First Assignment

Due: January 15

Part 1.

Using your Web browser (e.g., Mozilla Firefox or Internet Explorer). Go to

http://www.nationalhomeless.org/

and answer the following questions (hint: you will find the info under Publications):

1. What is the most recent estimate the organization provides for the number of homeless people? What is the difference between the "point-in-time" and the "period prevalence" count? Can you say if one is a better measure than the other? If yes, why?
2. Do you have any reason to doubt the figures the organization gives? If yes, do you think there may be some bias? Is there a reason to believe that the actual figure is bigger/smaller?

Find another Web site that is dedicated primarily to the homeless. Give us its address and a short description.

Part 2.

Go to the web site of the American Sociological Association

www.asanet.org

Look at the titles from its annual meeting that took place in Boston in the summer of 2008.

To do that, go to the Meetings Archives for the 2008 Meeting that was held in Boston.

http://convention3.allacademic.com/one/asa/asa08/index.php?cmd=asa08&id=

Search the program for titles. You can also View the abstract for most titles..

Judging from the titles, how many papers were delivered on the homeless or homelessness at this conference? Give us three titles that you found interesting on the basis of their abstracts.

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS:

Please be sure to present your responses in an organized, clear, grammatically correct, paragraph format (i.e. no sentence fragments, bullets, etc.). Be sure to proof read, spell check, and make appropriate paragraph breaks when necessary.

All homework must be handed in typewritten and stapled. Please use an 11-12 point font, double-space and number each page.