Fieldwork Assignments
Discipline: Sociology
Type of Paper: Essay (any type)
Academic Level: Undergrad. (yrs 3-4)
Paper Format: APA
Pages: 3
Words: 825
Question
This assignment is actually divided into 2 parts, one is for observation notes, one is for the paperwork. I have done with the observation notes, all you need to do is the paperwork. and I have uploaded two files that may help you get easier to finish this paper.
here is the instruction:
"Gender in a Children’s Toy Store"
Go to a toy store to gather data (You can visit in person, or visit a website). Take a literal or virtual "walk" through the aisles, observing boys’ and girls’ toys and games. Take notes about the following:
Can you detect a boys’ section and a girls’ section? How do you know?
How do the toys in the boys’ section and girls’ section differ? (Pay attention to number of toys, types of toys, content of the games, etc.)
How are the toys in the boys’ section and girls’ section similar?
What sorts of interactions with other children do the boys’ and girls’ toys encourage? (For example, competition or cooperation? Independence or dependence? Emotional intimacy or distance?)
Which toys (boys’, girls’, or both) are designed for active play? Which seem to encourage passive play?
For what sorts of adult roles do the boys’ and girls’ toys prepare children?
In your paper, be sure to explain what store(s) you visited, as well as the general patterns of the questions above. Also, provide specific examples of toys or games to help illustrate your descriptions. Toward the end of your paper, you are required to speculate on the following additional questions:
How might these kinds of toys influence boys’ sexual attitudes and behaviors?
How might these kinds of toys influence girls’ sexual attitudes and behaviors?
How do these observations relate to the social construction of gender?
How do your observations connect to course materials, like lecture material, concepts/terminology, readings? You need to make these connections to the course materials, because they 'frame' your paper academically and conceptually. THIS IS A LARGE PORTION OF YOUR GRADE SO DO NOT OVERLOOK THIS ASPECT.
Upload your observation notes as well as your paper (Your notes will be graded!) You are permitted to scan handwritten notes, as long as they are legible. Your notes are worth 50 points, and your essay is worth 100 points.
