Research Report
Purpose:
The purpose of this assignment is to build research skills introduced in the course through application of the skills to a significant real world social change issue. You will also build writing and public presentation skills.
Assignment:
For this assignment, you will carry out strategic research or policy research on a social change topic that is of interest to you, using methods and/or databases introduced in the class.
Assignment Elements:
Topic statement:
Brief statement of topic, planned scope of research, data sources and methods
Written Report: Written report of research and findings. Your analysis should be at 1500-2000 words in length. Typed, double-spaced, 12-point font, with 1” margins. .pdf, .docx, or .rtf file format. If your project contains significant non-writing elements such as mapping, numerical tabulations or mathematical calculations, consult with me to see whether the written length can be decreased accordingly.
Selection of Topic:
The topic is up to you. You can identify and research a social change issue of your choosing. You can choose between two general options of types of research as follows.
OPTION A: STRATEGIC RESEARCH
Strategic research is here defined according to Si Kahn: “getting the information necessary to make good decisions about strategy and tactics” in a campaign for social change. Strategic Research examples:
-Work on segments of a corporate campaign research profile of the kind we did for TriMas/Monogram Aerospace in week 6 & 7
-Draw up a power map for a local social change issue
-Map a workplace or employer
-Examine health and safety violations by a major employer or industry
-Examine political contributions to a political candidate or issue
-Examine political contributions by a particular company or industry
-Examine property holdings of a major landlord
If you choose the strategic research option, you can choose your own subject, or one of the below topics that I have identified based on research needs of community partners, some of whom have spoken as guest lecturers in our class.
Filipino Migrant Center
Investigating Wage Theft Violations by caregiving agencies across the South Bay (Long Beach, Carson, Torrance, San Pedro, etc.)
California Faculty Association
Investigating financial aspects of the CSU such as: historical trends in faculty and administration pay and tuition; campus debt; contracts for food service and construction
Mask off Maersk
Investigating shipping company Maersk’s role in weapons transport to Israel.
OPTION B: POLICY RESEARCH
Policy research is a systematic inquiry into the existing or potential impacts of public policy options such as laws and regulations. If you choose this option, you will gather and assess existing research and arguments regarding policy solutions for a particular social issue.
Policy Research examples:
-Evaluate competing arguments as to the impacts of an affordable housing policy
-Evaluate competing arguments as to the impacts of an increase in the minimum wage
-Evaluate competing arguments about policy on workplace heat conditions