Academic Writing - Sociology

TOPIC: Describe the impact of alcohol use on Russian society, and discuss the various state policies related to this. INSTRUCTIONS: Length: 3,000 words Must be original (Must pass Turn-It-In) Must be well written, good grammar etc. UK English APA referencing. READINGS: Walter Connor, "Soviet Society, Public Attitudes, and the Perils of Gorbachev's Reforms: The Social Context of the End of the USSR," Journal of Cold War Studies, Fall 2003, Vol 5 No 4, p 43-80 Thomas Ewing, "A Stalinist Celebrity Teacher: Gender, Professional, and Political Identities in Soviet Culture of the 1930s," Journal of Women's History, 2004, Vol 16 No 4, p 92-118 Martin Alan Greenberg, Prohibition enforcement: Charting a new mission Patricia Herlihy, The Alcoholic Empire: Vodka & Politics in Late Imperial Russia David A Leon, Laurent Chenet, Vladimir M Shkolnikov, Sergei Zakharov, et al. "Huge variation in Russian mortality rates 1984-94: Artefact, alcohol, or what?".The Lancet, Aug 9, 1997 David J. Pittman and Charles R. Snyder, eds., Society, culture, and drinking patterns B M Levin, "Principal factors of the spread of alcoholism in society in a time of social changes". Russian Social Science Review, Nov/Dec 1998 Tim Lincoln, "Death and the demon drink in Russia", Nature, Aug 21, 1997 Therese C Reitan, "The operation failed, but the patient survived. Varying assessments of the Soviet Union's last anti-alcohol campaign". Communist and Post - Communist Studies, Jun 2001 Andrew Sinclair, Era of excess: A social history of the prohibition movement Wolfgang Schivelbusch, Tastes of Paradise: A Social History of Spices, Stimulants, and Intoxicants Steven White, Russia goes dry: Alcohol, state and society NOTES: Sources – Ten or fourteen sources. Analysis – The essay must show that you have looked at several different points of view, and considered them, regardless of whether or not you agree with them. You must also show that you have your own, unique, take on the essay question – your own thoughts, expressed in the essay. -Good clear writing. -A flow of argument, which means that each paragraph is clearly saying something about each subject, and that the evidence, the background, and the reasons for drawing this or that conclusion are set out consecutively. -Wide reading. A good essay has a good reading list, and shows that the scholar has really taken up the readings, often finding new books and articles beyond the set reading list. (Although no one is ever marked down for sticking to the essay reading list. It is always sufficient. But you can add to it, if you wish.) -A sophisticated argument. This is a view, expressed in the essay, which evaluates what is or is not important, and identifies key themes and/or moments of change. -Good use of quotations. Pick out key quotes, and a very good technique in argument is to contrast this view with that view – this shows that you are familiar with the field of literature. AVOID: -Poor writing, jumbled paragraphs not clearly separated, inaccurate use of referencing. -Trite arguments, which repeat exactly what is said in some other source. -Confused arguments, which agree with this writer, then that one, without seeming to notice that these are completely different views. -Not enough quotes or references. -Too many quotes and references, which are so numerous and long that they get up and overwhelm the essay.