Sociology 318: Adolescent Development in Family and Society
Winter 2011
T/Th 12:05-1:20pm
B032 JFSB
Professor Mikaela Dufur
mikaela_dufur@byu.edu
422-1720
Office Hours: 10:05-12:00 T, or by appt. (2037 JFSB)
Objectives: This class will introduce you to sociological theories, ideas, and research concerning the interactions
between adolescents and a number of social institution. This is NOT a psychology class or a human development
class, but rather a sociological examination of how institutions such as families, schools, labor markets, and so forth,
influence adolescent outcomes. The majority of the course will focus on adolescents in the US, although we will
examine some institutions in other countries. Course readings and discussions should help you critically assess the
current state of research on adolescents and the settings in which they grow. By the end of the course, you should be
able to critique current research and synthesize the literature to propose additional research on a topic of your choice
related to sport. You will demonstrate this by producing a research paper in which you propose a testable
hypothesis, support it with previous literature, and describe how you would use data to test the hypothesis.
Readings:
Articles and readings as described below in schedule
Please note that one or more of the readings may contain harsh language. If this will be an issue for you, it is your
responsibility to approach the instructor for an alternate assignment of equal length and density.
Students with Disabilities: If you have a disability that may affect your performance in this course, you should get
in touch with the office of Services for Students with Disabilities (1520 WSC). This office can evaluate your
disability and assist the professor in arranging for reasonable accommodations, which we will happily institute.
Grading:
Final Exam—100 points
Final Research Paper—100 points
Assessment of Classmate’s Paper Drafts—25 points
Group Presentation –50 points
Diagramming Assignment --25 points
Total=300 points
A: 95-100
A-: 90-94.5
B+: 87-89.5
B: 84-86.5
B-: 80-83.5
C+: 77-79.5
C: 74-76.5
C-: 70-73.5
D+: 67-69.5
D: 64-66.5
D-: 60-63.5
E: below 60
Attendance and Participation: Missing group presentation days will affect your grade. The roll will be passed
around at 12:05pm on the nose on those days; you will not be able to sign the roll after that time. Exam questions
will be drawn from class discussion, so absences will hurt grades through examinations. Finally, I expect that you
will prepare the assigned readings before coming to class for the express purpose of including insights from those
readings in your discussion. If this does not appear to be happening, I reserve the right to give pop quizzes on the
reading material, with the impact of said quizzes on your grade to be left to my discretion.
Turning in Work: Work is due *at the beginning of class* on the assigned due date. It is *your responsibility* to
print out your work in a timely enough fashion that should anything go amiss (your computer died, parking was bad,
the bus broke down, the dog ate your copy card) *you* will be able to resolve it and turn the work in at the
beginning of class. If you will not be in class when an assignment is due, it is *your responsibility* to make sure
the work is turned in at the beginning of class. Papers *will not be accepted electronically*. That means e-mail,
Blackboard dropbox, iTunes, or any other electronic method you can dream up. If you turn in work late or
electronically, the instructor is likely to lose it, as she can remember who won Best Picture in 1996 (“The English
Patient.” Yuck.) but loses her car keys twice a week. Because I do not want to lose your papers, I *will not accept
late work or work turned in electronically*. NO EXCEPTIONS.
Exams: There will be only one exam: a final exam. The final exam is cumulative. The exam will include multiple
choice, short answer, and essay questions; these questions will be drawn BOTH from readings and from classroom
lecture and discussion. The final exam is worth 33 percent of your final grade. The final exam will be held on
Tuesday, April 19, 3:00-6:00pm in the regular classroom. A study guide will be available on Blackboard.
Research Paper: One of the objectives of this class is to help you more critically assess the interactions and
processes in adolescents’ lives and to ask critical questions about sociological research being done on these topics.
In addition, this class should help you to express these ideas and questions in written form. To this end, the research
paper is designed to help you assess a particular topic and suggest future directions for research. The paper is a
research proposal; a basic literature review is not sufficient for this assignment. The paper should be 10-15 doublespaced pages (not including references). It is worth 33 percent of your grade and is due in class on April 12.
You will select a topic pertaining to the development of adolescents that you think has not been adequately
addressed and develop an hypothesis to address it. This oversight could be because your idea is a new topic or
because existing research has, in your opinion, missed important explanations for phenomena or gone down the
wrong explanatory path. In your research proposal, you will explain why the problem you’ve chosen is important,
critically examine existing research and link said research together to lead logically to your hypothesis, and describe
how a specific piece of research might be designed to address your hypothesis if you were given a grant to study it.
A detailed handout describing the component parts of the paper will be provided. Examples are posted on
Blackboard. Papers that do not include all of the required components will receive an automatic zero. Other
writing sins that will result in an automatic zero include but are not limited to citing Wikipedia, including
anecdotes, and using authors’ first names in the text. FAMILIARIZE YOURSELF WITH THE WRITING
DOCUMENT PROVIDED ON BLACKBOARD THAT OUTLINES THESE ISSUES.
Peer Paper Review: One activity that will help to improve your writing is assessing someone else’s work and
learning to identify common writing problems, as well as having someone else give you comments on your own
work. You may find your own peer review partner within class and exchange papers. You will then turn in a filledout copy of the peer review sheer that can be found on Blackboard. You will exchange copies of your paper with an
eye to having them back to each other in time to incorporate comments before handing the final paper in to me on
April 12. You are responsible for planning your schedule and making arrangements with your partners that will
allow you to incorporate your partner’s suggestions before the April 12 deadline.
Your peer review is worth 25 points, and your peer review grade will be attached to your peer’s paper grade. I will
go through the peer reviews with the paper in question to assess the quality of the peer review. If your partner’s
paper is of poor quality and your peer review does not suggest that you made helpful suggestions trying to improve
the quality, you will receive no credit for the peer review. If the paper is of poor quality but the peer review shows
you tried to help improve it and were ignored, you will receive full credit for the peer review. If the paper is of high
quality but your peer review offers no suggestion for improvement (“Great! Looks super! I laughed, I cried!”), you
will receive no credit for the peer review. Every paper can benefit from suggestions; the fact that your partner is
starting from higher quality does not absolve you from helping to improve the paper.
Diagramming Assignment: Good sociological research tends to grow out of a thorough grounding in previous
work. This assignment is designed to help you dissect and understand previous literature. You will break down an
article into its component parts and assess how well the author(s) presented and supported their arguments. A
detailed handout describing how to do the assignment is available on Blackboard. You must use an article from class
for the diagramming assignment. It will be vastly to your benefit to choose a diagramming article that is an
empirical piece of research (has an hypothesis and uses data to test that hypothesis). The diagramming assignment
will be due at the beginning of class on Tuesday, January 25. This assignment is worth 25 points.
Class Presentations: Each group will give a 20-25-minute presentation on the findings from your research project.
The group will be teaching the class during this presentation and will be graded not only on the content and analysis
of their topic but on how they disseminate this information to their fellow students. The group presentation is worth
50 points and will take place April 5-12. Attendance is mandatory on these days.
Appeals Procedure: If you feel you have received an incorrect or unfair grade, you may file an appeal. In the case
of a mathematical error ONLY (incorrect score entered on Blackboard or points incorrectly added or subtracted),
you may merely show me the error. Be sure to follow up to make sure the error is rectified. For any other
complaint, you must write up a minimum of a page describing the perceived error and why you think you should
receive credit for the work in question; you must also provide documentation for why you think you are correct (a
page copied from an article or book with the pertinent phrase highlighted, etc.). WARNING: I will consider the
entire piece of work for re-grading.
Writing Disclaimer: It is only fair to warn you that my bachelor’s degree is in English, that I have taught English at
a community college, and that I have copy edited for a professional journal. Although I don’t intend to draw up a
grading scheme in which I take off a quarter of a point for each misplaced comma, etc., if you turn in written work
that is sprinkled with misspellings, grammatical errors, malformed sentences, or illogical conclusions, you will be
doing the equivalent of dragging a cheese grater across the back of my neck. If any of the above errors are present in
your work, you are crippling your efforts to make your good points understood. PROOFREAD AND
SPELLCHECK YOUR WORK. It is also a good idea to ask a friend or colleague to look over your work. I am
happy to meet with you if you are concerned about your writing; in addition, the BYU Reading and Writing Center
(B106 JFSB; consider also their satellite centers in dorm locations) and the College of Family, Home, and Social
Sciences Writing Lab (1051 JFSB) offer services specifically designed to improve your writing. You will also find a
lengthy discourse on punctuation and usage on our Blackboard page. PLEASE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THESE
SERVICES.
Conduct Expectations: I’d like to think that we can respect each other’s abilities and opinions and can learn from
the variety of experiences we bring to class. There will be many opportunities for discussion in class, so let’s try to
remember that debate is acceptable, but arguments and personal attacks are not. Homophobic, racist, sexist, and
other –ist comments are not acceptable.
Academic Honesty
In keeping with the principles of the BYU Honor Code, students are expected to be honest in all
of their academic work. Academic honesty means, most fundamentally, that any work you
present as your own must in fact be your own work and not that of another.
http://campuslife.byu.edu/HONORCODE/honor_code.htm
BYU students should seek to be totally honest in their dealings with others. They should
complete their own work and be evaluated based upon that work. They should avoid academic
dishonesty and misconduct in all its forms, including plagiarism, fabrication or falsification,
cheating, and other academic misconduct. Students are responsible not only to adhere to the
Honor Code requirement to be honest but also to assist other students in fulfilling their
commitment to be honest. (complete version of the Academic Honesty Policy available at
honorcode.byu.edu)
There is a zero-tolerance policy for cheating or academic dishonesty of any kind in this class.
Cheating is the same thing as stealing: if you turn in work that is not yours or fail to cite others’
work, you are a thief. If you commit such behavior, you are choosing to commit immoral
violations against your fellow students, your instructors, the university, and the promises you
have made to yourself and others. Please know that as your professor I will notice instances of
cheating on exams or plagiarizing on papers; in fact, in the last year I have caught three thieves.
If you are caught committing any form of academic misconduct, you will receive a failing
grade for the entire course; you will also be asked to leave the course immediately and will
be reported to the Honor Code Office for any further actions they deem appropriate. These
actions may include but are not limited to dismissal from the university.
If you are unsure about your citation choices, it is your obligation to consult with the instructor
to make sure you are not plagiarizing. As you will note in the university statement on academic
honesty cited above, inadvertent plagiarism is still plagiarism, and it will be treated as such.
Ignorance is not a sufficient defense before the law. If you plagiarize because you couldn’t
manage to figure out how to cite others’ work, you are merely a lazy thief rather than an
organized one. Do not cheat; you will pay for it if you choose to cheat.
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 prohibits sex discrimination against any participant in an educational
program or activity that receives federal funds. The act is intended to eliminate sex discrimination in education. Title
IX covers discrimination in programs, admissions, activities, and student-to-student sexual harassment. BYU’s
policy against sexual harassment extends not only to employees of the university but to students as well. Sexual
discrimination or harassment (including student-to-student harassment) is prohibited both by the law and by
Brigham Young University policy. If you feel you are being subjected to sexual discrimination or harassment, please
bring your concerns to the professor. Alternatively, you may lodge a complaint with the Equal Employment Office
(D-240C ASB) or with the Honor Code Office. Students are also expected to adhere to the Dress and Grooming
Standards. Adherence demonstrates respect for yourself and others and ensures an effective learning and working
environment. It is the university’s expectation, and my own expectation in class, that each student will abide by all
Honor Code standards. Please call the Honor Code Office at 422-2847 if you have questions about those standards.
Learning Outcomes
Each program at BYU has developed a set of expected student learning outcomes. These will help you understand
the objectives of the curriculum in the program, including this class. To learn the expected student outcomes for the
programs in this department and college go to http://learningoutcomes.byu.edu and click on the College of
Family, Home and Social Sciences and then this department. We welcome feedback on the expected student
learning outcomes. Any comments or suggestions you have can be sent to FHSS@byu.edu.
This course focuses on the following learning outcomes:

Graduates will be conversant with the substantive areas of sociology, the major controversies and
debates, new developments, emerging issues, and current trends within substantive areas, and will be
able to critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of current sociological theories and research
relating to substantive areas.
The course readings and discussion outline recent research in and discussion about the current thinking about the
nature of society. We outline several theories and then apply the research we read to determine which of those
theories best explains outcomes of interest.

Graduates know how race, class, and/or gender intersect with other social categories to create a variety
of life experiences and influence the life chances of individuals and will be able to articulate the
sources of social conflict and describe the relations of power in modern society.
As we apply theories of modern society to various institutions, much of the reading we encounter takes on issues of
inequities that are based on race, gender, and class.

Graduates are able to estimate and interpret univariate and bivariate statistics and generalize their
meaning to the appropriate population, coding and preparing quantitative data for statistical
analysis and analyzing data and summarizing findings for written or oral presentation.
The research paper required in the class allows students to demonstrate competence in analytic choices and analysis;
findings are presented in both written (the paper) and oral (the presentation) form.
 Graduates are able to conduct electronic bibliographic searches and determine the scientific quality of the
research they find, demonstrating their knowledge of substantive areas, theory, and research methodologies
by developing an original sociological argument in writing (e.g. literature review, research proposal,
theoretical analysis, etc.).
The required research paper allows students to construct an argument supporting their hypotheses. Such an argument
requires support from previous research, allowing students to show that they can distinguish between better and
lesser research and can select research from which they can construct a cogent argument.
COURSE SCHEDULE
Alternative formats of this schedule are available at the end of the syllabus and on Blackboard.
Tuesday, January 4: Introduction
Thursday, January 6:
Topic: The Tools Sociologists Use to Study the World
Readings due today:
Reskin, Barbara F. 2003. “Including Mechanisms in Our Models of Ascriptive Inequality: 2002
Presidential Address.” American Sociological Review 68: 1-21.
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0003-1224%28200302%2968%3A1%3C1%3AIMIOMO%3E2.0.CO%3B2P
Tuesday, January 11:
Topic: The Tools Sociologists Use to Study the World (continued)
Thursday, January 13:
Topic: Families
Readings due today:
Downey, Douglas B. 1995. “When Bigger Is Not Better: Family Size, Parental Resources, and Educational
Outcomes.” American Sociological Review, 60(5): 746-761.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/2096320
Tuesday, January 18: NO CLASS
Thursday, January 20:
Topic: Families (continued)
Tuesday, January 25:
Topic: Families (continued)
Reading due today:
Barber, Brian K. 1996. “Parental Psychological Control: Revisiting a Neglected Construct.” Child
Development, 67: 3296-3319.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1131780
Assignment due today:
Diagramming Assignment (see handout)
Thursday, January 27:
Topic: Education
Reading due today:
Ainsworth, James W., and Vincent J. Roscigno. 2005. “Stratification, School-Work Linkages and
Vocational Education.” Social Forces, 84: 257-284.
http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/social_forces/v084/84.1ainsworth.pdf
Tuesday, February 1:
Topic: Education (continued)
Thursday, February 3:
Topic: Peers
Reading due today:
Merten, Don E. 1997. “The Meaning of Meanness: Popularity, Competition, and Conflict among Junior
High School Girls.” Sociology of Education 70(3): 175-191.
http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=00380407%28199707%2970%3A3%3C175%3ATMOMPC%3E2.0.CO%3B2-M
Tuesday, February 8:
Topic: Peers (continued)
Thursday, February 10:
Topic: Romantic Relationships
Reading due today:
McCarthy, Bill, and Teresa Casey. 2008. “Love, Sex, and Crime: Adolescent Romantic Relationships and
Offending.” American Sociological Review 73: 944-969.
http://proquest.umi.com/pqdlink?index=7&did=1649675691&SrchMode=3&sid=6&Fmt=6&VInst=PROD
&VType=PQD&RQT=309&VName=PQD&TS=1292278833&clientId=9338&aid=1
Tuesday, February 15:
Topic: Romantic Relationships (continued)
Thursday, February 17:
Topic: Employment
Reading due today:
Mortimer, Jeylan T., Carolyn Harley, and Jeremy Stadd. 2002. “The Quality of Work and Youth Mental
Health.” Work and Occupations 29: 166-197.
http://wox.sagepub.com/cgi/reprint/29/2/166
Tuesday, February 22:
Topic: MONDAY INSTRUCTION: NO CLASS
Thursday, February 24:
Topic: Employment (continued)
Tuesday, March 1:
Topic: Paper Consultations
Thursday, March 3:
Topic: Religion
Reading due today:
Smith, Christian. 2003. “Theorizing Religious Effects Among American Adolescents.”Journal for the
Scientific Study of Religion 42: 17–30.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/1387982
Tuesday, March 8:
Topic: Religion (continued)
Thursday, March 10:
Topic: Sport
Reading due today:
Broh, Beckett A., 2002. “Linking Extracurricular Programming to Academic Achievement: Who Benefits
and Why?” Sociology of Education 75: 65-91.
http://www.jstor.org/stable/3090254
Tuesday, March 15:
Topic: Sport (continued)
Thursday, March 17:
Topic: Media
Reading due today:
Savage, Joanne. 2004. “Does Viewing Violent Media Really Cause Criminal Violence? A Methodological
Review.” Aggressive Behavior 10: 99-128.
http://doi:10.1016/j.avb.2003.10.001
Tuesday, March 22:
Topic: Media (continued)
Thursday, March 24:
Topic: Interactions among Institutions
Reading due today:
Hoffmann, John P., and Mikaela J. Dufur. 2008. “School and Family Capital Effects on Delinquency:
Substitutes or Complements?” Sociological Perspectives 51: 29-62.
On Blackboard.
Tuesday, March 29: Interactions among Institutions (continued)
Thursday, March 31:
Topic: Paper Consultations
Tuesday, April 5:
Topic: Hey Now, You’re an All-Star, Get Your Game On: Group Presentations
Thursday, April 7:
Topic: Group Presentations (continued)
Tuesday, April 12:
Topic: Group Presentations (continued)
Assignments due today:
1) Final research paper
2) Completed peer review sheet (download from Blackboard)
***FINAL EXAM—Friday, April 19, 3:00PM—6:00PM***
CLASS SCHEDULE
See handouts on individual assignments for details on how to execute each assignment
DATE
TOPIC
READING
WRITTEN ASSIGNMENTS DUE
DUE
Introduction
January 4
The Tools Sociologists Reskin
January 6
Use to Study the World
The Tools Sociologists
January 11
Use to Study the World
Family
Downey
January 13
NO CLASS
January 18
Family
January 20
Family
Barber
Diagramming Assignment
January 25
Education
Ainsworth
January 27
Education
February 1
Peers
Merten
February 3
Peers
February 8
Romantic Relationships McCarthy &
February 10
Casey
Romantic Relationships
February 15
Employment
Mortimer, et
February 17
al.
NO CLASS
February 22
Employment
February 24
March 1
Paper Consultations
Religion
Smith
March 3
Religion
March 8
Sport
Broh
March 10
Sport
March 15
Media
Savage
March 17
Media
March 22
Interactions
Hoffmann &
March 24
Dufur
Interactions
March 29
March 31
Paper Consultations
April 5
Group Presentations-MANDATORY
ATTENDANCE
April 7
Group Presentations-MANDATORY
ATTENDANCE
Peer review and final paper to instructor
April 12
Group Presentations-MANDATORY
ATTENDANCE
FINAL EXAM
Everything! Final exam 3:00am-6:00pm
April 19