic and political events related to your topic. In addition, the introductory section would need to explain conditions that are impacting the group, communities or people involved. Essentially the question to be answered by the contextual component of the essay is what are the relevant social, economic, and political conditions locally, regionally or nationally that are influencing/shaping the particular circumstances being researched? It is expected that approximately two pages at the beginning of your essay will be devoted to an overview/introduction and consideration of these contextual issues. The rest of the body paragraphs will explore various implications and relevant aspects of the topic, key ideas, scholars and their research, examples, and recommendations for addressing the issue you are writing about. Finally, a conclusion section will briefly summarize the issue, the analysis presented and outline what is and still needs to be done regarding the topic.
NOTE: There are resources on blackboard to help you find literature/research on your topic. See the sociology subject guide, various links to the Seneca Library resources, and the various writing guides on our course Blackboard.
Writing/Composition:
Be aware that the essays format, grammar, and spelling are important.
Essays containing a surfeit of spelling and grammatical errors will be in jeopardy of receiving a failing grade, regardless of the content of the essay.
The essay must be double-spaced, and use Times New Roman, size #12 font with 1″ /regular margins.
Be certain to include a title page and an APA References section.
For instructions on proper essay citations see https://seneca.libguides.com/apa
Research Requirements: Minimum 6 sources (which you all should already have)
Each essay must be based on informative and relevant research, especially sociological academic and non-academic sources. Be open to reading and learning more about your topic. A well researched and informed paper will be more effective than a rushed and ill-informed one. In other words, do the best you can to really learn about your topic. But, keep it focused, and avoid veering off-topic. Remember, this is a sociology essay.
You should cite a minimum of 3 academic sources and 3 journalistic, and/or government, non-government organization, or other credible sources.
Do not pad your Reference list with sources you have not actually read or used in your essay.
Make sure you are properly citing (in-text) and creating accurate and complete references for your reference list. Do not rely on citation/reference generators (they often have errors).
Do not pad your paper with quotes
No more than 1 long/block quotes (of 4 or more lines).
Be sure to indicate sources by integrating them into the writing and/or within brackets (Likethis 2019, p.45).
Review the paraphrasing and quotation guide on the Seneca Library Citing Sources APA guide:
https://seneca.libguides.com/apa