SOC 2302: Final Project Guidelines and Grading Guide
Overview
The final project for this course is an Analysis of a Social Problem.
This project will help you to apply the concepts and theories you have learned throughout this course to a real world social
problem in the United States that you have identified. You will need to make sure that the problem that you have identified
is a social problem and not a personal problem and that the scope and the consequences of the problem are justified
through research. You will also explain how the theoretical perspectives you have learned throughout this course relates
to the social problem you have identified. Finally, you will develop a real-world solution or social policy to the social
problem and provide rationale as to why you think the solution would be effective. You will write a paper on your selected
social problem and create a PowerPoint presentation to share your findings with your peers.
The project is divided into 2 milestones, which will be submitted at various points throughout the course to scaffold
learning and ensure quality final submissions. These milestones will be submitted in Modules 2 and 4.
In this assignment you will demonstrate your mastery of the following course outcomes:
CO1: Analyze social problems and related theoretical perspectives of society
CO2: Evaluate how social problems can vary across societies and cultures
CO3: Articulate basic concepts of social research methods and how it relates to a social problem
CO4: Relate personal problems, social problems, and social policy
Prompt
Outline the social problem you will be analyzing in your final project. What is the problem? Why did you select it? Why do
you think it is important?
Describe why the topic is a social problem. In your response include the following:
Who does this problem affect (e.g., a specific culture or other group of people)?
Approximately how many people does it affect? Include your source that provides an estimate. Explain the
methods your source used to make that estimate.
Explain the consequences the social problem has for society. In your response include the following:
What are the consequences of this problem? Find an additional source besides the one that you used for your
estimate of how many people your social problem affects that provides an explanation of the consequences.
If the social problem is widely recognized explain why this is the case. If it is not widely recognized, make a case
for why it should be more widely recognized.
Explain how one of the major theoretical perspectives would apply your chosen topic. Include the following in your
response:
Identify your approach to the topic—how did you select your perspective? Are you interested in the big picture
(macro) or how individuals (micro) are affected by the issue?
Is there any classic explanation from the perspective you have selected that is addressed in the textbook (pre-
1950)? If so, what is it? Who was the theorist associated with the explanation?
What is the specific theory/theorist that you feel best addresses your chosen social problem?
Analyze the strengths and challenges of the theoretical perspective. Include the following in your response:
What is the strength of the perspective you selected in explaining your topic? What does the perspective do well?
Where do you think this perspective could be improved in explaining your topic? What exactly could be improved?
Develop a real world solution or social policy to the social problem based on the theoretical perspective you selected.
Include the following in your response:
What is your solution or what social policy would you implement?
Explain the rationale as to why you think the solution would be effective.
How would you know your real world solution or social policy is effective? What types of research methods might
you use to understand impact?
Milestones Milestone 1: Topic Selection In Module 2, you will submit Topic Selection. In this milestone you will outline the social issue that you have selected.
You will outline who the social problem affects and the consequences for society. This Milestone is graded with the
Milestone 1 Rubric.
Milestone Two: Theoretical Perspective In Module 4, you will submit Theoretical Perspective. In this milestone you will select one theoretical perspective and
how that particular perspective would explain the social issue that you have selected. This Milestone is graded with the
Milestone 2 Rubric.
Final Submission: In Module 7 you will submit Analysis of a Social Problem. It should be a complete, polished artifact containing all of the
critical elements of the final product. You will submit a paper and a PowerPoint Presentation. It should reflect the
incorporation of feedback gained throughout the course. This milestone will be graded using the Final Product Rubric.
Deliverable Milestones
Milestone
Deliverables Module Due
Grading
1 Topic Selection 2 Graded separately; Milestone 1 Rubric
2 Theoretical Perspective 4 Graded separately; Milestone 2 Rubric
Final Product: Analysis of a
Social Problem
7 Graded separately; Final Product Rubric
Rubric for Final Project Requirements of Submission: Your paper should be 6–8 pages double spaced not including a cover page and citations document, 12-point Times New Roman
font, one-inch margins, and include at least two APA citations. You will also create a PowerPoint presentation that includes the six content-related critical elements
listed in the below. Your PowerPoint presentation should be 6–8 slides including a cover page and references.
Instructor Feedback: Students can find their feedback in the Grade Center.
Critical Elements Satisfactory (100%) Proficient (85%) Needs Improvement (55%) Not Evident (0%) Value
Social Problem
Selection
Outlines the social problem that will be
analyzed with sophisticated
awareness.
Outlines the social problem
that will be analyzed.
Outlines the social problem that will be
analyzed but the response is missing
detail and/or accuracy.
Does not outline the social
problem that will be analyzed.
12
Social Problem
Identification
Describes why the topic is a social
problem with cogent connections to
research.
Describes why the topic is a
social problem and includes
research.
Describes why the topic is a social
problem but the response is missing
research, detail, and/or accuracy.
Does not describe why the topic is
a social problem.
12
Consequences of
the Social Problem
Explains the consequences the social
problem has for society with cogent
connections to research.
Explains the consequences
the social problem has for
society and includes
research.
Explains the consequences the social
problem has for society but the
response is missing research, detail,
and/or accuracy.
Does not explain the
consequences the social problem
has for society.
12
Theoretical
Perspective
Explains how one of the major
theoretical perspectives would apply to
the topic with sophisticated
awareness.
Explains how one of the
major theoretical
perspectives would apply to
the topic.
Explains how one of the major
theoretical perspectives would apply to
the topic but the response is missing
detail and/or accuracy.
Does not explain how one of the
major theoretical perspectives
would apply to the topic
12
Strengths and
Challenges
Analyzes the strengths and challenges
of the theoretical perspective in
explaining the topic with sophisticated
awareness.
Analyzes the strengths and
challenges of the theoretical
perspective in explaining the
topic.
Analyzes the strengths and challenges
of the theoretical perspective in
explaining the topic but the response is
missing detail and/or accuracy.
Does not analyze the strengths
and challenges of the theoretical
perspective in explaining the topic.
12
Real-Word
Solution/Social
Policy
Develops a real world solution or
social policy with cogent connections
to the theoretical perspective.
Develops a real world
solution or social policy with
connections to the
theoretical perspective.
Develops a real world solution or social
policy but the response lacks details,
accuracy and/or connections to the
theoretical perspective.
Does not develop a real world
solution or social policy.
30
Articulation of
Response
Submission is free of errors related to
citations, grammar, spelling, syntax,
and organization and is presented in a
professional and easy to read format.
Submission has no major
errors related to citations,
grammar, spelling, syntax,
or organization.
Submission has major errors related to
citations, grammar, spelling, syntax, or
organization that negatively impact
readability and articulation of main
ideas.
Submission has critical errors
related to citations, grammar,
spelling, syntax, or organization
that prevent understanding of
ideas.
10