In this writing assignment, you will need to think more deeply about why people are poor. Why do we have poverty in our society, and are there any solutions
to poverty? The paper should include the following:
A definition of poverty with a distinction between absolute poverty and relative poverty (Chapter 8-3).
A summary of the two main theories of the cause of poverty (individual cause vs. structural cause, see your text Chapter 8-3c).
Which theory do you agree with and why? What flaws (if any) do you see with the theories?
Do you think either theory leads to solutions to poverty? What might a solution look like?
Use research and current events to support your ideas. Make sure to cite your sources and have a reference page with all sources listed. You can use the
method of citation that you are most familiar with (MLA, APA, etc.) In Sociology, we use ASA. If you are unsure how to cite your sources and would like to use
ASA, you can find details here. The most important thing is to ensure you are consistent and that it would be easy to find the source when someone looks for
it. Do NOT just copy and paste a hyperlink. A citation must be given, with the author, publication date, etc. Make sure to add in-text citations as well. Whether
you are quoting an article or using an idea that you found in an article in your own words, an in-text citation must follow (ex., author, date of publication).
Every source you use should be on the reference page and cited within the paper. Go here for more info on how ASA in-text citations are used.
