FAMILY THEORIES (HDFS 865)
Fall 2010
Tuesdays, 2:25-4:55 pm
1339 Sterling
Professor Lynet Uttal
Office: 338 Old Middleton Building, 1305 Linden Drive luttal@wisc.edu 306 Ingraham Hall, 1155 Observatory Drive (corner of Charter) 608-263-4026
Office hours: By appointment. Send me an email with 2-3 times you are available.

Course Overview

HDFS 865 Family Theories is a survey course that examines the interdisciplinary study of families. The course content is organized into two sections: a) theories, ideologies and definitions of families and b) applications of family theories in practice, family programs, and policies. This course will examine “what is theorizing in family studies?”

Family theories are explanatory frameworks for different ways of understanding families. Theorizing about families involves conceptualizing the lived experiences of people in relation to their own families as well as developing explanations of the social role of families in society, tracking demographic changes over time, and identifying ideologies and social forces that influence and are influenced by family life. Some theories look at how individuals develop over the life span in the context of families; others define the forms and functions of families as a social unit in society. Some look at “the family” as a unit and focus in on the internal dynamics of relationships between family members, while others look at “the family” as a subsystem or institution in the larger scope of society. Some theories identify factors that predict family behaviors. Other theories are used to develop programs and interventions. The field of family studies is an interdisciplinary one, meaning that it has liberally borrowed from sociological and psychological theories as well as other disciplines, and has used variable analysis, anthropological, historical, philosophical, and interpretive methods to develop a greater understanding of the topic “family”. We will look at both grand sociological theories that have been used to understand families and developmental psychological theories that include families as important context for human development, while recognizing that grand sociological theories tend to over generalize and cannot account for the diversity of lived experiences in its search for broadly generalized principles and that human development-in-context theories tend to reify “family” as a static context and neglect to understand families as dynamic systems and historically fluid formations in relationship to both its members, as well as to communities and societies, policy and the past

No surprise that it is hard to pin down “What are family theories?” We simply do not have a cohesive answer to that question yet. At the most simple level, family theories are theories that include families as a concept or variable and contribute to “family science” (White & Klein, 2002). But that overly broad definition includes practically everything while also being methodologically narrow. For now, let it suffice that family theories are a non-integrated set of interdisciplinary ideas that analyze some aspect of “family” and it’s impossible to cover all of them in one semester. And by the end of the semester, you will develop your own schema for understanding family theories.

Additionally, the study of families emerges out of efforts to figure out solutions to social problems using family education, family policy, and family-targeted interventions, and therapy. This serious attention to application is another complicating dimension in understanding theories about families. During this semester, we will also think about some applications of family theories.

(Note: Several of the theories covered in this course reflect the interests of HDFS faculty).

Some caveats: • This course will purposefully distance itself from theories of human development in order to avoid duplicating those theories (especially the ones that focus on psychology of the individual) that are taught in its sister course, HDFS 725: Theory and Issues in Human Development. Note that there is some overlap because this is not a strict dichotomy. • This course is narrowly focused on U.S. family theories and U.S. experiences. • This course neglects methods, although methodological issues will come up. We will stay mostly at the level of understanding the assumptions of each framework in comparison to others. • Major missing theories and topics typically included on a family theories course: symbolic interactionism, conflict theory, social exchange and resource theories, and rational choice theories.

Required Readings

The reading material for this course is drawn from a set of articles and chapters describing the major contemporary, classical, and critical dimensions of family theories, as well as the social, cultural, and political forces shaping policy and practice. Approximately 4 readings have been assigned for each class session. The required reading material for each session can be found on-line at: https://uwmad.courses.wisconsin.edu/ which is a link to the Learn@UW website for this course. You will need your Net ID and password to access the website.

Required Texts (Available at the University Book Store; used copies also available through amazon.com): Smith, Suzanne R., Hamon, Raeann R., Ingoldsby, Bron B. & Miller, J. Elizabeth. 2009. Exploring family theories. 2nd edition. New York: Oxford University Press. (Listed on syllabus as SMITH ET AL.) Recommended: Journal of Marriage and Family, June 2010, 72 (3), 401–803. The Decade in Review Special Issue. (Available online through UW Madison libraries)
NOTE; The references on the syllabus are not in pure APA format because I want you to see the full name of the authors. In APA you would only put the initials of the first names.

COURSE OVERVIEW AND READINGS

Sept 7 Introductions Course Introduction Class Members Introductions Review of the syllabus Review of assignments and grading system

Sept 14 Structural Functionalism Theory and Broader Definitions of “Family”: Forms and Functions Note: As you do this week’s reading, identify the different dimensions (e.g., form, function, nature of relationships) that define what family and kinship are. It might be helpful to make a list as you read.

Readings: Parsons,Talcott. (1955). The American family: Its relations to personality and social structure. In Talcott Parsons and Richard F. Bales in collaboration with J. Olds, M. Zelditch, and P. E. Slater (Eds.), Family, socialization and interaction process (pp. 3-26). Glencoe, Ill: The Free Press. Specialized remaining functions of the family include procreation and child rearing, stabilization of adult personalities, sexual relations, economic functions, religious functions; sex roles; instrumental-expressive dimensions.

Continued on next page….. Stack, Carol. (1974). Chapter 3: Swapping. In All our kin: Strategies for survival in a Black community (pp. 32-44). New York: Harper & Row. Economics; trading is necessary in order for poor families to survive: swapping creates social networks and reciprocal obligations, creating domestic networks.

Stack, Carol. (1974). Chapter 5: Child-keeping. In All our kin: Strategies for survival in a Black community (pp. 62-89). New York: Harper & Row. Shared parental responsibility among kin; temporarily assume kinship obligation to care for a child; fostering; doing parenthood; children see more than one mother figure; parents in separate households; children are loaned and borrowed; aunts take over mothering functions; who has this authority to discipline others’ children.

Weston, Kath. (1991). Chapter Eight: The politics of gay families. In Families we choose: Lesbians, gays, kinship (pp. 195-213). New York: Columbia University Press. Family as chosen and cultural space.

Cherlin, Andrew. 2010. Demographic trends in the United States: A review of research in the 2000s. Journal of Marriage and Family 72 (June 2010), 403-319.

Recommended Reading: SMITH ET AL. Chapter 2: Structural functionalism theory. (pp. 38-49)

Pierce, Jennifer. (1984). The implications of functionalism for Chicano family research. Berkeley Journal of Sociology 29, 93-117. Critiques of Mirande’s book La Chicana - gender stereotypes, contradictions about whether women are oppressed or not, overreliance on culture to explain; Critique of Parsons’ structural functionalism - universalistic functionalism, Anglo conformity.

Wong, Bernard P. (2007). Immigration, globalization, and the Chinese American family. In Jennifer E. Lansford, Kirby Deater-Deckard, & Marc H. Bornstein (Eds.), Immigrant families in contemporary society (pp. 212-230). New York: The Guilford Press. Family relationships; various family forms; matrifocal families, patrifocal families; parachute children, transnational families.

Sept 21 Family Ideologies & Their Influences on How We Think About Families Readings: Smith, Dorothy. ( 1993). The standard North American family: SNAF as an ideological code. Journal of Family Issues 13(1), 50-65.

Edgar, Don. (2004). Globalization and western bias in family sociology. In Jacqueline Scott, Judith Treas, & Martin Richards. (Eds.). The Blackwell companion to the sociology of families (pp. 3-16). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Oswald, Ramona F., Blume, Libby B. & Marks, Stephen R. (2005). Decentering heteronormativity: A model for family studies. In Alan C. Acock, Vern L. Bengtson, Katherine R. Allen, Peggye Dilworth-Anderson, & David M. Klein (Eds.), Sourcebook of family theory and research (pp. 143-165). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.

Pyke, Karen. (2000). ‘The normal American family’ as an interpretive structure of family life among grown children of Korean and Vietnamese immigrants. Journal of Marriage and the Family 62, 240-255.

****WARNING: Very heavy readings for Sept 28 & Oct 5, start reading now! You have two weeks to do them.*******

Sept 28 Theoretical Frameworks and Perspectives: Theorizing about Families as Individual Experience, Interactional Relationships, and Social Institutions: Levels of Analysis, Concepts, Assumptions

Note: As you do this and next week’s reading, pay attention to the different ways that theory is defined. In class, we will compare and contrast them.

Readings: SMITH, pp. 1-8, Introduction.

Winton, Chester A. (1995). Introduction. In Frameworks for studying families (pp. 1-5). Guilford, CT: The Dushkin Publishing Group, Inc.

Doherty, William J., Boss, Pauline G., LaRossa, Ralph, Schumm, Walter R., & Steinmetz, Suzanne K.. (1993). Family theories and methods: A contextual approach. In Pauline G. Boss, William J. Doherty, Ralph LaRossa, Walter R. Schumm, & Suzanne K. Steinmetz (Eds.). Sourcebook of family theories and methods: A contextual approach (pp. 3-30). New York: Plenum Press.

Allen, Katherine R., Lloyd, Sally A., & Few, April L. (2009). Reclaiming feminist theory, method and praxis for family studies. In Sally A. Lloyd, April L. Few, & Katherine R. Allen (Eds.), Handbook of feminist family studies (pp. 3-17). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

White, James M. & Klein, David (2008). What is a theory? In Family theories. 3rd edition (pp. 1-31). Thousand Oaks, CA: SAGE Publications, Inc.

Bengtson, Vern L., Acock, Alan C., Allen, Katherine R., Dilworth-Anderson, Peggye, & Klein, David M. (2005). Theory and theorizing in family research: Puzzle building and puzzle solving. In Alan C. Acock, Vern L. Bengtson, Katherine R. Allen, Peggye Dilworth-Anderson, & David M. Klein (Eds.), Sourcebook of family theory and research (pp. 3-33). Thousand Oaks: SAGE Publications.

Smith, Linda Tuhiwai. (2002). Chapter 1: Imperialism, history, writing and theory and Chapter 2: Research through imperial eyes. In Decolonizing methodologies (pp. 19-57). London: Zed Books. Act of producing knowledge; indigeneous ways of knowing; context of imperialism and colonialism; representation by others; academic language and writing; research link to theory; objectification of the other; privileging certain rules of research.

Note: Arrangements have been made with Prof. Clif Barber, the HDFS proseminar instructor, for you all to on your CITI training during this class. For non-HDFS students, this is very useful if you have not started doing this. All students doing theses will eventually need to have CITI Training Certification. a) UW-Madison requires that all “personnel engaged in human subjects research” who are listed on a protocol submitted to a UW-Madison IRB must complete human subjects protection training before the protocol can be approved. Here is the CITI website: https://my.gradsch.wisc.edu/citi/index.php

Oct 5 Theoretical Frameworks and Perspectives (continued) Readings: See Sept 28.

Note: It might be helpful to make a table comparing the different theoretical frameworks along different dimensions.

Oct 12 Ecological Theories– Family as a Context and the Contexts that Influence Families Readings: Paquette, Dede, & Ryan, John. (no date). Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. Retrieved from: http://pt3.nl.edu/paquetteryanwebquest.pdf (just the lst two pages of this long document – download from Learn@UW)

Garcia Coll, Cynthia, Lamberty, Gontran, Jenkins, Renee, McAdoo, Harriet P., Crnic, Keith, Wasik, Barbara H. & Garcia, Heidie V. (1996). An integrative model for the study of developmental competencies in minority children. Child Development 67, 159-182. Defining race as a context for parenting practices. One size does not fit all.

CONTINUED ON NEXT PAGE….

Kagitçibasi, Çigdem. (2007). Chapter 5: Value of children and the family. In Family, self, and human development across cultures: Theory and applications (125-164). 2nd ed. Matwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Contextualistic orientation; family as context models; family change theory.

Crow, Graham & Maclean, Catherine. (2007). Families and local communities. In Jacqueline Scott, Judith Treas, & Martin Richards. Blackwell companion to the sociology of families (69-83). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. Communities contextualize families.

Recommended: Bronfenbrenner, Urie. (1986). Ecology of the family as a context for human development: Research perspectives. Developmental Psychology 22 (6), 723-742. Contexts matter to family and individual development. This is a classic article about family and context, but it is very long and dense. Try at least skimming the subheadings to get a sense of the different topics that this framework has been applied to.

Ecological Theory Chapter in WISE book (at end)

Oct 19 Family Development Theory and the Life Course Perspective Readings: SMITH, pp. 64-93, Chapter: 3: Family development theory (includes life course theory). Families have developmental stages; changes over time as well as historical context shapes individual and families respond to changes.

Mabry, J. Beth, Giarrussso, Roseann, & Bengston, Vern. (2007). Generations, the life course, and family change. In Jacqueline Scott, Judith Treas, & Martin Richards (Eds.). Blackwell companion to the sociology of families (87-108). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing. Lays out life course theoretical perspective and looks at example of intergenerational families.

Weisner, Thomas S. & Lucinda P. Bernheimer. (1998). Children of the 1960s at midlife: Generational identity and the family adaptive project. In R. A. Shweder (Eds.) Welcome to middle age!:(And other cultural fictions) (pp. 211-257). Chicago: University of Chicago Press. Generational cohorts influence developmental outcomes and decisions.

Oct 26 Family Systems Theory – Relationships & Constructing Meaning Readings: SMITH, pp. 123-139, Family systems theory

Cox, Martha J. & Paley, Blair. (1997). Families as systems. Annual Review of Psychology 48, 243-267. Allows considering multiple family processes together.

Davies, Patrick T., Sturge-Apple, Melissa L., & Cummings, E. Mark. (2004). Interdependencies among interparental discord and parenting practices: The role of adult vulnerability and relationship perturbations. Development and Psychopathology 16, 773-797. Relationship between marital discord and childrearing practices.

SMITH, pp. 140-160, The costs of getting ahead: Mexican family system changes after immigration.

Recommended: Family Systems Theory chapter in WISE book (at end)

Nov 2 Family Stress Theories & Family Resiliency Theories Readings: SMITH, pp. 94-110, Family stress theory.

Patterson, Joan M. (2002). “Family resilience and family stress theory.” Journal of Marriage and the Family 64(2), 349-360.

Peters, Marie & Massey, Grace. (1983). Mundane extreme environmental stress in family stress theories: The case of black families in White America. The Marriage and Family Review 6(1/2), 193-218.

Papp, Lauren, Cumming, E. Mark, & Goeke-Morey, M.C. (2009). For richer, for poorer: Money as a topic of marital conflict in the home. Family Relations 58, 91-103.

Nov 9 Feminist Family Studies, Gender-Based Family Theories & Care Readings: SMITH, pp. 230-244, Feminist family theory

Thorne, Barrie with Marilyn Yalom. (1982). Feminist rethinking of the family. In Barrie Thorne with Marilyn Yalom (Eds.). Rethinking the family (pp. 1-24). New York: Longman. Critique of “the family”, family means different thing to different family members.

Baca Zinn. Maxine. (2000). Feminism and family studies for a new century.” Annals AAPSS 571, 42-56. How feminism transformed family studies and added new concerns.

Ruddick, Sara. (2004). Maternal thinking as feminist standpoint. In Sandra Harding (Ed.), The standpoint Theory Reader (pp. 161-168). New York: Routledge.

SMITH, pp. 245-259, Allen, Feminist visions for transforming families. Reflexivity and locating oneself is part of theorizing.

Nov 16 Racial Ethnic Families, Multiracial Feminist Family Theories, & Intersectionality Theory Readings: Burton, Linda M., Bonilla-Silva, Eduardo, Ray, Victor, Buckelew, Rose, and Freeman, Elizabeth Hordge. (2010). Critical race theories, colorism, and the decade’s research on families of color. Journal of Marriage and Family 72 (June 2010), 440-459.

Baca Zinn, Maxine. (1994). Feminist rethinking from racial-ethnic families. In Maxine Baca Zinn and Bonnie Thornton Dill (Eds.), Women of folor in the U.S. (pp. 303-314). Philadelphia:Temple University Press. Critique of universal woman’s family experience; Productive and reproductive labor. Relational privilege and oppression by different groups of families in society; theorizing across racial categories (not just within).

Nakano Glenn, Evelyn. (1992). “From servitude to service work: historical continuities in the racial division of reproductive labor. Signs: Journal of Women in Culture and Society 18(1), 1-43. Reproductive labor is carried out not only in the home, but has become more and more public reproductive labor.

Hill, Shirley. (2005). Postmodern chasms & Socializing Black children: The impact of social class. In Black Intimacies (pp. 1-22, 147-170). Walnut Creek, CA: Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc. Intersectionality theory.

Pyke, Karen. (2005). Immigrant families in the U.S. In ). J. Scott, J. Treas, and M. Richards (Eds.) The Blackwell companion to the sociology of families (pp. 253-269). Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing.

Recommended: Allen, Walter. (1978). The search for applicable theories of Black family life. Journal of Marriage and the Family, February, 117-129.

Substantive Applications
Nov 23 Family Policy Readings: Fujiwara, Lynn. (2008). Mothers without citizenship: Asian immigrant families and the consequences of Welfare Reform. Minneapolis:Univ Of Minnesota Press.

Nov 30 Family Relationships: Applied Social Work Practice Readings: Wise, Judith Bula. (2005) Empowerment practice with families in distress. New York: Columbia University Press.

Dec 7 To be determined.

Dec 14 Course WRAP UP

Assignments

All tracked on Learn@UW.
_____A. Class Attendance: (1 point per class; 15 points total)
_____B. Participation: (3 points – instructor evaluation; 3 points – student evaluation; 6 points total)
_____C. Weekly Question Assignment (2 points per class; 26 points total)
_____D. Single Annotation (5 points)
_____E. Essay: What is theorizing? Essay (10 points)
_____F. Finding Journals That Address Your Area Of Interest (5 points)
_____G. Topic Annotations with An Overview (Front) Statement (10 points)
_____H. Essay: Critical theoretical evaluation of one journal article (13 points)
_____I. Essay: Applying Theory to your Topic of Interest (10 points)

Grading Scale: A 90-100 points AB 85-89.9 points B 80-84.9 points BC 74-79.9 points C 70-73.9 points D 65-69.9 points F Below 65 points
A. Class Attendance: (1 point per class; 15 points total): There are no excused absences unless you have an extenuating circumstance that causes you to miss more than two classes. So please do not schedule doctor appointments, conferences, talks, etc. during class time unless you are willing to lose points for not being in class. Partial class attendance will get partial credit.
B. Participation: (3 points – instructor evaluation; 3 points – student evaluation; 6 points total): Class participation is essential for successful completion of this course.
Instructor evaluation 3 – active oral participation in discussions; balanced participation and active listening; demonstrated preparation thru informed reading and use of ideas; followed discussion as it emerged to new ideas; regularly contributed insights that enhanced the learning of others; introduced new questions and regular insights related to the topic of the day; explained connection between comment and current discussion or class topic; respectful engagements with other students and professor. 2—modest oral participation in discussions; demonstrated only partial preparation of the readings; occasional insights that enhanced others’ learning; appeared only modestly engaged in ideas. 1—mimimal oral participation in discussions; ideas expressed did not stay on topic; appeared to have not done the class readings adequately enough; disrespectful engagement with other students and professor.
Student self-evaluation questions will be handed out at end of course. They are due on the last day of class, in-class in order to get credit for them.
C. Weekly Question Assignment (2 points per class; 26 points total): Students will be expected to do a significant amount of weekly reading. Students are expected to demonstrate during both discussion and through questions asked during class that they have read the materials and are familiar with the course content.
Prior to each class session by Sunday at 4:59 pm, each student will submit to the Learn@UW dropbox a file with ONE of the following questions based on his or her review of the assigned reading material: (a) a clarification question; or (b) a discussion/reflection question—a query to prompt meaningful dialogue, debate, or elaboration. A question is not just a sentence with a question mark at the end. It also includes an explanation of why you are asking this question and a citation of where the question is coming from in the readings. Please use this format: Put the question at the top of the page, followed by a paragraph or two explaining why you are asking this question, and having a reference list in APA format at the bottom. (This may be only one class reading or several). Make sure your name is on the page.
These are due every class except the 1st class and last class. LATE SUBMISSIONS WILL NOT BE GIVEN CREDIT.
D. Single Annotation Due Sept 14 (5 points): Write an informative annotation that paraphrases one of the class readings for today. (In learn@uw drop box) Definition of annotations: http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/AnnBib_content.html How to paraphrase: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/563/02/ Sample: http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/614/03/

Note: I am looking for something that has the research information like the Cornell example but is longer and thicker.

E. Essay: What is theorizing? Essay Due Oct 19 (10 points) (about 10 double-spaced typewritten pages). (In Learn@UW drop box)
Note: I recommend making an outline by Oct 12 and sharing it with another person in the class. Based on your discussion, you can make changes to improve your essay. Think about the readings for Sept 21 & Sept 28. Choose two theoretical frameworks or perspectives from those readings. (A perspective may be scattered across several readings or fully represented by one reading.) Define “what is theorizing” according to those two choices. Compare and contrast in order to write an essay defining and discussing the different perspectives presented. Identify the themes you are using to compare them on (e.g., like “climate” in the example below that compares mountains and beaches.) Use concrete references to the ideas in those readings. Look for commonalities as well as points of difference. The real purpose of this paper is to discuss how do these different ways of thinking about theory and doing theorizing compare and contrast and to come to your own conclusions (“include your own voice” “develop your own thesis statement”). Write as if your reader (me!) has not read any of those readings.

Helpful resources for doing a compare and contrast essay: What is a thesis statement? See: http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/thesis.html http://www.enotes.com/topics/how-write-compare-contrast-essay (how to do a good compare and contrast paper) http://www.bookrags.com/articles/5.html (guidelines for simple format - ignore # of paragraphs)

Continued on next page….

SUGGESTED FORMAT & EXAMPLE Intro: Introduction in which you state your purpose, which is to discuss differences between vacationing in the mountains or at the beach Summarize perspective 1: Mountains Summarize perspective 2: Beaches Point-by-point Discussion II. First difference between mountains and beaches is climate A. Mountains B. Beach III. Second difference between mountains and beaches are types of activities A. Mountains B. Beach IV. Third difference between mountains and beaches is the location A. Mountains B. Beach Conclusion: Summarize the two perspectives, the three dimensions (climate, types of activities and location) and differences, and weigh the evidence to come to a conclusion about which might be stronger. Adapted from: http://www.eslbee.com/compcont.htm

DEVELOPING A THESIS Your thesis statement will evolve from the brainstorming. Look at your comparisons and ask yourself some questions. "Is there something important, significant, or interesting in the similarities and differences on my list? For example: "What have I discovered about autumn and spring?"

After looking at the list, a thesis statement might be: Although there is exquisite beauty in the seasons of autumn and spring, there are also distinctions which allow each season to stand on its own.

Source: http://www.roanestate.edu/owl&writingcenter/owl/com_con.html

Also see: What is a thesis statement? See: http://www.unc.edu/depts/wcweb/handouts/thesis.html

SAMPLE STRUCTURE & OUTLINE (totally hypothetical!)

Introduction – include thesis statement Through an analysis of two different developmental theoretical frameworks, my paper attempts to show how each framework constructs knowledge, is shaped by certain assumptions, and gives us different perspectives on how to understand childrearing. The paper also examines how these two different theoretical frameworks compare and contrast on dimensions such as what counts as knowledge, who counts as an expert in producing theory, and the different levels of analysis from which theory can be produced.
Family Science as Theorizing
Indigeneous Knowledge as Theorizing
Major Points of Similarity
Major Points of Difference
The Interactions of knowledge, expertise, and levels of analysis
Understanding the State of Post-modern Theorizing
Conclusion

F. Finding Journals That Address Your Area Of Interest Due by Oct 26 (5 points) Taking your area of research interest, identify databases and journals where you might find information related to your topic. To do this assignment, you will need to: · Learn how to use UW Libraries resources at http://www.library.wisc.edu/ · Learn how to use the Databases (on http://www.library.wisc.edu/) - don’t limit yourself to your discipline. · Learn how to use MadCat and WorldCat to find journals and books (on http://www.library.wisc.edu/) · Learn how to do searches in MadCat and databases · Learn how to use FindIt to find articles, including how to use Library Express to get copies of articles and chapters that are not electronically available. · Learn how to save references in the database folder and export them to RefWorks or another database. (I recommend you attend a RefWorks workshop). · Talk to a reference librarian to see if there are any other basics you should review.

Please produce and turn in: (In Learn@UW drop box) · Identify your topic and write a 1-2 paragraph brief explanation of what it is. · Make two lists: One of the databases you think are most useful to your area of study and one of the journal titles that you think are relevant to your topic. · Include bibliography of at least 20 references on your topic based on reviewing the abstracts. If you learn how to use RefWorks, this is a lot easier. Use APA format. [You will use 5 of these in the next assignment].

G. Topic Annotations with an Overview (Front) Statement Due Nov 9 (10 points)
Do combination (informative+evaluation) annotations on 5 research articles about your research topic of interest. In your annotation, make you sure you identify the thesis statement, theoretical framework, sample and population, method, and findings.

In addition to the type of annotation you did for the second week of class, incorporate these elements: a summary, an evaluation of the text, and a reflection on its applicability to your own research topic interest, respectively. Sample: http://www.library.cornell.edu/olinuris/ref/research/skill28.htm#sample

Attach a 2-4 page overview (front) statement before the annotations that is a synthesis of the annotations that defines the theoretical frameworks used in those readings. Include description of themes or concepts or theories. This is like a mini-literature review. If the theoretical framework is not explicitly named, use your own words to identify it. Use APA format for in-text citations in your overview (front) statement and references at the top of each annotation. Make sure at least one of them uses a theoretical framework covered by our syllabus.

Helpful resource for writing the front statement: http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/ReviewofLiterature.html NOTE: Your front statement will be a shorter version of writing a literature review, but structurally the same (introduction, body, conclusion).

H. Essay: Critical Theoretical Evaluation Of One Journal Article On Your Topic Due December 7 (13 points)
Choose one of the articles you found in your reading of the journal articles on your topic that uses one of the theoretical frameworks on our syllabus and write a critical evaluation of the application of theory in this article. Your essay should include 1) a brief introduction naming the article chosen and summarizing the focus of the article/research study, including • What is the substantive topic being explored? • What is the central question that the article is addressing? • What kind of data and methods do they use to answer their own question? • Who is their sample and population? • What is the final thesis/argument/explanation that they present?

2) a description of the theoretical approach the author(s) say they are using (and/or implicit theories that appear to motivate the article/research), including • What background academic literature do they start with and extend? o Theoretical frameworks introduced (or implied) in lit review o Empirical information from previous studies o Include the different theories they claim they are contrasting or testing

3) a discussion (your “voice”) of how the choice of theoretical orientation influences • how the researcher(s)’ approached the topic • assumptions they make • their methodology • how they constructed their measures and guiding concepts • the concepts they developed or tested in the results they report • their discussion and their conclusions

4) a brief personal evaluation/critique of the relative success/failure of this research to make a contribution to your interest in this topic and

5) an example and discussion of how use of a different theoretical approach to the same issue might have changed the method, concepts, and/or findings.

Helpful resource for writing a critical review of a journal article:
How to: http://www.utm.utoronto.ca/library/instruction/howtowritejournalsrev.html
Sample: http://www.slideshare.net/dawndrake/article-reviewwriting-sample

I. Essay: Thinking About Your Topic Through Different Theoretical Frameworks Due Dec 20 (10 points) **ABSOLUTELY NO EXTENSIONS** (about 15 double-spaced typewritten pages).

Using the theories (not frameworks), we have covered in this course, apply each of them to your topic to examine how each theory would shape what kinds of research questions they would lead you to ask and how you would study your topic. Identify your preferred theory and justify your final decision about which one works best for you.
Assignments E, G, H & I should be prepared and submitted in accordance with format standards of the American Psychological Association (APA), 5th edition. The headings, text references, and lists of references in your submitted papers should comply with the APA format. If you are not familiar with the APA citation and referencing standards, please check the following website for tips and format examples http://writing.wisc.edu/Handbook/DocAPA.html Course Objectives
Regarding thinking about theories and theorizing: 1. To build an understanding of the variety of family theoretical frameworks and family theories. 2. To develop an understanding of the different levels of analysis that shape family studies. 3. To learn how to identify and explore the primary analytic research questions in each theoretical framework that focus on families, as well as the assumptions, concepts, and kinds of data used in different family theoretical frameworks. 4. To think critically and comparatively about these family theories, in both oral and written form. 5. To explore how family theories can be applied and translated into practical applications.

Regarding professional skill development: 1. To develop writing skills to summarize the thesis of an academic writing. 2. To develop skills to annotate academic articles. 3. To develop writing skills in identifying and synthesizing the themes in a set of readings on a particular topic. 4. To develop writing skills in presenting a critical analysis of a synthesized set of readings. 5. To develop oral skills in intellectual interrogating different academic topics. 6. A major goal of this course is to strengthen your skills as an intelligent reader and writer.

Regarding your research interest area: 1. To locate academic readings in your field of interest on a topic of interest to you. 2. To evaluate your readings using class readings. 3. To relate your research interest to family studies, at some level. 4. To learn skills and ideas that will shape your research interest area and explain the basis of a research question, prepare for prelims (PhD students only), write your proposal, and write your final thesis. 5. To provide a space for you to find the middle range theories about the topic you are most interested in.

Note: Throughout the course we will focus on identifying assumptions and how theoretical frameworks have embedded perspectives or research questions.

The following HDFS learning objectives will be covered: Content b. Students develop an understanding of how individuals and families develop within multiple community, cultural, economic, historical, policy, and interpersonal contexts. Content c. Students recognize the nature and significance of diversity (e.g., cultural, economic, racial/ethnic, developmental, and social class) as it relates to knowledge in their field of study. Research Methods and Critical Analysis b. Students develop the critical thinking skills to become competent consumers of research by evaluating the quality, value, and construction of research and theory in the behavioral and social sciences. Research Methods and Critical Analysis d. Students develop critical thinking skills to evaluate, integrate, and synthesize different forms of knowledge. Research Methods and Critical Analysis e. Students learn to appreciate and understand the diverse perspectives and methods of different disciplines. Research Methods and Critical Analysis f. Students develop skills related to gathering scholarly literature, critically reviewing it, and writing integrative reviews. Application, Dissemination, & Professional Skills a. Students learn how to apply theory and research methods to societal issues.