Research Paper

Cliques, Ranks and Statuses Research Project 

Due Friday, May 3.

From the articles you have read, as well as writing, reading and responding to other students' papers, I hope that you thought more about cliques, informal groups, statuses, and informal stratification systems.  The research paper is intended for you to explore, relate, describe and develop those ideas.  The challenge is to develop a connection between the issues and questions raised in the research articles with your own observations and the experiences related by other students in the class.  The research paper should formulate a thesis and use excerpts from the narratives that students have written to support the thesis.

Chapter 9 in Making Sense presents an outline for writing a research report (p. 170-181), also chapter 5 on Using Qualitative Data provides some helpful suggestions.  The outline and expected lengths are suggestions, although these general guidelines are representative of most research papers.

Suggested outline:

I.  Introduction and Review of the Literature on Cliques (2 to 3 pages).  Your introduction should identify the general topic, specify the particular theme you will be addressing, and briefly suggest why the topic is of interest and important.   Briefly discuss the main points and conclusions of those who have looked at the same topic.  Work toward your thesis, such that the reader understands how your theme, thesis, research question is related to the research that has gone on before you.  Remember all research exists as a contribution to a community of others that are interested in the same topic or question.

II. Methods. Describe how the data were collected  (about 1 page).  Tell it like it is.  Explain that you will be using narratives on clique participation that are part of a class project.  Although researchers ought to defend the strategies they have employed to collect data, they also should acknowledge any weaknesses that might challenge the validity of their claims.  You should do the same.

III. Findings (3 to 5 pages) Present the data in an organized way.  I expect that most of you will use quotes taken from other's papers and from the discussion section on WebCT.  Many ethnographies are built by categorizing a variety of types, i.e. the Adlers describe the relationships and the status of the popular group, the wannabes, the middle group and the isolates, or provide elements of a process.  For example, you could explore the process of mobility, with different examples used to identify the different transition.  Giordano distinguished between close friends and the wider circle, and then identified status differences as they are depicted by the wider circle.  The best papers will focus on some theme or consider how some characteristic varies across the different groups.  

(Note: I am very, very pleased with the depth of insight and the critical questioning raised in the discussion section of the intranet site.  There truly are a wealth of ideas and perspectives that are presented there.  If you are trying to find a way through the data, the comments and questions reveal what people are thinking about, what they are concerned about, and some of the on-going questions that people have about their own experience.)

IV. Conclusion (1 page) Restate your main point.  Identify avenues for future investigation and/or outstanding questions that you were unable to address.  Do not repeat same issues from the second section, but you may also state general weaknesses associated with your study. 

V. List of References.