Sociological Theories SYLLABUS

Sociological TheoriesSYLLABUSCOURSE INFORMATIONCourse Number: SYA 4010 RVC (83795)Term: Fall, 2018Place: OnlineInstructor: Katherine Lineberger, PhD Email (PREFERRED): I utilize email as a means of keeping in regularcontact with students, to inform about technical issues, to announcewhen grades have been posted, and so forth. Please email me only on thecourse website.o Email Triage: I check my university email once daily on weekdaysthroughout the semester and usually reply within 48 hours toemail, though sometimes there are delays for which I appreciate yourpatience. If I receive a high volume of emails, my general policy is torespond first to emails which relate to the course content (e.g.questions/comments related to sociological theory) and questionswhich cannot be answered by any other available course-relatedresource (e.g. FIU Tech Support, the Course Syllabus, the Live &Recorded Discussions, emails, etc.).Phone: 305-348-0352-I check voicemails daily on weekdays throughout thesemester.Office Hours: Fridays, 12-1:00 PM (please make an appointment)REQUIRED READINGSRitzer, George and Jeffrey Stepnisky (2019). Contemporary SociologicalTheory and Its Classical Roots: The Basics (5th ed.). Sage Publications:Thousand Oaks, CA. ISBN:9781506339414Additional required readings and videos can be viewed on the coursewebsite.1

COURSE DESCRIPTION:This course examines the emergence of sociology as the study of socialrelations. We will compare and contrast the work of selected theorists,including but not limited to their methodologies, treatment of theemergence and consequences of modern society, political sociology,conception of social class, and analysis of the role of religion in society. Thestudent is expected to gain in-depth knowledge of opposing theories, aswell as an appreciation of the contingent nature of sociological theories.COURSE OBJECTIVES:Upon completion of this course students will:1. Identify and define a variety of theoretical concepts.2. Identify and summarize the main propositions of a variety ofsociological theories and their limitations.3. Create, explain, and describe visual depictions of a variety oftheoretical perspectives and concepts.4. Investigate and report about a variety of theoretical applications.COURSE REQUIREMENTSThere are several activities within each lesson to assist you in buildingknowledge of Sociological Theory. Eight lessons are organized on a bi-weeklybasis. All lessons are open to you once you have passed the SYLLABUS QUIZ with100% accuracy.1. Syllabus,Blackboard, andComponent QuizREQUIRED BY September 1st, 2018 AT 11:59pm FOR EVERYONE! STUDENTS WHO FAIL TOPASS THE SYLLABUS QUIZ WITH 100%ACCURACY BY THIS DATE WILL BEADMINISTRATIVELY DROPPED FROM THECOURSE.You will take a quiz based on the courserequirements and the use of coursetechnology. The purpose is to ensure that you2

clearly understand the course requirements andhow to use the course online tools. You will gainaccess to the remaining course materials once youhave passed the quiz with 100% accuracy.2. Bi-Weekly AdobeConnect Sessions(and Live OfficeHours):Total points 25.Every other week throughout the semester (see ACSchedule), I will conduct a 1 one-hour onlinediscussion/activity related to the current topic. Theobjective of these meetings is to provideopportunities for us to more fully unpack theconcepts, issues, and research covered in the course,as well as to maintain a “Course Housekeeping”dialogue throughout the semester. The meetings alsoprovide you with the opportunity to demonstrate theknowledge you’ve gained and to ask questions relatedto the course material. Online discussions providetime for you and me to have direct, live interaction.Each discussion is recorded and the recordings areposted on the course website immediately aftereach meeting.Since one of the fundamental aspects of onlineeducation is that it is “asynchronous,” you have 2options in this assignment:1. You may attend and participate in themeetings, or2. You may watch the meeting recordingsand write a 500 word summary/responseabout each meeting. Please use the handouts “Tips on Writing aSummary,” “A Sample Summary,” and the “ACAssignment Rubric(s)” to help you completethis assignment. NOTE: “Life is something that happens whenyou’re making other plans ” (John Lennon).There have been times when, for a variety ofreasons, it has been necessary for me to cancelan Adobe Connect Session. In the event thishappens, students are required to summarize3

a film associated with the lesson, the PPTLecture related to the lesson, or a readingassociated with the lesson. In this event, theSummary Grading Rubric will be used forgrading.ADOBE CONNECT SESSION SCHEDULE:Session12345673. Quiz Yourself/Study for Exams:4. Exams:DateAugust 27September 11September 26October 11October 22November 5November 26Time12 PM2 PM5:30 PM12 PM2 PM5:30 PM12 PMEach meeting/summary is worth 12 points (7sessions). Total points possible for this assignment 84All possible exam questions for each lesson arepooled and offered for practice. “Quiz Yourself” canbe found within each Lesson’s folder.GradingParticipation is graded as “Yes, the student didpractice” (1 point) or “No, the student did notpractice” (0 points).Total possible points: 8Within each lesson is an exam which covers thematerial in that lesson. Exams provide theopportunity for you to gauge your growingknowledge in Sociological Theory, includingvocabulary, summarizing major areas of research,and application of theoretical perspectives. Examsare structured within the following parameters: Fifty minutes is allotted for each exam. Examsexceeding this deadline will be considered lateand not accepted.4

You are required to download and utilizeRespondus Lockdown Browser for takingexams online. The browser and instructionsfor using it are provided on the coursewebsite, under “Assessments.” You will receive your score upon submissionof your exam. On the Monday following eachexam (once all students have completed theexam) all students will be able to access theanswers they chose and the answers thatwere wrong. If, for whatever reason, you should encounterdifficulties in completing an exam by the duedate and time, you may take a make-up, longanswer/essay exam, instead. Make-up examsare randomly drawn from a pool of questionsby the instructor. Students will have 24 hoursto complete make-up exams, beginning at amutually arranged time. RespondusLockdown Browser is also used for make-upexams.GradingEach exam is comprised of 25 multiple choice andtrue/false questions, each worth 1 point. All examquestions relate to the course material reviewedfor that lesson (exams are not cumulative).Questions are drawn from the “Quiz Yourself” pool.Total possible points (8 exams X 25 pts. each) 200pts.5. QuestionDevelopmentAssignment:A number of materials are used in this course to surveySociological Theory, each filled with a variety of concepts,histories, outlines of theoretical systems, and more. Each ofthese materials contributes important perspective to anoverall understanding of Sociological Theory. Each of thesematerials also is required to complete assignmentsthroughout the course. One of the highest demonstrations oflearning is the ability to craft a good question about it.You will create multiple choice questions from theresources in each lesson.5

1. Questions can be of three types:a. Definition of Key Termsb. Summary of Key Ideasc. Critical Thinking/Application QuestionsPlease see additional handout (QD Assignment Handout) onthe course website to assist you in completing thisassignment.QD ASSIGNMENT SCHEDULELESSON 1Please review the course materials for this lesson andcreate one question from each of the following sources:1. Text, Ch. 12. Lecture 13. Film: “Connections: The Sociological Perspective”LESSON 2Please review the course materials for this lesson andcreate one question from each of the following sources:1. Text, Ch. 2 (sections on Emile Durkheim and Karl Marx)2. Lecture 23. Lecture 34. Film “Suicide, 1898: Emile Durkheim” by John Scarbrough5. Film “Marxism: The Theory that Split a World”LESSON 3Please review the course materials for this lesson andcreate one question from each of the following sources:1. Text, remainder of Ch. 22. Text, Ch. 3sections related to Simmel, Veblen, and Meade3. Lecture 44. Lecture 55. Film “The Codes of Gender: Identity and Performance inPop Culture”6. Film “He Said, She Said: Gender, Language, andCommunication with Deborah Tannen”LESSON 4Please review the course materials for this lesson andcreate one question from each of the following sources:1. Text, Ch. 42. Lecture 7 & 8LESSON 5Please review the course materials for this lesson andcreate one question from each of the following sources:1. Text, Ch. 52. Lecture 146

1.2.3.4.5.LESSON 6Text, Ch. 6Text, Ch. 7Lecture 9Lecture 10Lecture 11LESSON 7Text, Ch. 3 (WEB DuBois)Text, Ch. 8Text, Ch. 9Lecture 6Lecture 12Video: Katie Makkai, “Pretty”Video: “Killing Us Softly: Advertising’s Image of Women”Video: “Tough Guise: Violence, Media, & the Crisis inMasculinity”9. Film “WEB DuBois: A Biography in Four Voices”1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.LESSON 81. Text, Ch. 102. Text, Ch. 113. Chs. 1 and 2 of Ritzer, George (2018). TheMcDonaldization of Society: Into the Digital Age (9th ed.).Sage: Thousand Oaks.4. Lecture 135. Lecture 156. Film: “Poto Maitan: Haitian Women”7. Film: “God Loves Uganda”GradingTotal possible points: (10 pts. per assignment) 80points5. GroupSeveral groups are within the course, each open toAssignment-Collages: no more than 5 students.A variety of resources are utilized within eachlesson. The Collage Assignment requires thatstudents pull together the various ideas andexamples presented by these resources into apictorial representation, with a one-page, writtendescription.7

This assignment provides you the opportunity todemonstrate your knowledge of sociologicaltheoretical perspectives and concepts; develop anddemonstrate creativity and originality in yourapproach to sociological theory; and develop anddemonstrate your ability to clearly communicatetheoretical perspectives and concepts in writing.6. GroupAssignment-ArticleSummaries7. Group Contracts &Self/Peer ReviewSurveys:Grading (Please see the assignment rubric)Total Possible Points: (50 pts. per assignment X 2required) 100 pts. NOTE: Grades on groupassignments will be awarded to the entire group.A number of groups are within the course, eachopen to no more than 5 students. Students maychoose to stay in the group they belong to for thecollage assignment.The Article Summary Assignment is designed toprovide opportunities for students to develop skillsin searching for and interpreting scholarly resources.It is also designed to deepen students’ knowledge ofsociological theories through exposure and workwith scholarly sociological research and theoreticalwriting. Finally, this assignment is developed sothat students may develop team building/workskills, develop and demonstrate clear communicationabout theory and research through writing.Grading (Please see the assignment rubric)Total Possible Points: (50 pts. per assignment X 2required) 100 pts. NOTE: Grades on groupassignments will be awarded to the entire group.The working world requires the skills and abilitiesrelated to group/team work. Group/Team work isnever as perfect as we imagine we could do byourselves. This will always be the case Mostemployment requires a certain level of skillworking in teams. Please treat this assignment asan opportunity to build group work skills.8