Researching information on diversity and multiculturalism and its social

Course Project

Overview and Guidelines

An important part of our course is
researching information on diversity and multiculturalism and its social,
cultural, and ethical impact upon individual citizens, groups of people, and
society at large.

Below are four scenarios pertaining to
cultural diversity. For this assignment, you will prepare a research paper that
focuses on one of these scenarios, analyzing what happened, what the
consequences either are or might be, and how the situation can be corrected and
or prevented in the future. These must be concrete suggestions that could
actually be implemented rather than vague references or opinions. While the
situations have been fictionalized, there have been actual situations that are
very similar. You will submit the report in three sections throughout the
course, with a due date for each section. These due dates are posted on the
Course Schedule.

The Course Project should be six to eight
pages in length, with an additional Title page and Reference page(s). The
Reference page should include a minimum of four different scholarly,
academically accepted books and/or journals used. Do not use Wikipedia and
similar encyclopedia websites, such asabout.com orbuzzle.com. Please review the detailed
instructions for each phase of the project, which you can find in the
Assignment tab for that week. Your project will be graded as follows.

Week 4: Students will submit the reference
list and outline of their research paper. 75 points

Week
7: Students will submit the final version of their research paper. 150
points

• Scenarios

According to the U.S. Justice Department,
in 2003 about 10.4% of all African American men between the ages of 25 to 29
were incarcerated, as compared to 2.4% of Hispanic men and 1.2% of nonHispanic
White men. What is going on here? Why are Black men in this age group so much
more likely to be in jail than are people of White or Latino descent? Research
the incidents of criminal prosecution, convictions, prison sentences, and time
served by race and ethnicity for all three—African American, Hispanic, and White men. What factors or variables
are associated with who gets involved in crime, why, and what happens to them
in the criminal justice system? Also look into how many judges, lawyers, and
lawmakers are White compared with those who are African American. What does
this tell us about structured inequality?

Grading Rubrics

Week
4: Reference List and Outline

Category	Points	%	Description
Outline and Organization	35	47	Outline lists the main topics the project will cover and incorporates the key elements of the chosen topic scenario; outline is clearly written and wellorganized. (Be sure to address all sub-topics and questions.)
Reference List	30	40	Reference list contains at least four credible sources (for two partner groups). Notes the member who focuses on each specific reference, and said member provides an annotated reference for each text they are focusing on.
Formatting	10	13	Submission is in correct APA format, with a Title page.
Total	75	100	A quality paper will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.

Week
7: Final Paper

Category	Points	%	Description
Content	105	70.2	Addresses each component of the chosen topic scenario, integrating concrete examples and strategies, and uses information from sources to support points.
Documentation & Formatting	15	10	Follows correct APA format, including a Title slide and reference slide with at least four credible sources (for two partner groups).
Organization & Cohesiveness	10	6.6	Cohesive and well organized, with a clear introduction which promotes active engagement of the audience and a conclusion that summarizes the paper’s key points.
Editing	10	6.6	Uses proper grammar, punctuation, and spelling.
Length	10	6.6	Meets minimum length requirement of 10 to 15 slides.
Total	150	100	A quality presentation will meet or exceed all of the above requirements.

Best Practices

The
following are best practices in preparing this project.

• Include a Title page in APA
  format. For information on APA formatting, please see the APA reference
  materials located in your Syllabus.
• Include an introductory
  paragraph that introduces your chosen scenario and previews the main
  topics your paper will cover.
• Include a concluding paragraph
  that summarizes your main points and the benefits of learning about the
  issues you’ve discussed.
• Use headers to organize your
  paper and divide into sections as appropriate.
• Include a Reference page in APA
  format, with at least four credible sources.
• Check to be sure you’ve covered
  all the questions posed in your topic scenario and that you’ve provided
  clear strategies for problems that have been presented.