So 101 Introduction to
Sociology
Dr. Reynolds Fall ‘08
Office Location: Building
4, Room Number 148
Office Telephone: (973)
618-3527
Email:
mreynolds@caldwell.edu
Office Hours: Mondays,
If I am not in my office,
please leave a message on my voice mail and I will get back to you as soon as
possible. I am not on campus on Fridays.
REQUIRED TEXT
Macionis, John J. 2007. Society
The Basics (9th ed.).
NJ: Prentice Hall.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
Introduces the study of
society and acquaints the student with principles and major areas of
sociological inquiry. Examines topics
related to the individual, culture, deviance, and social inequalities.
COURSE OBJECTIVES
v
To introduce students to
the history and development of the discipline of sociology;
v
To familiarize students
with the basic concepts, research, theoretical perspectives, and literature of
sociology;
v
To enable students to
apply sociological theory, the sociological perspective, and sociological terms
and concepts to everyday life;
v
To improve the reading,
writing, research, and critical thinking skills of students through class
lectures, discussions, textbook readings, and written assignments.
COURSE REQUIREMENTS
I.
EXAMS: There will be
three exams, spaced evenly throughout the course of the semester. Generally, we will have an exam after every
two chapters. None of the exams will be
comprehensive. Each exam will encompass
only the materials analyzed during that portion of the course. Tests will be a combination of essay,
short-answer, and objective questions (multiple-choice, true/false, and
fill-ins). I will inform students of
general areas of study for each exam.
However, each student is responsible for all material covered in class
lectures and in their textbooks. Each
exam is worth 25% of the student’s final grade (all three exams therefore total
75% of the student’s final grade).
There are
NO MAKE-UPS FOR MISSED EXAMS (unless there was a death in the student’s immediate
family, and the student has verification of same; the student is an athlete
with a game scheduled, and has verification of same, or the student is ill and
has a note from their family doctor).
Under any of the aforementioned circumstances the student must alert the
professor of their situation at least one day prior to the exam. Do not, under any circumstance, fail to show
up for a scheduled exam, because you will get a zero (0) for the exam.
The final exam
is scheduled for
II.
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENT
As a class,
we will decide on a movie to review.
Each student will briefly summarize the movie plot.
You will
then apply the three sociological paradigms—structural functionalism, social
conflict, and symbolic interactionism—and at least
three sociological concepts (terms) or theories discussed in class to the
movie. (Refer to the Key Concepts
section at the end of each chapter of your textbook for ideas.). For an illustration of how to apply
sociological theory to everyday life see Applying
Sociology—Sports: Playing the Theory Game, pages 20-21 in your text.
You should
begin by briefly explaining what the movie is about. Subsequently, using your textbook as your
guide, you should briefly explain the essential assumptions/ideas of the
three theoretical paradigms. You should
then select concrete passages from the video that demonstrate each of the three
theoretical paradigms. Finally, you need
to do the same for your three sociological concepts. Using your textbook as your guide, define
each concept and demonstrate how each concept applies to the movie.
Essentially,
you are to define, explain, and apply sociological paradigms and concepts to
the movie.
Application
of sociological paradigms and concepts to the movie is the most important part
of this assignment. Perhaps four out of
the five pages should be devoted to the application of your concepts and
sociological perspectives to your topic.
Whether you are quoting directly from or simply paraphrasing from
your textbook you must cite your textbook author.
Be sure to
cite the full title, director, producer, and year of your video in your
reference page.
The purpose
of this assignment is twofold: (1) to gauge your understanding of
sociological theory and sociological concepts; and (2) to gauge your ability to
apply sociological theory and sociological concepts to everyday
life. In other words, my aim is to have
you think sociologically, and to make use of your “sociological imagination”.
Do not rely
on class lecture notes to complete this assignment; use your textbook!!!
Paper
is to be a minimum of five (5) typed, double-spaced pages. Assignment counts as 25% of your final grade
(the equivalent of one exam grade). Due
Date:
Late
papers are penalized one full grade for each day they are late, including
holidays and weekends! No late papers
will be accepted after
I
do not accept papers by fax or email!
Grading Criteria for
Final Paper
Content and Clarity—the substance and
thoroughness of the paper; the development of ideas
Organization—the logical sequencing
of topics, sentences, and paragraphs
Evidence—the accuracy of
statements
Comprehension—your understanding of
the material
Mechanics/Grammar—spelling, unclear
sentences, verbs and tenses, word choice, and punctuation
Documentation—accurately using
quotations and citing sources
Papers without proper
documentation will be severely penalized!
All
students have the option of handing in their written assignment one week early
for review and evaluation. I will then
read and assess the assignment, and let you know what you need to do to improve
the paper. You may then resubmit your
draft and your final paper on the original due date. I will NOT read papers with less than one
week allowed for review.
Paper Writing Hints: Appearance Counts! Do not hand in papers with paper clips or the
corners folded down; staple papers!
Include a title page with the paper's title, the course name, the
instructor's name and your name. Avoid
abbreviations and contractions in formal writing. Underline or italicize journal, book or
magazine titles. Film or television
titles are generally underlined, italicized, or set off in quotation
marks. For example, the television show "Cops." Remember to number pages.
COURSE SCHEDULE (subject to revision at the
discretion of the instructor)
We will cover chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 7 of
the text.
Classroom Policies: It is expected that
students will attend all classes, will read text material prior to coming to class, will take copious notes and will
participate in class discussions. Class
attendance and class participation WILL be considered in determining the
student's final grade. Students who
have their heads down in class, who appear to be sleeping, or who are actually
sleeping in class will not receive credit for attendance.
It
is also expected that students will arrive for class on time, and
will be respectful of other students and me.
Please be sure to shut off all cell phones and pagers before entering
the classroom. Students who cannot
conduct themselves properly in class will be asked to leave. Childish or disruptive behavior is not
tolerated in my classes! This includes
socializing during class, passing notes, acting bored or sending any other
message that this class is the last place you want to be! The classroom is an environment for learning,
and any student that interferes with the learning process will be asked to
leave.
Academic integrity
Students
are to familiarize themselves with the college's academic integrity policy,
which is explained in the college catalog.
Violations, penalties and procedures are contained therein. Students are
forewarned about multiple submissions of papers (e.g., handing in papers from
another class), and of handing in papers that are not their own work!
Students
with Documented Disabilities
Any student who has a documented disability and is
in need of academic accommodations must contact the Office of Disability
Services (973-618-3645) and notify the professor of this course. Students are required to provide written
documentation of their disability in order to be eligible for
accommodations. Accommodations are
individualized and in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of
1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1992.
If a student with a documented disability wishes
to take their tests in the
ALL STUDENTS ARE ENCOURAGED TO COME TO MY OFFICE DURING
THE COURSE OF THE SEMESTER FOR HELP WITH COURSE CONTENT, STUDYING FOR EXAMS,
WRITING ASSIGNMENTS, OR JUST TO CHAT. DO
NOT FEEL SHY ABOUT COMING TO SEE ME! I
WANT TO GET TO KNOW YOU SO THAT YOU CAN BE SUCCESSFUL IN THIS CLASS AND OTHERS,
AND I CAN ONLY DO THAT IF WE COMMUNICATE WITH EACH OTHER! IF YOU ARE HAVING PROBLEMS OF ANY KIND PLEASE
LET ME KNOW!