INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
Fall 2005
Mark Rubinfeld
Foster 308
Office phone:
832-2430; Home phone: 364-1228
E-mail: mrubinfeld@westminstercollege.edu
Website: http://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), nine 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:
Choosing nine-out-of-the-eleven chapters in the text, you will be responsible
for writing a typed two-to-three page “reaction” paper (double spaced) after
reading each of the nine chapters that you choose, which will cover 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 without
instructor’s approval.
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 an attachment copy of the paper on the due date).
Class Participation and
Attendance:
Classroom
discussions are an important component of the learning experience and,
therefore, I expect that all students will participate in these 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).
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, power-point, 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 |
Thursday September 1 First class—No Assignments |
|
2 |
The
Sociological Perspective
|
Thursday September 8 Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 1,
pp. 2-33 Due: Thursday September
8 Chapter 1 Reaction Paper |
|
3 |
The Sociological
Perspective (and) Culture |
Thursday September 15 Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 2,
pp. 35-61 Due: Thursday September
15 Chapter 2 Reaction Paper |
|
4 |
Culture (and) Socialization |
Thursday September 22
Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 3,
pp. 63-91 Due: Thursday September
22 Chapter 3
Reaction Paper
|
|
5 |
Socialization (and) Social
Structure and Social Interaction |
Thursday September 29
Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 4,
pp. 93-121 Due: Thursday September
29 Chapter 4 Reaction Paper |
|
6 |
Social Structure and Social
Interaction (and) How Sociologists Do Research |
Thursday October 6
Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 5,
pp. 122-144 Due: Thursday October 6 Chapter 5 Reaction Paper |
|
7 |
Global Stratification (and)
Midterm Review |
Thursday October 13 Sociology: A Down-to Earth Approach, Chapter 9, pp.229-257 Due: Thursday October 13 Chapter
9 Reaction Paper |
|
8 |
Midterm Exam (and) Social
Class in the |
Tuesday October 18
Midterm Exam Review
Thursday October 20
***MIDTERM EXAM*** (Covering chapters 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, and 9) |
|
9 |
Social Class in the |
Tuesday October 25 Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 10,
pp. 259-287 Due: Tuesday October 25 Chapter 10 Reaction Paper Due: Thursday October 27 ***Top Three Choices—Group
Presentations*** (choose from chapters 6,7,8,13,14,15,18,19,20,21,22) |
|
10 |
Sex and Gender |
Thursday November 3 Sociology: A
Down-to-Earth Approach, Chapter 11,
pp. 289-321 Due: Thursday November 3 Chapter 11 Reaction Paper |
|
11 |
Race and Ethnicity |
Thursday November 10
Chapter 12, pp. 323-358 Due: Thursday November 10 Chapter 12 Reaction Paper |
|
12 |
The Family |
Tuesday November 15
***FORMAL PAPER DUE*** Thursday November 17 Chapter 16, pp. 447-481 Due: Thursday November 17
Chapter 16 Reaction Paper |
|
13 |
The Family (and)
Thanksgiving Break |
Tuesday November 22 No Assignments Due Thursday November 24 Thanksgiving Break—Happy
Thanksgiving! |
|
14 |
Education and Group
Presentation Preparations |
Tuesday November 29
Chapter 17, pp. 483-509 Due: Tuesday November 29 Chapter 17
reaction paper
Thursday December 1 Group Presentation Preparations |
|
15 |
Group Presentations |
Tuesday December 6
Group Presentations Thursday December 8 Group Presentations |
|
16 |
Group Presentations (and)
Last Class, Final Exam Review, Class Wrap-up, Student Course Evaluations |
Tuesday December 13
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,
December 19, from 2:00-3:50. |