SOC 101 Copher Spring 2005 1SOC 101: Introduction to Sociology Metropolitan State University Spring 2005 Thursday 1pm – 3:30pm St. Paul Campus – Library 306 Instructor: Ronda Copher, Community Faculty Member Phone: (612) 625-2396 (leave a message) E-mail: [email protected] (this is the best way to reach me, though please allow at least 24 hours for a response) Address: Department of Sociology 909 Social Science Bldg, 267-19th Ave, S. Minneapolis, MN 54455 Course Description & Objectives: Sociology offers insight into the world around us, often challenging the beliefs and perceptions we take for granted. In this course, we will learn the fundamental concepts and ideas used in sociology and importantly, apply this knowledge. Specifically, during this term we will investigate social behavior such as: personal face-to-face interactions, organizations, culture, inequality, and family. In particular, your service-learning site provides one source for our scholarly inquiry. Developing a sociological imagination enables us to more fully view and understand the social world. How sociologists come to their knowledge varies, and we will look at how sociological knowledge is produced. There will be ample opportunities for students to engage in active and independent learning through various cooperative learning activities, such as group discussions, and interactive critique and feedback. • Develop your “sociological imagination,” that is, the ability to view the world critically. Hone your critical thinking skills, understand how your experiences shape your viewpoint and empower you through seeing the connections between everyday experiences and larger social forces. • Knowledge of the basic tools for sociological inquiry: identify a sociological problem, pose theoretical questions, and learn methods of data collection and presentation. • Develop written and verbal skills for constructing and exchanging ideas with others, in addition to presenting these ideas to a broader audience. • Enable you to identify and examine sociologically relevant problems and issues in contemporary society. Competence Statement Knowledge and understanding of core concepts, methods and perspectives used in sociology sufficient to interpret the actions of individuals, groups and institutions. Required Texts: Newman, David. M. 2004. Sociology, Exploring the Architecture of Everyday Life, 5th Edition. Pine Forge Press. Ferguson, Susan J. 2004. Mapping the Social Landscape: Readings in Sociology, 4th Edition. McGraw-HillSOC 101 Copher Spring 2005 2Course Requirements: 20% Free writing – Quick paper. There will be 9 free writes throughout the semester and the lowest one will be dropped (or if you miss a class). These essays are designed to help you organize your thoughts on a given topic, reading, film, etc. They are graded on a  and not intended to ‘test’ your knowledge so much as they are to demonstrate that you’ve been thinking about the material (meaning you did reading for the current week). Missed free writes cannot be made up. Writing will get your thoughts flowing, as well as an incentive to be prepared for class – which promotes more useful and interesting discussion. 10 % Thinking papers (5% each). During the term you are asked to write two short papers that draw upon your new knowledge about sociology. Details for these assignments are included in the syllabus. 20% Reflective journal. Your journal will discuss your volunteer experience and ideas from class discussions and readings, exploring intersections between them. There will be further details in your service learning packet. 20% Analytic paper. Using course material (readings, discussion, etc) you will write a sociological paper connected to your service learning project. See your service learning packet for complete details. 30 % Quizzes. There will be five quizzes given during the semester. Each quiz will test material from lectures, class discussions, readings, and films. Quizzes will consist of multiple choice, true/false and short answer questions. Only 4 of the 5 quiz scores will be used in calculating your grade. In other words, the top 4 scores will be used in calculating your grade – therefore, there will be no make-up quizzes. Grading I calculate your final grades by adding the total number of points you received on each of the course requirements. A = 93-100% A- = 90-92% B+ = 87-89% B = 82-86% B- = 80-81% C+ = 77-79% C = 72-76% C- = 70-71% D = 60-69% F = <59% More about the course requirements… Class participation Our cultural norms frequently place the emphasis on individuals and our own achievement, in actuality, we don’t accomplish much on our own – it is always a team effort. As a result, what you learn in this course is a combination of all our efforts, of everyone here (and some who we may never see in this room, but whose contribution is important). Since learning is a collaborative endeavor, it’s important that we all contribute. To facilitate our collaborative environment, I will provide interesting sociological materials, and pose questions to get you started thinking critically. You are required to come to class prepared, having read and thought about the material before class. Reading the material prior to lecture, while sometimes difficult, offers the opportunity to think about the ideas being presented as well as coming to class with questions. In addition, the quick papers provide an informal writing opportunity where you can explore your ideas. By sharing these thoughts and ideas with each other, together, we will learn more about sociology. Attendance Our lives (and sociology) extend beyond the classroom, which sometimes creates challenges for our formal education. I understand that life happens, however, unique material is discussed during our class time, and missing more than 2 class sessions during the term will likely result in a lower grade than had you attended all the classes. In addition, the material covered in class will often be drawn upon in subsequent sessions. IfSOC 101 Copher Spring 2005 3possible, please contact me before or immediately after an absence so that handouts and assignments can be sent to you (likely via email). You should also get class notes from another student. Finally, even if you miss a class, you are responsible for knowing what