INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
Spring 2004
Mark Rubinfeld
Nightingale 8
Office phone:
832-2430; Home phone: 364-1228
E-mail: mrubinfeld@westminstercollege.edu
Website: www.people.westminstercollege.edu/faculty/mrubinfeld
Office Hours: Mon., Tues., Wed., and Thurs. 4:00-5:15, and by appointment.
Required Books (Available at College Bookstore):
Henslin, James M. Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach. Sixth Edition. 2003. Boston: Allyn & Bacon.
Course Objectives:
Procedures and Course
Outline:
This course utilizes
a variety of learning tools including readings, lectures, videotapes,
discussions, group exercises, and oral presentations. Readings for the week
appear on the attached course outline. The first part of this course, exploring
culture and socialization, provides an overview of the “sociological
perspective,” that is, how sociologists look at the world, what questions they
ask, what theories and methods they employ, and how all of this differs from
other forms of acquiring knowledge. The second part of this course turns to an
examination of social inequality from both a global and national perspective
while exploring how variables of class, race, ethnicity, and gender impact on
life choices and chances. Finally, the third part of this course focuses on the
nature of social institutions with a particular emphasis on the family and
education.
Assignments and Grading:
Final grades will be
based on a mid-term (30% of the final grade), a final examination (30% of the
final grade), two papers (each 10% of the final grade), ten chapter reaction
assignments (10% of the final grade), and a group presentation (10% of the
final grade). In calculating final grades, class participation will also be
taken into account. You must complete all of the course requirements in
order to pass this course. Final grades will be based on the percentage of
total points earned: A (93-100), A-
(90-92), B+ (87-89), B (83-86), B- (80-82), C+ (77-79), C (73-76), C- (70-72),
D+ (67-69), D (63-66), D- (60-62), and F (below 60).
Exams: The exams include multiple choice,
true-false, and short essay questions covering material from the readings,
lectures, class discussions, and group presentations.
Papers: Prior to assigning the two papers, I will
spend class time detailing the nature of the assignment, my expectations for a
successful completion of the assignment, and my grading criteria. The
assignments will always be the same: a typed four-to-six page paper
(double-spaced) in which you apply sociological ideas covered in different
sections of the readings to class content and life experiences. In evaluating
your papers, I will be looking for two basic things: first, a clear expression
of which sociological ideas or concepts you are using, and second, a good
application of those ideas. Late papers will be accepted up to one week late
with a ten-point penalty; after one week, no late papers will be accepted.
(Note: an absence on the day a paper is due is not a valid reason for missing a
deadline. It is your responsibility to find someone to deliver the paper for
you, or to fax or e-mail a copy of the paper to me on the due date).
Chapter reaction papers:
After reading each assigned chapter, you will be responsible for writing a
one-to-three page “reaction” paper (handwritten or typed) that includes your
critical reactions to the chapter and at least one question that you may have
about the chapter. Late reaction papers will be accepted up to one class late
with a one point (out of possible ten points) penalty; after one
class, no late papers will be accepted.
(See above note about absences on dates that reaction papers are due).
Class Participation and
Attendance:
Classroom
discussions are important; they help to clarify various issues that arise from
the readings and add diversity to the learning experience. I expect that all
students will participate in classroom discussions. Although this class has no
formal attendance policy, a significant number of questions on the
midterm and final will focus on class lectures and discussions. Furthermore,
since I will be weighing class participation in borderline grading situations,
students who regularly attend class and frequently participate in classroom
activities and discussions will have an “edge” in achieving a higher, final
grade. Finally, I reserve the option of giving quizzes, assigning additional
homework, or emending this syllabus as the need arises.
Student-Student and
Student-Faculty Relationship:
All students must be
respectful of other students. This means no talking while other students are
talking or trying to listen. It also means showing up to class on time so as
not to disrupt the class with late arrivals. Once class begins, no chatting, no
reading outside materials, and no sleeping in class. If you must eat, make sure
it is a “quiet” food. Also, turn off your cell phones. In other words, act
appropriately for a college class—if your actions create a distraction, you
will be asked to leave. In accordance with college policies, any acts of
cheating or plagiarism will be penalized to the severest extent. My office
hours are listed at the beginning of this syllabus. At any time, feel free to
meet with me to discuss any matters relevant to this course. It is especially
important to see me early in the semester if you are having difficulties. Do
not wait till the end of the semester when there is little, if anything, I can
do to help. Finally, feel free to meet with me if you would like to learn more
about sociology, including pursuing it as a major or minor, or incorporating
its application into papers and assignments from your other classes.
Group Presentations
Due to time
constraints, there are a number of chapters from the text that will not be
covered in lectures nor assigned to everyone for reading. In order to give you
a “glimpse” into the content of these chapters, we will use group presentations
that will: 1) allow us to cover more material than we could normally cover
through lectures and readings, 2) provide you with a greater variety of
viewpoints, and 3) afford you the opportunity to experience working on a group
project that includes public speaking.
Midway through the semester, we will
form groups with each group being responsible for reporting on one of the
unassigned chapters in the textbook. Each group will have 30 minutes to report
to the class on the chapter, and 10 minutes for a question and answer period.
The group should not try to cover all of the material in the chapter but focus,
instead, on the most pertinent point (or points), serving as the “instructor
for the day,” and emphasizing what it thinks the students should learn.
Each member of the group must
participate in the oral presentation. All students in the group will receive
the same grade. On the day of the group presentation, each group must submit an
outline of its presentation and what each individual member will be covering.
The final exam may include several questions stemming from the presentations so
it is important that students not presenting on a given day listen attentively.
It has been my experience that the best presentations are those that involve
the following:
Solid preparation: All group members should be equally
prepared for the presentation. This usually necessitates a clear delineation of
member roles in preparing for and conducting the presentation. In addition,
many of the best presentations involve outside research or activity. For
example, one group designed and conducted a survey that examined fads and
fashions on campus, videotaped interviews with students on what they like to
wear and why, brought in examples of changes in styles from different social
eras, and tied their findings to the chapter in the text on collective
behavior. Another group spent an afternoon conducting a field observation at a
local hospital, observed a heart bypass operation, talked with doctors and
nurses about the current state of medical care, and linked what they learned to
the chapter in the text on medicine. Still another group filmed, choosing the
chapter on population and urbanization, shot a film of downtown, city life,
illustrating different examples of urban decay and urban renewal. The bottom
line is that the format is up to each group. There are only three limitations:
that the presentation take no more than 30 minutes (plus an extra 10 minutes
allotted for questions and answers); that the presentation incorporates
sociological analysis; and that the presentation is tied to the relevant
chapter in the text.
Class activity
and/or handouts: Having the
class take an active role in at least part of the presentation (through
handouts, posters, transparencies, videos, or any other audio or visual aids
that the group deems useful) often results in better class attention and
discussions. In presenting your material, strive to be informative, engaging,
and creative. Try to think of different ways of involving the class into your
presentation so that your audience stays interested.
Introduction of
the panel members: You can
make the group presentation a bit more personal by introducing yourselves at
the beginning of your presentation. This helps to lessen the “intimidation
factor,” and to create an atmosphere more conducive to audience participation.
Furthermore, try not to forget to establish occasional eye contact with members
of the audience, and to smile from time to time. Also try to be sure that you talk
to your audience rather than read the entire time from notes or cue cards.
Careful time
budgeting: Use your time
wisely. Thirty minutes is not very long for a presentation. While you should be
prepared to use the entire 30 minutes for your presentation, this does not mean
that you should try to cram as much information or activities as possible into
your presentation. It is better to cover a few well-developed points about a
topic than to zip through ten confused and disjointed points.
Expectations
about audience participation:
Of course you will do the best you can to encourage participation and
discussion from the class. However, the burden of responsibility is not
entirely yours. The rest of the class is also responsible for ensuring that the
group presentations are an engaging and rewarding experience for everyone
involved. This entails: 1) listening attentively (showing respect for speakers),
2) taking part in the discussion and/or activity, and 3) preparing at least one
question or comment to share with the class during the question and answer
period.
Grading: As previously mentioned, each member in the
group receives the same grade. The grades for the group presentations will be
based on the following criteria: 1) substance or content, 2) creativity and
resourcefulness (use of materials, exercises, activities, etc.), and 3) form
and style (articulation, length, organization, preparedness, etc.). If the
group is having a problem with one or more of its members (e.g., not coming to
preparatory meetings, showing no interest in the project, not doing his or her
share of the work), first, try to work it out with the member or members. If
the problem persists, however, let me know about it as early as possible. If
the group consensus is that one or more members of the group are not
participating to the satisfaction of the group, the non-participating member or
members will not get credit for the assignment, and receive a zero for their
group presentation grade. This ensures that the group is not penalized for the
lack of preparation of any of its members and that no group member or members
receive credit for the work that others are doing.
Having fun: Education does not always have to be a
chore. In addition to learning new material, this is an opportunity to develop
public speaking skills, gain self-confidence, make new friends, and have some
fun. This is your time to teach and to reach. Go for it!
Week
|
Topic
|
Assignments
|
|
1 |
Introduction to Sociology/
Class Expectations and Responsibilities |
Wednesday January 7Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 1,
pp. 1-35 Due: Wednesday January 7 Chapter 1 reaction paper |
|
2 |
The Sociological Perspective (and)
Culture
|
Wednesday January 14 Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 2,
pp. 37-63 Due: January 14 Chapter 2 Reaction Paper |
|
3 |
Culture
(and) Socialization |
Wednesday January 21 Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 3,
pp. 65-95 Due: Wednesday January
21 Chapter
3 Reaction Paper |
|
4 |
Socialization
(and) Social Structure and Social Interaction |
Wednesday January 28
Sociology:
A Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 4, pp. 97-127 Due:
Wednesday January 28 Chapter 4 Reaction Paper
|
|
5 |
Social
Structure and Social Interaction (and) How Sociologists Do Research |
Wednesday
February 4
***FIRST
PAPER DUE*** Wednesday February 4
Sociology:
A Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 5, pp. 129-153 Due:
Wednesday February 4 Chapter
5 Reaction Paper |
|
6 |
How
Sociologists Do Research (and) Global Stratification (and) Midterm Review |
Monday February
9
Sociology:
A Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 9, pp. 243-273 Due:
February 9 Chapter
9 Reaction Paper |
|
7 |
Midterm Exam |
Wednesday February 18***MIDTERM
EXAM*** (Covering chapters 1,2,3,4,5,9) |
|
8 |
Social
Class in the United States |
Monday March 1Sociology:
A Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 10, pp. 275-305 Due:
Monday March 1 Chapter
10 Reaction Paper |
|
9 |
Social
Class in the United States (and) Sex and Gender |
Wednesday March 10
Sociology:
A Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 11, pp. 307-339 Due:
Wednesday March 10 Chapter
11 Reaction Paper |
|
10
|
Sex
and Gender (and) Race and Ethnicity |
Monday March 15
***Top
Three Choices—Group Presentations*** (choose from chapters
6,7,8,13,14,15,18,19,20,21,22) Monday March 15
Chapter
12, pp. 341-377 Due: Monday March 15Chapter
12 Reaction Paper Wednesday March 17
***SECOND
PAPER DUE*** |
|
11 |
Race
and Ethnicity (and) The Family |
Monday March 22
Chapter
16, pp.467-501 Due: Monday March 22
Chapter 16 Reaction Paper |
|
12 |
The
Family |
No
readings or assignments due this week; continue working on group presentation
preparations. |
|
13 |
The
Family (and) Education |
Wednesday March 31Chapter
17, pp. 503-529 Due: Wednesday March 31Chapter
17 Reaction Paper |
|
14 |
Education
(and) Group Presentation Preparations (and) Group Presentations |
Monday April 5
Group
Presentation Preparations Wednesday April 7
Group
Presentations |
|
15 |
Group
Presentations |
Monday April 12Group
Presentations Wednesday April
14
Group
Presentations |
|
16 |
Final
Exam Review, Class Wrap-up, and Student Course Evaluations |
Monday April 19
Leftover Group Presentations, Group Presentation Grades and Feedback, Final Exam Review, and Class Wrap Up ***FINAL
EXAM***
(covering chapters 10,11,12,16, and 17) is scheduled for Monday April 26th,
6:00-7:50 p.m. |