Length: 6-8 double-spaced pages of content (not counting the title page, abstract, references, and any visual elements you may choose to incorporate).
Topic requirements: You will need to choose a topic that allows you to address at least some of the specific DSJ outcomes selected for the class. Here are the outcomes along with some thoughts about how you can address them:
1. Power, Privilege, Inequity
- Identify how power, privilege, and inequity are or have been reinforced and challenged at individual, institutional, and systemic levels.
- Analyze and apply ethical practice in relation to diverse communities and cultures for the promotion of equity and social justice.
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- For your final paper, you will need to identify, research, and write about a situation related to social justice—a situation which results in unequal wealth, opportunities, or privileges within a society. You will analyze and discuss this problematic situation in terms of contributing factors, effects, stakeholders, and potential courses of action. You will consider the reliability of fact-based information and the credibility of expert opinions. When you discuss potential courses of action to respond to the problematic situation, you should consider the ethics of various courses of actions.
2. Difference
- Discuss and analyze how categories of difference are or have been created, maintained, and experienced through power, privilege, and inequity.
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- Analyzing “categories” of difference is a necessary part of examining any current, controversial situation. When generating material for your final paper, you can address a number of DSJ-related questions. Who is most affected by a situation? Who benefits from the status quo? Who is negatively affected? Who has power to change a situation? How can factors such as culture, age, gender, (dis)ability, socioeconomic status, political affiliations, and even personality influence people’s worldviews and assumptions about controversial situations?
3. Communication
- Engage in intentional communication with awareness of intent and impact.
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- You will learn some of the American Psychological Association’s guidelines for bias-free language—language that is sensitive and intentional about how people are labeled and how aspects of their identity are discussed.
- You will also learn techniques for establishing your own credibility (ethos) in written communication. You will learn rhetorical patterns for acknowledging and responding to viewpoints different from your own. You will also be encouraged to consider, as appropriate, courses of action that seek common ground and compromise between competing positions.
- Throughout the quarter, feedback on your writing will emphasize clarity with the goal of reducing potential barriers when communicating with a diverse audience. In your final paper, you should apply these principles of clear writing.
Sources: Your paper should cite a minimum of 6 – 8 sources. Ideally, some sources will be scholarly. You also have the option of incorporating some primary research such as a personal interview. Please consult with me or a research librarian if you need guidance on conducting research for your topic.
Assessment:
To do well on this final assignment, you must demonstrate a range of skills related to academic writing:
- Research: Obtain quality information from appropriate sources
- Documentation: Document your research by following the conventions of APA style.
- Persuasion: Persuade your audience that your information is credible and that your conclusions are reasonable and well-informed.
- Style: Write in a style that is appropriately formal for an academic audience.
The drafting assignments I attached at the bottom is information, quotes, and resources I’ve already found. If you could include some of these in the paper that would be ideal.