SOCIAL SCIENCE 1185 9

WOMEN AND SOCIETY SOCIAL SCIENCE 1185 9.0
COURSE DIRECTOR: Professor Linda Briskin 2010-2011

i) it takes gender into account, that is, it seeks to understand the significance/relevance of gender to understanding any issue;
ii) it recognizes that the interests of women may differ on the basis of their race, class, sexuality, and ability; for this aspect of the GBA, you are only considering women;
iii) it considers the role of gender inequalities in structuring experience;
iv) and it develops strategies to address inequalities and ensure social justice.

There are four steps to this research assignment.
*Step One helps you narrow down the broad research topics and identify five possible areas on which to focus. You will present your findings at a Tutorial Roundtable.
*Step Two asks you to identify your general essay topic and your specific focus, generate questions for a gender-based analysis of this topic, outline and comment on your initial opinions, develop a Time Management Plan, complete the on-line tutorial The Research Roadmap, and find 20 relevant sources through index searches, You will lose 2% if you do not include the completion sheet for the Research Roadmap. NO ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED LATE.

*Step Three focuses on choosing and evaluating resources; doing in-text citations; developing a bibliography of the ten sources which you will read for Step Four; preparing a Time Management Plan, and revisiting and revising your research questions. NO ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED LATE.

*Step Four involves reading your sources, and assessing the relevance of four of your sources; re-examining and updating your initial views from Step Two; discussing macro and micro analysis, and preparing a research outline. You will complete the Time Management Plan for Step Four.
You will also re-do the on-line tutorial on Academic Integrity and hand in your quiz results. You will lose 2% if you do not include a new completion sheet for the on-line tutorial on Academic Integrity.

Working through these steps will introduce you to the complex process of producing a university-level essay with an informed point of view. Be sure to follow all instructions carefully. Each step is due in your tutorial on the dates indicated on the course outline. Sequencing the work in this way will help you to plan your time effectively, and provide you with some feedback during the process.

**This assignment is worth 40/150 grade points: Step Two -- 10 grade points; Step Three -- 10 grade points and Step Four -- 20 grade points. Your work on Step One will be part of your Tutorial Participation Grade.

**Be sure to keep a copy of the final version of each step on your computer. You are asked below to cut and paste sections from earlier steps into later steps.

WHAT MAKES AN ESSAY ORIGINAL?
Many students are unclear about what makes a research essay original, given that so much of the substantive content is taken from scholarly sources. Although you do rely on the research materials of others, a research essay is not just descriptive and it is not just a summary of what other people have said. You make an original contribution to your essay in the following ways:
i)          selection of appropriate materials/sources;
ii)         identification of key themes in the source material;
iii)        presentation of the ideas of others in a coherent, clear and accurate way;
iii)       comparison and contrast of various writers on the same subject to reveal your grasp of their             ideas;
iv)        creation of a structure and organization within which to present the material (through the use of an outline);
v)         judgement and evaluation of the material;
vi)        development of and support for your own informed point of view (thesis), that is, a reasoned                      conclusion based on research.

There are also different kinds of essays. This assignment includes an analytic aspect (uses evidence to analyze facets of your topic), an argumentative component (uses evidence to convince the reader of your particular views), and a strategic portion (explores possible avenues for social change).

For this project on gender-based analysis, there are six research topics from which to choose. Since we have not studied these areas, it may be difficult for you to find a gender-based focus. Step One helps you narrow down the broad research topics and identify a specific focus.
For Step One, you will work in groups to focus the topics and identify some specific areas which would be appropriate for research. You will present your findings at a Tutorial Roundtable. Your Tutorial Leader will provide more detailed directions.

gender and the criminal justice system
This topic is not about crime but about the criminal justice system which deals with
institutional responses to crime.

TIP: Note that these topics are about gender, and not just about women and/or men.

**For the topic your group has been assigned, your goal is to identify five specific areas which would be an appropriate focus for research. So for example, if your topic were ‘gender and work’, you would need to choose a focus within this broad topic such as wo/men in non-traditional work, occupational segregation, pay equity, or the chilly climate and workplace bullying. Each of these specific areas would be an appropriate focus for your essay.

In your groups, go to Internet Explorer (or another search engine). Search using the terms of the topic, for example, ‘gender and immigration’. Skim what you find in order to identify five possible research areas. Prepare a presentation outlining the five areas (5 mins).

TIP: For this exercise, the goal is not to do any research but simply to identify five gender-based areas on which you might focus your research. Skim websites for these areas of focus.

TIP: Although you may be assigned one topic for Step One, you are not obliged to do the rest of your assignment on this topic.

DUE: Each group will present its findings at a Tutorial Roundtable. For date, see course outline.

GRADE: A portion of the grade points assigned for “Tutorial Participation”.

*Step Two asks you to identify your general essay topic and your specific focus, generate questions for a gender-based analysis of this topic, outline and comment on your initial opinions, develop a Time Management Plan, complete the on-line tutorial The Research Roadmap, and find 20 relevant sources through index searches,

NO ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED LATE.
For Step Two, you will hand in
-a Time Management Plan,
-your topic and your focus,
-your questions on the four areas of gender-based analysis,
-a commentary on your views,
-quiz results from the Research Roadmap
-and 20 relevant sources identified through index searches.

Begin by reading over the whole assignment. Develop your Time Management Plan for Step Two, using attached form. Fill out “Time initially allocated” and “Date(s) to do task”. Once the task is completed, fill in “Actual time taken” and “Date task completed”. This record will allow you to assess your time management skills. You will continue your time management planning in Step Three and Four. A key time management strategy involves spacing the work over the time available, and breaking down a large project into its component parts, estimating how much time each step will take and then allocating that time over the weeks you have available.
The Time Management Forms are available on-line if you would like to make additional copies. Go to <http://www.arts.yorku.ca/sosc/lbriskin/courses/1185/1185assign.html>.

Student success depends on effective time management. In fact, research shows that good time managers get one grade point higher, so an A instead of a B. Too often, students leave their assignments until the last minute and then do a poor job on them. You should always try to have your assignments completed one week early. This gives you time for revisions and for unforeseen personal crises. The gap in time allows you to read your assignment as a stranger, identify weaknesses and correct them.
For more guidance, see Time Management at University: Tips to help you make the grade! <http://www.yorku.ca/cdc/lsp/pdfs/time_brochure.pdf> and Time Management for University Students http://www.yorku.ca/cdc/lsp/skillbuilding/timemanagement.html. The Learning Skills Program also offers free workshops and individual counselling on time management <http://www.yorku.ca/cds/lss/>.

*gender and electoral politics
*gender and immigration
*gender and sports
*gender and the environment/ecology
*gender and the criminal justice system
                        This topic is not about crime but about the criminal justice system which deals with
                           institutional responses to crime.
*gender and health
                        This topic does not include abortion.

ii) Discuss your specific focus.

Hand in: your topic and your focus (1 paragraph).

3. Identifying the questions for a gender-based analysis
Gender-based analysis (GBA) includes four aspects:

TIP: Strategy refers to how to make change around a particular issue. Given that the topics highlight broad areas of political and social concern, the kind of strategies you suggest should also be social and political (for example, changes in government legislation). If you recommend solutions or strategies which focus on the individual (for example, counselling or improving one’s educational qualifications), make an argument for why these are relevant and would be effective.
Strategy emerges, in part, out of an analysis of a problem. So, for example, if you think women’s low pay is a result of biological difference, you would not have many strategic options (unless you could change biology). But if you think that low pay is a result of weak government laws, then you could put forward a strategy to strengthen the laws. How you analyse a situation, then, has an impact on what strategies you will endorse, develop or imagine.

For the focus you have chosen (not the broad topic), identify 2-3 key questions for each of the four aspects of a gender-based analysis. Here is an example using the broad topic of divorce. You can see that these are very general questions. A focus for the topic of divorce has not been chosen (such as the economic impact of divorce or the child custody issues related to divorce). Do not simply replicate the questions below for your topic/focus since they are too broad. You need to develop detailed and thoughtful questions which will guide research on your specific focus. This is the most difficult and most important part of this Step.

i) take gender into account: How is the experience of divorce gendered, that is, do men and women experience divorce differently? Does divorce impact differently on women and men?

ii) recognize that the interests of women may differ on the basis of their race, class, sexuality and ability: How do different groups of women experience divorce? How do the social structures of race, class, sexuality and ability affect women’s experiences of divorce?

iii) consider the relevance of gender inequalities: In what ways are the differential impacts of divorce on men and women connected to larger patterns of gender inequalities? What are the patterns?

iv) identify, explore and explain strategies for addressing the inequalities you have identified:
What political, economic, ideological, policy and legal strategies would address the problems divorced women face? How can gender equality and social justice be ensured?

i) In relation to the focus you have chosen, write one paragraph outlining your current thinking on the questions you have raised in each of the four areas of a gender-based analysis (4 paragraphs in total).

ii) Comment on the origins of your views, that is, when, where and from whom you learned the ideas that have influenced/shaped the opinions you outlined in i).

TIP: No library or web research on your topic is permitted for these statements of your initial views. However, feel free to draw on any course material or ideas you find relevant in exploring your initial opinions. It might seem strange not to do research. However at this point in your process, the focus is on your own thinking, rather than expert research. Outlining your initial thinking encourages you to acknowledge your opinions before you begin your research and prepares you to read your scholarly sources more effectively.

For this section, although there are no right answers, you should explain your views thoughtfully and cogently, and be sure to comment on the origins of your views.
For Steps Three and Four of this assignment, you will do research on the documentation and analysis done by scholars and experts. Engaging with the research will enrich, support, or perhaps alter these initial opinions, and help you to move toward an informed point of view.
TIP: Have a file with separate pages for each of your questions. When you do a reading, or have an idea, take notes on the appropriate page. This will help you to develop your informed point of view over time, and do your research outline in Step Four.

Hand in: 1-2 pages typed and double-spaced. This section should be written in complete sentences and paragraphs.

5. On Line Library Tutorial on The Research Roadmap
Complete the on-line tutorial on The Research Roadmap. It will take you through the basic steps of the research process in preparation for writing a social science essay. It takes about 20-30 minutes to complete. <http://www.library.yorku.ca/roadmap/ >.
It is recommended that you keep re-doing the tutorial until you score 100%. On completion, print out your quiz results.
TIP: Pay close attention to how to do periodical searches since you are required to do searches for #6 below.
TIP: Scholarly material comes in several forms: journals/periodicals (which come out several times a year as a paper copy or an e-journal), and books (which are either integrated texts written by one or more authors, or an anthology/collection of articles each written by a different author, usually with an introduction by the editor).

Newspaper and magazine articles are not considered scholarly sources. They can be used but only in addition to the required sources. Encyclopedia and dictionary sources may be of some help in the initial stages of your research but you should not rely on them. Although e-journals are fine (on-line versions of scholarly journals), internet sources are not permitted for this essay.

For your final bibliography, prepared for Step Three, you should use only articles from anthologies or journal articles. Although there may be many relevant single-authored books, you will not have the time to read whole books for this assignment.

Hand in: your quiz results. You will lose 2% if you do not include the completion sheet for the Research Roadmap.

6. Periodical index searches for relevant sources
Do a periodical index search for scholarly articles on the specific focus on which you will do this assignment. Keep trying until you generate a list of at least 20 relevant sources. So for example, you would not search for material on ‘gender and work’ but on the more specific focus, for example, ‘occupational segregation’.
Instructions on how to do periodical searches are included in the Research Roadmap.
For specific research guides and databases on women’s studies, go to <http://www.library.yorku.ca/cms-resolver/?item_id=6049801&style=inline>. Each listed index includes a description of what material it covers. Choose the index most suited to your topic and focus.
TIP: You will be asked to log into the library site using your library card number, and your Passport York login.
TIP: Too often students mistakenly assume that finding and selecting the sources is easy. This is not the case. Finding useful sources usually takes a lot longer than students anticipate. Budget the necessary amount of time.
Hand in: Printouts of your index searches. Circle or highlight the 20 relevant sources.

For Step Two, you will hand in
-a Time Management Plan,
-your topic, and your focus,
-your questions on the four areas of gender-based analysis,
-a commentary on your views,
-quiz results from the Research Roadmap.
-and printouts of your index searches with 20 sources relevant to your specific focus highlighted.

DUE: See course outline. NO ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED LATE.
Hand in the original and keep a paper copy for yourself. This is for your protection. Do not rely on electronic copies since computers may crash and you would then lose your work. It is also strongly advised that you regularly print off paper copies of rough work.

LENGTH: approximately 3 pages (not including your quiz results, time management plan and index print outs). Typed and double-spaced.

GRADE: 10 grade points (10/150)
*You will lose 2% if you do not include the completion sheet for the Research Roadmap.

STEP THREE: SELECTING APPROPRIATE RESOURCES AND DEVELOPING
A BIBLIOGRAPHY

Step Three focuses on choosing and evaluating resources; doing in-text citations; developing a bibliography of the ten sources which you will read for Step Four; preparing a Time Management Plan, and revisiting and revising your research questions.
Tip: Step Three is a preparatory step for Step Four. You should begin work on Step Four as soon as you complete Step Three. Do not wait for Step Three to be handed back.

Finding Sources
In order to be a successful university student, you need to be able to do library research. The required on-line tutorials will help develop your skills. Also do not hesitate to ask the librarians for further assistance and sign up for workshops offered by the Scott Library. For more information on the free library workshops, go to <http://www.library.yorku.ca/ccm/Home/ResearchAndInstruction/ScottWorkshops.htm>.

The Scott library has extensive collections on the research topics. Many scholarly journal articles are also available online via Scott Library. Some sources will be on Reserve so available for short term loan only. Also use the Nellie Langford Rowell Women’s Studies Library in 204 Founders College 736-2100 x 33215. To check out their hours and their extensive collection, go to http://www.yorku.ca/nlrowell/. The Reference Branch of the Toronto Public Library (at Bloor and Yonge) is a non-circulating library and so the books are always available.

TIP: The footnotes or bibliography of one useful article or book will often lead you to other relevant sources.
For Step Three, you will hand in
-a Time Management Plan,
-evaluations of three sources,
-in-text and paraphrased citations for one source,
-bibliography of ten sources, and
-revisions of your research questions.

NO STEP THREE ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE ACCEPTED LATE.
1. Time management
Read over Step Three and develop your Time Management Plan. Use the form at the end of this handout.
Hand in: your Time Management Plan

Evaluating sources is a crucial research skill. To do a successful essay means selecting resources that are appropriate to your project, not only to the broad topic, for example, ‘gender and immigration’ but also for your specific focus. The quality of a final essay is determined in large part by the quality of the sources you use. Before committing yourself to a particular source, you need to evaluate it for relevance. This section will guide you through some important questions for assessing a source.

TIP: Students often do not take seriously this step of the research process, and often do not leave enough time to identify appropriate source material. Finding useful sources takes a lot longer than students anticipate. Evaluating sources properly is also a lot of work; however, in the long run, it can save you a lot of time, and improve your grades.

TIP: On all the topic areas, extensive research has been done by feminist scholars. However, on many subjects, there is no consensus, that is, you will find debates among feminists. Feminists might disagree on how to analyse particular aspects women’s experience, what solutions they put forward, and what strategies they endorse. Do not assume that there will be only one clear answer to your GBA questions on your topic.

You will come across material on your topic that does not take gender into account, and although it might be of interest to consider how the absence of a gender-based analysis affects such research, for this assignment select only sources which directly deal with gender.

i) Assemble one anthology and two scholarly (journal) articles which appear relevant to a gender-based analysis of your focus. The scholarly articles should be from your index search in Step Two. Print out a copy via the internet if it is available on-line, or go to the library and make a copy.
ii) For each of these three sources, assess the relevance of the source by answering the following questions. You can answer the questions by number, that is, essay format is not required. However, be sure to include a complete citation at the top. Type and double-space.

i) For a anthology, look at the copyright page which is always located on the opposite side of the title page. When was the book written? Is the book a first, second, or third edition? This indicates that the author(s) has updated the material in the book to reflect changes in the present context.

ii) For a journal, who is the publisher? Where was the journal published? Was it published in Canada?

TIP: Always check the country of origin of the source. Wherever possible, use Canadian sources. When you use sources from other countries, do not assume that the laws, social practices and information pertain directly to Canada. So answers to your questions might vary by country: a reminder of the importance of geographic and cultural context.

TIP: Note the date of the material. Use current material. If you do use older material, be aware that some of the information may no longer be accurate. When you are researching in the social sciences, it is especially important to consider work that is current. Older research offers historical background, but a book written in 1984 would be less relevant than a book written in 2008. If your topic is considering current questions, you will need current materials.

b) AUTHOR(S)
What do you know about the author and her credentials? Often there is a brief biography of the author, usually located at the end of the book or journal article, although sometimes at the beginning. Anthologies frequently have the biographies of the authors at the end of the book. Identify anything useful you found out about the author(s).

c) SCANNING FOR CONTENT
Read the headings in the journal article or chapter from an anthology. Based on this information, can you identify any material the author is covering that is relevant to your topic/focus?

TIP: Do not simply list items. Write a paragraph describing the specific items which seem relevant.

d) ASSESSING THE CONTENT
Skim the introduction and conclusion of the chapter or article.

e) EVALUATING THE RELEVANCE
After you have done this four-step evaluation, decide whether the journal article or anthology chapter will be useful for your essay. Do you plan to include it as one of your ten sources?

f) USING THE BIBLIOGRAPHY
The bibliography in a relevant textis also a good place to look for other useful titles and authors for your research. Identify one reference from the bibliography of this source that would be useful to follow up for your topic/focus.

Read: “In-text Citation...” (Skill and Assignment Kit) and “Integrate Source Materials...” (Fall Reading Kit)

TIP: There are many different citation styles, for example, common ones are the APA, MLA and Chicago style. Although you may have used a different style in other contexts, the style you should use for this course is outlined in “In-text Citation ...” For many examples, also see the Table of Contents in your Skill and Assignment Kit.

ii) assume the sentence will be a direct quotation in your essay; re-type it with an appropriate in-text citation;

iv) include the full bibliographic reference from which you drew the original sentence.

TIP: Students often forget to include citations, including page numbers, for paraphrased material. Referencing is essential when you paraphrase in order to show your indebtedness for ideas, words, concepts, phrases, and intellectual work in general. The alteration of several words in a quotation does not relieve you of the responsibility of identifying the source. A summary in your own words must also be referenced.

TIP: When you are reading material, carefully note all your sources. Keep track of the relevant reference information, direct quotations and page numbers, indirect quotes and even general approaches to material. It is very difficult to go back later and re-trace your research steps. Be sure to distinguish between direct quotations (place in quotation marks) and your paraphrased notes.

Disorderly research can often inadvertently lead to plagiarism which is a serious offence at the university. Plagiarism and cheating which include lifting material from the internet, using text from books without giving credit, or purchasing or borrowing essays are very serious offences at the university. If you are caught, which is very likely, the penalties are very severe, and become more so with subsequent transgressions.
In-text citation and bibliographies require precision and accuracy in order to communicate information about the source to your reader. If done properly, not only will the reference make it possible to find the source but will also let the reader know exactly what kind of material it is. For example, a full length book by one author (or two) is a completely different kind of source than an article in an anthology of articles, each one by a different author. Each article from an anthology must be referenced separately.
Follow the instructions exactly. There is no excuse for sloppy referencing. If you are still unclear about referencing issues, re-do the on-line interactive tutorial on “Academic Honesty”.
TIP: Quotations are not a substitute for a clear argument in your own words. Quotations should give evidence for, and support your argument, not substitute for it. Frame your quotations with explanations. Do not insert quotations in your text with little explanation and do not use two quotations back to back. Always ask yourself why you are using the quotation: does it clarify, expand, and/or build your argument?

Develop a bibliography of ten relevant sources from academic or scholarly journals (some of which may be available only ‘on-line’ as e-journals), and/or from scholarly anthologies. This bibliography can include the three sources you evaluated above, if they are relevant, and some of the sources you found via the on-line indexes.

Although you can use course materials for your essay and should include them in your bibliography with a proper reference, you will need ten additional sources that are not course materials. Do not use single or dual authored books. Material from newspapers, magazines or the Internet is not permitted.

TIP: For Step Four, you will read and comment on these sources. You are only permitted to use the sources listed in this Bibliography, so be sure they are relevant to your specific focus. Following the guidelines in #3 above, be sure to evaluate each source for its relevance before including in the Bibliography. Use proper referencing. If you are using articles out of anthologies, reference each article separately.

EXAMPLE OF AN ARTICLE IN AN ANTHOLOGY
Larkin, J. (1997). “Sexual terrorism on the street: The moulding of young women into subordination.” In A. Thomas & C. Kitzinger (Eds.). Sexual harassment: Contemporary feminist perspectives. (pp. 115-130). Buckingham: Open University Press.

EXAMPLE OF AN ARTICLE IN A JOURNAL/PERIODICAL
Jiwani, Y. (1999). “Erasing race: The story of Reena Virk.” Canadian Woman Studies 19, 3: 178-184.

If your work is filled with referencing errors because you have not followed the instructions in “In-text Citations…” in the Skill and Assignment Kit, you will lose grade points.

In Step Two, you identified your topic, your focus and the research questions which would guide your work.
Now that you have done considerable work on your topic/focus, you should re-visit these issues.

i) Copy and paste your original questions from Step Two into your assignment. Re-read this material carefully.

iii) Revise your questions (1 page). As in Step Two, your questions can be presented in a list.

-a Time Management Plan,
-evaluations of three sources,
-in-text and paraphrased citation for one source,
-bibliography of ten relevant sources,
-and revised focus and updated research questions.

TIP: Step Three is designed to help you do Step Four. As soon as you have completed Step Three, you should begin work on Step Four. Do not wait until your Tutorial Leader has handed back the assignment.

Hand in the original and keep a paper copy for yourself. This is for your protection. Do not rely on electronic copies since computers may crash and you would then lose your work. For that reason, it is also strongly advised that you regularly print off paper copies of rough work.

LENGTH: approximately 6 pages (not including your Time Management Plan). Double-space and typed.

For Step Four, you will read your sources, and assess the relevance of four of your sources; re-examine and update your initial views from Step Two; discuss macro and micro analysis, and prepare a research outline. You will complete the Time Management Plan for Step Four.
You will also re-do the on-line tutorial on Academic Integrity and hand in your quiz results. You will lose 2% if you do not include a new completion sheet for the on-line tutorial on Academic Integrity.

FOR STEP FOUR, you will hand in
-Time Management Plan,
-quiz results for tutorial on Academic Integrity,
-copy of Bibliography prepared for Step Three,
-commentary on four sources,
-re-examination of your original views,
-comment on macro and micro analysis, and
-a research outline.

1. Time Management Plan
Read over the instructions for Step Four and develop your Time Management Plan for this step. Use the Step Four form attached to the assignment. Fill out “Time initially allocated” and “Date(s) to do task”. Once the task is completed, fill in “Actual time taken” and “Date task completed” for each of the tasks.

2. On line library tutorial on academic integrity
Re-do the on-line tutorial on Academic Integrity (honesty) which is designed to help you learn about plagiarism and what you can do to avoid it. <http://www.yorku.ca/tutorial/academic_integrity/>. Keep re-doing the tutorial until you understand all the material and score 100%. On completion, print out your new quiz results (with a current date) and hand in with your assignment. You will lose 2% if you do not include the new completion sheet for the on-line tutorial on Academic Honesty.

3. Read your sources
Read the ten relevant sources listed in the Bibliography you prepared for Step Three.
Before you begin reading, be sure you understand what is required in #4, #5 and #6 below. These tasks will affect what kind of notes you make on the readings .
TIP: Although you are not required to prepare annotations on your sources, good research practice suggests doing an annotation as soon as you have read the material in order to help you remember and understand it.
Just a reminder that an annotation summarizes the author’s arguments, methods and conclusions. It identifies the subject of the article; explains the author’s main argument and conclusion; describes briefly the evidence the author provides to support her argument; details the method the author used; and identifies and explains key concepts the author uses to build her argument.

4. Commentary on sources (approx 2-3 pages)
For four of your sources, answer the following question:
“What material (evidence, data, arguments etc) in this text is relevant to a gender-based analysis for your topic/focus? Which of your questions does it help you answer? Identify the specific ways it helps you to answer these questions.
TIP: It is not sufficient to indicate that the sources address the topic. You need to be quite specific about what is relevant. Do not quote from the article. Explain the relevance in your own words. Be sure to include an in-text citation with the relevant page numbers from the source. The complete reference will be listed on your bibliography.
TIP: Unlike an annotation which represents the author’s voice and highlights her arguments and conclusions, in this commentary you are now shifting into your evaluative voice, assessing the material for its relevance to a gender-based analysis of your focus.
TIP: In a final essay, you would include only a portion of what you have learned. Trying to incorporate too much material can create as many problems as using too little material. The point is not to regurgitate and reproduce all the material but to select relevant material that will help you address your specific project. This section develops your skills in selecting appropriate material.

Through the process of research, you gradually move from your original opinions (outlined in Step Two) to an informed point of view on a gender-based analysis of your topic and focus. It is around this point of view and argument that an essay would be structured. Usually students start their research with some sense of what they think about the topic, and what they expect to find in the sources they read. Step Two asked you to write about these initial views.
As you read your sources, it is important to assess the degree to which the material supports or challenges your original opinions. Be open to changing your views based on your research. Scholarly writing is a process which includes development and revision of your initial ideas. Eventually you will develop an informed point of view which is not just an opinion but is built on thoughtful and thorough investigation that takes account of research and analysis done by scholars and experts.

i) Copy and paste your original opinions (Step Two #4) into your text. Re-read them carefully.

ii) Note that there are three choices for this section. Choose the one that is appropriate for your research.
a) Has your research enriched, changed or shifted any of your earlier views? If yes, why and in what ways? Identify at least three points in the research (evidence, data, arguments etc) which have shifted your views. Be sure to include in-text citations with page numbers. Be very specific and concrete.

b) If your research supports your initial views, identify at least three points in the research (evidence, data, arguments etc) which support your initial views. Be sure to include in-text citations with page numbers. Be very specific and concrete.

c) It may be that the research does not support your initial views but the research has also not shifted your views. If so, identify at least three points in the research (evidence, data, arguments etc) that challenge your initial opinions but which did not change your views. Be sure to include in-text citations with page numbers. Explain why each has not changed your mind.

TIP: Simply disagreeing with the material is not sufficient evidence in a scholarly essay. You must offer alternate research to back up your now-informed point of view.

iii) Re-read your original opinions again. Consider the degree to which commonsense thinking, naturalism and/or dominant ideologies influenced these opinions. Comment (1-2 paragraphs).

You have now read extensively on your topic/focus and have developed answers to your questions for the four areas of gender-based analysis. For this section, stand back from the research, and from your informed point of view in order to consider the degree to which macroanalysis, and/or microanalysis inform your thinking, and the research you have read.

iii) Examine your thinking for area #4 of GBA, that is, strategies to address inequalities and ensure social justice. Comment on the degree to which macroanalysis, and/or microanalysis inform your thinking. (2 paragraphs)

A research outline is a device for putting your ideas and research into a logical order. Think of it as a blueprint. It helps you to work out, before you begin to write, how your research and argumentation will be developed, and how the material will be divided into manageable sections, and presented in a logical and appropriate order. An outline imposes order and establishes relationships between bits of information.

An outline makes visible the major themes, concepts and arguments. Each section of an outline includes arguments/main points and the sources you will use to support these points. An outline should be in point form. Making some points subordinate to others helps focus on a few ideas, and thus makes it easier to highlight the central points. Using different kinds of numbers or letters helps you visualize the structure of your paper.

Through your research, new thematic ways of organizing the material will emerge. As you do your research, you should continually develop and update your outlines. They will become increasingly sophisticated and detailed, based on what you are learning from your research.

Although you will not write up a final essay, this outline would provide the foundation to do the first draft. Although an outline takes time, it can also save a lot of time. Once you have an effective research outline, it is easier to write your essay, that is, to transform the outline into sentences and paragraphs.

Do an outline for your research essay. Incorporate relevant material from at least seven of the sources you have read. Your outline should be structured around the four areas of the gender-based analysis (GBA) and answers to your questions. The outline should include an introduction; four main sections, one for each area of the GBA; within each main section, 3-4 sub-sections; and a conclusion. For a outline template, see below.

TIP: For each supporting point, be sure to include a proper in-text citation including page numbers. Each of these sources should be listed on your Bibliography originally compiled in Step Three. Do not use any other sources.

TIP: Include only the arguments and sources which are relevant to the focus of your research. Do not include other interesting material, if it is not relevant. This only weakens your presentation.

-Time Management Plan,
-new quiz results for tutorial on Academic Integrity,
-Bibliography originally prepared in Step Three,
-commentary on four sources,
-re-examination of your original views,
-comment on macro and micro analysis of your topic; and
-research outline

DUE: See course outline. This Step can be handed in up to two weeks late. However late assignments will be subject to a late penalty as described in the Course Outline.
Hand in the original and keep a paper copy for yourself. This is for your protection. Do not rely on electronic copies since computers may crash and you would then lose your work. For that reason, it is also strongly advised that you regularly print off paper copies of rough work.

LENGTH: approximately 8 pages (not including your Time Management Plan, your Bibliography and your quiz results) Type and double-space.

GRADE: 20 grade points (20/150)
*You will lose 2% if you do not include a new completion sheet for the on-line tutorial on Academic Honesty.

1. take gender into account
            a) Point #1
                        Source (including page numbers):
            b) Point #2
                        Source (including page numbers):
            c) Point #3
                        Source (including page numbers):
            d) Point #4
                        Source (including page numbers):

            a) Point #1
                        Source (including page numbers):
            b) Point #2
                        Source (including page numbers):
            c) Point #3
                        Source (including page numbers):
            d) Point #4
                        Source (including page numbers):

3. relevance of gender inequalities
            a) Point #1
                        Source (including page numbers):
            b) Point #2
                        Source (including page numbers):
            c) Point #3
                        Source (including page numbers):
            d) Point #4
                        Source (including page numbers):

4. strategies for addressing the inequalities
            a) Point #1
                        Source (including page numbers):
            b) Point #2
                        Source (including page numbers):
            c) Point #3
                        Source (including page numbers):
            d) Point #4
                        Source (including page numbers):

TIME MANAGEMENT SHEETS

STEP TWO: Tasks	Time initially allocated	Date(s) to do task	Actual time taken	Date task completed
Time Management Plan
Topic area/focus
Develop GBA questions
Current opinions
On-line tutorial: Research Roadmap
Periodical index search
Proofread and finalize

STEP FOUR: Tasks	Time initially allocated	Date(s) to do task	Time actually taken	Date task completed
Time Management Plan
On-line tutorial: Academic Integrity
Read your sources and take notes
Re-read four sources for commentary
Commentary on four sources
Re-examine and revise original views
Macro and micro analysis
Research outline
Proof read and finalize

STEP THREE: Tasks	Time initially allocated	Date(s) to do task	Actual time taken	Date task completed
Time Management Plan
Find three sources
Evaluate source #1
Evaluate source#2
Evaluate source #3
Citation exercise
Bibliography
Revise research focus/ questions
Proof read and finalize