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COURTSHIP AND MARITAL RELATIONS
SOC164.001 Winterim 2006
Instructor:
Office:
Jianjun Ji
Schneider Hall 437
Department of Sociology
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire
Phone: (715) 836-3050
Fax: (715) 836-2944
Email: Jij@uwec.edu
Location:
Schneider Hall 306
Class Hours: 9:00 am – 12:00 pm MTWRFS
Office Hours: 3:30 pm - 4:30 pm MTWRF or by appointment
________________________________________________________________________
REQUIRED TEXTBOOK
Marriages and Families: Making Choices in a Diverse Society. Many Ann Lamanna and
Agnes Riedmann. Eighth edition. Thomason and Wadsworth, 2003
COURSE GOALS
1. To enhance an ability to write, read, speak and listen.
2. To develop an ability to inquire, think, and analyze.
3. To obtain an understanding of marriages and families in American societal context.
4. To promote an understanding of human behavior in social institutions of families.
These goals will be addressed through lectures, assignments, quizzes, exams, readings,
reviews, group discussion, power point, videotapes, and personal advising.
COURSE DESCRIPTION
This is an introductory level course of marriages and families in the United States. The
focus of the course is to provide a functional analysis of the courtship and marital
relations in the contemporary American society. It relates the historical background of the
family as a social institution to the present trends and explores the ever-expanding
diversity of the family in the 21st century. It covers basics in marriages and families
including premarital sex, alternative life-style, engagement, sexual adjustment,
childbearing, widowhood, divorce, and remarriage.
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READINGS AND GROUP PRESENTATION
Ten chapters from the textbook are assigned as readings and presentations for the class.
The class will be divided into two groups. Students in each group must write a brief
outline with key points for each chapter and prepare to present in class. The presentations
must be typed and organized as an integrated chapter unit which must be sent via email as
an attachment to the instructor for that group. The underlined chapters are group
presentations and the other four chapters are just for summary readings. The reading
summary and presentation account for 40% of the final grade. The presentation must be
submitted prior to the presentation in class.
TERM PAPER
A term paper is required and it takes 20% of your final grade. The topics will be assigned
for each student. The specific topics are detailed at the back of the syllabus. These topics
will be presented in class at the end of the Winterim. Citation and references are
preferred. Both quantity and quality are emphasized but quality has the priority.
ATTENDANCE
Class attendance will account for the final grade. Excused absences must be given a
WRITTEN EVIDENCE which should be submitted to the instructor prior to the date of
absence. Otherwise the absence would be deducted from the final grade. Any student
who has a disability and is in need of classroom accommodations, please contact the
instructor and the Services for Students with Disabilities Office in Old Library 2136 at
the beginning of the Winterim. Students who have 2 absences during the course cannot
get “A” grade and those who have 4 absences cannot get “B” grade, regardless of their
tests scores and other performance.
EXAMS
There will be two exams during the course including the final. Exams cover 40% of your
final grade. The content of the exams will only come from the lectures/power points
covered by the instructor. There should be mentioned that the lecture materials come
from another different source, suggesting that students who wish to achieve expected
grades must take notes in class. The first exam will cover the first six chapters and the
final takes the rest (6) of the chapters. The types of tests will be multiple choice,
true/false, matching, short essays, or a combination of them. No makeup exams will be
offered if the instructor has not received a prior notice. A missed exam will be treated as
“zero” for that exam. One thing must be mentioned that your final grade will be curved.
QUIZZES
There will be quizzes along with lectures. The content of the quizzes reflects both the
chapters in your textbook and lectures given by the instructor. The purpose of the quizzes
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is to check up your understanding of the materials under study. The content of the
quizzes, however, may go beyond your textbook and its aim is to broaden your
knowledge rather then to serve as a base to grade your final.
ACADEMIC DISHONESTY
Students should do all their work independently except group work. Any occurrence of
academic misconduct such as plagiarism will be dealt with in accordance with the
guidelines and procedures outlined in the academic misconduct policy at the university.
SYLLABUS
The syllabus serves like a “contract” between the instructor and the students. It is
strongly recommended that students read the syllabus carefully and make plans and act
upon it accordingly. Due to circumstances like unexpected events, meetings, or weather
conditions during the Winterim, syllabus may undergo adjustment when it is considered
to be necessary.
FORMULA FOR FINAL GRADE CALCULATION
Final Grade = [(Test1 + Test2) * 20%] + [Present 40%] + (Paper20%) – (# of Absence)
ASSIGNMENT WEIGHTS
GRADING SYSTEM
1
2
3
4
5
A
AB+
B
BC+
C
CD+
D
DF
Attendance
Paper
Present
Test 1
Test 2
Total
20%
40%
20%
20%
____
100%
= 94 -100
= 90 - 93
= 87 - 89
= 84 - 86
= 79 - 83
= 76 – 78
= 72 – 75
= 69 - 71
= 66 – 68
= 62 – 65
= 59 - 61
= 58 or below
CLASS SCHEDULE AND ASSIGNMENT
1/3
Chapter 1
Perspectives on Intimate Relationships
Syllabus Review and Group Assignment
4
1/4
Chapter 2
Present ch2
Cultural Diversity: Family Strengths and Challenges
American Family in Social Context
1/5
Chapter 3
Read ch3
Theoretical Perspectives on Marriage and Family
Explore the Family
1/6
Chapter 4
Present ch6
Gender Roles and Power in the Family
Our Sexual Selves
1/7
Chapter 5
Read ch4
Sexual Intimacy
Our Gendered Identities
1/9
Chapter 6
Present ch7
Friendship, Intimacy, and Singlehood
Being Single: Living Alone, Cohabiting, and Other Options
1/10
Chapter 7
Read ch8
Dating, Mate Selection, and Living Together
Committing to Each Other
Chapter Review 1-6
***************************************
1/11
Take-home Test 1 Chapter 1-6
***************************************
1/12
Chapter 8
Present ch9
Marriage: Building a Strong Foundation
Marriage, a Private and Public Relationship
1/13
Chapter 9
Read ch16
Parenthood Choices and Challenges
Remarriages and Stepfamilies
1/14
Chapter 10
Divorce, Single-Parent Families, and Stepfamilies
Present ch12 To Parent or Not to Parent
1/16
Holiday
1/17
Chapter 11
1/18
Chapter 12
Stress, Abuse, and Family Problems
Present ch18 Family stress, Crises, and Resilience
1/19
Paper Presentation
1/20
Final Review 9-10am
Paper due
Midlife and Older Couples
5
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1/20
Final Chapter 7-12 10;00 am
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REQUIREMENT ON TERM PAPER
The paper takes 20% of your final. It must be typed and double-spaced. One should cover
as much as possible all relevant and related variables/factor in the assigned topic. No
limit of length of the paper. The topic is preferred listing to paragraphing or describing.
Each topic is only allowed for one student.
List of Topics:
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
Defining marriages and families
Types and facts of marriages and families in present USA
Ethnic marriages and families and their strengths and challenges
Theoretical perspectives on marriages and families
Gender inequality in marriages and families
Advantages and disadvantages in dating and cohabitation
Types of violence relating to dating, cohabitation, marriage, and family
Problems relating parenting
Cause or reasons Americans divorce
Family stresses and the approaches to cope with
Facts about inter-racial marriage, families, lesbian, guy, and single-parent, and
stepfamilies
Factors positively contributing to marital satisfaction and happiness