| SOCIOLOGY 108: INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY SYLLABUS, FALL 2002 Sociology 108, Section 04 3 Semester hours Teaching assistant: Suzanne Stoelting, 4338 Faner. Email: suzannestoelting@hotmail.com Required Textbook: Tischler, Henry L., Introduction to Sociology, Seventh edition, Harcourt 2002 Course Format: Lecture, some discussion. The method of presentation, in addition to lecture, may include videos, chalkboard and overheads, and guest presentations. Course Objectives: By the end of the semester, students will be able to (a) demonstrate knowledge of basic sociological concepts about social processes (e.g., socialization, deviance, social control, and stratification by class, gender, and race) and social institutions (e.g., the family, religion, and the state); (b) summarize several basic theoretical approaches used in sociology; (c) apply these concepts and theories to contemporary events or personal experience; and (d) demonstrate on examinations and in their writing a knowledge of cultural, class, religious, and other differences within and between societies, as well as ways to account for these differences. Course Description: Sociology 108 explores some of the ways social scientists explain human behavior. In contrast to psychology, for example, sociology shows how social structures and the collective experience of groups influence how people live, think, and believe. In contrast to journalism, to give another example, sociology uses the methods of science to ask and answer questions about the nature of social life. Among some of the characteristic questions to be answered are: What makes some people wealthy and others poor, and how does this mold peoples’ lives and views of one another? How are adult roles developed, and how are children brought up to occupy them? In what ways do conflicts develop between groups within a society and in what ways are these conflicts managed? How do societies come to designate some behavior as “deviant,” and what are the consequences of these deviant designations? By grappling with questions such as these, students should develop an appreciation of differences between groups and an appreciation of the complexities of social life. Course Requirements: 1.) There will be three tests covering four chapters each, which may be either objective (multiple choice, for example) or subjective (essay) or both. Please bring a pencil to every test. Tests may include material from the textbook as well as from the lecture. There will also be a final exam, which may be subjective and/or objective and which may be comprehensive. There will be no makeup tests, except at the instructor’s discretion. If a makeup is permitted, it must be completed within one calendar week of the test date. 2). There will be two short papers due, between three and five pages, on topics to be assigned. The due dates are given in the syllabus. These assignments must be typed, using 10 or 12-point font, double-spacing, and standard margins. The ASR or MLA format is recommended. (A good style manual such as the Little Brown Handbook or Holt Handbook can help.) An outside writing assignment will be accepted late only with the instructor’s permission. Essay questions on tests will be judged for the quality of the thought, and the assigned papers will be judged for both the quality of the thought and the quality of the writing. The English Department’s Writing Center (second floor of Faner) can provide free help in developing college writing skills. At the instructor’s discretion, and for good reason, rewrites of assigned papers previously submitted may be allowed. These should be resubmitted within one calendar week. Grading: Each of the tests and papers will be worth approximately 17% of the semester grade (100 ÷ 6 letter grades = 16.66), with one caution— while tests can be missed, the papers are not optional. Both must be turned in before a passing grade will be given. Attendance & Participation: Attendance is required in this class, for the reason that a student cannot predict what material will be included on a test, nor what announcements will be made in class concerning any necessary changes to the syllabus. Attendance will therefore be recorded each class period. A student who must miss a class is expected to give the teaching assistant a written reason for missing every class. The written reason must be submitted the next class period. The format will be this: 1. Name 2. Date of absence(s) 3. Class time 4. A brief explanation of the reason class was missed. Plagiarism: It is expected that all work submitted by the student (whether papers or tests) is his or her original work. Careful attention must be paid to documenting sources that reflect the writings and ideas of other people. Again, any good style manual can be an invaluable guide to citing sources. Plagiarism of any sort may result in the failure of the course or even dismissal from the university. 8/20/02 Introduction 11/12/02 Ch. 11 PAPER 2 DUE 8/27/02 Ch. 1 10/8/02 Ch. 7 Social Stratification & Social Class 10/22/02 TEST (CH. 5-8) 10/29/02 Ch. 9 11/5/02 Ch. 10 The instructor reserves the right to make changes in this syllabus if the need should arise. These changes will be announced in class.
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