Position Paper on Family: Definition and Role

Position Paper on Family: Definition and Role

Over the past several decades, Americans’ living arrangements have changed dramatically.  In the 1960s, 3 in 4 children lived in a traditional family (i.e. heterosexual parents in their first marriage).  Today, less than half of children do so.  Despite changes in living arrangements, society still expects family as a social institution to provide financial and emotional support for members, bear/adopt children and socialize them to function effectively in the broader society, respect external authority and maintain authority/control within the family unit.  You are to write a 2 to 3 page double spaced paper (12 point font) that

1. Argues persuasively for or against society broadening the definition of family to include nontraditional groups, which in this paper would be unmarried heterosexual partners, unmarried or married homosexual partners, reproductive technology users, single parents (never married or divorced), and voluntary childless couples. Personal opinion alone is not sufficient. Back up your position with reliable statistics, expert opinion, or other quality evidence, citing at least two different sources in this part of your paper (use APA style).

2. Critically evaluates the ability of the nontraditional groups (listed above in item 1) to do each task society depends on family to do as compared with a traditional family structure. Explicitly discuss the strengths and challenges each group faces in successfully completing each task. Support your evaluation with research based evidence, reliable statistics, expert opinion, or other quality evidence.  Include at least three supports for your evaluation in this part of your paper – one from your assigned reading and the rest from other reputable outside sources (3 or more quotes in this part of your paper).  Be sure to discuss all nontraditional groups listed.

3. Proposes a definition of family that you think society should adopt. Give explicit justification for why your definition should be widely used.  What are the key advantages and expected outcomes if your definition were used?  Would your definition align with or challenge current law related to family (e.g. employee benefits, inheritance rules, etc.)? Evaluate the usefulness of your definition for such activities as census enumeration, research, eligibility for public assistance.

Scoresheet for Position Paper on Family:  Definition and Role

0 or  1              2              3              4              5                              6

not done,          needs much    below   average                above                   outstanding

poorly done    improvement average                                average

Evaluation           Components      Comments

1              2              3              4              5              6              Clear stand taken for or against society broadening the definition of family to include EACH nontraditional group.  Stand well supported by research evidence; 2 quotes included and used appropriately in this section.

1              2              3              4              5              6

(times 2)              Critically evaluated the ability of EACH group – heterosexual partners, married or unmarried homosexual partners, reproductive technology users, single parents, voluntary childless – to successfully complete ALL tasks that society expects family as a social institution to complete as compared with a traditional family structure.  Evaluation correctly and convincingly drew on class discussions, readings, quality evidence; 3 or more quotes used appropriately in this section.

1              2              3              4              5              6              Proposed and justified a definition of family that society should adopt.  Discussed advantages and effects of using proposed definition. Evaluated usefulness of definition for such activities as census enumeration, research, eligibility for public assistance.

1              2              3              4              5              6              Quality of writing, including grammar, spelling, thesis statement, flow of ideas presented, absence of awkward, unclear, or poorly written statements, correct citations in text and reference.

TOTAL POINTS (out of 30)

Read your paper and put a  mark in the box when you’re sure you’ve written something about if and how well the group at the top of the column can do the specific task listed on a given row.

Unmarried heterosexual couples             Married or unmarried

Homosexual couples      Single parents   Users of reproductive technology            Voluntary childless couples

Provide financial support

Provide emotional support

Bear/adopt children

Socialize children

Teach children appropriate respect for authority

Maintain control in family

No          Sorta, not good yet         Yes

Used quotes from two different authors to support evaluation

Clearly stated that society should or should not broaden definition

Backed up opinion with two additional quotes

Proposed a definition of family that society should adopt

Evaluated usefulness of my definition for census, research, etc.

Correctly cited quotes in text and in bibliography

Kept within page limits