Choose a sociological idea that you think is important — whether it pertains to you, your family or community or just make sure you have a coherent idea!

Learning Goal: I’m working on a sociology writing question and need a sample draft to help me learn.

This assignment is an example of “visual sociology.”

Many of us communicate through photographs whether it is social media (FB, Instagram), texts and snapchat, or memes. Let’s convert that into an assignment – making a sociological photo essay – that will help us become literate in the visual language that surrounds us, stir our emotions and make us seek answers, and be a means of changing lives and changing society.

You’ve probably been exposed to photo essays for your entire life—possibly without even knowing it. Photo essays may contain no text and just speak for themselves with a simple caption. Or, the photographs may have a thesis statement or brief notes to explain their meaning. They can be designed to be viewed in a particular order or in no particular sequence. The viewer can then decide how to examine the photographs and accompanying text.

Goal: Your goal for this assignment is to create a photo essay of 6-7 photographs about any sociological topic or event that is of interest to you, be it rituals centered around an event or a glimpse or urban life or people at work. However, the selected set of photographs should tell a story, present an idea, or make the viewer feel a certain emotion. Select photo essays will be shared in class and with permission, on the bulletin boards of the Sociology department and Dickson Hall.

Before you begin: Look through the following photo essay by MSU students that was recently featured in the NJ Spotlight News about the recent state elections.

https://www.njspotlightnews.org/2021/11/nj-general-election-montclair-state-university-photo-essay-candidates-voters-thomas-e-franklin/ (Links to an external site.)

A few more are included here as examples. Make sure you go through them carefully before creating your own photo essay.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1536504219830678 (Links to an external site.)

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1536504220920196 (Links to an external site.)

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1536504220902201 (Links to an external site.)

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1536504220977937 (Links to an external site.)

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/1536504220950403 (Links to an external site.)

Directions: Following these steps will help you create a coherent photo essay:

1. Choose a sociological idea that you think is important — whether it pertains to you, your family or community or just make sure you have a coherent idea!
2. Create a thesis statement that clearly states your idea.
3. Create the body of your photo essay. Write four or five points that you want to make to prove your thesis statement. Select photos that will illustrate each of these points. Organize your points and the photos into an essay. If you want viewers to look at the photos in a certain order, make that clear. For example, you might number the photos or use arrows to show the “path.”
4. As you work, think about the photos you picked, why you picked them, why they fit in a particular order in supporting your thesis. Will someone looking at your photo essay understand how the photos relate to your thesis?
5. Create a concluding statement for your essay.
6. Make sure your photo essay meets the criteria on the Photo Essay Checklist.

Select photo essays will be displayed on a bulletin board in the Sociology department with owner permission.

Photo Essay Checklist

The photo essay should:

1. ___Include a clear thesis statement presenting a sociological idea.
2. ___Present six or seven statements that support the thesis.
3. ___Provide a photo illustrating each supporting statement.
4. ___Include a concluding statement that is not simply a restating of the thesis.
5. ___Use correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation and be visually appealing.

Remember: Photos can truly stir our emotions, make us seek answers that may change us, others, and society.