Introduction to Sociology
SOC 110

Catalog Description: As an introductory survey of sociology, it is designed to give a broad overview of the field of sociology. It focuses on all aspects of society, culture, social interaction, institutions, group processes, social control, diversity and inequality based on race, ethnicity, class, gender, etc., and the causes and nature of social stability and social change. As a three hour credit course, SOC110 provides the equivalent of 45 hours lecture or classwork. Students are expected to complete an additional 90 hours in homework, study time and completion. (3 credits)
Course Objectives:
1. Students will be able to analyze and explain how groups, societies, and cultures address human needs and concerns.
2. Students will be able to describe the importance of cultural unity, diversity, and globalization (NCCS Standards 1.1 and 1.9).
3. Students will be able to understand sociological concepts and apply them in describing the interactions among individuals, groups and institutions (NCCS Standards 1.5 and 1.6).
4. Students will be able to identify and analyze historical change in social institutions, the organization of power, and social movements (NCCS Standards 1.2 and 1.6).
5. Students should be able to explain and apply modes of inquiry drawn from the social sciences in the examination of persistent issues and social problems.
Competencies:
▪ The student should be able to define important sociological concepts and use them effectively in discussions and writing assignments ▪ The student should be able to describe the main theoretical approaches in sociology and be able to apply them to analyze social phenomena, both in writing and orally. ▪ The student should be able to distinguish the different sociological methods and explain why each is appropriate for studying a given problem ▪ The student should be able to make effective use of technological resources such as search engines, websites, CD-ROMs, and others for their own research in social issues and for teaching such issues to their own students when appropriate. ▪ The student should be able to discuss, using sociological terms and concepts, some major sociological concepts such as stratification and power, social change, especially in social institutions, globalization, and society-environment interactions.

The Mission of Salem International University

The mission of Salem International University is to prepare global citizens with broad knowledge, marketable professional skills, and the ability to make decisions with integrity and an international perspective.

The goals of the University are to:

• Provide effective educational experiences;

• Design and maintain a unique environment conducive to developing an international citizen;

• Select, support, and develop human resources consistent with excellence in leadership, scholarship, and work and life skills; and

• Improve student learning, facilitate improvements in teaching, and corroborate institutional effectiveness.

Instructional Strategies Instructional strategies that will be incorporated into this course include: preparation of an electronic portfolio using LiveText, lecture, cooperative learning (group discussions), written reflection, discussion, inquiry, and research.
21st Century and Problem-Solving Skills To address skills currently required in today’s school and/or marketplace based on revolutionary changes in technology, the global marketplace and significant social, political and environmental issues, students will develop 21st Century skills which are relevant, engaging, and includes rigor necessary to prepare students to get a job in a culturally diverse, technologically complex and economically competitive world.
Twenty-first century learning skills can be categorized into three broad areas: A. Information and Communication Skills: Information processing skills that include information and media literacy, visual literacy as well as communications and technology literacy and oral, written and multimedia communication. These include using research tools, such as word processing, e-mail, presentation software and the Internet, to access, manage, integrate, create and communicate with others. Students with these skills can articulate thoughts and ideas clearly and effectively through speaking and writing. They demonstrate the ability to work effectively with diverse teams and exercise flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal. They also assume a shared responsibility for collaborative work. B. Thinking and Problem-solving Skills: These skills use problem-solving tools, such as spreadsheets, decision support and design tools, to develop critical thinking, systems thinking, problem-solving, creativity and innovation. Students with these skills demonstrate originality and inventiveness in their work and develop, implement and communicate new ideas to others. They are open and responsive to new and diverse perspectives and act on creative ideas to make a tangible and useful contribution. They exercise sound reasoning in understanding and make complex choices and decisions. They understanding the interconnections among systems and ask significant questions that clarify various points of view and lead to better solutions. They frame, analyze and synthesize information to solve problems and answer questions. C. Personal and Workplace Productivity Skills: These skills include interpersonal and collaboration skills, the ability to self direct, adaptability, ethical behavior, social/personal accountability, leadership, as well as project planning and development. Students who master these skills have the ability to adapt to varied roles and responsibilities, and work effectively in a climate of ambiguity and changing priorities. They can monitor their own understanding and learning needs and demonstrate initiative to advance. They use time efficiently and manage workloads effectively. They also develop the ability to work productively with others of differing cultural backgrounds. They demonstrate diligence and a positive work ethic, including being punctual and reliable, as well as integrity, responsibility and ethical behavior (http://wvde.state.wv.us/21st/).

Note: Text abbreviations: Introduction to Sociology = ItS; Readings for Sociology = RfS.
Course Schedule:
The Study of Sociology
Oct. 26. Introduction. What is Sociology? ItS, Chapter 1, pp. 3-25; and Film: Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes.
Oct. 27. Asking and Answering Sociological Questions. ItS, Chapter 2, pp. 27-49; group discussion on Hip Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes.
The Individual and Society
Oct. 28. Culture and Society. ItS, Chapter 3, pp. 53-83; and Film: The Gods Must Be Crazy.

Structures of Power
Oct. 29. Stratification, Class, and Inequality (I). ItS, Chapter 8, pp. 205-245; group discussion on The Gods Must Be Crazy.
Nov. 2. Stratification, Class, and Inequality (II). Film: Roger and Me.
Nov. 3. Global Inequality. ItS, Chapter 9, pp. 247-277; Group discussion on Roger and Me.
Nov. 4. Gender Inequality. ItS, Chapter 10, pp. 279-315; Film: Life and Debt.
Nov. 5. Ethnicity and Race. ItS, Chapter 11, pp. 317-353; Film: Osama.
Nov. 9. Government, Political Power, and Social Movements. ItS, Chapter 13, pp. 381-420; Group discussion on Osama.
Nov. 10. Work and Economic Life (I). ItS, Chapter 14, pp. 423-460. Film: Berkeley in the Sixties.
Nov. 11. April 21. Work and Economic Life (II). Group discussion on Berkeley in the Sixties.
Social Institutions
Nov. 12. Education and the Mass Media. ItS, Chapters 16, pp. 495-526; and Film: Wal*Mart: The High Cost of Low Price
Nov. 16. Religion in Modern Society. ItS, Chapter 17, pp. 527-562; and Film: Jesus Camp
Nov. 17. Globalization in a Changing World. Chapter 20, pp. 655-684; group discussion on Jesus Camp.
Nov. 18. Globalization (cont.).
Nov. 19. Final Exam.
Course Requirements: 50% of Grade = Group discussions (6) (SLOs 1, 2, 3, 4: 21st century A, B, & C). In addition to the discussions, each student is expected to be an initiator and a recorder (which is graded) at least once. I will explain what these mean in our first group discussion. After each group discussion, you are required to write a brief paper that answers the two following questions: 1) What did I contribute to the group discussion? 2) What did I learn? This paper is due after the group discussion.

25% of Grade = Three one-page papers (SLOs 1, 3, & 4; 21st century A & B). These papers must be typed and spaced at 1.5 lines. I require three electronic copies of each paper. These copies can be uploaded into Weeks One-Three in Blackboard. Finally upload the best of your graded papers into LiveText. See below for instructions for the one-page papers. The papers are due on November 1, 8, & 15. Choose three essays from Readings for Sociology: • Introduction to Theory: Essays 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 17, 31, 32, 37, and 50. • Stratification and Inequality: Essays 11, 17, 22, 23, 26, 27, 29, 31, and 38. • Global Inequality: Essays 8, 20, 21, 28, 46, and 51. • Government, Power, and Social Movements: Essays 5, 23, 30, 43, 47, and 48. • Work and Economics: Essays 10, 23, 24, 25, 28, 30, 33, 34, 35, 37, 43, 46, and 48.
LiveText. Upload into LiveText the best of your graded research papers. I will use the same comments and scoring rubric that I used to score your paper in Blackboard. I will be using LiveText primarily for the purpose of assessment. The faculty will be using a general education outcomes rubric to see whether we are achieving the outcomes we claim for our general education courses. We will use the data to assess our strengths and weaknesses and to determine what we can do to improve our courses and programs. Students will be able to use LiveText to build a portfolio. LiveText registration to be completed for SIU coursework. Information referenced from the home page of LiveText, www.livetext.com

"The days of misplacing loose leaf paper assignments are over. Your LiveText membership provides you with a personal online digital workspace to author just about anything for your classes, such as assignments, journals, and e-portfolios, or to create your own secure access web space. These projects can then be instantaneously shared with professors for review and other LiveText members for simple viewing or collaborative projects. With LiveText, you author and submit all your work online, so you don't have to deal with buying paper and other costly supplies and services to submit and present your work professionally. Creating and submitting work digitally makes your life much easier—imagine not having to run across campus to submit an assignment or waiting for office hours to obtain your professor's feedback. Just log in to LiveText to review and submit your work at your convenience. As long as you're a LiveText member, your work will always remain at your fingertips."

This is an application through which you will register and use throughout your educational career, and is applicable for 5 years.

Purchasing LiveText access through the SIU Bookstore Contact Bookstore and purchase a LiveText access code. Go to www.livetext.com Go to Register Account. You will find this on the right hand side of the web page. Enter access code (keycode) provided by the bookstore and complete registration information. Students will need their SIU Student ID# to complete registration. This information can be found in Student Portal in the “My Information” section. Direct any questions regarding LiveText registration to coordinator Pamela Schield, pschield@salemu.edu

Once registered, refer to this link to questions regarding starting an assignment to submission of an assignment: https://c1.livetext.com/c1_help/general/ 25% of Grade = A comprehensive exam (SLOs 1, 2, 3, 4, & 5; 21st Century A & B) will be given on the last day of class.

Bibliography Much more information and data exercises relating to each chapter of this text can be found at the website: http://books.wwnorton.com/books/detail-students.aspx?ID=13390. This is not required but may be very useful in gaining experience working with sociological data. In ItS, there is an extensive bibliography in an appendix at the end of the book. Here are additional web resources: • Social Science Information Gateway: Sociology:(http://www.intute.ac.uk/socialsciences/) • SocioSite: (http://www.sociosite.net/) • SocioWeb (http://www.socioweb.com/) • WWW Virtual Library: Sociology: (http://socserv.mcmaster.ca/w3virtsoclib/)

EVALUATION OF GRADE: Oral Work (group discussion) In determining the student's grade for questions in the group discussion I look for your oral ability to think critically. Your grade is based on the degree in which you can make a logical, coherent, and systematic argument. I also evaluate the accuracy of your answers to questions, as well as your ability to defend your answers. Your written and oral works are evaluated on this basis, and on how well you answer the questions listed above under the class requirements. Written Work (one-page papers and journal entries) All one-page papers should fulfill two requirements. First, state the major theme(s) or idea(s) contained in one of each day's assigned readings. Second, state your agreements and/or disagreements with the viewpoints of the reading and the reasoning behind your perspective. The grade for these papers is determined by your ability to comprehend the readings and by your skills in critical thinking. You will be held responsible only for those readings I can cover in class. Journal entries are judged by your ability to reflect critically and imaginatively on any of the issues covered in class, films, discussion, readings, etc. Final Exam The intent of the final exam is to test your knowledge of all the material covered in class in an objective manner.

How do I determine grades?

A – Your paper is well written, very thoughtful, documented with relevant data, and well argued. You also bring sources, insights, and/or data or perspectives that are outside what is provided in class, i.e., you take the initiative.
B – You seem to have a good understanding of the essay or topic. You get the point. Your writing gets the point that you trying to make across. Another reader will make sense of what you are saying.
C - You do the minimum necessary to pass the class. Your writing may not be very clear, which is a detriment to your argument. You may be skipping too many classes to get what is going on.
D or F – You do nothing. You skip too many classes. You are a poor writer and thinker. You make no effort to improve. In addition to the above guidelines for the determination of grades, I use the following scoring rubrics:
One Page Critical Review Rubric*

|Criteria |Level 1 (0-14 points;|Level 2 (18-19 points)|Level 3 (20-22.4 |Level 4 (22.5-25 |Points |
| |15-17 points) | |points) |points) | |
|Content |The review does not |The review is missing |The review includes |The review has both |25 |
| |have both parts and |one required part or |both parts, but all |required parts. Each | |
| |components are |the components for |components of the |part is complete with | |
| |missing from the |more than one part are|sections are not |all components | |
| |required parts. The |not complete. The |included. The |included. The | |
| |reviewer does not |reviewer has a fair |reviewer has a good |reviewer has an | |
| |understand the main |understanding of the |understanding of the |excellent and thorough| |
| |ideas of the essay. |essay. |essay. |understanding of the | |
| | | | |essay. | |
|Language Conventions |Inconsistent grammar,|Paper has some errors |Paper is clear, with |Paper is very concise,|25 |
| |spelling and |in grammar, spelling |mostly proper grammar,|clear, with | |
| |paragraphing |and paragraphing |spelling and |consistently proper | |
| |throughout paper | |paragraphing |grammar, spelling and | |
| | | | |paragraphing | |
|Critical Thinking |Ignores or |Draws warranted |Draws warranted, |Draws thoughtful, |25 |
|(21st Century Skills)|superficially |evaluations. Follows |non-fallacious |creative, warranted, | |
| |evaluates obvious |where evidence and |evaluations. |non-fallacious | |
| |alternative views. |reason leads with some|Fair-mindedly follows |evaluations. | |
| |Exhibits |open-mindedness. |where evidence and |Fair-mindedly follows | |
| |close-mindedness or |Criteria are |reason leads. |where evidence and | |
| |hostility to reason. |reasonable. |Criteria are clear and|reason lead. Criteria| |
| | | |reasonable. |are clear, reasonable,| |
| | | | |and insightful. | |
| | | | |Total (75/3 =) |25 |

*Thanks to Lynne Wise and Rubistar (http://rubistar.4teachers.org/index.php): Rubric ID: 1317058.
Group Discussion Rubric*

|Criteria |Level 1 (0-29, 30-34 |Level 2 (35-39 |Level 3 (40-44 |Level 4 (45-50 |Points |
| |points) |points) |points) |points) | |
|Working with Others |Rarely listens to, |Often listens to, |Usually listens to, |Almost always listens|50 |
| |shares with, and |shares with, and |shares with, and |to, shares with, and | |
| |supports the efforts |supports the efforts |supports the efforts |supports the efforts | |
| |of others. Often is |of others, but |of others. Does not |of others. Tries to | |
| |not a good team |sometimes is not a |cause “waves” in the |keep people working | |
| |player. |good team player. |group. |well together. | |
|Contributions |Rarely provides |Sometimes provides |Usually provides |Routinely provides |50 |
| |useful ideas when |useful ideas when |useful ideas when |useful ideas when | |
| |participating in the |participating in the |participating in the |participating in the | |
| |group and in |group and in |group and in |group and classroom | |
| |classroom discussion.|classroom discussion.|classroom discussion.|discussion. A | |
| |May refuse to |A satisfactory member|A strong group member|definite leader who | |
| |participate. |who does what is |who tries hard. |contributes a lot of | |
| | |required. | |effort. | |
|Critical Thinking |Ignores or |Draws warranted |Draws warranted, |Draws thoughtful, |50 |
|(21st Century Skills) |superficially |evaluations. Follows|non-fallacious |creative, warranted, | |
| |evaluates obvious |where evidence and |evaluations. |non-fallacious | |
| |alternative views. |reason leads with |Fair-mindedly follows|evaluations. | |
| |Exhibits |some open-mindedness.|where evidence and |Fair-mindedly follows| |
| |close-mindedness or |Criteria are |reason leads. |where evidence and | |
| |hostility to reason. |reasonable. |Criteria are clear |reason lead. | |
| | | |and reasonable. |Criteria are clear, | |
| | | | |reasonable, and | |
| | | | |insightful. | |
|Language Conventions |Inconsistent grammar,|Paper has some errors|Paper is clear, with |Paper is very |50 |
| |spelling and |in grammar, spelling |mostly proper |concise, clear, with | |
| |paragraphing |and paragraphing |grammar, spelling and|consistently proper | |
| |throughout paper | |paragraphing |grammar, spelling and| |
| | | | |paragraphing | |
| | | | |Total (200/4 =) |50 |

*Thanks to Lynne Wise and Rubistar (http://rubistar.4teaachers.org/index.php): Rubric IDs 1085170 and 1024551.

Other Notes:
1. All papers must be typed and turned in on time.
2. The pass/fail policy is a C for pass.
3. The professor reserves the right to change the syllabus as appropriate. Students are responsible for all changes announced in class.
4. All computers, mp3 players, and cell phones shall be turned off and put away during class time.
5. The final exam is given on the last day of class.

ADEA Statement: Salem International University seeks to provide reasonable accommodations for all qualified persons with disabilities. This University adheres to all applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations and guidelines with respect to providing reasonable accommodations as required to afford equal education opportunity to individuals with a documented disability. Students seeking accommodations must self identify by contacting Professor Karen Morgan at kmorgan@salemu.edu or 304-326-1279.
Course Behavior: SIU encourages discussion and academic debate as an essential intellectual activity. It is essential that students learn to express and defend their beliefs, but it is also essential that they learn to listen and respond respectfully to others whose beliefs that may not share. The University will always tolerate diverse, unorthodox, and unpopular points of view, but will not tolerate condescending or insulting remarks. When students verbally abuse or ridicule and intimidate others whose views they do not agree with, they subvert the free exchange of ideas that should characterize a university course. If their actions are deemed by the professor to be disruptive, they will be subject to appropriate disciplinary action, which may include being involuntarily withdrawn from the class. All violations of the Code of Conduct should be brought to the attention of the Provost. Please call 326-1344 or stop by the Provost Office on the third floor of the Randolph Campus Center.

Academic Honesty Statement:
Academic honesty includes, but is not limited to: • Plagiarism- Plagiarism is the act of passing off some other person’s ideas, words or works as one’s own. Plagiarism is literary and intellectual theft. • Cheating- Cheating is an act of deception in which a student misrepresents that he/she has mastered information related to academic exercise. Examples include: 1) Copying, without the professor’s authorization, from another student’s test, lab report, computer file, data listing, logs, or any other type of report or academic exercise. 2) Using unauthorized materials during a test. 3) Using, buying, selling, stealing, transporting, soliciting, copying or possessing (in whole or part), the contest of a) an un-administered test, b) a required assignment or c) a past test which has, by the professor, not been allowed to be kept by their students. 4) Taking a test for someone or permitting someone to take a test for you. This also includes attending class for someone else or allowing someone to attend class for you other than short term situations such as illness and where the professor has been notified by the student of record of said short-term substitution. 5) Collusion- collusion is unauthorized collaboration with another person or persons during a test or in the preparation of any type of written work in an academic exercise/setting.
If a faculty member suspects a student has committed a breach of academic integrity, that faculty member will make a good faith effort to communicate with that student (in person, phone, and e-mail or by letter) about their suspicion and allow the student the opportunity to respond. If after this discussion the faculty member still believes that a breach of academic dishonesty has occurred, that faculty member will prepare a written report to the Dean or Director which will detail the circumstances and include a complete set of copies of the questionable test/paper/assignment. The report may or may not include a recommended sanction. If, after review of the report, the Dean/Director agrees with the faculty member, this is forwarded to the Provost/Chief Academic Officer for possible disciplinary sanctions. A student may not drop a class in which there is an unresolved question of academic dishonesty.
Copyright Restrictions: The copyright Act of 1976 grants to copyright owners the exclusive right to reproduce their works and distribute copies of their work. Works that receive copyright protection include published works such as a textbook. Copying a textbook without permission from the owner of the copyright may constitute copyright infringement. Civil and criminal penalties may be assessed for copyright infringement. Civil penalties include damages up to $100,000; criminal penalties include a fine up to $250,000 and imprisonment. Copyright laws do allow students and professors to make photocopies of copyrighted materials under strict conditions. You may not copy most, much less all, of a work, but you may copy a limited portion of a work, such an article from a journal or a chapter from a book. These copies must be for your own personal academic use or, in the case of a professor, for personal, limited classroom use. In general, the extent of your copying should not suggest that the purpose or the effect of your copying is to avoid paying for the materials. And, of course, you may not sell these copies for a profit. Thus, students who copy textbooks to avoid buying them or professors who provide photocopies of textbooks to enable students to save money are both violating the law.
Plagiarism/Cheating and the Internet: Plagiarism is the presentation of someone else’s work as one’s own. Recently, the Internet has complicated the picture. Getting something from the Internet and presenting it as one’s own is still plagiarism. Copying another student’s paper or a portion of the paper is usually called “copying.” Neither plagiarism nor copying will be tolerated. Should a faculty member discover that a student has committed plagiarism; the students will receive a grade of “F” in that course and the matter will be referred to the Provost/Chief Academic Officer for possible disciplinary action.
Grades:
Score Grade Quality Points
90–100 A 4.00
80–89 B 3.00
70–79 C 2.00
60-69 D 1.00
Less than 60 F 0.00
*Grading scales for Professional Education and core courses in Nursing are specific to these areas and are identified in the respective student handbooks.

Incomplete Course Work: If due to events beyond the student’s control, a student needs additional time to complete course expectations, the student may request an Incomplete. The request must be generated by the student and filed on the appropriate form. If granted, the student must complete their work within the time allowed (14 days) and must notify faculty when the work is complete. A grade of Incomplete may be recorded, but after 14 days all incompletes are converted to F if the work is not completed. All Incompletes on the transcript are calculated as “F”s in any GPA determinations.

End of Course Evaluation: SIU strives to improve the quality of its courses on a continuing basis. Your feedback on the course, the readings, and your course facilitator are important to us. We also appreciate your ideas for ways to improve courses. Please remember to complete a course evaluation survey when you complete the course.
Student E-Mail Address: All students must obtain and use an SIU e-mail address.
Estimated Course Effort: Students should plan to spend at least 45 hours in lecture or classwork and 90 hours in homework, with 135 total hours as a minimum over a four-week course. If the course includes labs, clinical experiences, internships, externships, or other fieldwork, the hours assigned to these must be specified.