SY 1013 Introduction to sociology Fall 2004

MWF 1:30

Chris Marshall Office in SC 208. School phone: 254. Home

phone: 589-4632.

This course offers you an overview of the topics and methods, and some of the excitement, of sociology.

There are two required books: The Practical Skeptic; Core Concepts in Sociology (2 ed.) and The Practical Skeptic: Readings in Sociology (2ed), both by Lisa J. McIntyre. We'll stick close to the text, reading it critically and carefully.

OUTCOMES:

By the end of this class you should be able to:

• Identify and give examples of key ideas and tools of sociology. • Apply these ideas and tools to your life and the world (how do people really get rich? what’s effective in stopping crime? Who’s really in charge? What are the odds I’ll own my own home? What kind of person am I likely to marry?) • See through some of the illusions of society. • Express your ideas even better in writing, discussion, and presentation. • Read even better.

STRUCTURE:

9/3-8 The sociological eye. Chapter 2

9/10-15 Conceptual tools. Chapter 3.

9/17-19 Relativism and ethnocentrism Chapter 4.

9/22-24 Science, variables, and data. Chapter 5.

9/26--10/3 Researching. Chapter 6.

NO CLASS October 6.

10/8-10 ASSESSMENT (exam, oral presentations, debate, field

observation)

NO CLASS October 13--school break.

10/17-20 Culture Chapter 14.

10/22-27 Social structure Chapter 8.

10/29--11/3 Institutions. Chapter 9.

11/5-10 Socialization. Chapter 10.

11/12-17 Deviance. Chapter 11.

ASSESSMENT (exam, oral presentations, debate, field observation)

11/19-24 Stratification. Chapter 12.

NO CLASS OCT 26-28--school break.

12/1-5 Social class. Chapter 13.

12/8-12 Race and ethnicity. Chapter 14.

FINAL EXAM.

For each of these units you’ll read the chapter thoroughly (including the “stop and review” questions), write the “chapter review questions” at the end to hand in, read various readings, and write one or more brief exercises (reaction papers, position papers, etc.).

Classes will consist of discussions of the readings, using the ideas to make sense of the world and our lives. We will read some of each other’s writings, take and defend positions, do some field research, and critically view a few films.

REQUIREMENTS:

Writings and chapter review questions will be assigned, several a week. These will not normally require research. They should usually be about two pages in length. Please expect a quiz after every assignment.

There will be two larger assignments, one around October 8 and the other around November 12. Generally these may involve an exam, oral presentations, debate, and/or field observation. The final will be similar and will probably take place on the scheduled day for finals. These are set up to provide learning for you and a way of measuring your learning for both of us.

This course is strongly interactive, so your presence in class is necessary. You may miss four classes for any reason at all; after that, no reason will be accepted for any further missed classes, and your grade will be affected. Writings and study questions not handed in on time will be marked down one letter grade for each class-day they are late. I encourage you to rewrite work for a better grade; please check with me before you do, and please hand in both the old copy and the new one together.

Writings count for a third of your grade, larger asignments and final a third, and class participation a third.

OTHER NOTES:

• Please keep all your writings in a portfolio in order of date written.

• The mechanics of writing make a difference in this course. Spelling and punctuation are important in your essays and final exam, and will affect your grade. In the journal and in-class writings they are not important.Pages must be stapled (no paper clips), and writing must be typed or written neatly in dark ink. Citations of actual words or ideas borrowed from other sources should be made as follows (you need not cite me or the text, though):

According to Brown and Deloache (1992), children often...

or Children often succeed...(Brown and Deloache,1992)

or "We found that children often..." (Brown and Deloache, 1992,

p.22).

• Dishonesty is a matter of courtesy, but it's also against college regulations, and I will take off lots of credit if I see it. Plagiarism often happens by accident, but we need to take responsibility for avoiding it. Again, you do not need to cite me or the texts in your writings for this class.

The Unity College Honor Code requires that students be honest in all academic work.. The Honor Board administers the Honor Code. If a student feels that he or she has been treated unfairly by a faculty member regarding academic integrity, that student may bring the matter to the Honor Board for resolution and afterward may appeal to the Dean of the College. Academic Dishonesty includes, but is not limited to— Plagiarism

* quoting, summarizing, or paraphrasing any part or all of a source without acknowledging the source in the text of any written work;

* incorporating any information—-data, statistics, examples, etc.— that is not common knowledge without attributing the source of that information;

* using another person’s opinions, reasoning, or arguments; and

* putting your name on an assignment someone else completed.

Cheating

* claiming credit for work not done independently (excluding college support services such as the LRC) without giving credit for aid received; and

* accepting any unauthorized aid or communication during examinations, and falsifying or deliberately misrepresenting data and/or submission of work.

Other Unacceptable Practice

* submitting an assignment for one class in another class without approval of both instructors.

Any student found to be responsible for violating the Unity College Honor Code may be suspended or dismissed. In this class, a student would receive a failing grade for the assignment and a course grade reduced by one letter grade (B to C, for example).