Graduate Social Work Department

Community Assessment – SWG 555: Summer 2014

Choose a community with which you are familiar (e.g. residential neighborhood, school community, community of identification). Discuss and critically analyze the following:

I. Introduction to community

a. Argument for why this group constitutes a community

II. Assessment of community characteristics

a. Demographics – who, what, where, when

b. Function – what function does the community serve and how does it do this?

c. After assessing the functioning of the community, discuss issue(s) /challenge(s) this community has. (Note: It is best if you focus on one specific issue/challenge for this assignment.)

III. Analysis of community social processes

a. Community Assets
b. Empowerment
c. Social Networks
d. Social Control & Norms

IV. Recommendations for how this community’s functioning could be strengthened and how you, as a macro-level social worker, might help affect these changes

The paper should be approximately 8 pages, double-spaced, with at least 6 course or scholarly references in APA style. Web info does not consider scholarly reference except those from government official websites or scholastic associations, i.e, APA, American Pediatric Associations.

WRITING HINTS:
• Avoid the 1st person – you are doing an assessment, not a personal reflection
• When you introduce a theoretical concept (e.g. empowerment) be sure to explain what that is
• Use subtitles to organize the paper
• Check and double check grammar and APA – there should not be mistakes here
• Include a cover page and title

Due _____ D2L Dropbox

SWG 555: Community Assessment – Grading Rubric

Exceeds Expectations Meets Expectations Does Not
Meet Expectations
Rationale for definition as a community
(FPB 23) Substantive rationale for why this group constitutes a community (15 pt)
Satisfactory rationale for why this group constitutes a community Weak rationale for why this group constitutes a community
Assessment of community characteristics
(FPB 23) Substantive assessment of community characteristics from an integrated conceptual perspective (20 pt)

Satisfactory assessment of community characteristics from a conceptual perspective
Limited assessment of community characteristics

Analysis of social processes
(FPB 23) Substantive analysis of community social processes
(20 pt) Satisfactory analysis of community social processes Limited analysis of community social processes
Reasoned proposal for community intervention
(FPB 29) Clear proposal for community intervention (15 pt)
Satisfactory proposal for community intervention
Limited proposal for community intervention

Integration of source material
Integration of course and scholarly material into analysis is clear and reasoned (10 pt)
Integration of course and scholarly material into analysis is satisfactory
Integration of course and scholarly material into analysis is limited

Effective written communication
(FPB 14) Excellent organization, professional tone, and free of grammatical errors (10 pt)
Clear organization, professional tone, and generally free of grammatical errors
Poor organization, lack of professional tone, and several grammatical errors

Use of APA style
(FPB 14) Full application of APA style
(10 pt) General application of APA style
Limited application of APA style