Caroline Christy

English 1102-001
Mrs. C. Williams
Draft One
January 24, 2014


Purpose: The issue that I am planning on discussing is what are the social norms, how the social
norms are affecting people, and what are the differences of social norms in other cultures. The
reason that I want to research this is because people will do crazy things to fit in and feel
normal but who should be the judge of normal? Many teenagers will commit suicide due the
bulling at school or in their life because they are different. I want to research why that is and how
these social norms came to be. This is important to e because the times are changing and I hope
that with that the social norms will change as well; I want to document this while the social norms
are still so prominent.

Method: For secondary research I am going to take notes and look at statistics of suicide rates
now and in the past. Also I am going to research other cultures and their social norms and how
they react when people are different.

Implications: I believe that the significance of the study is to open peoples eyes about how
stereotyping and making people feel different can really hurt them. Also I want to open peoples
eyes about the social norms they follow, I think sometimes people dont even realize that they
way they act is based on how society wants them to act and how they conform. I am going to
name some of the social norms that are the same in most cultures and different in our culture
compared to others.

Claim One: I want to discuss the differenced in other cultures and their social norms.
Caroline Christy
English 1102-001
Mrs. C. Williams
Draft One
January 24, 2014
Claim Two: I hope to find that even though the social norms might be different they are the same
concept.
Claim Three: I want to show that these social norms can affect those who are seen as different
because they are not seen as normal in society.
Main Claim: I want to prove in todays society different is seen as bad.

Concert Support: In focus groups I am going to show pictures of a socially normal person and
then I am going to show pictures of someone who is seen as socially not normal I am going to see
their responses to each and record them. Also I am going o ask people about what they think is
weird and what they think is normal. This way I can fully grasp what people see as normal and
rules to follow by. I will also ask people in the focus group for anything that they were ever
made fun of during school or teen years.