INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY

Spring 2010
SOC 1301, Section 0I1, Class # 1285

“Discovery consists of looking at the same thing as everyone else and thinking of
something different.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson

Andrea Laurent-Simpson
Email: Use only eLEARNING EMAIL to communicate with me.
Office: GR 2.520
Office hours: M 1:20-2:20
Meeting Times: ONLINE COURSE – NO In-Class meetings
ALL STUDENTS MUST LOG IN TO CLASS ON eLEARNING ON JAUNUARY
13.

Description: An overview of the sociological perspective and its application to social

research and social policy.

Objectives: Introduction to Sociology is a wonderful opportunity for students to gain a

greater understanding of the social world that humans have created through their unique
ability to use symbols. My goal is to show students how to better comprehend their
social worlds through an introduction to the following elements:

-Major paradigms in the discipline

-Research Methodologies
-History of Sociology
-Effect of culture, society, and socialization on the individual.
-Use of the sociological perspective to examine stratification, race/ethnicity, and gender.
-Major institutions, especially family, religion, and education, and their impact on social
structures embedded below them.

Most importantly, my goal is to ensure that students leave this course with a strong
understanding of how to use sociology in their everyday lives.

Required Texts: Macionis, John J. Society: The Basics. 9th Edition.

Prentice Hall, 2007. ISBN: 978-0-13-228490-5
You must purchase this edition with this ISBN.

Course Packet – available through Off Campus Books

ONLY.

Web-Based Instruction: This course is web-based. As such, we will not have any live
class meetings. Exams, assignments, and outline lectures will all be administered online.
This means that you must have a basic fundamental understanding of both computer and
internet technology. If you do not have these skills, please do not take this course.
Additionally, you MUST have reliable computer access with a high speed connection like
a cable modem, DSL, or T-1 connection. Dial up access will not constitute reliable
access and students having only this type of connection will be required to find
alternative means for completeing this course. Information on minimum computer
requirements can be found at http://d2.parature.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=8057

PLEASE do not attempt to do any exams/assignments on unreliable connections and/or

equipment. Electronic technology is UNRELIABLE, so plan ahead. Once you start your
exam, you cannot reset the clock, so you must complete your test within that time
period. If you are booted off by your connection or experience a slow connection, you
will not be able to start over. Likewise, I will not accept this as an excuse for missing the
exam.

Please also be aware that I do track all log in activity and am able to verify time spent on
line as well as time and date of each log in. I assume that you are ethical enough not to
make obviously dishonest claims about system issues or time you have spent on line in
order to attempt to get a change made in submission guidelines.

Course Requirements

1. REQUIRED LOG IN FIRST DAY OF SEMESTER (JANUARY 13), between 6

am and 10 pm.
The following is required of all students in this course:
A. Log into this eLearning course between 6 am and 10 pm on January 13,
B. Download and thoroughly read a copy of this syllabus,
C. Understand all pertinent deadlines associated with the course,
D. Post your first REQUIRED discussion on the Discussion Board
acknowledging and agreeing to the terms indicated for this course.
You will receive an email from me welcoming you to the course prior to the first day of
class. This email will inform you of the above requirement. This easy but required
assignment is worth 10 points of your grade and must be completed within the
allotted timeframe. Students failing to accomplish this will NOT receive these
points for any reason. LATE REGISTRATION WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED A
REASON FOR ALLOWING THESE POINTS BEYOND THE DATE REQUIRED.

Please note that if you are unclear on any of the syllabus details, it is your responsibility
to email me with questions. Grading and test deadlines will NOT be altered if you do not
follow the instructions provided in this syllabus.

Students with verified disabilities, university functions on test days, or religious holiday
conflicts must contact me via eLearning email within the first week of the semester in
order to arrange alternative means for meeting deadlines. You will need to provide me
with both the date and issue surrounding the conflict. If you do not contact me within
that first week, test deadlines will remain the same, regardless.
2. It is imperative that you check both eLearning email and the Announcements page
several times each week to ensure that you are up-to-date with any changes in the
schedule and/or materials covered.

3. Reading of all assigned material. You are responsible for all of the material in your
book and assigned readings. I may also assign required readings and/or videos
throughout the semester that I will post under Announcements on the Course Homepage.

4. Satisfactory completion of assignments.

5. Satisfactory completion of exams.

6. Scholastic integrity is key to a successful education. Please keep in mind that all work
is to be done independently, unless otherwise stated by the instructor. If you are unsure
of a situation, you must ask the instructor for clarification. Cheating in any way on any
work in this class will not be tolerated and the student may be turned into the college for
disciplinary hearings. Clarification on this topic can be found at the end of the syllabus.
The minimum punishment for cheating in this class will be a 0 on the relevant
assignment and/or exam.

7. Students that intend to withdraw from the course must do so by January 27 to avoid
receiving a W. You must withdraw between February 8 and March 15 in order to receive
a WP/WF.

8. If you stop monitoring class, but do not officially withdraw from the course, you will
receive an F. It is your responsibility to withdraw by using the forms found in the
Admission’s Office. I cannot, nor do I have the authority to, withdraw you from a
course.

CONTACTING INSTRUCTOR
Because we do not meet face-to-face, communication via email is vital to having a
successful online learning experience. You must contact me with any questions via the
eLearning email function. Do not email from outside accounts to my university
account, as I will not be able to respond due to privacy issues outlined by the university.
As such, I will ONLY check for correspondence from this class via eLearning.

Additionally, it is important that you do not wait until the last minute to ask questions.
You should expect to hear from me in a reasonable period of time rather than a few hours
before the exam begins or when the assignment is due. Planning ahead with your own
work will allow you to email me in plenty of time. While every effort will be made to
respond immediately to your queries, please expect a 48 hour lead time on my responses.

METHOD OF EVALUATION
Exam 1 90 points
Exam 2 90
Final 120
Quiz assignments 55 (11 chps = 5 pts each)
Discussions 55 (11 chps = 5 pts each)
First day acknowledgement 10
420 points

At any point in the semester, you may divide your earned points by the total number of
points available TO THAT POINT, to determine where you stand. The number that you
get will be a percentage that will fall on the grading scale as shown below:

A+ = 98 – 100
A = 94 – 97
A- = 90 – 93
B+ = 88 – 89
B = 84 – 87
B- = 80 – 83
C+ = 78 – 79
C = 74 – 77
C- = 70 – 73
D+ = 68 – 69
D = 64 – 67
D- = 60 – 63
F = 59 and below

EXAMS: Exams will consist of multiple choice questions that cover material taken from
outline lectures, readings, handouts. Two exams and a final will be given.

All exams are closed book and will be timed as such by eLearning. You may access the
exam on exam day only, between 6 am and 10 pm. You will be given 45 minutes to
complete both exam 1 and 2 and 60 minutes to complete the final. Time starts when
you log in to take the test.

Please note that you must log in by 9:15 pm to get the entire 45 minutes of test time for
exam 1 and 2. You must do the same by 9 pm for the final in order to get the entire 60
minutes available. eLearning will make the exam UNAVAILABLE, regardless of
where you are in your exam, at 10 pm sharp, eLearning TIME.

Exams may not be taken early nor will the test deadline be extended. Please ensure that
you have marked your calendars accordingly.
WARNING: It is imperative that you review the information contained at the end of this
syllabus entitled “How to Take Exams Via The Assessment Link in eLearning” well
before exam day comes. Not understanding how to take the assessment will not be an
excuse for making up the exam.

ASSIGNMENTS: Assignments will be made available ahead of time to students by

section and chapter(s) that we are covering at the given time. There will be a two part
assignment required for each chapter that is covered. Work due for the relevant section
and chapters will be made available immediately following the cut off time for the
previous section. Section 1 (chapters 1-4) will be made available on the first day of
class, Section 2 (chapters 5-8) will be available the day after your first exam, and
Section 3 (chapters 10-13) will be available the day after your second exam.

Please be aware that due dates for work do not follow this release schedule. For example,
while chapters 1-4 will all be available starting on Jan 13, the assignments for chapters 1
and 2 will be due on Feb 3 and chapters 3 and 4 will be due on Feb 17. That means that
you will not have access to chapters 1 and 2 beyond 6 am on Feb 3. However, you will
have access to 3 and 4 from the release date all the way until the due date of Feb 17.
That will allow those of you prudent enough to work ahead to do so.

Because this course has been designed for independent work, you will be able to finish
coursework at your own pace. However, all assignments for a particular section must be
submitted via eLearning no later than the due date and time listed for each section and
applicable chapters. In other words, you may turn in all available work early, but you
will not be able to turn in any work after the deadline for that section and its applicable
chapters. Please understand that because you will have advanced access to all of this
work and will have ample time to complete ahead of time, late work will not be accepted
under any circumstances. Regardless of reason, failure to meet deadlines for
assignments will constitute a zero for that assignment. There will not be an acceptable
reason as to why coursework was not turned in on time. Standards will be held to across
the board for all students.

WARNING: Do NOT wait until the last minute to turn in assignments, quizzes, or
exams. The clock on eLearning is the only clock that will be acknowledged as correct, so
be sure to set your own clocks accordingly. Remember that computer technology is not
always reliable, so take care to ensure that any technological issues will not interfere with
your ability to get credit in this course.

Assignment/Quiz Completion

Each chapter will require the completion of a closed book quiz as well as a discussion
question. Both discussion question and quiz are required for each chapter. You must
complete both assignments according to the instructions below. Failure to do so will
result in a zero for your work. Partial credit for discussions will not be given. ALL
ASSIGNMENTS WILL BE DUE AT 6 AM ON THE RELELVANT DUE DATE.
1. Read chapter 1 (or the relevant chapter) and any other required readings for that
chapter. Take this opportunity to review chapter outlines that I have provided on the
eLearning course homepage under LEARNING MODULES (left side of the home page).
Use this material to shore up your understanding of what we have covered for that
chapter.

2. Once you feel like you have a good understanding of the material, go to the Home
Page of our course and click on ASSESSMENTS on the left hand side of the page. You
will click on the link for the POST TEST that is relevant to that particular chapter. You
will find 10 quiz questions per chapter post test. 12 minutes will be allotted to you for
finishing the quiz. Items will be valued at .5 point each. Therefore, each quiz will total 5
points of your entire grade. Remember that quizzes are closed book.

Once you are finished, click on the SAVE ALL icon. Then, click FINISH. The system
will ask you if you want to submit your answers for grading, at which point you will click
on OK. If you do not do this, then your quiz will not be submitted nor will it be graded.
If the deadline comes and goes and this has occurred, you will not receive credit for the
quiz. Scrolling down will enable you to see the questions, your responses (with a
checkmark) and the correct answers (with a green check).

You may take the quiz up to TWO TIMES and I will take the highest of these two scores.
Once the time and due date have expired, you will not be able to access the quiz.

3.Then, go to the DISCUSSIONS icon on the left hand side of the screen in eLearning
and post your response to the discussion question that I have posted for that chapter. You
must submit AT LEAST 2 paragraphs TOGETHER for each response. Paragraphs
must be at least 4 sentences long and must utilize proper grammatical english and
punctuation.

Answers must be substantial, showing a deeper thought process that is not apparent in
work that is illogical or superficial. Please do not use email/texting shorthand in your
answers as I WILL NOT GRADE answers that do not follow these guidelines. I
encourage you to use outside sources if you would like, but please be aware that you
must cite them in APA format and may not directly lift (plagiarize) anything from any
source. You may find further detailed information on APA at
http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/560/01/ .

This portion of your chapter assignment will be worth 5 points of your total grade.
Please be aware that there will be NO PARTIAL credit given on your work. This is an
all or nothing proposition. Not following the above instructions means receiving a 0 for
the submission. PLEASE FOLLOW THESE GUIDELINES.

4. The discussion assignment is something that will be available for other students to
read. That means that whatever you post will be accessible by both me and other
students in the course. You will see responses from me to the discussions and I
ENCOURAGE YOU to respond to each other’s insights. While online courses are
convenient, the down side is that students miss out on this type of face-to-face
interaction. The discussion component of our course creates an adequate facsimile to a
live classroom and enables a better student understanding of the material that we are
covering.

5. All assignments are due according to the COURSE CALENDAR on eLearning. Once
that deadline has passed, students can no longer submit their work. Each section and
applicable chapters is made available well in advance of the deadlines, so please take this
opportunity to post submissions well in advance. This will enable you to avoid losing
credit. ALL STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO ADHERE TO DEADLINES,
REGARDLESS OF EXCUSE.

MAKE-UPS

Exams: Exams will only be made up in the event of a DOCUMENTED EMERGENCY

(hospitalization, death in the family or military orders). Make-ups may be short answer
and essay format and will be held in my office at a time of my choosing. You must
contact me BEFORE THE EXAM GOES LIVE ON eLearning AT 6 AM ON EXAM
DAY in order to request a make up. Failure to do this will result in a grade of F for the
exam. Make ups will be granted at my discretion only.

Please note that a slow or unreliable connection will not constitute a valid reason for a
make-up. You must ensure that you have adequate equipment capability at the start of
the semester.

Discussion/quizzes:

There will be no make-ups for any assignment. This coursework is made available well
in advance of any due date, so working ahead will ensure that a last minute emergency
will not affect your grade.

EXTRA CREDIT

NO EXTRA CREDIT WILL BE AVAILABLE IN THIS COURSE, FOR ANY

REASON.

STUDY TIPS
1. Read all assigned reading BEFORE you submit work.

2. While it is important to understand definitions of key concepts, it is even more

important that you understand the material conceptually. Ask any student that has had
me and they will tell you that I love to ask application questions on my exams. This
means you not only have to know meaning, you have to understand how it works in the
social world.
3. Cramming is what the unprepared do the night before they barely pull a C on an exam.
Do yourself a favor… study as you go. Reading will help with this, but thinking
critically outside of class and looking to apply what we have learned to your own
experiences (on a date, at the movie, arguing with a sibling, etc) will cut down on what
you have to do the night before. If you do this, you may find time on exam eve to do a
quick scan of the material and then go out for an early dinner!
4. Ask questions via email. If you do not understand something, this is the time to raise
your voice. Students rarely seem to use me personally as a resource! Take advantage of
the fact that you have the instructor, exam writer, and grader right at your finger tips!

HOW TO TAKE EXAMS VIA THE ASSESSMENT LINK IN eLearning

The Assessments tool allows you to access any exams or quizzes your professor has
added to the course. Your professor determines the availability of each exam or quiz as
well as how long you have to complete it. Exam days in this class will be February 17,
March 31, and May 6.

IMPORTANT TEST INFORMATION: PLEASE NOTE THAT ONCE YOU HAVE

CLICKED “BEGIN ASSESSMENT,” YOUR TIME WILL BEGIN ON THE EXAM. IF
YOU ARE DISCONNECTED FOR ANY REASON OR FORGET TO CLICK “SAVE”
OR “FINISH” AND LOG OUT OF THE EXAM, YOU WILL RECEIVE A ZERO ON
THE TEST. Make sure you have saved AND clicked finish on your test BEFORE you
log out!!!!
1. Click on Assessments on the far left menu bar.
2. Click on the assessment you want to take.
3. Click the Begin Assessment button.
4. Enter your answer for each question.
5. Once you click on your answer, hit the Save Answer button.
6. If you want to return to a question, use the Question Status box to choose the
question you want to go back to. Remember to click Save Answer button each time you
choose or re-choose an answer. You must click Save Answer each time to record your
answer!
7. Repeat for each question.
8. On the right side of your screen you will see a Question Status box with all exam
questions listed. Those questions that you have answered will have a checkmark next to
the number. Those questions that have not been answered will have a blank circle next to
them—simply click on the number in this section to return to it. Please make sure that
you have answered ALL the questions before finalizing your exam!!
WARNING: DO NOT use the back button on your browser. You may lose all of
your answers and prematurely submit the quiz.
9. IMPORTANT!!! When you have answered all questions and saved your answers,
click the Finish button. If you do not click the Finish button, your test will not be
submitted for grading.
10 . Click OK to officially confirm the submission of your quiz. Your exam will be
submitted to me by eLearning for grading at this point.
POLICIES

Incompletes: Incompletes will not be given.

Posting Grades: Grades will not be posted in any form, other than the gradebook
function on eLearning. Also, grades will not be released to ANYONE but the actual
student. It is my absolute goal to ensure utter privacy for all students, thus my grade
release policy.

Accessibility: If you have a condition that requires accommodation in this class, please
speak with me after class or in office hours during the first week of class. I will be happy
to make appropriate accommodations provided timely notice is received and the
arrangement is consistent with any recommendations from Disability Services, when
applicable. Disability Services can be reached at (972) 883-2098. The syllabus and other
course materials can be made available in alternative formats.

Academic Ethics/Scholastic Dishonesty: The College may initiate disciplinary

proceedings against a student accused of scholastic dishonesty.

Scholastic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, statements, acts, or omissions related
to applications for enrollment or the award of a degree and/or the submission as one's
own work material that is not one's own. Scholastic dishonesty may involve, but is not
limited to, one or more of the following acts: cheating, plagiarism, collusion, use of
annotated texts or teacher’s editions, and/or falsifying academic records.

Plagiarism is the use of an author's words or ideas as if they were one's own without
giving credit to the source, including, but not limited to, failure to acknowledge a direct
quotation. If you have any question about what might be considered plagiarism, ask me
for guidance. A good rule of thumb, however, is, if you have to question if something is
plagiarism, then it probably is.

Cheating is the willful giving or receiving of information in an unauthorized manner

during an examination, illicitly obtaining examination questions in advance, copying
computer or Internet files, using someone else's work for assignments as if it were one's
own, or any other dishonest means of attempting to fulfill the requirements of a course.

Collusion is intentionally aiding or attempting to aid another in an act of scholastic

dishonesty, including but not limited to providing a paper or project to another student,
providing an inappropriate level of assistance; communicating answers to a classmate
during an examination; removing tests or answer sheets from a test site, and allowing a
classmate to copy answers.
CLASS SCHEDULE
† Additional, announced readings may be distributed beyond this schedule.
KEY: P – Course Packet

Section 1
Chapter 1; Appendix 1 “Why Politicized Science is
Dangerous”, M. Crichton, P
Chapter 2 – Culture
FEB 3 Chp 1 and 2 Discussion/quiz assignments are due before
6 am.
Chapter 3 - Socialization
Chapter 4 – Social Interaction in Everyday Life; “Studies in
Ethnomethodology”(Garfinkel), pp. 36 – 45. P
FEB 17 Chp 3 and 4 Discussion/quiz assignments are due before
6 am.

FEB 17 EXAM 1 (Ch. 1 – 4) MUST TAKE between 6 am and 10

pm TODAY.

Section 2
Chapter 5 - Groups and Organizations
Chapter 8 – Social Stratification
MAR 3 Chp 5 and 8 Discussion/quiz assignments are due before
6 am.
Chapter 10 – Gender Stratification; “Can Men ‘Mother’?” article, (B. Risman) P
Chatper 11 – Race and Ethnicity; Ch. 1 “The Invisible Man” from Member of the
Club, Graham P
MAR 24 Chp 10, 11, Invisible Man Discussion/quiz assignments
are due before 6 am.

MAR 31 EXAM 2 (Ch. 5, 8, 10, 11) MUST TAKE between 6 am

and 10 pm TODAY.

Section 3
Chapter 13 – Family, pp. 371 – 390; Domestic Violence article (NIJ) P
Chapter 13 – Religion, pp. 391 – 407; Spirituality in Higher Education P
 APR 14 Chp 13 Family and Religion Discussion/quiz
assignments are due before 6 am.
Chapter 12 - Economics and Politics
Chapter 14 – Education, pp. 409 – 427
APR 28 Chp 12 and 14 Discussion/quiz assignments are due
before 6 am.

MAY 6 FINAL (Cumulative) MUST TAKE between 6 am and 10

pm TODAY.