In text citations are necessary! There should be at least one in text citation per paragraph. If you state a fact you need to cite where you got that information. Lack of citations means several points off.
Two: You should try to write at least a page per theoretical concept such as Conflict theory; and what I mean is defining via paraphrasing and then explaining the theory in detail including (if you are using Marx) the ten to fifteen terms (definitions and explanation of those terms). Since you need 5 pages of sociology that would be five theoretical pages (or less if you take more than one page to write).
If you can’t write one page just on conflict theory, (or functionalism, symbolic interaction, feminist, etc) then you are going to need between 20 to 30 sociological concepts (and their sub terms) to discuss. This is a research paper so do some research. Use the text. The text gives all kinds of theories per chapter and many in detail (as much as two pages). If you don’t have five pages dedicated to introducing concepts, defining them, and explaining them, points will be taken away. (this is not an opinion or reflection paper so make sure to include lots of sociological terms.
Last race, class, gender, poverty and class, etc are things we study not sociological terms. Sociological terms and theories try to explain why there is racism, classism, poverty, etc. So while you need to explain things we study, the bulk of the paper should be sociological terms explaining why these issues exist.
Remember this is a sociology course, so do not write about psychology or philosophy theories concepts (unless the text book talks about them.
