Sociology 101/Fall 2009

Understanding Society

 

 

 

 

Professor: Amy Chasteen Miller

Office:  434 Liberal Arts Building     Office hours: Walk-in hours Wed 8:30-10; Thurs 2-4; otherwise by appt

Phone/voicemail:  266-4306            Email: amy.chasteen@usm.edu    

 

Required Texts:

This class will use a customized sociology textbook entitled Understanding Society: Sociology 101. The authors listed are Andersen, Taylor, and Miller. The textbook itself has been developed for us here at USM. The custom edition is on three-hole punch paper (you can keep it in a three-ring binder and bring relevant chapters to class) and contains additional material about this class. It is considerably less expensive than the regular book. All sections of SOC 101 will use this textbook.

NOTE:  The course description & objectives, policies on academic dishonesty, and statement on Support for Students with Disabilities can be found inside your textbook.

 

CengageNOW product:

In addition to your textbook, you will have access to an online product called CengageNOW.  This product will include the full text of your textbook, learning modules for each chapter, study videos, web resources, and more. Many of these will be optional, able for you to use to enhance your studying and perform better in class. One facet of this product – the pre/post-tests in the learning modules – will be required. When we do a chapter, you will go online and complete a pre-test, which will guide you to areas you need to work on; you will then take a post-test for a grade. Because of this requirement, all students must 1) register and sign-up with this site AND 2) specifically add this course in order to have access to assignments and see your grades.

To register, go to http://login.cengage.com/sso// and navigate through the “new users” menu on the left side of the screen. First, you will first need to register with Cengage, using the “1Pass” key that comes with your textbook. Then, second, you will need to add this particular course to your account using the class code, which is E-UQC4BNWJU9UQ. If you don’t do this second step, you will be registered with Cengage but not specifically for this class – you must do the second step in order to get access to specific course materials. In addition to the study materials and required quizzes, CengageNOW will also have a gradebook feature that will allow you to see your grades on all assignments as soon as they are ready. You will also be able to easily monitor your grades throughout the term.  If you have problems getting access to our class site after registering with Cengage, try going through http://www.ilrn.com.  Be sure that when you do your tests you click to submit for grading at the end of the post-test.

 

Course Requirements and Grading Policies: Students will read assigned materials, take online quizzes, take in-class scheduled exams and write four short essays. Your grade for the course will be determined by your performance on the quizzes, exams and papers.

 

Quizzes. When a chapter is assigned from your textbook, you must go online to complete a learning module on that chapter that contains a pre-test and post-test. You may do the quizzes the day before or the day that it is due. Only the grade for the post-test will be counted towards your semester grade. You may take each quiz multiple times during that period, but the grade that you have at the end of the day that it is due will be the grade you keep. Chapter tests must be taken at the assigned time, and no make-up tests are possible. See your class schedule for due dates.

 

Examinations.  Exams will cover readings, videos and lectures. Students will take four non-cumulative exams and one comprehensive final exam. All exams will be comprised of multiple choice questions. Be sure to bring a Scantron, a #2 pencil, and a photo ID to class on test days. If you miss an exam:  If you miss an exam and you have a good reason, you must contact me within 24 hours of the exam with a written explanation of your situation (email is fine).  IF you do this and IF you have a legitimate, verifiable reason for your absence, then the weight of your comprehensive final will be adjusted to compensate for that missed exam. For example, if you miss the first test because of illness, then your final will be counted for 300 points instead of 100.

 

Papers. As part of the university’s core curriculum, students in all SOC 101 sections are required to write a total of 2,500 words outside of class, or about ten pages. For this section, you will write four short essays of 2-3 pages each. Details of the essay assignments can be found beginning on page 3 of the syllabus.

 

Grading: Semester grades will be determined using a 1000-point scale. To receive an A, you must have at least 900 points.  Between 800 and 899 points is a B, from 700 to 799 is a C, 600 to 699 a D and below 600 is an F. Each requirement is worth the following points: 


  90       On-line quizzes (nine at 10 points each)

125       Test 1

125       Test 2

125       Test 3

125       Test 4

200       Essays (4 at 50 points each)

210       Final exam

1000

 

Class Schedule

 

DATE(S)

TOPIC

DUE THAT DATE

W 8/19

Introduction to the class

 

F 8/21

The Sociological Imagination

Mills, in the supplement beginning page USM-5; James, in the supplement beginning USM-9

M 8/24

Thinking sociologically

Textbook pages2-11

W 8/26

Sociological frameworks

Textbook pages 15-18

F 8/28

More on frameworks

Carothers, in the supplement beginning page USM-10

M 8/31

Key concepts in research

Textbook pages 18-24

W 9/2

Research techniques

Textbook pages 25-27

F 9/4

More on techniques, and ethics

Textbook pages 27-29; Online module ch. 1 due

M 9/7

Labor Day – No Class

 

W 9/9

Review of chapter 1

 

F 9/11

Test 1

 

M 9/14

Thinking about culture; elements of culture

Textbook pages 33-44

W  9/16

Elements of culture, contd.; cultural diversity

Textbook pages 44-50; Easterling (USM-20) and Reynolds (USM-21) in the supplements

F 9/18

Popular culture; cultural change

Textbook pages 51-60; online module ch. 2 due

M 9/21

The socialization process

Textbook pages 63-72

W 9/23

Theories of socialization

Textbook pages 73-78

F 9/25

Resocialization

Textbook pages 87-89; Anonymous (USM-24); online module ch. 3 due

M 9/28

Society and social structure

 

Textbook pages 94-97; 101-104; 122-126

W 9/30

Social interaction

Textbook pages 105-109

F 10/2

Impression management

Textbook pages 111-119; Blankenship (USM-28) and Anonymous (USM-33); online module ch. 4 due

M 10/5

Review/discussion

 

W 10/7

Test 2

 

M 10/12

Key concepts in gender studies

Textbook pages 261-264 &  289-292

W 10/14

Gender socialization

Textbook pages 265-273; Dull & West (USM 82), Brown (USM-92), and Ladner (USM-94)

F 10/16

Gender stratification

Textbook pages 273-282; online module ch. 10 due

M 10/19

Sex & culture

Textbook pages 292-296 & 301-307; online module ch. 11 due

W 10/21

Key concepts in stratification

Textbook pages 177-185

F 10/23

Class structure

Textbook pages 185-196

M 10/26

Theories of inequality

Textbook pages 197-200

W 10/28

Poverty

Textbook pages 200-206; online module ch. 7 due

F 10/30

Strat. Continued

 

M 11/2

Review

 

W 11/4

Test 3

 

F  11/6

Defining race & ethnicity

Textbook pages 233-237

M  11/9

Major racial/ethnic groups

Textbook pages 244-251

W 11/11

Racial bias

Textbook pages 237-242; online module ch. 9 due

F 11/13

Defining deviance

Textbook pages 145-149

M 11/16

Theories of deviance

Textbook pages 146-159

W 11/18

Crime

Textbook pages 162-170

F 11/20

Punishment

Textbook pages 170-173; online module ch. 6 due

M 11/23

Test 4

 

M 11/30

Discussion group 1

 

 

W 12/2

Discussion group 2

 

F 12/4

Discussion group 3

 

 

The final exam will be given during the university-designated exam time for this class period.

 

 

Paper Assignments

 

1) Essay #1: The Sociological Imagination (Due Friday, August 28th)[1]

Demonstrate your sociological imagination by applying it to a real life situation.  First, select a problem that you have faced.  Examine the impact it has on you and the individuals around you, and discuss the steps that you might take to resolve such a problem.  (How do we deal with problems on the micro-level?)  Second, employ the sociological imagination; that is, look at this personal trouble as if it were a public issue that a million people were facing.  (What does it mean to use the sociological imagination?  What’s the difference between a trouble and an issue?)  Third, discuss how a resolution of the problem might occur on this macro-level.  How and why are the solutions to a trouble and an issue different?  (What does the sociological imagination allow you to realize about a problem you have that you might not have thought about before?)

 

2) Essay #2: Documenting Culture (Due Monday, September 21st)

Use your sociological eye to discuss your own cultural background using terms from class. First, define “culture,” “norms,” and “beliefs,” referencing your book but explaining in your own words. Second, explain at least two specific cultural norms that you follow and two cultural beliefs you hold to be true. Third, discuss how looking at your life from a sociological perspective gives you a different way of seeing.

 

 

3) Essay #3: Class & Generation (Due Monday, November 2nd)

In this essay, you will consider social class patterns across three generations in your own family – your grandparents, your parents, and yourself. First, select one grandparent or more and describe their “social class,” using your book’s definition and explanation of how social class is defined. Note the factors that you think contributed to their arrival at this class position. Second, do the same thing for your parent(s). Focus on the parent who is the child of the grandparent you discussed first – in other words, if you talk about your mom’s mother in part 1, talk about your mom in this part. Finally, turn to yourself and discuss the social class where you now place yourself and where you see yourself in 20 years. Finally, talk about changes in social class over the generations, or lack thereof, and factors you believed encouraged or discouraged intergenerational social mobility.

 

4) Essay #4: Experiencing Deviance (Due Friday, November 20th)

Learn about social norms by breaking one. Here’s how you do it:

1.       Choose an unspoken, basic norm. Do not choose something that is extremely bizarre or outlandish; rather, pick a basic social expectation to violate.

2.       Once you have chosen a norm to break, sit down and take notes before you break it, writing down your thoughts and how you feel about what you are about to do. Then do it. Pay close attention to everyone’s reactions and what you are thinking and feeling.

3.       Take notes immediately after “the event” so that you won’t forget details when you are writing your paper.

 

In your paper, first describe what action you chose and what norm you are breaking by doing it. Explain carefully. Second, describe your thoughts and feelings before and during, and discuss the reactions of others. Third, discuss what you learned from this experience about the place of norms in our everyday lives and the power of social expectations.

 

Important Notes and Policies:

  1. Tardiness: Papers turned in after the start of class lose five points regardless of the reason. Papers turned in after 4pm the day of class lose ten points. Ten additional points are deducted for each day late.
  2. Proper use of English grammar and mechanics is required including paragraphs, overall organization, punctuation, and spelling.  Use formal essay style and structure (i.e., do not use contractions).  It is fine to write in the first person.
  3. Format: The essay should be typed, double-spaced.  Use standard font style and size (i.e., Times New Roman, Arial, Helvetica, 11-12 points) and standard margins (i.e. 1 inch top and bottom, 1-1.25 inch left and right).  The essay should be about 600 words; it should not be longer than three pages.  Do not include a cover sheet or folder, but be sure to have your name on the paper.
  4. If you use references, cite all of them (including any information you obtain from the web) to avoid plagiarism.  A guide for formatting citations is available at http://www.chicagomanualofstyle.org/tools_citationguide.html .  References should be cited in-text and at the end of the essay in a separate reference section (under the heading “References”), which does not have to be on a separate page for this assignment.
  5. Grades:  Papers will mainly be graded on the basis of how well you demonstrate an understanding of the sociological concepts that are the subject of your essay. This is done not only by defining the relevant concepts but by how you apply them and the specific situations you choose to describe and analyze in order to make your case.  I will follow the scale below:

 

45-50pts.   Papers that are well-written, well-organized, and address all points of the assignment,

                    and define/use key terms properly. A clear sociological perspective is evident.

 

40-44pts.   Papers that are clearly written, well-organized, and address most points of the assignment,

                    and define/use almost all key terms properly.

 

35-39pts.   Papers that have some problems with clarity or organization, address most points of the

                    assignment, and define/use most key terms properly.

 

30-34pts.   Papers that are not clear or organized and do not address most points of the

                    assignment, or define/use most key terms properly.

 

20-29pts.   Papers that are very disorganized, address few aspects of the assignment, and define/use

                    most terms incorrectly.

 

0-19pts.     Papers that are very disorganized, address virtually no aspects of the assignment, and define/use all terms incorrectly.

 

NOTE: If you do not cite all sources properly or if you clearly have gotten your paper from elsewhere or copied parts of another source, you will receive a score of zero for the paper. If it occurs twice, you will receive an F for the course.


[1]Thanks to Dr. Julie Reid for developing this assignment as well as some of the policies below.