Sociology 329
Literature and Society
Summer 2 2003
Dr. Scott SchafferSecond Paper Assignment – Literature, Literacy and Books
Due Date and Time: This paper is due Mon Aug 4/2003 at the start of class. No late papers will be accepted, save in the event of a dire emergency about which I am informed in advance of the due date and time.
Rules of the Game: This paper is to be a minimum of three (3) full and complete pages in length; there is no maximum length for the paper, so you should write until your paper is fully developed. Papers that are shorter than three pages will lose one-third letter grade per page it is short. Your paper must be typewritten, double-spaced, in 10- or 12-point font, with 1.25in left and right margins and 1in top and bottom margins, on 8 1/2” by 11” paper. Your paper must have a cover page, on which a creative title (“Second Paper Assignment” is simply not creative enough), your name, and any other pertinent information should appear; your name should not appear anywhere else in the paper. Your paper must be spell- and grammar-checked; papers that have copious errors will automatically lose two full letter grades.
You should follow all guidelines in the “How to Write a Schaffer Paper” handout. Finally, no direct quotations are permitted in this paper; any materials you use to support your argument must be paraphrased and cited following the guidelines in the paper-writing handout. Anything that has the appearance of plagiarism will be regarded as plagiarism and dealt with according to the policy laid out in the syllabus.
In writing your response to the topic below, you must use at least two sources in this paper, though more are certainly recommended: at least one of the theorists from last week, and at least one of the sociologists of literature from this week. Failure to use the minimum number of sources will result in a one-third letter grade deduction for each theorist the paper is short.
The Topic: You should write a well-argued and well-evinced paper that responds directly to the following question:
To what extent would you agree with the following statement, and why: Literature establishes a clear-cut and singular set of social relations between people in a social order.
In order to completely respond to this question, you need to:
Outline the theoretical framework of one of the theorists read for last week (and preferably the one you choose as “your” theorist in the thesis);
Using that theoretical framework, analyze the ways in which one of the sociologists of literature have discussed the position of literature in maintaining or constructing a social order;
Using the evidence presented, develop a clear response to the above topic, making sure to show how it is that you are seeing that evidence as supporting your argument.
Happy writing…