Instructions (using Digication software)
Step 1: Photo – Upload a photo that best illustrates your time at this event. Some things can include: a photo of the speaker, of the audience members, of the moderator of the event, of the room full of attendees, of an actual place that the speaker mentioned in the talk, of a publicly-available photo related to the event, etc.
Step 2: Professor feedback: Photo
Step 3: Summary of event – In this section, provide the answers to some of the “W” questions that every journalist includes in her/his first sentence. This usually entails telling the reader Who (was talking), What (was being discussed), Where (the event took place), When (it took place), and, lastly, Why (this matters to other John Jay students). [The “why” part often takes about a paragraph, or more than three sentences.]
Step 4: Direct relevance to you – Here, you are to summarize some of the points that the speaker made and choose one thing that has direct relevance to you and your life. Explain how you are connected to one of the things that the speaker mentioned during the talk. [Remember, I want to read about something that directly relates to YOU and YOUR life. One example is fine, but you must be descriptive and specific.]
Step 5: Professor feedback: Summary and Direct Relevance to You
Step 6: Direct relevance to sociology – In class, we discussed how Sociology is the study of social forces (F-GEERMS) and social relations (CRASH). Choose one social force and one social relation and discuss how the speaker went about studying it in the work s/he does as a sociologist. Why might these issues be important for sociologists and important for other students at John Jay to know about?
Step 7: Professor feedback: Direct Relevance to Sociology
Step 8: Opinion and suggestions – Here, provide your opinion on (1) how the event was received by the audience, (2) how interesting the speaker was to you, (3) how interesting the topic was presented; and then offer 3 suggestions that would make future speakers stronger, better, more relevant to you and to the John Jay community.
Step 9: Professor feedback: Why I Became a Sociologist
Teaching Writing at John Jay College 