Married Couples Interview

Essay TWO – Married Couples Interview

Interview three (3) married couples or persons in a long-standing committed relationship regarding the factors that contributed to their choice of spouse/partner. Interview both persons in the relationship. Make sure you have collected a consent form signed by each couple interviewed. The essay will not be graded without signed consent forms.

The essay is to be 5 pages to no more pages than 6 pages in length (not counting the title page and the reference page). Use APA style referencing with the text as your only resource. Set up your essay as follows:

Essay Two Criteria (in addition to the Written Assignment Instructions and Essay Format found under the Course Information button entitled Written Assignment Criteria.)

 

I. Title Page – single page with paper title, presented to, name and date.

 

II. Abstract – optional

  

III. Introduction – introduce your essay by telling the reader what you are presenting in the essay. Include at least one reference from the text and cite it appropriately.

  

IV. Content – describe each couple interviewed using at least three concepts, theories, and/or terms from the text for each couple within the content area. Cite the references appropriately. Do Not make statements without the explanation of why you used a concept or theory. Get your couples to clarify their statements of how they chose “The One” by asking them what they mean and why it was important to them in choosing their spouse. The factors to include:

  

a. Introduce Each Couple. If possible, seek couples of racial and ethnic diversity. Introduce each couple separately and follow with factors b., c., and d., before introducing the next couple. Report the ethnicity of your couples, age at marriage, current age, how long they have been married or in a committed relationship, social class, and other relative backgrounds. (from Chapters 1-3).

  

b. How did they narrow the Pool of Eligibles? Use terms and concepts from the text, Chapter 6. (i.e., Endogamy, exogamy, heterogamy, homogamy, geographic availability, social pressure, religion, etc.) Be descriptive and concrete.

  

c. What level of Reiss’s Wheel has the couple reached? (Chapter 6)

 

d. In your opinion, which of John Alan Lee’s Love styles best describes the couple? (Chapter 6)

  

V. Summary – Summarize your findings. Your summary should be at least one page in length. You should include at least two text references in your summary. Points to include:

 

a. Contrast and compare the couples.

 

b. Do you think they chose their spouse based on what they told you?

 

c. What is your personal reaction about the interviewed couples?

  

VI. Reference Page – The reference page should be a separate page. The reference page should be single-spaced. Since you are only using the text for references, you will only have one text reference on this page. Cite the reference appropriately.

 

Hint:

REFERENCE

Lamanna, M. A. & Riedmann, A. (2012). Marriages, Families, & Relationships: Making Choices in a Diverse Society, 11
th Edition.Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing

 

Other Instructions:

When you cite your text, you need to relate the support. Do not just cite the support without an explanation of why you are using the reference. Make sure when you cite you include the source with page number, eg, (Lamanna & Riedmann, pg. 65). DO NOT use outside resources, just the current text. Do not write the definition of your reference word for word, but paraphrase and cite appropriately.