CASE STUDY: LANGUAGE AND POWER
Describe a “real life” instance of your selected social issue in a professional or a personal setting.
Discuss your perspective on your selected social issue, including the reasons for your viewpoint.
Discuss how your core values inform or influence your perspective on your selected social issue.
Demonstrate that you are really thinking about your issue—don’t settle for easy answers, don’t pretend that conflicting evidence doesn’t exist, and don’t feel that you have to take an either-or position.
Discuss the complexities of your selected social issue. For example, do not just conclude that using academic language is always good, or that government surveillance is always bad, or that wealth automatically leads to health. Think about the intricacies of these issues and how they play out in everyday life.
Include an introductory paragraph, where you clearly outline a “real-life” instance of your social issue and you give a thesis statement that indicates your perspective
Include 3-5 body paragraphs where you include details, examples, and quotes from “Language and Power” readings and two additional readings to help you develop and support your key points
Include one body paragraph where you discuss how your core values inform or influence your perspective on your selected social issue
End with a concluding paragraph where you restate your thesis, summarize your key points, and leave the reader with the “so what?”
Sample Answer
I was working as a software engineer at a large tech company. I was one of only a few women in the engineering department, and I often felt like I was treated differently than my male colleagues. For example, I was often asked to take on administrative tasks, such as scheduling meetings and ordering supplies. My male colleagues, on the other hand, were more likely to be given challenging technical projects.