SYLLABUS -- Sociology 101 – Principles of Sociology, Class # 20287, Section 1004
INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION
Name:Ralph (Andy) Harold
E-mail:
Please allow a 24-hour response time, plus weekends and holidays.
Phone:(775) 882-5549 or (775) 721-5532
Office hours:Tuesdays from 10 a.m. to noon in CED 301
COURSE INFORMATION – Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30 – 3:45 p.m. – 3 units
Course Title:Principles of Sociology
Course Dates:January 26, 2016 to May 19, 2016
Course Description:This is a social science core course. It is intended to explain sociological principles underlying the development, structure and function of culture, society, human groups, personality function and social change.
Transferability of Course Within Nevada:Transfers to all NSHE schools. Please contact the college or university to which you plan to transfer for complete information.
Course Objectives:On completion of this course, the student should be able to:
Gain objective knowledge and apply sociological insights to everyday experience
Apply sociological terminology to first-hand relations
Possess sociological insight into human behavior in all situations
General Education Program Outcomes Linkage:Prior to entering this course, students are expected to have the following skills:
College-level reading and writing
Problem-solving skills
Ability to understand and apply social science principles
Ability to understand the importance of cultural traditions, diversity and ethics in the modern world
Prerequisites:There are no academic prerequisites for this course, however please have Microsoft Word.
Textbook:Henslin, James M. 2011.Essentials of Sociology: A Down-to-Earth Approach. 11th Edition. Boston, MA. Pearson. An e-text and/or rentals may be available at lower cost. Please consult the WNC bookstore.
Classroom Discussions:These may be accompanied by videos at various times. There will be times when topics are introduced that are controversial and may challenge your beliefs and opinions. You are asked to respect your fellow classmates’ positions and to take the course material into consideration when expressing your own positions. You will not be graded on the nature of your opinions, but on how well you present them. If you have any difficulties or concerns, please contact me so these can be addressed as soon as possible.
Assignments: All quizzes, exams and paper assignments must be submitted on time, unless excused by the instructor for good cause in advance or in an emergency. You should be prepared to document the reason for late assignments.
Students with Disabilities:If you have a disability for which you need to request accommodations, please contact the Disability Support Services office (Cedar Building, Room 212) as soon as possible. Their phone numbers are (775) 445-4459 and (775) 445-4402.
Withdrawals:If you are enrolled in this course at any point during the semester and fail to submit your assignments as required, you will receive an F for that assignment. If you cease participating in this course, it is your responsibility to be officially withdrawn by completing the appropriate paperwork in the registrar’s office by April 1, 2016 to avoid an F for the course.
Canceled classes:If a class must be canceled, I will notify you by email on myWNC, so please check this email daily for this and other class information.
Essay papers:There will be two papers due this semester, each worth 50 points toward your cumulative score. Each paper should be between two and three full pages of text, double-spaced, plus a page listing sources at the end, single-spaced.Each papershould be relevant to the assigned topic, clearly addressing all points and with proper grammar and spelling. All sources for your papers should be cited within the textand in the “Sources” list at the end, using a format sufficient for the instructor to find and fact-check the source. This can include your textbook. Each paper must be submitted as a Word document printout submitted in the classroom on the day it is due. Topics andfurther instructions are included at the end of this syllabus. Normally, graded papers will be returned to you in a week. Extra credit essay papers should follow the same rules, but are given only 20 points for each.
Plagiarism is not tolerated and will result in a zero on your assignment. Please cite all sources, and use quotes if it is a direct quotation.
Quizzes:These will consist of 10 multiple-choice questions, open book and timed for 10 minutes, worth 10 points each on your final cumulative score for the course. There will be 10 quizzes.Normally, graded papers will be returned to you in a week.
Exams:There will be three exams during the semester, open-book, multiple choice and based entirely on the information in the textbook. Each exam will cover about one-third of the textbook, and each will have 50 questions with a 60-minute time limit. Each exam is worth 50 points toward your cumulative score for the class. There will be no final exam covering the entire textbook. Normally, graded papers will be returned to you in a week.
Extra Credit:There will be two extra credit opportunities during the semester. Extra credit is optional. Each extra credit paper will be worth 20 points. Papers for extra credit will be due in the final week of class unless otherwise announced.Topics and further instructions are included at the end of this syllabus.You may submit the papers early at any time in the semester. Be sure to include “Extra Credit Paper” in the heading.
Exam Make-Up Policy:Arrangements must be made prior to the end of the exam deadline in order to be eligible for a make-up exam. If an emergency occurs immediately before the deadline, you must notify the instructor, in person or by e-mail or phone. You may be required to submit verification.
Tabulation of Final Grade:
Quizzes (10) 10 points each, maximum 100 points
Exam 1:50 points
Exam 2:50 points
Exam 3:50 points
Paper 1:50 points
Paper 2:50 points(Two extra credit papers 20 points each)
Total points = 350
Grade Breakdown:
315 up = A245 to 272 = C202 down = F
308 to 314 = A-238 to 244 = C-
280 to 307 = B210 to 237 = D
273 to 279 = B-203 to 209 = D-
Dates and assignments on the calendar are subject to change. Be sure to check your myWNC email for any changes.
Class Calendar:
DateTopicAssignment
1/26/16Overview of courseRead syllabus
1/28/16Sociological PerspectiveChapter 1
2/2/16Review and quizChapter 1
2/4/16CultureChapter 2
2/9/16SocializationChapter 3
2/11/16Review and quizChapters 2 and 3
2/16/16Social Structure and Social InteractionChapter 4
2/18/16Social Groups and Formal OrganizationsChapter 5
2/23/16Review and quizChapters 4 and 5
2/25/16Review Chapters 1 - 5
3/1/16EXAM IChapters 1 - 5
3/3/16Deviance and Social ControlChapter 6
3/8/16Review and quizChapter 6
3/10/16Global StratificationChapter 7
(Paper # 1 due)
3/15/16Social Class in the United StatesChapter 8
3/17/16Review and quizChapters 7 and 8
3/21/16 – 3/26/16 – SPRING BREAK – NO CLASSES (campus open)
3/29/16Race and EthnicityChapter 9
3/31/16Gender and AgeChapter 10
4/1/16Last day to drop classes with a W (not an F)
4/5/16Review and quiz Chapters 9 and 10
4/7/16Review Chapters 6 - 10
4/12/16EXAM IIChapters 6–10
4/14/16Politics and the EconomyChapter 11
4/19/16Review and quizChapter 11
4/21/16Marriage and FamilyChapter 12
4/26/16Education and ReligionChapter 13
4/28/16Review and quizChapters 12 and 13
5/3/16Population and UrbanizationChapter 14
5/5/16Review and quizChapter 14
5/10/16Social Change and the EnvironmentChapter 15
5/12/16Review and quizChapter 15
(Paper # 2 due)
5/17/16EXAM III – Chapters 11 - 15 – optional extra credit papers due – make-up
day for all assignments will be on 5/19/16
ESSAY PAPERS FOR SOC 101 – PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY
Paper # 1 – due on March 10, 2016
Present a hypothesis related to gender or age (e.g. discrimination). Explain why a study of this would be worthwhile for sociological research. Suggest some research methods that could be used.Cite at least three sources. See previous instructions regarding papers.
Paper # 2 -- due on May 12, 2016
Present a hypothesis related to education or religion. Explain why a study of this would be worthwhile for sociological research. Suggest some research methods that could be used.Cite at least three sources. See previous instructions regarding papers.
EXTRA CREDIT PAPERS FOR SOC 101 – PRINCIPLES OF SOCIOLOGY
Extra Credit Project # 1 – Select a current news item or feature from the media (e.g. newspaper, magazine, news on line) and submit a copy of it, along with a paper showing how it could be addressed by sociological research. Suggest at least one practical research method that could be used. See previous instructions regarding papers.
Extra Credit Project # 2 – State a sociological hypothesis (original or not) on any topic. Justify why it is worthy of testing. Propose one or more research methods.See previous instructions regarding papers.