SOC 300: Integrative Research Seminar: Applying the Sociological Imagination
subjectCourse Description
This multidisciplinary seminar in the social sciences offers beginner students an opportunity to do their own research. I designed this course as auto-ethnography. Through scaffolded assignments, students conduct a research project inspired by their own personal experience (as data) and connect it to larger social structures informed by sociological theory.
task_altKey Learning Objectives
Foster the Sociological Imagination
Learn the Art of Thick Description
Apply Personalized Data to Theory
Write a Research Paper
event_noteCourse Schedule & Topics
Introduction to the Sociological Imagination
Introduces the course, the sociological imagination, and auto-ethnography as a way of connecting personal experience to broader social structures.
From Personal Experience to Research Question
Explores how everyday experiences can be transformed into sociological research questions through guided examples and proposal development.
Reflexivity and Researcher Positionality
Introduces reflexive practice through individual meetings and written reflection, emphasizing the researcher’s relationship to their own data.
Finding and Evaluating Academic Sources
Develops students’ ability to locate, assess, and engage with high-quality sociological research relevant to their projects.
Reading and Dissecting Sociological Research
Teaches students how to read academic articles critically by analyzing research questions, methods, theory, and findings.
Introduction to Ethnographic Observation
Introduces ethnographic observation as a research practice, focusing on how to document social life through fieldnotes.
Writing Fieldnotes and Thick Description
Develops skills in writing ethnographic fieldnotes and producing thick description that connects observation to sociological insight.
Peer Review and Draft Development
Engages students in peer review to strengthen analytical writing and refine research arguments.
Revising and Submitting the First Research Paper
Focuses on revision, feedback, and the submission of an initial auto-ethnographic research paper.
Oral Presentations and Knowledge Sharing
Develops students’ ability to communicate research findings through oral presentations and peer feedback.
Revision
Supports students through individual meetings as they revise their work.
Synthesis, Reflection, and Final Research Paper
Concludes the course with a comprehensive auto-ethnographic paper and reflective discussion on sociological thinking.
format_quoteStudent Testimonials
Jessica was such an amazing teacher. She was effective in her teaching and made it interesting for everyone. She went above and beyond just teaching the course material.
It was one of the best classes I took in all my semesters.
She is a good teacher and cares about her students and wants to see them succeed, always there to answer my questions and guide me
A useful aspect from this course was that we learned how to properly analyze an article. I feel like a lot of teachers expect us to know how to do that. (Student, Dawson College)
What I found most interesting is that we got to do fieldwork.… writing what I saw in full detail was honestly so fun it felt like I was the narrator in my own movie. (Student, Dawson College)