Sociology - Chesapeake College

8/22/2013SociologySOC 161 (102)Syllabus Fall 2013“The voyage of discovery is not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.” Marcel Proust“In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, in the expert’s mind there are few.” Shunryu SuzukiCOURSE INFORMATIONCredits:3Time:T/Th 8:30-9:45amLocation:Technical Building T101Prerequisite: NoneINSTRUCTOR INFORMATIONName:Shannon Fleishman, PhDEmail:Through CanvasOffice:S123 Science BuildingPhone:410-822-5400 x2308Office:S123 Science BuildingOffice Hours: T/TH 10am-noon (Wye Mills);MW 10:30-11:30am (Cambridge; Room 210)Note on Email: Please use your Conversations/Inbox (via Canvas) for all private correspondence withme. You can also reach me at sfleishman@skipjack.chesapeake.edu for emergencies.GETTING STARTEDRequired Textbooks:1. Macionis, John J. 2013. Society: The Basics. 12th Edition. Boston, MA: Pearson2. Schneider, Linda and Arnold Silverman. 2013. Global Sociology: Introducing Five ContemporarySocieties. 6th Edition. New York: McGraw Hill.Why Sociology? Sociology is the study of our social world. It may very well be one of the most importantclasses you will take over the course of your academic life. After all, the contemporary social world isconstantly changing. Gaining the tools required to understand the social forces at play in changingeconomic, social, and political realities is increasingly important for your future academic life, not tomention for your personal life and professional future as well. “Thinking sociology” may not comenaturally at first, but we will learn together.As you join me on the journey (I’m constantly learning too!), please keep these keys for success in mind: Read the assigned chapter before class. And, then, re-read it after class. Think and re-think about what you are reading and learning in class. Apply these lessons to thereal world. Write. And re-write. Ask Questions! Ask Questions! Ask Questions!COMMUNICATIONCanvas offers several ways to communicate with each other and with me, specifically announcements,discussions, conversations/inbox. For example, if something confuses you about the course or you just

don't understand something, you can post questions to the “General Questions” discussion thread(available through the Discussions button on the Course Navigation portion of our site).Take advantage of these tools and get to know your classmates outside of class! When correspondingfor this class, please use appropriate language and etiquette. Messages should be free of grammaticalerrors. Slang is not appropriate in an instructional setting; after all, we are preparing you for theprofessional world.Canvas Orientation and Support: If this is the first time that you are taking a course using Canvas as thelearning management system or need a refresher on Canvas, please take the Canvas StudentOrientation, which also covers how to properly submit Canvas Help Tickets should you experience anytechnical difficulties while working in Canvas. You can access this from the Canvas home page (i.e., byclicking first on the sailboat logo).ASSIGNMENTS AND GRADINGAn overview of each assignment is provided below. More specific and detailed instructions about eachassignment will be posted on the course site as needed.AssignmentOrientation AssignmentsQuizzes/Learning ChecksNotesVideo Clip ReviewsBreaking Social Norms PaperMidterm ExamFinal ExamTotalPoints1010050100505050410% of Grade2251225121212100Orientation Assignments (10 points total)You will need to complete a set of orientation activities during your first week of class. These includesubmitting an assignment to the orientation assignment box (5 points) and taking a syllabus quiz online(5 points). The purpose of these activities is to ensure that you’re read and understand the syllabus andthat you can successfully complete basic applications in Canvas.Quizzes/Learning Checks (Best out of 12, 10 x 10 points each, 100 points total)There will be 12 quizzes worth 10 points each. Quizzes will cover material from the text, lecture notes,and discussions for a specified module. They will come in a variety of forms – some multiple choice,some essay, and some application. Some quizzes/learning checks will be administered online, some inclass. Your lowest two quiz grades will be dropped.Reading Reflection Questions (50 points total)One proven way to ensure you are absorbing what you are reading and engaging in sociological thinkingis to answer the following three questions for each reading you are assigned:1) What struck me most about the readings/chapter for today?2) What is the most critical point of this reading/chapter?3) What is the most pressing question you still have after reading the assignment/chapter?Starting in week 4 of class, for each of the assigned readings, you will answer these questions on thedesignated discussion board on Canvas. You must do this by 11:59pm the night before the class where2

we will be discussing these readings. These are FREE POINTS – this means: You post, you get the points(3points for each reading assignment, 5 points for podcasts).Group Assignment – Video Clip Reviews (25 points on personal contribution, 75 group)You will be assigned to a Learning Group of approximately 5-6 students who will participate together inone group presentation. See the assignments tab in Canvas for more details and grading criteria.Breaking Social Norms Assignment (1 x 50 points, 50 points total)This assignment uses the breaking of social norms to make visible the taken-for-granted social forcesthat we count on every day. You will be asked to conduct a “breaching experiment” in which youdeliberately interfere with other people’s social expectations and then observe their reactions.Completing this assignment will deepen your sociological understanding of culture, socialization,symbolic interaction, group conformity, and deviant behavior. See the assignments tab in Canvas formore details and grading criteria.Midterm and Final Exam (2 x 50 points each, 100 points total)See the Syllabus tab in Canvas for a tentative schedule of due dates and assignment availability.The following scale will be used to assign final grades in this course:LetterABCDFPercentage90-10080-8970-7960-69 60Point Equivalent367-410326-366285-325244-284 244Late work. It is your responsibility to keep up with your assignments. Students with an excused absence(hospitalization, jury duty, death in the family, school–related travel, care of sick dependents, etc.) willbe asked to produce proper documentation in order to make up graded work for full credit. With theexception of these excused absences, late assignments will be accepted with a loss of 5 points foreach day late up to 50 percent of the total possible points.Note on Feedback: You can expect meaningful feedback on all written assignments within one week ofthe deadline!Students are expected to do a minimum of two hours of work outside of classfor every hour in class. Some assignments may require more time.ADMINISTRATIVE COURSE INFORMATION AND INSTITUTIONAL POLICIESCourse Description: An introduction to sociological concepts, theories, and methods. The influence ofthe social environment on the individual in such areas as role, status, personality, mobility, and socialcontrol is studied.Course Outcomes: By the end of this course, students will be able to: explain how the scientific method is used by sociologists to conduct their examination ofsociety. discuss how the social structure of society influences their personal actions, behaviors, andopportunities.3

describe how different values, attitudes, and history shape the social structures that distinguishsocieties.students will be able to describe many of the complexities of society and the relationship of theindividual with larger social institutions.describe the different economic, political, and social forces shaping our global society.General Education Objectives: The course material in this class should contribute to the developmentof many of the College’s general education objectives. This course should increase a student’s skills andknowledge to: communicate in oral and written English. read with comprehension. think critically. reason abstractly. understand the scientific method. recognize and understand cultural diversity. enhance future learning. critically view research studies.Disability Services: Students with disabilities seeking services or accommodations through ChesapeakeCollege must disclose the need for these services or accommodations to the Office of Disability Services.Given sufficient notice and proper documentation, the College will provide reasonable accommodations,auxiliary aids, and related services required by persons with disabilities to allow access to our programsand services, if it is not an undue burden to do so. Students requiring accommodations are urged tosubmit requests at least 14 days in advance of the need to use them. To be eligible for academicaccommodations through Chesapeake College, a student must have a documented disability as definedby the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 or the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990. For informationon eligibility, contact: Judy Gordon, Developmental Studies Case Manager/ADA Coordinator(jgordon@chesapeake.edu; phone 410-827-5805; fax 410-827-5233).Academic Emergency Management Plan: In the event that Chesapeake College needs to close for anextended period of time due to a flu pandemic, severe weather event, or other emergency situation,consideration will be given to the timing and duration of the closure as follows: Closure during the semester for up to one week – there will be an opportunity to make up workmissed without significant alteration to the semester calendar. Closure extending beyond one week (or in situations where classes are cancelled on the samedays/evenings over multiple weeks) – the College may extend the length of the semester.Depending on the timing of the closure, scheduled breaks, end of semester dates, and/or theprocessing of final grades might be impacted.Students can acquire information about closures on the College website or by calling 410-822-5400 or410-228-4360. Chesapeake College courses held at off campus sites will follow the protocol of the hostfacility.Additional Course Support and Policies Information – about disability support, the library, the testingcenter, tutoring, skipjack email, technology resources, the honor code, and internet etiquette – isavailable via the “Support & Policies” link on your course site. Please review this information.4