SOCI 1301 - 0050 Introduction to Sociology (55415)
Northwest College, Distance Education
Sumer 2015 First 5-week Term
Instructor: Patricia Daugherty, Ph.D.
Instructor Contact Information: E-mail through Eagle On-line
Office location and hours: By appointment only. Contact me through Eagle Online Quickmail to arrange a meeting.
Course Description
SOCI1301 is a survey course which focuses on the social nature of human groups in American and world societies, their
social and cultural adaptations, and the impact which various social processes may have on their social organization and
social change.
Prerequisites
SOCI1301 requires college-level reading and writing skills. Research indicates that you are most likely to succeed if you
have already taken and passed ENGL 1301.
The minimum requirements for enrollment in SOCI1301:
placement in college-level reading (or take GUST 0342 as a co-requisite) and
placement in college-level writing (or take ENGL 0310/0349 as a co-requisite).
If you have enrolled in this course without having satisfied these prerequisites, you are at higher risk of failure or
withdrawal than students who have done so, and you should carefully read and consider the repeater policy notice that
follows.
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK: Macionis, John. J. Society. The Basics 13th Edition 2015, Pearson Publishing
Note: This is the 13 edition; earlier editions are out of date. All students must have access to a current textbook in the
first week of classes. The HCC bookstore http://hccs.bncollege.com has the textbook and MySocLab bundled together
ISBN: 9780133966107. (Note: MySocLab is not required for the class, but it is recommended. MySocLab has many
valuable resources including articles, videos, activities and practice quizzes.)
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All students must have access to a textbook in the first few days of class. If a student does not have a textbook, he/she
is still responsible for completing assignments on time. Textbooks are on reserve at most HCC libraries, so plan to study
there if you have not yet received your textbook.
Technical Requirements for Course Access: This is an on-line distance education course using Eagle Online 2 (EO2)
system. Go to EO2 login page and follow directions for how to log (https://eo2.hccs.edu/login/index.php). All
lectures, course content, assignments, and chapter quizzes (with the exception of the Final Exam) will be completed
online through our EO2 class. You need: the latest version of with EO2, reliable broadband Internet access, the latest
version of Mozilla Firefox, and all the plug-ins listed in “Technical Requirements” in the Distance Education On-line
Orientation.
It is the student’s responsibility to have all the necessary technical capabilities for accessing the course material,
completing on-line searches, watching videos on-line, etc. Go to http://de.hccs.edu/technical-support/ for technical
assistance or to contact Tech Support, available 24/7.
On-line Support Center: Eagle Online Orientation Movies and PDFs are available at http://de.hccs.edu/technicalsupport/ On the same page you can access Live Chat Support or get the number for Live Phone Support if you have any
technical questions. Help is available 24/7, so get help as soon as possible.
Course Requirements:
Student Responsibility: It is the student’s responsibility to read and understand all of the course requirements in this
syllabus and all the policies and practices explained in the DE Student Handbook http://de.hccs.edu/student-services/
and the HCC Student Handbook http://www.hccs.edu/district/students/student-handbook/ . If you have any questions
about the course requirements, please ask.
Course requirements:
Chapter Quizzes
Discussions
Final exam
Attendance
35%
20%
40%
5%
Grading system
90-100 = A (excellent)
80- 89 = B (good)
70- 79 = C (fair)
60- 69 = D (passing)
59- 0 = F (failing)
1) Chapter Quizzes – Chapter Quizzes may include multiple choice, true/false questions, and/or short essay. Quizzes
cover textbook chapters, readings, videos, and assignments for each chapter/topic. Most questions on quizzes come
directly from Study Questions posted under each Topic/Chapter tab on our Homepage. Students must take quizzes
during times and dates posted on the “Assignments and Class Schedule” posted on our Homepage. Quizzes are given
on-line on Friday, Saturday or Sunday. There are no make-up quizzes in this class, so make sure you know the quiz dates
and prepare for them. Please notify me prior to the quiz or soon after, if you are unable to take a quiz.
Students must install and use Respondus Lockdown Browser for all quizzes. Make sure you have access to a computer
that has Respondus installed. Computer problems or loss of Internet access are not accepted as an excuse for missing a
quiz or assignment.
Computer Access and Internet Outage Policy from the DE Student Handbook http://de.hccs.edu/student-services/ .
“Students are responsible for making sure that they have continuous, reliable Internet access in order to complete this
course.” Unfortunately, no make-up quizzes or extensions for assignments are given to students who do not have or
who lost internet connection or computer access during a quiz.
2) Discussions –Discussion Questions are the main writing component in this class. Read “Guidelines for Responding to
Discussion Questions” on our EO Homepage under Advanced Forum for details on requirements. Students must follow
the guidelines and write insightful and detailed responses to the specific discussion questions that show the student’s
understanding of key sociological concepts covered in the textbook and ability to apply these concepts appropriately
using qualitative and quantitative sources. All responses must be written in an academic style of writing and must be
written in the student’s own words.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is a serious offense. In this class, there is zero tolerance for anything copied word for word from any source
(textbook, Power Points, internet, etc.) on any assignment. Copying anything word for word from any source will
result in a “0” for the assignment with no possibility of redoing the assignment. A second offense of plagiarism will
result in an “F” in the course. No excuses will be accepted and there is no possibility for redoing the assignment. If you
are not sure what plagiarism is, go to http://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/589/02/ for a very clear and precise
definition of plagiarism and how to avoid it. Read the policy on plagiarism and academic honesty in the HCC Student
Handbook for more details.
3) Final Exam – The Final is mandatory and must be taken only on the official exam dates announced in our EO2 course.
The Final Exam must be taken on campus at 3100 Main Street, HCC’s DE testing center, no exceptions. The Final Exam
is a closed book exam and covers all assigned topics in our course. Study Questions for the Final will be posted. NO
MAKE-UP IS GIVEN for the Final Exam, so make sure you mark these dates on your calendar and that you arrive early on
the assigned date. Let me know if you are unable to take the Final Exam for any reason. Details for taking the Final on
campus and making an appointment to take the Final will be posted on our Course Homepage. NOTE: The Final Exam
dates for DE Finals and the location of the Final are different from regular in-class courses or other classes, so follow
the instructions given in “Final Exam Information” posted on our EO homepage and ignore any information to the
contrary from other sources.
Notice for Students Outside of HCC Service Area. Please see the DE Student Handbook at http://de.hccs.edu/studentservices/ for more information. Students must find an official proctor and notify your instructor at least one month
prior to the first Final Exam date.
Code of Honesty: Students are required to complete all quizzes and assignments on their own without assistance
from anyone. Any evidence of dishonesty will result in disciplinary action as established in HCC guidelines. Dishonesty
includes but is not limited to any kind of cheating such as: sharing answers on or working together on quizzes, the Final,
or Discussion Questions. Studying with others is great, but copying from one another or getting direct help from
someone else to complete Quizzes or Discussion Questions is cheating. Students who are suspected of cheating on
quizzes will receive a grade of "0" on the quiz and be required to take all quizzes on campus. Students who plagiarize
(copy anything word for word) or have someone else write their responses on Discussion Questions will receive a grade
of 0 for the assignment with no chance to rewrite the assignment. A second offense of cheating of any kind will result
in a grade of “F” for the course and the possibility of a note of Academic Dishonesty permanently included in the official
transcript. Refer to the HCC Student Handbook for detailed rules and regulations.
4) Attendance/Logging In- Students are required to regularly log-in and to actively participate in the class by viewing
the Power Point Presentations, watching assigned videos, completing assignments, responding to Discussion Questions.
So, log in early – on the first day of class - and often thereafter –every day if possible but at least 3-5 times/ week. If a
student fails to log-in for an extended period of time and does not contact the instructor to explain the absence, the
student may be dropped for non-attendance with no possibility of refund or reinstatement.
DE students who do not login and actively participate before the Official Day of Record (June 11, 2015) will be
dropped for non-attendance by the registrar. Completing the DE online orientation does not count towards attendance.
Extra Credit - Extra credit assignments are not available in this course. I prefer students focus their time and energy on
completing required assignments successfully and doing their best throughout the course to accomplish learning goals.
HCC Course Withdrawal Policy and 6 Drop Policy:
Withdrawal Policy
• If you have any problems (work, family, personal) that prevent you from fulfilling the requirements of the course,
please contact me or a DE counselor to discuss your options.
 If a student must withdraw from a class upon careful review of all options, the student MUST withdraw him/herself
online through their HCC Student Center prior to the deadline *** The Final Withdrawal Deadline is June 11, 2015
• HCC and/or professors may withdraw students for excessive absences without notification.
• Students are responsible for knowing all withdrawal dates and deadlines and taking appropriate action. Please
contact the HCC Registrar’s Office at 713.718.8500 for any questions about withdrawal deadlines.
• See the DE Student Handbook for more details http://de.hccs.edu/student-services/
Note: If you just stop coming to class and you never officially withdraw from the class, you will receive the grade you
have earned based on the work that you have completed. This could mean getting an “F” for the course if required
exams and assignments have not been completed.
HCC 6 Drop Policy
Beginning Fall 2007, the State of Texas imposes penalties on students who withdraw/drop courses excessively. Students
are limited to no more than SIX total course withdrawals throughout their educational career at a Texas public college
or university. Students are encouraged to review the HCC 6 Drop Policy. To help you avoid having to withdraw from any
class, contact your professor regarding your academic performance. You may also want to contact your counselor to
learn about helpful HCC resources (e.g. online tutoring, child care, financial aid, job placement, etc.).
Evaluation for Greater Learning Student Survey System (EGLSSS) At Houston Community College, professors believe
that thoughtful student feedback is necessary to improve teaching and learning. During a designated time, you will be
asked to answer a short online survey of research-based questions related to instruction. The anonymous results of the
survey will be made available to your professors and division chairs for continual improvement of instruction. Look for
the survey as part of the Houston Community College Student System online near the end of the term.
DE STUDENT SERVICES
The Distance Education Student Handbook contains policies and procedures unique to the DE student. It is the student's
responsibility to follow the policies described in the handbook's contents. The handbook contains valuable information,
such as DE contacts, policies and procedures (attendance requirements, withdrawal/drop procedures, etc.), student
services (ADA, financial aid, degree planning, counseling, etc.), course information, testing procedures, technical
support, and academic calendars. Refer to the DE Student Handbook by visiting this link: http://de.hccs.edu/studentservices/
ADA – Disability Policy
Any student with a documented disability (e.g. physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, etc.) who needs to arrange
reasonable accommodations must contact the Disability Services Office at Spring Branch at the beginning of each
semester. Faculty is authorized to provide only the accommodations requested by the Disability Support Services Office.
For questions, please contact Donna Price at 713.718.5165 or the Disability Counselor at Spring Branch Northwest ADA
Counselor – Mahnaz Kolaini – 713.718.5422. After discussing reasonable accommodations with the ADA Counselor,
students must inform the instructor within the first week or two of classes about any accommodation required for this
course. Go to http://de.hccs.edu/student-services/ for more details.
Course Goal
Successful students will learn the basic concepts and principles used in the study of group life, social institutions, and
social processes, and practical application of this knowledge.
Specific Course Objectives: Upon successful completion of the course, students should be able
 To apply the sociological perspective in a variety of personal and professional social situations.
 To identify, critique and apply key sociological theories and explanations of social patterns.
 To use sociological methods and data to investigate the human condition in the U.S. and globally.
 To identify and assess the impact of specific social institutions and processes on different social groups.
 To identify and discuss contemporary social issues, engage in public discourse, and develop and communicate
alternative sociological explanations or solutions for specific issues such as social inequality based on race,
gender, and class.
 To analyze the effects of historical, social, political, economic, cultural, and global forces on different social
groups.
 To gather reliable information from a variety of sources including scholarly works and internet sources and to
interpret and assess that information, and draw specific conclusions.
 To identify and understand differences and commonalties with diverse social groups within the U.S. and globally.
Student Learning Outcomes
The successful student should be able to:
1. Apply the three major perspectives in Sociology: Social Conflict, Structural Functionalism, and Symbolic
Interactionism.
2. Identify the principles of the social science research process.
3. Evaluate the various aspects of stratification as they affect American society and the world.
4. Evaluate the various aspects of the institutions of society as they affect American society and the world.
Sociology 1301 is a core curriculum course. It may be used to fulfill the requirements for a core Social and behavioral
Sciences course or a core Cross/Multi-Cultural Studies course. It is also a course option in the system wide Global
Studies Program. The exemplary educational objectives for these courses are as follows:
Core Curriculum
Credit: 3 (3 lecture)
SOCI 1301 satisfies the social science requirement in the HCCS core curriculum. The HCCS Sociology Discipline
Committee has specified that address the goals of the core curriculum as follows:
*
Reading at the college level means having the ability to analyze and interpret a variety of printed materials,
books, and document. All students in SOCI1301 are required to read a college-level textbook.
*
Writing at the college level means having the ability to produce clear, correct, and coherent prose adapted to
purpose, occasion, and audience. In addition to knowing correct grammar, spelling, and punctuation, students should
also become familiar with the writing process, including how to discover a topic, how to develop and organize it, and
how to phrase it effectively for their audience. All instructors in SOCI1301 include at least one written assignment in
their syllabi.
*
Effective speaking is the ability to communicate orally in clear, coherent, and persuasive language appropriate
to purpose, occasion, and audience. Students in SOCI1301 are required to communicate about course content in formal
or informal ways as determined by the requirements of each instructor's course syllabus.
*
Listening at the college level means the ability to analyze and interpret various forms of spoken communication.
Students in SOCI1301 are required to listen to presentations and/or discussions of course content in formal or informal
ways as determined by the requirements of each instructor's course syllabus.
*
Critical thinking embraces methods for applying both qualitative and quantitative skills analytically and
creatively to subject matter in order to evaluate arguments and to construct alternative strategies. Problem solving is
one of the applications of critical thinking used to address an identified task. Students in SOCI1301 are required to
exhibit critical thinking in formal or informal ways as determined by the requirements of each instructor's course
syllabus.
*
Computer literacy at the college level means having the ability to use computer-based technology in
communicating, solving problems, and acquiring information. Core-educated students should have an understanding of
the limits, problems, and possibilities associated with the use of technology and should have the tools necessary to
evaluate and learn new technologies as they become available. Students in SOCI1301 are required to exhibit computer
literacy in formal or informal ways as determined by the requirements of each instructor's course syllabus.
HOUSTON COMMUNITY COLLEGE MISSION STATEMENT
The Houston Community College is an open-admission, public institution of higher education offering opportunities for
academic advancement, workforce training, career development, and lifelong learning that prepare individuals in our
diverse communities for life and work in a global and technological society.
Department WebSite: http://northwest.hccs.edu/ (Click on Academic Programs, then on Psychology, Sociology, &
Anthropology.)
Northwest Learning Web for Sociology 1301: Go to HCC Learning Web learning.hccs.edu, click on Program and choose
Sociology in the drop down menu.
ASSIGNMENTS – SOCI 1301 Introduction to Sociology
This is an abbreviated version of the assignment schedule. Check the expanded assignment schedule on our EO2 Homepage on the
first day of class. The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the syllabus and class schedule to accomplish the goals of
the course. If there are any changes made, the student will be notified in a timely manner and will be held responsible for those
changes. Keep in touch and log in often. Ask if you need clarification.
Links to the following assignments and resources are under the Topics tab on our EO2 Homepage.
TENTATIVE ASSIGNMENTS AND CLASS SCHEDULE – Introduction to Sociology
This is an abbreviated version of the class assignments. On the first day of class locate and print out revised, detailed
“Assignments and Class Schedule” on our EO2 Homepage. The instructor reserves the right to make changes to the
syllabus and class schedule to accomplish the goals of the course. If there are any changes made, the student will be
notified in a timely manner and will be held responsible for those changes. Keep in touch and log in often.
EOL = Eagle On-line
Date
June 8
Readings Assignments
June 9
Read excerpt from Stephanie
Coontz’s article, “How History and
Sociology Can Help Today's Families”
Read Chapter 1a – Sociology:
Perspective, Theory (pgs 1-15)
June 10
Read “The Confirmation Bias”
June 11
Related Assignments/Activities
Complete all tasks on the “To do List”
Introduce yourself to the class in Advanced Forum
Order or find copy of required Textbook
Take Pretest –
View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
Watch short videos
Read Chapter 1b – Sociology: Method
(pgs 16-35)
June 11
June 12,13,14
View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
Watch short videos:
Official day of record. Students who have not logged-in on or before this date will be dropped.
Take Quiz 1 on Chapter 1 and Coontz article.
June 15
Read Chapter 2 – Culture
June 16
Read Chapter 3 - Socialization: From
Infancy to Old Age
June 17
Read Chapter 5 – Groups and
Organizations
June 18
June 19,20, 21
June 22
Take Quizzes on Chapters 2,3,5
Read Chapter 8 – Social Stratification
June 23
Read Chapter 9 –Global Stratification
June 24
Read Chapter 10 – Gender
Stratification
June 25
View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
Watch Zimbardo video “26 Cultural Psychology”
Respond to Discussion Question 1 (Advanced Forum)
View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
Watch short videos:
View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
Watch short videos:
Last day to respond to Discussion Question 1
View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
Respond to Discussion Question 2 (Advanced Forum)
Watch Short videos:
View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
Watch short videos
View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
Watch short Short videos:
Last day to respond to Discussion Question 2
June 26,27,28
June 29
June 29
June 30
July 1
July 2
July 2, 3, 4, 5, 6
July 3, 4
Topic 13–July 6
Topic 14 –July 7
July 8, 9, 10, 11
Take Quizzes on Chapters 8, 9, & 10
Read Chapter 7 – Deviance
View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
Watch short videos/slideshow:
Last day to Withdraw with a grade of “W.” An instructor cannot give a student a “W” after this
date. Students must withdraw themselves on-line or on-campus before 12:00 noon
Read Chapter 11 – Race and Ethnicity View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
Watch “Race the Power of an Illusion – Episode 3”
Read excerpts from the transcript of
“Race the Power of an Illusion –
Episode 3”
Read Chapter 12 – Economics and
Politics
View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
Respond to Discussion Question 3 (Advanced Forum)
Watch short Videos
Last day to respond to Discussion Question 3
Take Quizzes on Chapters 7, 11, and 12
Note: July 3 and 4 are official HCC holidays, but I will keep the quizzes open for those who
cannot take the quizzes on any of the other scheduled days.
Independence Day Holiday – No Classes
Read Chapter 14 - Education, Health,
View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
and Medicine
Watch short videos:
Read Chapter 16 - – Social Change:
View Power Point Presentation
Answer Study Questions
Modern and Post-Modern Societies
Watch short videos
Note: Quiz questions on Chapters 14 and 16 will be on the Final Exam.
Our Final Exam is given only on-campus at 3100 Main Street – no exceptions. (Note: Other
Finals may be given at other locations, but our Final Exam is only given at 3100 Main Street.)
See “Final Exam Information” posted on our EO2 Homepage for details about what you can and
cannot bring with you to the Final Exam.
The Final Exam is closed book, so no notes, books, cell phones, electronic devices, etc. are
allowed in the room.
July 17
The Final Exam is cumulative and covers all chapters we have studied this semester. See the
Final Exam Study Questions to see what will be on the Final Exam.
Grades are available to students on-line.