Midterm

“Take Home” Essay Assignment

Principles of Sociology M. Ferlise

Soc101 Fall 2020

Your midterm is a take-home essay exam. You have one full week to complete it. You must hand it

in during the following class. Your midterm essay should be a two page critical review of only one of

the following articles:

1. “But What Do You Mean, Women and Men in Conversation,” by Deborah Tannen

2. “Eating Your Friends is the Hardest, The Survivors of the F227,” by James Henslin

Please follow these directions carefully:

1. Choose either the Henslin or Tannen article (above) and read it carefully.

2. On your first page provide an accurate and faithful review (i.e., summary) of the article you

have selected. Do this in the same manner that you have done with your previous reviews. On

the left hand side of your paper, before your first sentence, type “REVIEW.” (Please see the

example for this provided on the next page).

3. For the second page offer a critical evaluation of the methodological problems in the

author’s research and discussion. In other words, critically evaluate the way the author

conducted his or her research. Specifically, indicate its weaknesses and how that affects the

author’s thesis or theory. On the left hand side of your paper, before your first sentence, type

“CRITIQUE.” (See the example on page 2 below.)

a. Focus exclusively on methodological problems and the validity of the study.

i. Ask yourself if there are problems with how the author 1) defines his or her

topic and issue, 2) gathered the information and 3) interprets the meaning of

that data in his or her article.

ii. Consider what methods the author used for gathering the data and how well

or how poorly the author uses those methods. Also, consider the advantages

and disadvantages of the methods he or she uses for gathering information?

iii. Show how the methodological problems you point out affects the validity of

the study or the author’s theory or thesis (i.e., what the author claims to be

true).

iv. Be clear and systematic in your discussion.

Please note:

Your papers must be typed (Times New Roman, size 12 font), double spaced, with standard margins

and stapled. State your name and the name of the author and title of the article you will be discussing.