Students write papers exploring social problems, applying theory to case studies, and examining family and social histories. Students who opt for an Applied Sociology Internship utilize their journal entries and concept paper to relate their internship experiences to broader social phenomena, using sociological concepts and theories. Students use word-processing, spreadsheet, and statistical software to analyze data sets and interpret results. Students use descriptive and inferential statistics in class assignments, and give an interpretative report of their analysis of a national data set. Students compare and contrast various research designs used in sociology and examine their basic assumptions and component parts.
Students analyze articles and book chapters, examining whether arguments are supported by data.