DEVIANT BEHAVIOR: HOMEWORK #5

DUE ON December 4th, 2018 at 9:30 am

Bring TWO copies of HW 5 to class. You will give one copy to us and you will
exchange one copy with someone else. You must provide each other feedback via
email by noon on Friday, December 7th to get full credit on this assignment. Please
cc Prof. Schilt when you send your feedback (kschilt@uchicago.edu).

Assignment: Submit a rough draft of your intro paragraph (including a thesis argument),
analytic roadmap, and first section of your analysis (3 points). Then, provide feedback to
one classmate on their draft (2 points). ** See models of this assignment on Canvas **

Step One: After analyzing your data, your task is to pull out three major themes that will
become the body of your research paper and support your thesis argument. To do this, go
through your coded transcript and make notes about which themes are the most prevalent.
For example, if you have three data fragments that illustrate the concept of “hierarchy,”
then this concept should be the focus of one of your analysis sections.

Step Two: Write a 2-3 page analysis based on your fragments for one particular theme. In
writing this analysis, use these fragments to create a particular story. For example, think
of how Levi crafts the story of the hit man, or how Becker illustrates the process behind
becoming a marijuana user. You will be crafting a similar story based on your interview.
Remember: when you put in data fragments, you must explain them. It is not enough to
insert them into the text and then make the reader do the analysis for you. You should
discuss what the overall focus of the section is going to be, like “hierarchy,” and then use
these fragments to help support your argument. You should also draw on class readings,
when applicable, to support your argument. And, when you use class concepts, you must
always define them and cite your sources.

Step Three: Make bullet points that explain what will go into analysis section two and
three (your other themes). Include all the data fragments you will use.

Step Four: Write a draft of your introductory paragraph for the entire paper, including a
preliminary thesis statement. Your thesis is what ties all three sections together. It is your
overall argument about your data and the story you are going to tell. You will also write a
draft of your analytic “roadmap” that explains what is coming in all three sections.

Step Five: Submit your draft with: 1) a paper title, 2) page numbers, 3) the intro
paragraph with thesis statement, 4) analytic roadmap, 5) data analysis section one, 6)
bullet points for section 2 and 3. If you are missing any parts, you will receive partial
credit.

Step Six: You will exchange your HW 5 with another person in class. You must read this
draft and provide feedback of 500 words for this person by noon on Thursday, November
30th. You will email your partner your feedback and cc Prof. Schilt.

All data fragments over four lines should be single-spaced and indented. You need to use
internal citations all sources cited.

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DEVIANT BEHAVIOR: HOMEWORK #5
DUE ON December 4th, 2018 at 9:30 am

Making a thesis statement

A thesis is an argument presented by the writer. The thesis is in effect, your position,
your particular interpretation. It is based on a logical and systematic argument supported
by evidence. To make a good argument you must have both a strong central thesis and
plausible evidence; the two are interdependent and support each other. You can think
about this as assembling and presenting a case before a jury. Your task is both to select
the important "facts" and to present them in a reasonable, persuasive, and systematic
manner which defends your position.

Some Thinking Questions to Aid in Thesis Development:

1. Think of a brief explanation of the topic of your paper. What is the “main point”? What is
the story you are going to tell about your data?
2. What argument will you make in this paper? What are your three points of analysis based
on your data? How do they fit together to tell a story?
3. Thinking about what you have just written, phrase the thesis of your essay into an
argument statement, along the lines of “In this paper I will argue” or “In this paper I will
demonstrate”

Effective uses of class readings

The best uses of class readings pull out main themes and concepts from the readings,
define them, and then show how these same themes or concepts are applicable across
different topics. You often do not need to discuss the actual topic of the article you are
citing because you are only interested in using the concept that the author is analyzing.
For instance, Levi uses hit men to analyze the concepts of frame breaks and reframing.
To use Levi, you can just pull out these concepts, rather than discussing hit men. Also,
always cite the author you are quoting after you use their concept, rather than waiting
until the end of the sentence. This form of citation makes clear what you are getting from
the reading, and what is your own analysis.
Here are several good examples:
Sociological studies have found that individuals of high status benefit from a status shield -
“protective cloak that shields them from scrutiny and legal accountability” (Liederbach 2000: Commented [KS1]: This introduces and defines a term
446). without using the name of the author or the name of the
article in the text. It just cites him at the end, showing that
this is where the definition came from. Also, it gives a page
[The moral entrepreneur] does this with what Becker calls “humanistic overtones” (1997: 77) as number for the quote.
he believes that informing the public of the increasing power and influence of this Christian
faction will be for the betterment of society. Commented [KS2]: This introduces a term and gives an
example that helps define it. Also, Becker is cited directly
In constructing social problems, it can be very effective to focus on children, whom society views after his term is introduced, rather than at the end of the
sentence.
as “blameless, as well as priceless” (Best 1987: 110). Thus children are the primary focus of the
film Jesus Camp. Commented [KS3]: This sentence just pulls out one of
Best’s main points. It does not go into detail about the
Goffman describes a frame break as an “occurrence which cannot be effectively ignored and to content of Best’s article.
which the frame cannot be applied, with resulting bewilderment and chagrin on the part of the
participant” (cited in Levi 1981: 56). [Becky] Fischer subjects her campers to such an
unforgettable occurrence during one of her sermons at Jesus Camp.