Writing in Sociology A Quick Model Introduction 1. Explain what Sociology is and how sociologists study things. 2. Describe the phenomenon (fact or situation) the essay is about. 3. Give a statistic or fact about the phenomenon being discussed in the essay. 4. Explain why discussing or studying this fact or situation is important to society. 5. Provide the structure of your paper by describing to the reader what you will do. Theory 1. Explain how/why sociologists use theory. 2. Give a brief description of the perspective’s influential (classic, modern or contemporary) thinkers. 3. Explain how the theory relates to the phenomenon you are writing about. 4. Continue to explain how the theory relates to the phenomenon you are writing about. 5. Continue to relate theory to the phenomenon you are writing about. Core Point 1 Go back to your thesis from the introduction and select the first concept to write about. 1. Define the first concept in your thesis (what a credentialing society?). 2. Explain how America or a subgroup may fit into the concept (credentialing society). 3. Explain how the concept (credentialing society) contributes to your topic (housing insecurity). 4. Continue to explain how the concept (credentialing society) contributes to your topic. 5. Continue to relate how the concept (credentialing society) contributes to the topic. Core Point 2 Go back to your thesis from the introduction and select the second concept to write about. 1. Define the second concept in your thesis (class vs caste system). 2. Explain how America or a subgroup may fit into the concept (caste system). 3. Explain how the concept (caste system) contributes to your topic (housing insecurity). 4. Continue to explain how the concept (caste system) contributes to your topic. 5. Continue to relate how the concept (caste system) contributes to the topic. Recommendations You presented an analysis of an issue (housing insecurity) now state what you recommend people do about it by focusing on one of the following categories (a) solve the problem, (b) manage the problem (c) learn more about the problem. 1. Summarize your use of theory and how your two core points relate to your issue. 2. Provide a recommendation for how the information in your paper can be used by others. 3. Elaborate on the recommendation. 4. Continue to elaborate on the recommendation. 5. State that the recommendation is necessary because the topic is important to society. Application Activity Students will arrange the following sentences in order based on the provided model for writing various sections of a sociology paper. A trend social researchers are finding is the growing rate of housing insecurity among working-class families unable to find and/or afford adequate housing. For America to sustain itself as a global leader and economic powerhouse the country must have an informed and healthy workforce, w.

1. Writing in Sociology
A Quick Model
Introduction
1. Explain what Sociology is and how sociologists
study things.
2. Describe the phenomenon (fact or situation) the
essay is about.
3. Give a statistic or fact about the phenomenon
being discussed in the essay.
4. Explain why discussing or studying this fact or
situation is important to society.
5. Provide the structure of your paper by
describing to the reader what you will do.
Theory
1. Explain how/why sociologists use theory.
2. Give a brief description of the perspective’s
influential (classic, modern or contemporary)
thinkers.

2. 3. Explain how the theory relates to the
phenomenon you are writing about.
4. Continue to explain how the theory relates to
the phenomenon you are writing about.
5. Continue to relate theory to the phenomenon
you are writing about.
Core Point 1
Go back to your thesis from the introduction and select the
first concept to write about.
1. Define the first concept in your thesis (what a
credentialing society?).
2. Explain how America or a subgroup may fit into the
concept (credentialing society).
3. Explain how the concept (credentialing society)
contributes to your topic (housing insecurity).
4. Continue to explain how the concept (credentialing
society) contributes to your topic.
5. Continue to relate how the concept (credentialing society)
contributes to the topic.
Core Point 2

3. Go back to your thesis from the introduction and select the
second concept to write about.
1. Define the second concept in your thesis (class vs caste
system).
2. Explain how America or a subgroup may fit into the
concept (caste system).
3. Explain how the concept (caste system) contributes to
your topic (housing insecurity).
4. Continue to explain how the concept (caste system)
contributes to your topic.
5. Continue to relate how the concept (caste system)
contributes to the topic.
Recommendations
You presented an analysis of an issue (housing insecurity) now
state what you recommend people do about it by focusing on
one of the following categories (a) solve the problem, (b)
manage the problem (c) learn more about the problem.
1. Summarize your use of theory and how your two core
points relate to your issue.
2. Provide a recommendation for how the information in
your paper can be used by others.
3. Elaborate on the recommendation.
4. Continue to elaborate on the recommendation.
5. State that the recommendation is necessary because the

4. topic is important to society.
Application Activity
Students will arrange the following sentences in
order based on the provided model for writing
various sections of a sociology paper.
A trend social researchers are finding is the growing rate of
housing insecurity among
working-class families unable to find and/or afford adequate
housing.
For America to sustain itself as a global leader
and economic powerhouse the country must
have an informed and healthy workforce,
which is not possible without access and the
affordability of something as essential as a
stable residence.
This paper makes a recommendation for
mitigating the issue of housing insecurity
by first using the Conflict Perspective and
then discussing the interrelated factors
of credentialing, which creates a
perpetual underclass of Americans.
According to OpenStax (2015b), a single
person working 40 hours a week at $8.00 an
hour makes under $17,000 before taxes and
deductions—this is only compounded for

5. families with children who may not be able to
afford ever increasing rents (p. 192).
The role of a sociologist is to explain why and
how social issues occur and the groups most
affected by a particular issue —this is
important because the discipline uses
evidence-based research to draw connections
and make observations (OpenStax, 2015a, p.
2).
1. Explain what Sociology is and how
sociologists study things.
2. Describe the phenomenon (fact or
situation) the essay is about.
3. Give a statistic or fact about the
phenomenon being discussed in
the essay.
4. Explain why discussing or studying
this fact or situation is important
to society.
5. Provide the structure of your
paper by describing to the reader
what you will do.
A trend social researchers are finding is the growing rate of
housing insecurity among
working-class families unable to find and/or afford adequate
housing.

6. For America to sustain itself as a global leader
and economic powerhouse the country must
have an informed and healthy workforce,
which is not possible without access and the
affordability of something as essential as a
stable residence.
This paper makes a recommendation for
mitigating the issue of housing insecurity
by first using the Conflict Perspective and
then discussing the interrelated factors
of credentialing, which creates a
perpetual underclass of Americans.
According to OpenStax (2015b), a single
person working 40 hours a week at $8.00 an
hour makes under $17,000 before taxes and
deductions—this is only compounded for
families with children who may not be able to
afford ever increasing rents (p. 192).
The role of a sociologist is to explain why and
how social issues occur and the groups most
affected by a particular issue —this is
important because the discipline uses
evidence-based research to draw connections
and make observations (OpenStax, 2015a, p.
2).
1. Explain what Sociology is and how
sociologists study things.
2. Describe the phenomenon (fact or
situation) the essay is about.
3. Give a statistic or fact about the

7. phenomenon being discussed in
the essay.
4. Explain why discussing or studying
this fact or situation is important
to society.
5. Provide the structure of your
paper by describing to the reader
what you will do.
Moreover, this perspective does not view inequality an
inevitable feature of society but as
“an output of intentional policies and structures that seemingly
thrive on the illusion of
scarcity”
The Conflict perspective is apt to discuss the
issue of housing insecurity because it
classically identifies two groups in society:
those with stable access to housing they can
afford and those without said resources.
According to Grice (2017a), “theory
informs research and research informs
theory” both are necessary to
understand and explain human group
behavior.
Within this same line of thought, according to
OpenStax (2015d), the devaluing of the labor
of America’s service-sector jobs reinforces
meritocratic views on why certain groups
cannot afford adequate housing (p. 197).

8. German philosopher, economist, and theorist
Karl Marx is often cited (OpenStax, 2015c) as
the “founder” of the Conflict perspective—but
its theoretical framework has transition
beyond his economic driven view of “the haves
versus the have-nots” into a larger
understanding of differences in power and
resources (p. 67).
1. Explain how/why sociologists use
theory.
2. Give a brief description of the
perspective’s influential (classic,
modern or contemporary) thinkers.
3. Explain how the theory relates to
the phenomenon you are writing
about.
4. Continue to explain how the theory
relates to the phenomenon you are
writing about.
5. Continue to relate theory to the
phenomenon you are writing
about.
Moreover, this perspective does not view inequality an
inevitable feature of society but as
“an output of intentional policies and structures that seemingly
thrive on the illusion of
scarcity”

9. The Conflict perspective is apt to discuss the
issue of housing insecurity because it
classically identifies two groups in society:
those with stable access to housing they can
afford and those without said resources.
According to Grice (2017a), “theory
informs research and research informs
theory” both are necessary to
understand and explain human group
behavior.
Within this same line of thought, according to
OpenStax (2015d), the devaluing of the labor
of America’s service-sector jobs reinforces
meritocratic views on why certain groups
cannot afford adequate housing (p. 197).
German philosopher, economist, and theorist
Karl Marx is often cited (OpenStax, 2015c) as
the “founder” of the Conflict perspective—but
its theoretical framework has transition
beyond his economic driven view of “the haves
versus the have-nots” into a larger
understanding of differences in power and
resources (p. 67).
1. Explain how/why sociologists use
theory.
2. Give a brief description of the
perspective’s influential (classic,
modern or contemporary) thinkers.
3. Explain how the theory relates to

10. the phenomenon you are writing
about.
4. Continue to explain how the theory
relates to the phenomenon you are
writing about.
5. Continue to relate theory to the
phenomenon you are writing
about.
This places the blame on the victim for
not being able to afford adequate
housing without fully investigating the
implications of class reproduction or the
social structures that allow for market
[not people]-driven policies of higher
rents [versus corporate responsible
practices] (Grice, 2017c).
In short, America has created a system that
punishes (e.g. low-pay, undervalued jobs)
citizens without specific credentials instead of
providing viable pathways to economic vitality,
which lends itself to stable housing.
Starting at the elementary school level, kids
are now expected to begin thinking about
college—but from a fear-based perspective of
not being prepared or successful.
Unfortunately, American society over-relies on
this limited concept as a primary measure of
who is successful or unsuccessful; creating two

11. classes or groups in society (i.e., those who can
afford housing, and those who are housing
insecure).
Credentialism can be defined as an over
“emphasis on certificates or degrees to show
that a person has a certain skill, has attained a
certain level of education, or has met certain
job qualifications”
1. Define the first concept in your thesis
(what a credentialing society?).
2. Explain how America or a subgroup
may fit into the concept
(credentialing society).
3. Explain how the concept
(credentialing society) contributes to
your topic (housing insecurity).
4. Continue to explain how the concept
(credentialing society) contributes to
your topic.
5. Continue to relate how the concept
(credentialing society) contributes to
the topic.
This places the blame on the victim for
not being able to afford adequate
housing without fully investigating the
implications of class reproduction or the
social structures that allow for market

12. [not people]-driven policies of higher
rents [versus corporate responsible
practices] (Grice, 2017c).
In short, America has created a system that
punishes (e.g. low-pay, undervalued jobs)
citizens without specific credentials instead of
providing viable pathways to economic vitality,
which lends itself to stable housing.
Starting at the elementary school level, kids
are now expected to begin thinking about
college—but from a fear-based perspective of
not being prepared or successful.
Unfortunately, American society over-relies on
this limited concept as a primary measure of
who is successful or unsuccessful; creating two
classes or groups in society (i.e., those who can
afford housing, and those who are housing
insecure).
Credentialism can be defined as an over
“emphasis on certificates or degrees to show
that a person has a certain skill, has attained a
certain level of education, or has met certain
job qualifications”
1. Define the first concept in your thesis
(what a credentialing society?).
2. Explain how America or a subgroup
may fit into the concept
(credentialing society).
3. Explain how the concept

13. (credentialing society) contributes to
your topic (housing insecurity).
4. Continue to explain how the concept
(credentialing society) contributes to
your topic.
5. Continue to relate how the concept
(credentialing society) contributes to
the topic.
The Conflict perspective provides an insight
into the intersectional factors of how America’s
credentialing society leads to economic
instability and social segregation.
Because housing insecurity is one of many
problems affecting America’s families and its
workforce it is important to address this issue
with scalable and comprehensive programs.
In addition to mixed-use/mixed-income
developments, the federal government
should recalculate the income limits for
qualifying for subsidized-housing
vouchers—this will assist many working
class families without ghettoizing them.
The paper hereof only scratches the
metaphoric surface in addressing this issue,
therefore more research and a deeper
exploration of the everyday social implications
of credentialing is necessary—yet, there are
more programmatic steps that can be taken

14. now.
For example, similar to mixed-used
developments that blend retail and
commercial space with residential housing,
cities should encourage developers to build
mixed-income housing developments.
1. Summarize your use of theory and
how your two core points relate to
your issue.
2. Provide a recommendation for how
the information in your paper can be
used by others.
3. Elaborate on the recommendation.
4. Continue to elaborate on the
recommendation.
5. State that the recommendation is
necessary because the topic is
important to society.
The Conflict perspective provides an insight
into the intersectional factors of how America’s
credentialing society leads to economic
instability and social segregation.
Because housing insecurity is one of many
problems affecting America’s families and its
workforce it is important to address this issue
with scalable and comprehensive programs.

15. In addition to mixed-use/mixed-income
developments, the federal government
should recalculate the income limits for
qualifying for subsidized-housing
vouchers—this will assist many working
class families without ghettoizing them.
The paper hereof only scratches the
metaphoric surface in addressing this issue,
therefore more research and a deeper
exploration of the everyday social implications
of credentialing is necessary—yet, there are
more programmatic steps that can be taken
now.
For example, similar to mixed-used
developments that blend retail and
commercial space with residential housing,
cities should encourage developers to build
mixed-income housing developments.
1. Summarize your use of theory and
how your two core points relate to
your issue.
2. Provide a recommendation for how
the information in your paper can be
used by others.
3. Elaborate on the recommendation.
4. Continue to elaborate on the
recommendation.
5. State that the recommendation is

16. necessary because the topic is
important to society.