University of Massachusetts Dartmouth Criminology Sociology Discussion

1. In your own words, summarize the key takeaways and messages from the author. ? This includes important arguments and supporting points, concepts, findings, major pieces of evidence, or conclusions that you learned from the reading. ? This is not as simple as just identifying Who, What, When, Where, and Why. You should decide which of these is relevant and which requires the most detail in the context of the reading’s main messages. 2. Explain how the reading can be connected or linked to other course content. Here are some possible considerations: ? How does the reading capture the “theme” of the week? ? How does the reading support or challenge the ideas discussed in lecture or in your textbook? ? How does the reading build on something that was discussed earlier on in the course? ? How does the reading offer a new perspective for earlier course concepts or ideas? 3. Offer one or more critical reflections about the reading. Here are some possible examples of things you can write: ? Provide your own critical insights on the reading: • Do you agree/disagree with the author’s premise? Why? • What are the strengths and weaknesses of the author’s argument? What might be a valid counterargument? • What are the implications of the author’s claims? (e.g., for social policy, etc.) • What makes the problem identified by the author complex? ? Discuss the relevance of the reading to current events or social issues of today. What can this reading teach us about our society in 2022? ? Make connections between the ideas discussed in the reading and things you might have learned in your other courses. Why is this connection important? What is its significance? ? How does your personal knowledge or experience affect the way you read the text or how you interpreted its conclusions? • How did the ideas presented in the reading support or challenge your prior understanding of the topic? ? Give your own example of a concept discussed in the reading. Explain how the author’s ideas are found within your example. ? Find an outside academic article or news article that uses the ideas found in the reading. Provide a link to this source and discuss how the author’s ideas are relevant. ? Draw a diagram to summarize the author’s key argument. ? Provide comments in support of (or in critique of) the author’s research methods. How do their methods help or hinder their ability to make their conclusions? ? Provide comments on the ethical considerations underlying the author’s methods of data collection or analyses. ? Pose 1-2 critical questions that you have after doing the reading: • What questions might you ask the author? • What questions might you ask your professor to clarify what you still may not understand about the topic? • What questions might you ask your peers to generate more discussion on the topic? ? Any other personal reflections that are relevant to the reading and its broader connections to course content are acceptable