SOCI 315
Assignment #2
Research Paper
The culminating project for Food and Culture is an independent 7-page research paper
of your choice. You may choose a topic that we are exploring in class, or an area of
personal or academic interest.
A sample list of the types of topics is as follows:
Exploring a particular ethnic group’s foodways
Specific religious practices and food
Wonder Bread as an American phenomenon
An in-depth study of a food event or festival
An ethnographic study of a soup kitchen
A literary analysis of food related novels or films
A cultural analysis of veganism
Cultural identity through street food
Power and chefs
Cultural significance of medieval fasts and feasts
A study of a foreign family’s acculturation and resistance through food
Technology’s role in “Americanizing" an ethnic cuisine
Masculine meat, and feminine field greens
These topics are merely meant to give you an idea of the vast possibilities. Whatever
topic you select, it must be original. By this, I mean that you may not select a topic that
you are using, or have previously used for another class. Try to select a topic as soon as
possible, and contact me with me your ideas.
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THE PAPER
Follow APA-formatting guidelines
Double spaced
7 pages
12pt Times New Roman font
Provide a title that accurately defines your paper.
Provide a cover page (not part of the page count)
Provide a reference page (not part of the page count)
Abstract page (not part of the page count)
Written in third person
Create a clearly stated thesis, and focus the entire paper around it. Provide specific
examples to support this thesis. Select other studies, or scholarly articles (peer
reviewed) to use as models. For example, if you are doing a study on female roles in
Ethiopian festival cooking, look for studies that also focus on gender roles or festival
food preparations. It is important that you incorporate other academic studies into
your paper I am not however, just looking for a related literature review. You must
not just cite these projects, but frame them, or compare them to your study in some way.
Provide a critical analysis of your selected topic, involving information from the course
materials.
Do not be afraid to use other libraries as well. Explore the Internet, newspaper articles,
journals, live interviews, participate in an actual event or situation, or consult archives.
All information is helpful. Please include at least FIVE scholarly references (journals or
books). Additionally, you may use newspapers, popular magazines, cookbooks, trade
publications, films, surveys, pamphlets, labels, and so forth. Strong research papers
combine both primary and secondary sources.
It is understood that the paper must be free of typographical and grammatical errors.
Check the rules of plagiarism. Cite all original quotes and paraphrased information.
Please use the APA style and make sure that you consult an online style manual for the
exact way to reference materials.
