SOCI 4080: Social Responsibility

Course Project Overview and Guidelines

The overarching goal of this course is for students to develop awareness and skills to sustain and advance the communities in which they live. To that end, over the 6 weeks of the course, you will develop a socially responsible approach to addressing a specific social issue of interest and concern. Through a series of project assignments, you will analyze current research and perspectives, determine potential solutions to the social issue, develop a publicity campaign proposal, reflect on personal learning, and develop a Final Presentation on actions that might be taken to carry out your vision of social change regarding this issue.

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General Education Learning Outcomes

The assignments in this course integrate the following General Education Learning Outcomes.

Discovery: Students will locate and identify appropriate sources of information using multiple sources and methods, including bibliographic, textual, experiential, and experimental research.

Evaluation: Students will critically assess texts and arguments in multiple forms and contexts using quantitative and qualitative logic, the scientific method, ethics, and pragmatics.
Expression: Students will effectively and ethically communicate information and opinions verbally and nonverbally using written, oral, behavioral, and visual methods adapted for diverse audiences and purposes.
Perspective: Students will be able to articulate the consistency and flexibility of knowledge as it is experienced across time, space, and culture.
Change: Students will articulate how their ability to discover, evaluate, and express ideas from different perspectives is instrumental in their progress toward achieving personal goals and effecting positive social change.

The following assignments compose the Course Project:

Week 2: Topic Exploration and Analysis

As the first step of your Course Project, you select and analyze a social issue. You develop a problem statement, address the “heart” or “root” of the issue, describe the situation as it looks today, and explain why this social issue is important to investigate.

The Assignment
In a 2- to 3-page paper (not including the cover page and references), address the following:

The problem statement you have developed (e.g., “The problem I will address in this study is…”)
What are the “symptoms” of the social issue? What does it “look like”?
What are the conflicts that exist regarding this issue? What are the interests, rights, and values of all parties involved with the social issue?
What are some potential ethical dilemmas involved with the social issue?
How has the social issue developed? What are some possible causes?
Why is the social issue important to investigate?

Note: Support your statements with APA Style in-text citations using the articles you gathered from the Walden Library.

Week 3: Literature Review

The Literature Review is a synopsis of your research in which you examine multiple perspectives regarding potential solutions to the social issue you selected in Week 2.

Note: In writing a literature review, your goal is to present information about a topic that already exists in the scholarly literature – not to share personal opinions. You will be expected to use evidence to support your statements by citing resources from the Walden Library.

The Assignment:
Write a 2- to 3-page synopsis (not including the cover page or reference page) of your resource findings. Address the following in your review of the scholarly literature and be sure to use evidence to support your statements for each component:

Describe at least two potential solutions to the social issue. What are the key steps involved with each potential solution?
Are the potential solutions feasible? Explain.
Are there any conflicts among the various perspectives regarding potential solutions to the social issue? What are the conflicts that exist? If you do not believe there are any conflicts, explain how you arrived at this conclusion.
What are the interests, rights, and values of all parties (stakeholders) involved with the potential solutions to the social issue?
Are there ethical dilemmas involved with the potential solutions the social issue? Explain. If you do not believe there are any ethical dilemmas, explain how you arrived at this conclusion.

Be sure to include an introduction, body, conclusion, and reference page, using APA format to cite each of your sources in the body of your paper.

Week 4: Publicity Campaign Proposal

Social change movements require strong and effective leadership, but they also need committed involvement by many others. In this campaign proposal, you determine methods and messages designed to motivate involvement in your cause.

The Assignment

In a 2- to 3-page paper, describe your proposed overall approach and process for publicizing your social issue. Address the following, making sure to support your statements with references to this week’s required readings:

Briefly describe the social issue and what you would like to achieve through this publicity campaign.
To whom would you reach out? Why? (Note: Think creatively about the support you would most like to have and most need.)
How would you reach out? What methods would you use to inform and inspire? Why?
Are there any groups or individuals with whom you would most like to connect? Why?
What messages would you incorporate into your campaign? Why do you think this messaging would resonate with potential interested individuals or groups? (Note: Messaging can be different for different intended audiences.)
In launching this campaign, what would be the first step you would take and why?
In a conclusion to this essay, explain why you believe that this approach will be successful. Be sure to align your rationale to the social issue.

Note: Be sure to include an introduction, body, conclusion, and reference page, using APA format to cite each of your sources in the body of your paper.

SOCI 4080: Social Responsibility

Week 5: Final Presentation

Your Final Presentation is an opportunity to synthesize what you have learned about your social change issue and share that information, along with proposed solutions, with your colleagues.

The Assignment
Through a PowerPoint presentation (a minimum of 10 slides, not including title page or references) or essay (3–5 pages, not including cover page or references), address key aspects of your social issue. Your Final Presentation must include the following elements:

Introduction
Summary of the problem
Potential solutions
Key actions that you as an individual can take
Objectives/desired outcomes of each action
Expected objectives for the immediate future and 5–10 years from now
Conclusion

The following should be evident in the Final Presentation:

Research (using sources to formulate the presentation)
Explanation (articulating the issue or problem to be addressed)
Analysis (looking at the connections between the facts and assumptions when discussing your issue)
Stance (taking a definitive perspective and calling for specific goals)
Understanding (acknowledging any counter perspectives or problems related to proposed solutions)
Implementation (listing concrete steps—both personal and involving others—that might taken to solve the problem)

For both the PowerPoint presentation and essay format, be sure to support your statements with APA Style in-text citations.

To prepare to share your Final Project:

Upload your Final Presentation by Day 7 to the Final Project Presentation Forum by clicking on the Post to Final Presentation Forum link. Also, save your PowerPoint Presentation as a PDF file and submit it or your essay to the Project – Week 5 Turnitin by Day 7.

In order to receive full credit, all Assignments are due on time. Should you encounter an unanticipated and uncontrollable life event that may prevent you from meeting an assignment deadline, contact the Instructor immediately to request an extension. Your Instructor’s contact information is in the Contact the Instructor area in the left navigation bar. For a full description of the late policy, please refer to the “Policies on Late Assignments” section of your Syllabus.

SOCI 4080: Social Responsibility