Introduction to the Social Sciences

SOC 100 Introduction to Sociology (Section 5) Spring 2009

Zafer Yenal

Department of Sociology

Office: Science 212

Tel: 338-1799

Email:

Class Hours: Tuesday/Thursday 11:00-12:15, SOS B08

Office Hours: Thursday 12:30-15:00 or by appointment

Assistant: Şengül Apari ()

Course Description

This course will provide students with an introduction to the study of society from a sociological perspective. The student will gain familiarity with the substantive scope, basic concepts, theoretical perspectives, and methodological orientations of sociology. Substantive issues covered will range from the micro-level of individual behavior to the macro-level of the global system. Since the field of sociology is a vast one, the course will provide a general overview of the field with a closer look at selected topics critical to an informed understanding of the social world.

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Course Objectives

Students will acquire both the intellectual tools for understanding social science research and the ability to apply this knowledge to the “real world”, including their own lives. To that end, the specific goals of the course are as follows:

• To introduce students to the basic concepts and theoretical orientations found in the social sciences, particularly sociology, and illustrate how social scientists use them to explain the social world
• To familiarize students with a variety of research methods used by contemporary social scientists and their strengths and weaknesses
• To give students the opportunity to use sociological insights to better understand their own lives and social conditions

Readings

Schaefer, Richard T. 2008. Sociology, 11th edition, McGraw-Hill International Edition.

The purpose of the textbook is to introduce you to the range of concepts and substantive issues found in sociology. The textbook was written for an international audience. As such, there is an emphasis on cross-cultural and global content throughout the book. The lecture material and class discussion will highlight the relevance of the text to helping us understand Turkish society.

Course Requirements

Students are expected to attend class and to participate in class discussions and are required to take two midterms and a final exam. Attendance will be taken at the beginning of each class. If you are more than five minutes late, you will be considered absent. As per university regulations, if you miss more than one-third of the class sessions, you will receive an automatic F for the semester. Class attendance is particularly important because lectures will include material not covered in the text. Students are strongly encouraged to come to class having completed the assigned reading for that week and prepared to discuss the material. As an additional incentive to do so, there will be several pop quizzes during the semester based on material covered in the textbook. Students must be on time for class and remain in their seats throughout the class. Cell phones should be turned off and put away before entering the classroom. Chatting, reading newspapers, sleeping, and other disruptive and/or disrespectful behavior will not be tolerated and can result in disciplinary action.

Grading

Students will be evaluated on their class participation and their scores on pop quizzes, two midterm exams and the final exam. Exams will be in a multiple choice format and will cover material presented in lectures and videos and assigned textbook readings. The final exam will not be comprehensive. No make-up exams will be allowed unless an unambiguous medical report is presented. The final grade for the course will be calculated based on following distribution:

10% pop quizzes and class participation

30% first midterm exam

30% second midterm exam

30% final exam

GRADING SCALE

NOTE: Please make sure that you are familiar with the University Academic Regulations and the Regulations for Student Disciplinary Matters, particularly those related to academic honesty. Cheating, plagiarism, and collusion are serious offenses resulting in an F grade and disciplinary action.

How to Succeed in this Class

The best grades are usually received by those students who:

Attend class regularly and take good notes

• Read the assigned chapters before coming to class
• Participate in class discussions & ask questions
• Attend the exam review sessions
• Study effectively for the exams
• Use the instructor’s office hours when help is needed

If you are doing all of the above and still not performing as well as you would like in the course, please come and see me as soon as possible.

Course Outline

Week and Dates

Topics Covered

Assigned Reading

Groups & Organizations

1st Midterm (To be Announced)

Globalization, Technology & Social Change