Movie Sociological Research Paper
Paper Due: Sunday, November 9, 2025
Expectation: 100 Points
Late: 10 points deducted for each day late (Paper)
5 points deducted for day late (Slide Show)
Our ideas about gender, race/ethnicity, sexuality, and social class are shaped by the various
experiences we have in our own culture and environment. We are influenced by these aspects
of life we live in or have lived in. We may have been formally taught in a structured setting, like
school, or an un-conventional setting. We may have lived in one city or traveled all over the
world. Either way we each view the world in a different context. Take into consideration that the
ideas about the social context of our daily life are shaped by the mass media. Think of the
images of some movies that tend to be grounded in real-life experiences. There are usually the
basic components of social problems of one or more people, relationship issues, economic
problem, etc.
These images have a role as an agency of socialization and are therefore worth pushing
through the grinder of theory. You may see Conflict theory, Functionalist theory or Symbolic
theory in the movie. Choose one or two theories to explain in your paper and give examples
based on the movie clips you choose. Your challenge is to write a coherent essay analyzing the
experiences shown in the movie based on a sociological viewpoint of theories. This paper
should be a thoughtful, creative, well written analysis of your view of the social context of the
movie you have chosen seen through the eyes of a sociologist.
STAGES OF THE PAPER
Pick a movie. Please do your best to pick a movie that is focused on the following:
race/ethnicity, social class, sexuality and gender. Most movies have all four but most will
have at least three of these components.
Pick a theory that interests you, Functionalism, Conflict, Symbolic Interaction. Make sure
you understand the key concepts that come out of the theory.
Watch the movie and take notes. Are there key scenes that really show aspects of the
theory? Define the theory you are using and use proper sociological terminology to
strengthen your paper. You may use up to two theories but not all three.
Pick 3 scenes/clips that most clearly reflect the themes, concepts, and theories you have
chosen. Discuss how the interactions or other aspects of the movie related to
relationships that reflect social problems that can be defined though vocabulary and
theory. You will use MLA style to cite your clips. At the end of the presentation, you
should have an individual cited Slide in your presentation.
Please make sure you have your clips picked before you start writing the paper.
Try to analyze key incidents rather than rambling all over the place trying to analyze the
whole story.
Finally, surround the paper with an introduction and a conclusion that brings the reader
into the paper and then closes the paper. Don’t just stop writing and hand it in. A paper,
like a book and like the movies you will watch, should have a beginning, middle, and an
end. Please give me all three parts of your paper.
WHAT WILL I EXPECT FROM THE PAPERS AND HOW WILL THEY BE GRADED?
Your paper should be no less than 3 to 5 pages double spaced. You should have one-inch
margins and have page numbers. A cover page is required for this assignment. The Cover Sheet
should have the following: Name of Move, Name of theory or theories, group names, Intro to
Sociology and date of submission (The cover sheet is not part of the 3 to 5 pages). The font
should be Times or Times New Roman and nothing bigger than 12 points. Each member in the
Group needs to turn in the same Paper and Power Point in their own Blackboard shell before
the Due Date of Sunday, November 9, 2025
Social Status and Social Context of Film
I will be looking at how well you describe the movie, relationships, and situations with concrete
facts and vivid details from the clips but will be more interested in how well you analyze the
relationships in the context of what we have discussed and will be learning about.
Vocabulary/ Terminology Use
The use of sociological terminology is very important. Please use at least 15 vocabulary words in
your research paper. Bold the vocabulary words within your paper. Use any sociological
terminology that is in the book from any chapter. Each paragraph explaining the clips you have
chosen should have vocabulary.
Movie Paper Grading Format
Cover Page 5
Intro/Thesis Statement 15
Body of Paper/Sociological Investigation 20
Content of Paper related to the Topic 20
Sociological Terminology Usage/underline words 20
Conclusion 15
Grammar & Spelling 5
Total 100
Sociology Writing Rubric
CATEGORY Excellent = 100 - 90 Good = 89 - 80 Fair = 79 – 70 Minimal 69 - 50
Movie Paper Grading Format
Cover Page 5
Intro/Thesis Statement 15
Body of Paper/Sociological Investigation 20
Content of Paper related to the Topic 20
Sociological Terminology Usage/underline words 20
Conclusion 15
Grammar & Spelling 5
Total -100
