SCLG1001 Sociology Essay Questions | USYD

The short essay is a 1,000-word response to one of the essay questions below.

based on the following question and write a 1,000-word response in essay format:

Questions:

1. How is personal identity shaped by culturally constructed identity categories (e.g., gender, sexuality, ethnicity, race, class) and the processes of socialisation? In your response, analyse one or two specific identity categories.

Criteria

All citations need to be in-text citations!! provide the page numbers so I can find them in the sources directly. Use no more than 6 outside resources. Have to include at least 2 required readings.

Required Reading Lists:(please search online to view these readings)

• Introduction: Who Needs ‘Identity’?
  Book ChapterHall, Stuart, in QUESTIONS OF CULTURAL IDENTITY, edited by Hall, Stuart; du Gay, Paul, United Kingdom, SAGE Publications, Limited, 1996, 1 – 17
• Identity: Sociological Perspectives (2nd Edition)
  BookLawler, Stephanie, Oxford, Polity Press, 2015
  Chapter 1: Introduction: Identity as a Question, pp. 1-19.
• Imagined communities: reflections on the origin and spread of nationalism
  BookAnderson, Benedict R. O’G. (Benedict Richard O’Gorman), 1936-2015 author., Revised ed., London, Verso, 2016 – 2006
  Read pages 1-7.
• ‘Not everyone has a fair go’: unpacking contemporary understandings and experiences of Australian identity
  ArticleFarrugia, Jack ; Bullen, Jonathan, National identities, 2024-12-04, 1 – 20
• PM refuses to bite as Dutton seeks fight on Australia Day events
  WebsiteEvans, J., ABC News, 2025
• Dutton says Australians “shouldn’t be afraid” to celebrate Australia Day – As it Happened Newspaper ArticleBeazley, J and May, N, The Guardian, 2025
• The “Culture” in Cultural Competence
  Book ChapterDavis, Michael, in Cultural Competence and the Higher Education Sector, edited by Sherwood, Juanita; Russell, Gabrielle; Frawley, Jack, Singapore, Springer Singapore Pte. Limited, 2020, 15 – 29
• Understanding culture: the voices of urban Aboriginal young people
  ArticleMurrup-Stewart, Cammi ; Whyman, Theoni ; Jobson, Laura ; Adams, Karen, Journal of youth studies, 24(10), 2021-11-26, 1308 – 1325
• “Lie Flat”- Chinese youth subculture in the context of the pandemic and national rejuvenation
  ArticleSu, Wendy, Continuum (Mount Lawley, W.A.), 37(1), 2023-01-02, 127 – 139

Your short essay will be graded against the following criteria.

The extent to which your essay:

• demonstrates an understanding of key sociological concepts and a capacity to apply them in analysis.
• Construct a clear, well-structured argument.
• Draw on evidence from credible, scholarly sources, including, at a minimum, 2 required readings and at least 3 additional academic sources.
• is written clearly and concisely with few grammatical or spelling errors.
• appropriately references sources using the Harvard referencing system
• Essays are to be referenced using the Harvard Referencing style, with a reference list included (the reference list does not count toward your word count).

Notes:

• Please do not include your name on your essay or in the file name. Your short essay is anonymously graded (which means the markers do not know whose work they are grading). only include your Student ID Number
• Style Guide: Double-spaced text [2.0], Font: Times New Roman, Verdana, or Arial. Please include a Title and Page Numbers.
• Make sure to keep an electronic copy of your essay for your files. Support for writing the essay:

Exemplars

We have prepared exemplars of introductions, arguments and use of evidence in different grade bands (credit, distinction, and high distinction) in first-year essays. Please find them here.

These are meant to be a guide for you to improve your essay writing skills in sociology and give you an idea of the standard of writing, essay structure and use of evidence expected from work in these grade bands.

Please pay particular attention to the comments.

Academic integrity

While the University is aware that the vast majority of students and staff act ethically and honestly, it is opposed to and will not tolerate academic integrity breaches and will treat all allegations seriously.

Further information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students can be found on the academic integrity pages on the current students website: https://sydney.edu.au/students/academic-integrity.html.

You may only use generative artificial intelligence (AI) and automated writing tools in assessment tasks if you are permitted to by your unit coordinator. If you do use these tools, you must acknowledge this in your work, either in a footnote or an acknowledgement section. For information on acknowledging AI, please refer to the guidance in the AI in Education Canvas site.

We use Turnitin, which includes AI detection, to detect potential instances of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breach. If such matches indicate evidence of plagiarism or other forms of academic integrity breaches, your teacher is required to report your work for further investigation.

Further information on research integrity and ethics for postgraduate research students and students undertaking research-focussed coursework such as Honours and capstone research projects can also be found on the current students website: https://sydney.edu.au/students/research-integrity-ethics.html.

Compliance statement

In submitting this work, I acknowledge that I have understood the following:

• I have read and understood the University of Sydney’s Academic Integrity Policy.
• The work is substantially my own, and where any parts of this work are not my own, I have indicated this by acknowledging the source of those parts of the work and indicated any quoted text by quotation marks or indentation according to accepted style standards.
• I have acknowledged any assistance provided in preparing the work, including the use of copy-editing, proof-reading, and automated writing and drawing tools (including artificial intelligence (AI), reference generators, translation software, and grammar checkers, but not spell checkers).
• The work has not previously been submitted in part or in full for assessment in another unit unless I have been permitted by my unit of study coordinator to do so.
• The work will be submitted to similarity detection software (Turnitin), and a copy of the work will be retained in Turnitin’s paper repository for future similarity checking.
• Engaging in plagiarism or academic dishonesty in coursework will, if detected, lead to the University commencing proceedings under the Academic Integrity Policy and the Academic Integrity Procedures.
• Engaging in plagiarism or academic dishonesty in research-focussed work will lead to the University commencing proceedings under the Research Code of Conduct and the Academic Integrity Procedures.
• Engaging another person to complete part or all of the submitted work will, if detected, lead to the University commencing proceedings against me for potential student misconduct under the University of Sydney (Student Discipline) Rule.