For this assignment, you will analyze your lived experiences by applying the sociological imagination. Your task will be to place aspects of your life within social context. This will require an in-depth examination of how both time and place have been influential in shaping your life. The goal is to make a connection between your biography (personal experience) and social history (larger movements and patterns in society).
Here are some important details:
Page Requirements: Papers should be at least5 full pages, not including the title and Works Cited page. Please make it double-spaced, use 12 font, and have 1” margins.
Subheadings: Please organize your paper according to the four sections below, and use subheadings to clearly label each section. Your subheadings can be titled exactly as the sections are titled. For example, section one can be titled “Section 1: Society and Culture” and section two should be titled “Section 2: Social Inequalities,” and so forth.
Concepts: Throughout the paper, you will be applying theoretical perspectives, concepts, and theories from the book. Please put these theoretical perspectives, concepts, and theories in bold text like this the first time you mention them. You only need to do this the first time, not every time you use them.
Strive for an A grade: I’m hoping you’re all aiming for an A+ so here are some tips! Wherever the directions say “at least,” it means that you may go beyond this if you are striving for a high A grade.
In-text Citations: You will need to cite the book within your paragraphs to show where you are getting the explanations/definitions of the concepts you’re discussing. Either MLA or APA format will be fine for your in-text citations. You should use the author’s last name and page/section number. It should look something like this at the end of your sentences (Henslin 35). If you are citing the mini lecture videos, you can use my last name with the name of the video, and the year. It can look like this (Jovel Mini Lecture Video: Culture, 2022).
* I highly recommend watching my mini-lecture videos. I give you questions to help you with the paper.
Works Cited or Reference Page: You should have a Works Cited or Reference page at the end of your paper that includes the textbook and class lectures you used. Since you shouldn’t be using any other source besides the textbook and lectures, that means this is all you need in your Works Cited/Reference page at the end of your paper. Below is the MLA format of the textbook that you may copy and paste into your Works Cited/Reference page at the end of your paper, as well as the format to use for the class lectures.
Henslin, J. M. Essentials of Sociology: A Down to Earth Approach 13th Ed. Boston: Pearson, 2019.
Jovel, Jennifer. “Include Mini Lecture Video Title Here.” Sociology 101, Include Semester and Year Here, Ohlone College, Lecture.
Plagiarism and AI: Papers will be turned in on Canvas which uses Turn-It-In to check for plagiarism. All papers will be checked for plagiarism in order to be graded. I urge you not to post your paper or look-up other papers online. Websites that market themselves as “study resources” contribute to plagiarism which is considered academic dishonesty . It simply is not worth using ANY outside resources, including AI tools that generate text, for assistance or “inspiration.” All you need is the textbook and lecture notes. This paper is not worth jeopardizing your integrity and academic future. I am more than happy to help you if you feel stuck or overwhelmed. I truly believe you already have what it takes to write a good paper. Don’t hesitate to reach out to me if you feel like you need more guidance. I’m here for you!
Writing Support: Ohlone College offers free English tutoring both in-person at the English Learning Center (room 3509 Fremont campus) and also online (via Canvas through TechConnectZoom). They can help read over your paper and strengthen your writing. You can also get writing support through NetTutor (24/7 online tutoring via Canvas). You can easily join the online tutoring by using the NetTutor link on our Canvas menu bar.
Example Paper: Here is an example paper to help you. The format may be a bit different since it’s an older paper from an in-person class, but it will give you a good idea of what a Sociological Autobiography looks like.
Here are the sections you will need to include in your paper:
Introduction
Provide an overview of who you are, including your social location, historical, and/or cultural factors influential in shaping your experiences. Also introduce the major sociological topics you will be analyzing in your paper. Remember, this section does not need a subheading.
Section 1: Society and Culture
Decide on at least 1 sociological topic you want to focus on from part 1 of the class. The topics covered in part 1 include culture, socialization, social structure and social interactions, groups and organizations, and deviance. For the topic(s) you cover, you will want to:
Discuss events from your life that are related to the sociological topic(s) you have chosen. For example, if you choose culture, you will provide a description of the culture you grew up in and/or the culture you are currently exposed to.
Apply specific sociological terms, concepts, and/or theories related to your lived experiences. For example, if you are examining culture, you will want to apply concepts such as symbolic culture and material culture and give a breakdown of each in your discussion. Remember, you must use sociological language. Be sure to reference the textbook and provide explanations of the concepts you are discussing (cite the book). The use of sociological terms is necessary for making your work different than the typical autobiography. Although I’m sure your life is very interesting, I do not want your life story without the use of the sociological imagination.
Section 2: Social Inequalities
Decide on at least 1 form of social inequality you want to focus on from part 2 of the class. The topics covered in part 2 include global stratification, social class, race and ethnicity, gender, and age. For the topic(s) you cover, you will want to:
Discuss events from your life that are related to the sociological topic(s) you have chosen. Examine the impact that your social location has had on your experiences.
Apply specific sociological terms, concepts, and/or theories related to your lived experiences. Remember, you must use sociological language. Be sure to reference the textbook and/or class notes and provide explanations of the concepts you are discussing (cite the book). The use of sociological terms is necessary for making your work different than the typical autobiography. Although I’m sure your life is very interesting, I do not want your life story without the use of the sociological imagination.
Section 3: Social Institutions
Decide on at least 1 social institution you want to focus on from part 3 of the class. The topics covered in part 3 include family, education, religion, and the economy. For the topic(s) you cover, you will want to:
Discuss events from your life that are related to the sociological topic(s) you have chosen. For example, if you choose education as one of your major topics, you will provide a description of your own personal experiences related to education and the significant educational events that have occurred in your life.
Provide a comparison of your experience within this institution to the experiences that those from other groups, societies, or social locations. In other words, examine the impact that your social location has had on your experiences within this social institution.
Apply specific sociological terms, concepts, and/or theories related to your lived experiences. Remember, you must use sociological language. Be sure to reference the textbook and provide explanations of the concepts you are discussing (cite the book). For example, if you are analyzing the topic of education you may examine the significance of labeling theory, and apply concepts like tracking and the hidden curriculum. The use of sociological terms is necessary for making your work different than the typical autobiography.
Section 4: Theoretical Perspectives
Describe which theoretical perspective(s) most guided your analysis in this paper. Explain if symbolic interactionism, functionalism, and/or conflict theory is most helpful to you when you examine your life experiences. Be sure to reference the book when providing a description of the perspective(s) (cite the book), and provide and explanation of how/why this perspective(s) was useful when examining your life experiences.
Conclusion
Discuss how the personal events in your life are connected to larger social forces from the past or present. For example, how are your personal experiences as a college student connected to the current state of higher education and the economy in our state/country? How are your own personal experiences connected to the experiences of others? Your conclusion should provide a reflection of the insight you have gained from this assignment.
