INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
Fall 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.
Course
Description:
This course provides
an introduction to sociology by examining the cultural, institutional, and
social forces that influence people’s perceptions, actions, and opportunities.
Required Books (Available at College Bookstore):
Henslin, James M. Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach. Seventh Edition. 2005.
Course Objectives:
Procedures and Course
Outline:
This course utilizes
a variety of learning tools including readings, lectures, videotapes,
discussions, group exercises, and oral presentations.
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), ten chapter reaction assignments (20% of the final grade), one
formal paper (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.
Chapter reaction papers:
After reading each assigned chapter, you will be responsible for writing a
two-to-three page “reaction” paper (handwritten or typed) that includes your critical reactions to the chapter as a
whole or to a particular section of the chapter that most interests you. Late
reaction papers will be accepted up to one class late with a one point (10
percent) penalty and up to two classes late with a two point (20 percent)
penalty; after two classes, no late papers will be accepted.
Formal Paper: You will be
require to complete a typed five-to-six page paper (double-spaced) in which you
will be asked to apply sociological ideas covered in different sections of the
readings to class content and life experiences. In evaluating your paper, 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: For
both the chapter reaction papers and the formal paper, if you are absent on the
day a paper is due, you are responsible to find someone to deliver the paper
for you or to e-mail a copy of the paper on the due date).
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
until the end of the semester when there is little 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 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 presented a slide show 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 takes 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 |
No Assignments |
|
2 |
The
Sociological Perspective
|
Tuesday August 31 Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 1,
pp. 2-33 Due: Tuesday August 31 Chapter 1 Reaction Paper |
|
3 |
The Sociological
Perspective (and) Culture |
Tuesday September 7 Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 2,
pp. 35-61 Due: Tuesday September 7 Chapter 2 Reaction Paper |
|
4 |
Culture (and) Socialization |
Tuesday September 14
Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 3,
pp. 63-91 Due: Tuesday September
14 Chapter 3
Reaction Paper
|
|
5 |
Socialization (and) Social
Structure and Social Interaction |
Tuesday September 21
Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 4,
pp. 93-121 Due: Tuesday September
21 Chapter 4 Reaction Paper |
|
6 |
Social Structure and Social
Interaction (and) How Sociologists Do Research |
Tuesday September 28
Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 5,
pp. 122-144 Due: Tuesday September
28 Chapter 5 Reaction Paper |
|
7 |
Global Stratification (and)
Midterm Review |
Tuesday October 5 Sociology: A Down-to Earth Approach, Chapter 9, pp.229-257 Due: Tuesday October 5 Chapter
9 Reaction Paper |
|
8 |
Midterm Exam (and) Social
Class in the |
Tuesday October 12
***MIDTERM EXAM*** (Covering chapters
1,2,3,4,5,9) Thursday October 14 Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 10,
pp. 259-287 Due: Thursday October 14 Chapter 10 Reaction Paper |
|
9 |
Social Class in the |
Due: Thursday October 21 ***Top Three Choices—Group
Presentations*** (choose from chapters 6,7,8,13,14,15,18,19,20,21,22) |
|
10 |
Sex and Gender |
Tuesday October 26 Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 11,
pp. 289-321 Due: Tuesday October 26 Chapter 11 Reaction Paper |
|
11 |
Race and Ethnicity |
Tuesday November 2
Chapter 12, pp. 323-358 Due: Tuesday November 2 Chapter 12 Reaction Paper |
|
12 |
The Family |
Tuesday November 9 Chapter 16, pp. 447-481 Due: Tuesday November 9
Chapter 16 Reaction Paper Thursday November 11
***FORMAL PAPER DUE*** |
|
13 |
Education (and) Group
Presentation Preparations |
Tuesday November 16 Chapter 17, pp. 483-509 Due: Tuesday November 16 Chapter 17
reaction paper
Thursday November 18 Group Presentation Preparations |
|
14 |
Group Presentations and
Thanksgiving Break |
Tuesday November 23
Group Presentations Thursday November 25
Thanksgiving Break |
|
15 |
Group Presentations (and)
Last Class, Final Exam Review, Class Wrap-up, Student Course Evaluations |
Tuesday November 30
Group Presentations Thursday December 2 Group Presentations, Group
Presentation Grades and Feedback, Final Exam Review, and Class Wrap-up ***FINAL EXAM*** (covering
chapters 10,11,12,16,17) is scheduled for Wednesday December 8 at
|