SYLLABUS FOR INTRODUCTORY SOCIOLOGY TCT
Lecture Hours: 3 lab hours: 0
Term: Fall 2004
Instructor’s Name: Ms. Sharon Sarles
Time: M 6:00-8:40
Instructor is available to help you, but has no office. If you need a conference, whether in person or by
telephone, please make an appointment. Instructor’s Phone: 512/970-7835 Please leave a clear message;
leave your number clearly and slowly. Please also have some messaging capability &/or mention two or
three times when you can be reached.
Prerequisites: Students should be able to read, answer questions, take objective tests and write coherent
paragraphs. Civil behavior, even when discussing controversial issues, is expected.
Course goals: Student will become familiar with vocabulary, the three major theoretical perspectives, and
be introduced to various topics within Sociology.
Students will increase their ability to write college level answers to essay questions.
Students will be invited to increase their ability to reason analytically and critically about societal
issues.
CLASS SCHEDULE
Week Date
1
8/30
Chapter
1
Topic
Assignment
What is Sociology?
Paper : What is Soc?
Methods of Sociology
Culture, Socialization, Stratification
Assign: chart reading
Sup Read: Gemeinschaft
& Gesellschaft
Stratif cont’d, Global Stratification
Sup Read: Framework
Ethnicity
Sup Read: Prejudice &
Discrim
Sex & Gender
Exam & lecture
Deviance and Crime
Paper: Dev & Stratif
Or funnel effect
2
9/13
2,3
3
4
9/20
9/27
5
6
5
6
7
10/4
10/11
10/18
7
8
9
10/25
11/1
8
Library
Family, Socialization,
Education
10
11/8
Library
Religion
11
11/15
12
11/22
4
Sup Read: Framework
Paper: problems of
public school OPT
Sup Read: Education &
Religion
Exam & Lecture
!!Library!!
13
11/29
9
14
12/6
10
15
12/13
Economy & Politics
Medicine
Population and Urbanization
Social Change
Read: 1) Ecn&Pol and
2)Role of Media
Paper: Mbutu OPT
Exam
REQUIREMENTS
A. Reading assignments. Students are responsible for material in reading as listed in syllabus as well
as content of lectures. Questions based on the reading are elicited at the first of every class period.
B. Student is responsible for attending class. Instructor’s comments are meant to elucidate and add
to, not regurgitate the text. Test material may also be taken also from Instructor’s lecture.
C. There will be three exams. These will be mostly objective with some essay questions.
Each exam is worth 30% points of total grade.
Grading system:
A 90 – 100%
B 80-89%
C 70-79 %
D 60-69%
F below 60%
D. There are 5 writing assignments, all short papers, most with the aim of improving essay writing
skills. Each is worth up to 5 points on total grade. (Yes, if you made 3 100s on exams, and 5 papers worth 5
points each, you would have a score of 110.) Show you learned something about Sociology and can write
in intelligible, standard English. Each writing assignment is worth up to 5 points, with 5 for outstanding, 4
for very good, 3 for good, 2 for poor, and 1 for turned in. Assignments will be accepted late with a
deduction of one point. Assignments may be rewritten for an improvement in score.
More information on the point system for written assignments:
1. Turned in, on time
2. Relates the high points of the material taught
3. Demonstrates the material taught
4. Knows and integrates the material
5. Mastered facts and concepts taught and added creative thought, along with professional looking
presentation
One or 2 pages, typed, should be sufficient, but there will be no upper page limit.
E. Students may obtain extra credit . Projects must be approved by the instructor before beginning
and must be turned in by the ec 6.
F.
Students are responsible for participating in their learning. You are also responsible for not
degrading the quality of learning of others. As such as much as 5 points on the final score may be
added for quality class participation and as much as 5 deducted for less than acceptable
comportment.
G. Any student needing special accommodations because of a “learning disability” must see
instructor during the first week of class.
H. Any student needing assistance about learning issues should see the instructor as soon as possible.
Now is your opportunity to be sure you have mastered the skills that will make you successful in
college and in the world of learning.
I.
Students who must miss the mid-term examinations should call the instructor at least 2 hours
before the beginning of the mid-term and must take their examination within one week of
returning to health.
J.
I look very unfavorably on “incompletes.” Please do not ask me to work with you on an
incomplete unless you have had an unforeseeable and extreme family or health emergency. This
means you were in the hospital for more than one week or your immediate family member has
died the week of the exam. This does not include family vacations or deaths of extended family.
K. This instructor will use all the negative sanctions allowed by this institution to discourage cheating
of any kind.
RESOURCES
Required text: Sociology Matters, Richard Schaefer, McGraw-Hill.. So, yes, you need to read it.
Reading Packet in Library titled “Sociology/Sarles/Reading
Economy & Politics from Macionis’ Society: the Basics
(chapter) REQUIRED
Education & Religion from Kendall’s Sociology in Our Time (chapter)
“Gemeinschaft & Gesellschaft” from Andersen & Taylor’s Sociology: Understanding a Diverse…
p. 138
“Prejudice and Discrimination” from A&T P. 322-323
Supplementary:
Payne, Ruby K. A Framework for Understanding Poverty, RFT Publishing, 1998. ISBN 0-96474437-2-8
Resource packet in library titled “Sociology/Sarles/Resources
Test-taking strategies
Model Papers
Other study resources
And any non-authoritative material on current events helpful for papers and critical thinking
exercises
Tyner, Thomas E. College Writing Basics.
Reid, Stephen. The Prentice Hall For College Writers. } or similar books in library
Billings, White. The Well-crafted Argument.
CD and internet resources (handouts may be posted online TBA)
More supplementary reading may be found listed in the reference section of each chapter.
TIPS ON PAPER WRITING
Read about topic, review lecture notes, think about what the answers are.
Formulate this into a coherent thought, perhaps using a diagram.
Write a topic sentence or a thesis sentence.
Outline your paper and then write. (Some prefer to write and then outline and rewrite.)
Spell check. Reread for errors. Proofread. Be sure your paper is typed and formatted professionally. Be
doubly sure your name is on the paper.
Thesis Controlled Paper Format
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
A. Attention Getter
B. Tranistion/Explanantion
C. Thesis Ex. The problems in American public schools are based in administrative
irresponsibility, faculty irresponsibility, and student/family irresponsibility.
A. Topic sentence for first item in thesis
B. Support (e.g. statistic)
C. Summary and transition
A. Topic sentence for second point
B. Support
C. Summary and transition
A. Topic sentence for third point
B. Support
C. Summary and transition
A. Restatement of thesis, introduced by transition word(s)
B. Why important
C. What should be done next.