Writing Up the Social Setting Project
Your social setting project paper should include separate sections which respond to each of the following areas:
Introduction: What is the purpose of your field study? Clearly and explicitly state the purpose of your field study.
Method: What did you do in your field study? Outline the general approach you took to the social setting project and the details of how you actually did your particular project.
Results of the Field Research: What did you find based on the participant observation you did? Describe the results of your observations: a) of the social setting you studied, as well as b) of the role expectation and status of the social position(s) you focused on, or of the interaction patterns you noticed.
Your description should consolidate or synthesize what you observed by focusing on what you “typically” or “generally” found. Highlight notable particularities as a variation, exception, etc. from the typical or the general. Use the basic sociological language which frames this field project (e.g., social position, role, status, ritual interaction patterns, norms, etc.) to organize and present your findings. Finally, remember that details of what you observed are important even though they seem ordinary and trivial at first.
Sociological Analysis: How can we understand, or account for, what you found sociologically? The most important question to keep asking about what you observed is “why?”, or more specifically, “why did you see this and not some other possibility?” Use sociological concepts, other relevant social scientific research, or sociological theory to assist you in framing and developing responses. If you do, take the time to outline the concept, research or theory.
The following are some possible angles to also consider in discussing and analyzing your findings sociologically: a) use your observations to illustrate a relevant sociological concept or process taken up in the course; b) use structural-functionalism or conflict theory to further interpret and understand the significance of what you found; c) compare and contrast readings from the course, or other social scientific research of which you are aware, by highlighting what applies and doesn’t apply to your findings; and d) check out a relevant chapter from a general introductory sociology textbook in the library and work with it to discuss aspects of your findings.
Concluding Reflections: What did you learn from this project? If you didn’t learn anything from this project, think about and then write about your own mindset and/or ways you might have changed your approach to this activity.
