Course Syllabus
SOCI 1301 (3:3:0)
Introduction to Sociology
Sociology
Behavioral Sciences Department
Division of Arts and Sciences
Asst. Professor Jana Daniel
Levelland and Reese Campuses
Fall 2009
South Plains College
South Plains College: General Course Syllabus
Department: Behavioral Sciences
Discipline: Sociology
Course Number: Sociology 1301
Course Name: Introduction to Sociology
Credit: 3 Lecture: 3 Lab: 0
This course satisfies a core curriculum requirement: Yes- Behavioral Science
Prerequisites: none for campus; TSI reading for INET
Campuses: Levelland, Reese, Plainview, ATC, INET
Textbook: Society the Basics: John J. Macionis, 10th edition
Course Specific Instructions: INET classes go to WebCT to enter; campus additional materials may be available on MySPC
Course Description: This course is a study of human group behavior, including the forms which group life takes; relationships
of groups to other groups; influence of groups on the individual and relationships of individuals to each other as members of
groups.
Course Purpose: This course is an introduction course designed to provide students with an understanding how society is
structured, an understanding of the theories and language of sociology and their role in that society.
Course Requirements: Students should attend all classes and complete assigned work and exams.
Course Evaluation: Refer to specific COURSE INFORMATION SHEET for specifics on assignments and testing.
Attendance Policy: Refer to COURSE INFORMATION SHEET. Attendance is critical for success when absences become
excessive, the student will be withdrawn from the course.
Student Learning Outcomes:
1.
2.
3.
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5.
Apply and recognize the sociological perspective to social experiences in areas related to social class, gender,
age, sexual orientation, and religion.
Distinguish among sociological methods and interpret the scientific methods.
Compare and contrast between the three major theories: structural functional, social conflict and symbolic
interaction.
Identify and recognize among various components of social structure and social institutions.
Evaluate elements of applying sociological concepts to real life experiences.
SOUTH PLAINS COLLEGE
“In order to accomplish its mission, South Plains College is committed to the following purposes:
To provide Student he opportunity to learn as a lifelong endeavor; to acquire skills for communications, critical thinking and
problem solving; to explore the use of technology; to express creativity; to experience; and to grow socially.”
SPC Mission Statement
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To provide students the opportunity to learn as a lifelong endeavor; to acquire skills for communications, critical
thinking and problem-solving; to explore the use of technology; to express creativity; to experience leadership; and to
grow socially.
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To increase student success by providing assessment, advisement and counseling services that assist students in
clarifying personal, academic and career goals; by providing tutoring and other student support services; by providing
enrollment, financial aid and job placement services; and by providing opportunities to participate in the academic and
social life of the college through social activities, community cultural leadership and wellness-fitness services.
To increase access to educational opportunities through distance learning, technology and other innovations.
SPC Catalogue Description:
Soci1301: Introduction to Sociology (3:3:0)
This course is a study of human group behavior, including the forms which group life takes; relationships of groups to other
groups, influence of groups on the individual and relationships of individuals to each other as members of groups.
Coordinating Board Academic Approval Number 4511015125
Course Information Sheet
Soci 1301
Introduction to Sociology
Asst. Professor Jana Daniel
Fall 2009
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Office locations: AD147 on Tues., Thurs., and Fri. and in RC450 on Mon. and Wed.
Office Hours:
MW 2:15-3:45 pm at Reese Center in RC450; TR 9:45-10:45 am at Levelland in
AD147; F 9:00 am to 12 noon at Levelland in AD147; or by appointment
E-mail:
jdaniel@southplainscollege.edu
Telephone:
(806) 716-2480 for Levelland days and (806) 716-4034 for Reese Center days
Textbook:
Society: The Basics, by John J. Macionis, 10th edition, Publisher: Prentice Hall
Companion website: http://www.prenhall.com/macionis (click on the picture of your textbook)
How this Course is Conducted:
This course is a blended course which means that you will attend the regular classroom for general instruction and
you will also access WebCT for a portion of your course work and for your grades.
Logging into WebCT:
Go to http://spc.blackboard.com to access your course. You can get to the website for the course in two ways. You
can go to the SPC Homepage and click on the WebCT link in the upper right-hand corner of the page or you can
type the address into the address window of your computer. You might want to bookmark the page for future use.
Once you reach the site you will click “Log In”. The log-in screen will come up asking for your user name and
password. Simply follow the instructions on the screen.
 Your user name is the first initial of your first name, last name, last 4 digits of your Student ID (not your
Social Security number). Example: jdoe1234
 Your password is the same as your password for MySPC.
 You are required to log into the WebCT portion of the course and send an email each week as part of your
grade. You are also required to submit coursework through WebCT.
OTHER INFORMATION concerning WebCT:
Open Computer Lab: There is an Open Computer Lab located on the Levelland campus in the new Technology
Center. It is available to all students, with priority given to those students enrolled in computer classes. Computers
are also available on the Reese Center, Lubbock, and Plainview campuses. Check with libraries and labs for hours.
Technical Problems/Support: If you are having computer problems, you have to let me know. I will try to help
you in any way that I can. Please remember that it is your responsibility to have a backup plan if your computer
goes down. Please have this plan in place now and do not wait until it is a crisis situation. If you lose your course
work due to bad flash drives, Internet service down, computer crash, or your dog ate your homework, there is
nothing I can do about it. THIS IS YOUR WARNING TO HAVE A BACKUP PLAN IN PLACE.
SPC Technical Support Contact: Tacy Romo at 894-9611 ext 2180 or by email at tromo@southplainscollege.edu
I am your course work support contact. Only contact Ms. Romo with technical questions. Contact me for any
course content information.
PLEASE DO NOT WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE TO TURN COURSE WORK IN OR YOU MAY
HAVE PROBLEMS! Remember the saying "TECHNOLOGY HAPPENS"!
Anti-virus Software: Please make sure that your computer has an up-to-date antivirus software program installed.
Academic Integrity – See SPC General Catalog, p. 23 and p.11 of the Student Guide.
This is your reminder that any form of cheating will not be tolerated. “Complete honesty is required of the student
in the presentation of any and all phases of course work. This applies to quizzes of whatever length as well as to
final examinations, journals, daily reports and term papers.” – SPC General Catalog, p. 23. “Offering the work of
another as one’s won, without proper acknowledgment, is plagiarism; therefore, any student who fails to give credit
for quotations or essentially identical expression of material taken from books, encyclopedias, magazines and other
reference works, or from the themes, reports or other writings of a fellow student is guilty of plagiarism.” – SPC
General Catalog, p. 23. If the instructor determines an assignment to be plagiarized the resulting grade will be zero
for that assignment. A second offense will result in failure of the course.
Guidelines for Classroom Behavior
I would like to welcome all students into an environment that creates a sense of community, pride, courtesy and
respect; we are all here to work cooperatively and to learn together.
In order to create a smooth and harmonious learning community, please make every attempt to come to all the class
sessions, to come to class on time, and to stay until the end of the class unless you have informed the instructor that
you must leave early. There may be a time when you are unavoidably late for class. In that case, please come into
the room quietly and choose a seat closest to the entrance. See me after class to record your attendance; otherwise
you will be marked absent.
Cell phones and beepers have become very commonplace but are inappropriate in class. If you have any of these
technological marvels, turn them off or mute them prior to class. Please inform me if you are an EMT or firefighter,
or if you are waiting for a personal emergency call.
Once the class session has begun, please do not leave the room and then re-enter unless it is an emergency. If you
miss a class meeting for any reason, you are responsible for all material covered, for announcements made in your
absence, and for acquiring any materials that may have been distributed in class. I do NOT give out my notes so
you will need to get those from another student.
It is important that we are all able to stay focused on the class lecture/discussion and not have disruptive behaviors*
in the class. We are all adults and therefore I would appreciate having your attention when I lecture or when
another student is speaking. That means that you will direct comments to the entire class and not just to those seated
near you. Do not get “personal” when discussing topics. Also, it is very rude to read papers or sleep in class.
Finally, the use of tobacco products is prohibited in this classroom – that is no chewing, dipping or spitting. If you
feel the need to do any of these things you may leave and return the next class.
*To further classify: Disruptive behavior includes but is not limited to being rude to an instructor or other
students, walking out of class before class ends, making “side comments” to other students, or any other nonadult behavior as defined by the instructor. For additional information on student misconduct refer to pages 1115 of the Student Guide. Failure to abide by policies may result in expulsion from the class and an “F” for the
semester.
Attendance:
You are expected to attend class. Attendance is necessary as test questions will also come from the lecture, class
discussion and other material received in class as well as the textbook.
In addition to the catalog policy on p. 21 of the General Catalog, roll will be taken at each class session and a record
of attendance maintained. A student may be dropped from the course if 4 consecutive classes are missed OR 5
total absences are exceeded with a grade of “X” or “F” regardless of your grade. If absences occur after the final
drop date you will not be dropped and will receive the grade you have earned.
Roll will be taken every class period beginning the first day of classes and will be used to document
attendance. All absences are counted, including ones that are due to illness or other events.
Tardiness or leaving class early: If you are tardy two times or if you leave class early two times that will equal
one absence. Being late or leaving early is very disruptive so allow enough time in your schedule to arrive a few
minutes early to class and remain until class is dismissed. If you do arrive late, quietly take a seat closest to the
entrance. Also, it is YOUR responsibility to see the instructor to have your attendance noted on the roll sheet or you
will be counted absent. This is IMPORTANT!
Disabilities Statement:
Levelland Campus
Students with disabilities, including but not limited to physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities, who wish to
request accommodations in this class should notify the Special Services Office early in the semester so that the
appropriate arrangements may be made.
In accordance with federal law, a student requesting accommodations must provide acceptable documentation of
his/her disability to the Special Services Coordinator. For more information, call or visit the Special Services
Office in the Student Services building, 894-9611 ext. 2529.
Reese Center and the Byron Martin Advanced Technology Center (ATC)
Students with disabilities, including but not limited to physical, psychiatric, or learning disabilities, who wish to
request accommodations in this class should notify the Special Services Office early in the semester so that the
appropriate arrangements may be made.
In accordance with federal law, a student requesting accommodations must provide acceptable documentation of
his/her disability to the Coordinator of Special Services. For more information, call or visit the Special Services
Office in rooms 809 and 811, Reese Center Building 8, 885-3048 ext. 4654.
Diversity
In this class, the instructor will establish and support an environment that values and nurtures individual and group
differences and encourages engagement and interaction. Understanding and respecting multiple experiences and
perspectives will serve to challenge and stimulate all of us to learn about others, about the larger world, and about
ourselves. By promoting diversity and intellectual exchange, we will not only mirror society as it is, but also model
society as it should and can be.
It is the policy of South Plains College to offer all educational and employment opportunities without regard to
race, color, national origin, religion, gender, disability or age. In addition, this instructor will not tolerate remarks
or gestures that can be construed to be sexist, racist, heterosexist or in any way disparaging to another person.
Students who exhibit such behavior will be dropped from the class with a semester grade of “F” regardless of race,
ethnicity, sex, religion, or sexual orientation.
Appeals Process: The process is outlined in the General Catalog, p. 24.
COURSE POLICY AND REQUIREMENTS: This is what you need to do to earn your grade:
***Course Agreement:
You will receive a course agreement through the course email. When you receive the course agreement you will
have two options. You may either respond to the course agreement with the words “I agree” or if you do not agree
you may choose to drop the course. Responding with the words “I agree” is required to remain in the course.
Response is required within 2 weeks of the first day of classes. Failure to respond is grounds for the instructor to
drop you from the course with a grade of “X”.
Course Work:
Your course work will include 4 exams (worth 100 points each), 3 chapter summaries (worth 20 points each for a
total of 60 points), and a variety of activities and assignments (worth a total of 45 points). The summaries,
activities, and assignments total to 100 points so they are equivalent to one exam grade. All course work will be
submitted through WebCT with the exception of your exams.
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Exams:
o There will be four (4) exams. The 4th exam is your final exam. The final exam will be not be
comprehensive. To avoid scheduling problems the following exam dates are “set in stone”
therefore do not schedule conflicts. If there is a conflict with a religious holiday let me know by
September10th, or you will be expected to complete the exam on the scheduled date.
o All electronic devices will be turned off and put out of sight during exams. Any violation of this
rule will result in a zero for that exam.
o If you miss an exam a grade of “0” will be recorded for that exam grade and you may take a makeup comprehensive exam at the end of the semester.
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The make-up exam will be a comprehensive exam given during the time of your final exam. It will
be 50 questions randomly selected from the chapters covered during the semester. Any student
needing to take the make-up exam will first complete the final exam and turn it into the instructor.
At that time the student will be given the make-up exam to take.
If you miss two exams for any reason you will be dropped from the class with a grade of “F”.
You may request to take the final (and make-up) at an earlier time the instructor has a scheduled
final exam to give (if there is an earlier time scheduled) but not at a later scheduled time. The final
and make-up must be taken during the same exam period.
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Chapter Summaries:
o Students are to submit chapter summaries through WebCT in the Assignment tool.
o There will be three (3) chapter summaries required for this course with each one being worth up
to 20 points. Students will submit at least one full page typed (single-spaced, size 12 font with
regular margins) answering the following questions for each chapter. Complete sentences and a
full discussion of the chapter are necessary to receive full credit.
o The due dates for summaries will be announced/listed in the WebCT section of the course. It is
your responsibility and part of the requirement of this course to log into WebCT weekly to check
the calendar and assignment deadlines.
o Late summaries will be accepted for 24 hours after the initial deadline with a deduction of one-half
(1/2) the earned points for any summary submitted late. Grades of zero will be given for any
summary not turned in for grading.
o You MUST divide your summaries into 4 sections as listed before. I do NOT want one long
paragraph.
1. Summarize the chapter by discussing the main points. This section should be a
minimum of 1/3 of a page.
2. What one concept did you understand best in this chapter? Fully explain what you
learned to show understanding.
3. What did you have a problem with or didn’t understand in this chapter? (“I
understood everything” or something equivalent to that is not acceptable for this section.)
4. What & how can you connect the information you learned in the chapter to
something that you have experienced in your daily life? This must be specific to your
life either now or to something in your past. It MUST be something that HAS HAPPENED
or IS HAPPENING and NOT something that WILL HAPPEN some day. Generalities will
not be given credit.
1. Example of a generality – I can apply the concept of discrimination in my life by
recognizing my prejudices and not treating people differently. (No credit for this.)
2. Example of a specific application – I can apply the concept of discrimination in my
life because someone that I know has been treated differently because of the fact
that she was a Hispanic female. She worked at a place and had been there longer
than the other employees but she found out that she was making less money per
hour than the others. When she questioned her boss she was told that it was
because they started at different levels, she pointed out that was not true and in the
end she was given back pay and a raise to bring her pay level up equal to the
others. The only differences were that she was Hispanic and/or female.
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Activities and assignments:
o This portion of your course work has several components and is worth a total of 45 points (notice
that a 5 point bonus is built into this section). You will have a deadline for each component and
may submit work late for 24 hours after the deadline for a ½ deduction of points. Here are your
activities and assignments:
1. Log into the course weekly to check the calendar, announcements, activities, and
assignments. To document the log in your are to email Ms. Daniel within the WebCT
section of the course using the “Mail” link on the left-hand side of the course homepage.
You may ask questions, make comments, or just say the email is to document your log in
for the week. This component is worth up to 15 points. Note: I check this email frequently
and you may use this email at any time during the semester to contact me.
2. Introduction discussion posting - introduce yourself to the class. Check the Discussion
Board for information to include in your post. To get to the Discussion Board click on the
“Discussion” link on the left-hand side of the course homepage. To earn full credit you
need a minimum of 10 quality sentences and you need to read the postings of other
students in your section so you may have to log into the Discussion Postings several times.
Talk about yourself in your posting but feel free to respond to the postings of other
students. This component is worth up to 15 points and is due by September 9th at noon
for MW sections and September 10th at noon for TR sections.
3. Letter to Future Students - This activity is your chance to tell future students how to
be successful in this class. You will write a letter to the students of next semester
and give them tips on how to be successful. The instructions and deadlines will be
posted in WebCT later in the semester and this component is worth up to 15 points.
If you have any questions do not hesitate to speak to me before/during/after class or via email.
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There will be a couple of extra forums in the Discussion Board (In addition to the Introduction
forum).
1. Questions – anonymous: This forum will be for questions and will be anonymous (the
student’s name will not show). I have this forum because sometimes students are reluctant
to ask questions for one reason or another. Chances are if one student has the questions that
others have the same questions so I hope you will use this forum to ask questions about
classroom information, course work, WebCT, or other general school questions.
2. Stuff: I decided to add a Stuff forum for postings outside the requirements of the course.
Feel free to use this folder to ask questions about the course or whatever, to set up study
groups, or just to make observations about life and society that relate to course materials.
Feel free to express yourselves in an appropriate way. This forum will have students
identified by name.
3. Other forums may be added for activity purposes at a later date.
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Participation & Attendance: Attendance is required and attendance will be recorded each class. If you
miss class, take responsibility to find out what you have missed. Remember, if you are tardy, you are
responsible for seeing me to have your attendance recorded on the attendance sheet before you leave the
classroom and 2 tradies and/or leaving early equal one absence. As stated in the Attendance section, a
student may be dropped from the course with a grade of “X” or “F” when you miss 4 consecutive
classes or exceed 5 total absences. If absences occur after the last drop date you will not be dropped and
will received the grade earned for the course.
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EXTRA CREDIT IS NOT THE NORM.
All grades will be posted in WebCT under the My Grades link. Grades will not be given in class.
Semester grading:
A
90 – 100 avg.
B
80 – 89 avg.
C
70 – 79 avg.
D
60 – 69 avg.
F
0 – 59 avg.
Course Calendar:
Regular Exam schedule and important dates for MW class
September 7
Monday
Holiday
September 9
Wednesday Introduction due
September 14
Monday
Chapter summary due
September 23
Wednesday Exam 1
October 12
Monday
Chapter summary due
October 21
Wednesday Exam 2
November 9
Monday
Chapter summary due
November 10
Tuesday
Online Registration begins
November 18
Wednesday Exam 3
November 24
Tuesday
Last day to drop a class
November 25-27 Wed – Fri
Thanksgiving holiday
December 9
Wednesday Letter to future students
Regular Exam schedule and important dates for TR class
September 10
Thursday Introduction due AND
Chapter summary due
September 22
Tuesday Exam 1
October 8
Thursday Chapter summary due
October 20
Tuesday Exam 2
November 5
Thursday Chapter summary due
November 10
Tuesday Online Registration begins
November 17
Tuesday Exam 3
November 24
Tuesday Last day to drop a class
November 25-27 Wed-Fri Thanksgiving holiday
December 8
Tuesday Letter to future students
Final Exam schedule – note that exam times are different than regular class times
Section #
Reg. class time
Date of Final
Day of Final
Time of Final
Sec 201 –
MW 11:00
December 14
Monday
1:00 until 3:00 pm
Reese
Room 451
Sec 202 –
MW 4:00
December 14
Monday
5:30 until 7:30 pm
Reese
Room 451
Sec 006 –
TR 11:00
December 15
Tuesday
10:15 am until 12:15 pm
Levelland
Room AD122