Examining Social Things
Principles of Sociology
Fall 2011 – Online Course
2201/W02; CRN 80490
Instructor: Robin Crawford
E-Mail: rcrawfor@kennesaw.edu
Skype: @instructorc
Office Location: SO 4005
On Campus Consultation Hours: Monday: 1 pm – 1:45 pm (SO 1021); Wednesday: 12:30 pm – 1:30 pm (SO
4005);
or by Skype appointment.
Please use GeorgiaView Vista email for all course communication.
“The first wisdom of sociology is this, things are not always what they seem.” – Peter Berger
Sociology is all about us. Many say that sociology is merely common sense – we are simply studying what is
obvious about society and ourselves. Some of what we explore as sociologists is obvious but the real fascination
lies beneath the surface – the nonobvious sociology or ‘things that are not always what they seem.’ In this course
we will challenge this “common sense” assumption and determine if it is really a good indicator when trying to
understand who we are and what makes society possible. You will receive an overview of sociology as a social
science, which emphasizes the social nature of human behavior and includes an introduction to culture,
socialization, social structure, deviance, social stratification, family, gender, religion, race and ethnicity, and
complex organizations among other topics.
You are about to enter a world that will challenge your current assumptions. We will explore the sociological
perspective - what it is, and how to employ it. We will learn that the sociological perspective will provide new
ways of looking at ourselves and the world around us. Your assignment, should you choose to accept it, is to
suspend judgment and approach this sociological journey with an open mind. Think about what you discover in
your assigned readings and ask questions. Think about and respectfully respond to your fellow classmates'
observations and perspectives in online discussions. Go beyond what is required, if you dare, to create a
powerful arsenal of sociological skills. Become a “practical skeptic” by exploring beyond the surface. Question
what is considered “the obvious.” The goal is to critically engage the issues and it is recommended that students
attempt to think about how each theory and issue relates, or does not relate, to their own lives and experiences.
This way, everyone can determine for themselves the relevance and effectiveness of sociology as a framework
for understanding our social world.
The major part of this course is online at a time that is convenient for you. Course requirements include weekly
online discussions, assignments, and graded exams. A typical traditional course requires 40 hours of in-class
instruction with a recommended additional two to three hours of study and preparation for every hour spent in
class. For an online course, this translates into a recommended 10-15 hours per week of dedicated time to
maximize your learning experience and successfully complete this course. This time includes participation in
weekly discussions, reading the assigned material, study time, and exams.
LEARNING OBJECTIVES
This is a broad and introductory course with several broad and general objectives:
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Students will examine broad themes of the discipline of Sociology. This will be measured by assessments
[exams] that test comprehension of major themes, concepts and theories in each chapter.
Students will learn the key concepts of sociological thinking, and the key terms of the discipline.
Students will engage and interpret the course chapters and themes by participating in online discussions for
each chapter.
Students will translate the primary sociological theories, methods and themes into their real life by expressing
how these relate to their lives in online discussions.
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Students will develop their communication skills by actively participating in online discussions for each
chapter and practicing responsible and civil engagement of complex, varied and sometimes-controversial
issues.
Students will critically analyze a social issue related to the topic of stratification in our society by composing a
sociological book review.
Students will reflect on each chapter and determine what they need to understand better, what they do or do
not agree with, and what questions they wish to ask. These will all be reflected in the online discussions.
As a completely online course, it is important that you read and understand this syllabus (all of the requirements).
A checklist is posted on Vista in the “Start Here” folder titled, “I Understand and Agree.” Please review, include
your initial next to each statement, type your name, and type the date, then submit, confirming that you have read
and understand all the requirements of this course. Review and complete by or before August 29th at 11:59 pm.
Note: you will not have access to Exam I until your “I Understand and Agree” agreement is received.
REQUIRED TEXTS
Obtaining the required texts is solely the responsibility of the student. If you order the assigned books from
sources other than the bookstore, you are responsible for ensuring that the books arrive on time or getting
another copy in the meantime - you are responsible for remaining current with your assigned readings.
 Ferrante, Joan. 2011. Seeing Sociology: An Introduction. Belmont, CA: Cengage Learning.
 Gladwell, Malcolm. 2008. Outliers: The Story of Success. New York, NY: Little, Brown and Company.
 Additional articles will be available via GeorgiaVIEW Vista.
COURSE INFORMATION/EXPECTATIONS
As you read the assigned materials, ask:
What does the author think? Why?
What do I think? Why?
What does the research reveal?
Whose truth is in the numbers?
As you analyze our social world you will have several opportunities to demonstrate your understanding of
sociological concepts and theories through writing assignments, online discussions, and exams. In addition to the
required reading, you may watch video clips, analyze popular music, critique short articles, and/or exercise the
sociological perspective on a number of current news events.
Minimum Technology Requirements, Course Guidelines, Discussion Boards
This is an entirely online course and will be conducted entirely through GeorgiaVIEW Vista. Students are
expected to have the necessary computer background to work in this format, and are advised to seek additional
technical assistance from computer services if needed (see resource links in “Start Here” folder). Students will be
expected to read each assigned chapter carefully, and then use the posted chapter objectives, summaries, and
any posted PowerPoint presentations as review material. Then, for each chapter, students are expected to make
at least one (1) substantive response to online discussions (see below). Assigned chapters are available in
learning modules; after each learning module there will be an ungraded self-assessment. GeorgiaVIEW Vista
“Announcements” and “Mail”, and the “Ask the Instructor” discussion board (see below) will serve as other forms
of communication. Important updates and general comments will be posted regularly – it is suggested that you
visit GeorgiaVIEW Vista at least three times a week. Weekly attendance questions will be posted as a form of
communication, but more importantly to encourage you to stay current in the course throughout the semester.
For technology problems, visit Student Technology Services at http://its.kennesaw.edu/students.htm.
On-line Discussion/Participation Requirement
Online participation via the discussion board is a key component of this online course! To maximize your learning
experience, you are expected to read all of the assigned material each week. Your preparation each week
contributes to lively and thought-provoking online discussions in a meaningful way. In fact, a significant portion of
your learning will come from interacting online with your fellow classmates.
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Your first assignment is to introduce yourself on the 24 Hour Course Cafe discussion board located on the
main page of GeorgiaVIEW Vista by or before August 29th.
Students are also required to participate in online discussions with a minimum of one post for each week; you
are strongly encouraged to post additional responses, as there will be ample opportunities to explore and
analyze content. This is the best way for you to ask questions, make comments, clarify things, and especially
to demonstrate that you have read and understood the chapters. The discussions will be multi-directional:
student-student, student-content, student-instructor, and instructor-student. From past experience, students
will likely make hundreds of postings during the semester, and the instructor will reply to about 20% of the
total postings, often engaging a whole discussion thread at one time.
Students are asked to read local, national, and/or international news, and connect with sociological themes
being covered at that time in our textbook. A minimum of four times throughout the semester, students need
to cite a news story in their discussion posts, explaining the story they saw, how it relates, and also providing
the citation for the news story: name of publication, date, page number or website address.
Questions are encouraged, and polite disagreements are fine. However, respect is a basic necessity in all
online interactions. According to KSU Computer Usage Policy and Guidelines [www.kennesaw.edu/infosec],
“You may not employ lewd or threatening language in any electronic communication. This would violate the
bounds of good taste as well as laws and regulations.” Please see the Netiquette link in the “Start Here” folder
for more details.
“Ask the Instructor” Discussion Board - Post any questions for the instructor related to the course. Questions
related to your personal situation should be sent via GeorgiaVIEW Vista email. If an email is sent with a question
related to the entire class, it will be copied and posted on this discussion board for the benefit for all students.
Online Attendance – Regular attendance is also essential for successful completion of online courses! Each
week, a fun or thought-provoking question will be posed. Your answer to these questions each week will serve as
the online course attendance roster.
Academic Honesty and Plagiarism - I conform to the rules listed in the Undergraduate Catalog concerning
cheating. Please familiarize yourself with your rights and responsibilities. Any student caught cheating
automatically receives a zero for the exam or assignment and will not be given a chance to make it up. The
submission of the work of someone else as one's own is plagiarism. Academic honesty requires that ideas or
materials taken from another course for use as a course paper or project be fully acknowledged. Plagiarism is a
very serious offense in whatever form it may appear, be it submission of an entire article falsely represented as
the student's own, the inclusion within a piece of the student's writing of an idea for which the student does not
provide sufficient documentation, or the inclusion of a documented idea not sufficiently assimilated into the
student's language and style. It is your responsibility to know and understand what constitutes plagiarism.
Plagiarized assignments will receive a zero - no exceptions.
Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gC2ew6qLa8U and
http://nutsandbolts.washcoll.edu/plagiarism.html.
The KSU Writing Center - is a free service offered to all KSU students. Experienced, friendly writing assistants
work with you on thesis development, organization, research documentation, grammar, mechanics, and more.
They help you improve your paper AND teach you strategies to become a better writer on your own. For more
information or to make an appointment, visit http://www.kennesaw.edu/english/WritingCenter, or stop by Room
242 in the English Building. Extra points will be awarded for visits to the writing center (with official
documentation).
Special Accommodations Notice - In accordance with University policy and the Americans with Disabilities Act
(ADA), academic accommodations may be made for any student who notifies the instructor of the need for an
accommodation. It is imperative that you take the initiative to bring such needs to my attention, as I am not legally
permitted to inquire about such particular needs of students.
General Course Info - Guidelines for your assignments will be posted on GeorgiaVIEW Vista including grading
rubrics. Additional information and tips will be available to help you get the most from your reading, writing, and
class discussions.
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Review assignment guidelines for formatting specifics. All assignments should be typed and should include
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your name, date, class, etc., 1” margins, double-spaced in the font of your choice. Papers will be evaluated
based on content, use of sociological concepts, structure, and mechanics, which includes integrating the
American Sociological Association(ASA) documentation style (see Introduction Learning Module for the ASA
link).
Late assignments will be reduced 10% of the total grade received for each weekday (Mon. – Fri.) late. Late
papers without official documentation of illness or other emergency will not be accepted. Official
documentation and a hard copy of the late assignment MUST be turned in to the instructor. Please do not
email me your excuse or papers.
Please DO NOT save your work on KSU computers - email your work to yourself or use a personal flash
drive. If you choose to ignore this policy and save your work on KSU computers, know that having the KSU
computer crash or having your work erased or corrupted if it is saved on a KSU lab or classroom computer is
not an acceptable excuse for late or missing papers, assignments, and other products.
SUMMARY OF EVALUATIONS
I treat assignments as they would be treated in the working world. No supervisor will tolerate an employee turning
in an expected report a day late or failing to present an oral presentation on the date anticipated. Meeting
deadlines is an important key to success as a student and as a professional in the working world. All assignments
are due on the specified due date. Failure to turn in the assignment or turning in only a portion of the assignment
will result in a 10% deduction per weekday. Grades are typically posted on GeorgiaVIEW Vista within 10 business
days (Mon. – Fri.) after the assignment/exam is submitted.
Sociological Reflections (30%)
Each week you will sociologically analyze your assigned readings; personal experiences; interactions; movies and
television shows you have watched; books you have read; news events; observations of a public place or special
event; travel experiences, etc. (using concepts and theories learned in class) in an online discussion format. You
and your fellow classmates will post and respond to one another. It is a fun and interesting way to explore your
social world with a focus on media issues. You are required to complete thirty (30) during the semester. For
each discussion you do not participate in, one point will be deducted. Questions are posted by the instructor
based on weekly reading assignments; written lectures; or online talks, presentations, discussions, debates; etc.,
(first post due by Monday, August 29th - all responses must be posted each week by 11:59 pm on Monday).
Comments should be more than “I agree” or other short affirmative/negative comments. Instead, demonstrate
your critical thinking abilities and in-depth reading of the text and any assigned articles. More details about what
constitutes a sociological reflection and a grading rubric are posted on Vista. Final post by 11:59 pm Monday,
November 28th
Critical Sociological Book Review (20%)
Your task is to critically review the assigned book, Outliers: The Story of Success. Detailed guidelines are posted
in the “Assignment” section of Vista. A grading rubric is posted for your review. Follow the general formatting
guidelines for papers as noted in the syllabus. Please feel free to incorporate outside sources but be sure to cite
appropriately and include the source(s) as part of your reference page following MLA, APA, or ASA
Documentation Style.
Exam Schedule and Format (50%)
Please make a note of the exam schedule and plan accordingly. Exams are essentially open book; students can
take them wherever they can log on to a reliable and Vista compatible high-speed computer between Sunday at 8
am and Thursday at 11:59 pm of that exam week (for example, Exam I will be available between September 25th
and September 29th). Note: Study and preparation are necessary because the exams are timed and the clock
starts as soon as you begin, so there will not be time to look up answers. You must be prepared in advance to do
well on the exams. There are 75 questions on each exam; 75 minutes will be allotted for each exam. Exams will
be available between Monday and Thursday of that exam week. The questions asked in exams will primarily
cover the major issues and concepts covered in the text, as opposed to obscure dates, individual places and
names, or the most briefly discussed concepts. If you are not doing well, please email to discuss your situation.
Exam I:
Exam II:
September 25th – September 29th
October 30th – November 3rd
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Exam III:
December 4th – December 8th (Comprehensive, all essay, final exam)
Evaluation Format
Weekly Sociological Reflections
Critical Sociological Book Review
Exam I
Exam II
Exam III (Comprehensive Final)
Total
Points
300
200
150
150
200
1000
Grading Scale
A=
B=
C=
D=
F=
900 - 1000
800 - 899
700 - 799
600 - 699
599 or below
Important Dates
August 15 - 16
Final Registration
October 12
Last Day to Withdraw Without Academic Penalty
August 17 - 23
Drop/Add
November 23 - 27
Fall Break - NO CLASSES (Wed - Sun)
August 17
First Day of Classes
December 5
Last Day of Classes
August 29
Final Payment Deadline
December 6 - 12
Final Exams
September 3 - 5
HOLIDAY – NO CLASSES
December 13 – 14
Graduation (Tentative)
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Detailed Course Schedule
(The instructor reserves the right to adjust the syllabus and course schedule as needed)
Week
Topic for Discussion/Reading Assignment
Introduction – Assembling Your Sociological Toolbox
Assignment/Exam
1
8/17/11
2
8/24/11
Module 1 – The Sociological Imagination
Sociological Reflections
3
8/31/11
Module 2 – Culture
Sociological Reflections
4
9/7/11
Module 3 – Socialization
Sociological Reflections
5
9/14/11
6
9/21/11
Module 5 – The Social Construction of Reality
Sociological Reflections
Exam I; 9/25 – 9/29
7
9/28/11
Module 6 – Deviance
Sociological Reflections
8
10/5/1
Module 7 – Social Stratification
Sociological Reflections
9
10/12/11
Module 8 – Race and Ethnicity
Sociological Reflections
10
10/19/11
Module 9 – Gender
Sociological Reflections
11
10/26/11
Module 10 – Economics and Politics
Sociological Reflections
Exam II; 10/30 – 11/3
12
11/2/111
Module 11 – Families
Sociological Reflections
13
11/9/11
Module 12 – Education and Religion
Sociological Reflections
Critical Book Review; 11/21/11
14
11/16/11
Module 13 – The Changing Environment
Sociological Reflections
15
11/23/11
Module 14 – Sociology at the Forefront
16
11/30/11
Integrate – Utilizing Your Sociological Toolbox
Module 4 – Social Structures
Crawford – 2201/W01 –Fall 2011
Sociological Reflections
Sociological Reflections
Sociological Reflections
Sociological Reflections
Final Exam III; 12/4 – 12/8
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