Child and Family Development
CFD 135: Principles of Family Development
Spring 2014
Instructor Contact Information
Instructor: Erin Senff
Office: EBA 401
Office hours: Mondays 5:00-700
Phone: 310-408-6119 (EMERGENCIES ONLY)
Email: CFD135Monday@gmail.com
Email is the preferred means of contact.
Section and Enrollment Information
Class meeting: Mondays 7:00-9:40 PM
Class location: GMCS 333
Schedule number: 20515
Course Description
This course engages a critical, in-depth analysis of the ways in which families are seen by
society and the ways in which they see themselves. Topics to be covered include
division of labor, childcare, economics, health, leisure, and the politics of the family.
Student Learning Outcomes
1. To become familiar with the conceptual frameworks and theories applied to
marriage and the family.
2. To compare and contrast an understanding of the concepts of love, sex, romance
and the family in modern American culture.
3. To view media representations of family life and analyze them developmentally and
sociologically.
4. To conduct a self-assessment of aspects of one’s own families of origin and current
families.
5. To compare one’s own family of origin and family of orientation to current and past
trends.
6. To read and summarize scholarly articles on marriage and family.
1
Course Materials
Required Readings and Materials
Welch, K. J. (2010). Family life now, second edition-2010 Census Edition. New York:
Allyn and Bacon
ISBN-10: 0205006833 | ISBN-13: 979-0205006839
Approximate Cost: Bookstore $80-170, Online (Amazon/Ebay/Chegg) $65-120
Recommended Readings and Materials
APA Manual (Publication manual of the American Psychological Association) (6 th ed.)
(2010). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
ISBN: 978-1-4338-0561-5
Approximate Cost: $30 Bookstore or Online (Amazon/Ebay/Chegg)
Course Website
All course content will be accessible through blackboard.
Assessment and Grading
Assignment/Exam
Points Possible
9 In-Class Writing Assignments
45 (5 points each)
2 Blackboard Assignments
30 (15 points each)
Genogram Assignment
75
2 Mid-Term Exams
50 (25 points each)
Final Exam
50
TOTAL
250
Final Grades
233-250=A
218-224=B+
193-199=C+
168-174=D+
225-232=A-
208-217=B
183-192=C
158-167=D
200-207=B-
175-182=C-
150-157=D149 ad BELOW=F
2
Grading Policies
Late Assignments and Make-up Exams will NOT be accepted, except in the event of
extraordinary circumstances (written documentation must be provided). Extra credit
assignments may be added periodically throughout the semester and are up to the
discretion of the instructor.
Course Activities and Schedule
Date
Topic(s)
Readings (to be completed
prior to class)
Assignments / Activities
1/7
Introduction to Family Life Now
Chapter 1
2/3
Research and Theories
Chapter 2
2/10
Communication
Chapter 3
2/17
Gender Issues
Chapter 4
2/24
MID-TERM EXAM #1
Review Ch. 1-4 and all
class materials for Exam
MID-TERM EXAM #1
TODAY
3/3
Intimacy
Chapter 5
Blackboard
Assignment #1 Due
3/10
Love and Commitment
Chapters 6 and 7
3/17
Coupling
Chapter 8
3/24
Sexuality and Child
Bearing
Chapters 9 & 10
3/31
4/7
No Class: Spring Recess/Cesar Chaves Day
MID-TERM EXAM #2
Review Ch. 5-10 and all
class materials for Exam
MID-TERM EXAM #2
TODAY
3
Date
Topic(s)
Readings (to be completed
prior to class)
Assignments / Activities
4/14
Parenthood and Family
Life and Work
Chapter 11 & 12
Blackboard
Assignment #2 Due
4/21
Divorce
Chapter 13 & 14
Genogram
Assignment Due
4/28
Stress, Crisis and
Transition
Chapter 15
5/5
Aging
Chapter 16
5/12
FINAL EXAM
Review Chapters 1-16
and all class materials for
Exam
FINAL EXAM TODAY
Course Assignments
In-Class Writing Assignments
There will be 9 in-class writing assignments given periodically throughout the semester.
In order to receive points for these assignments you must be in class, no make-ups will
be allowed for these assignments. These assignments will require you to write a short
response (approximately ½ page) to a question using relevant information from the
course.
Blackboard Assignments
Two assignments will be due on Blackboard during the semester. These assignments will
require you to research scholarly articles regarding marriage and family, and then give a
synthesis of the information you have read. These scholarly articles can be accessed
through a variety of databases, including those found on the SDSU library website.
These assignments will be worth 15 points each and will be graded based on how well
you connect the information you have read to the content of the course, and how well
you explain the information provided by the scholarly article. These assignments should
be 2-3 pages each, and be formatted in APA style.
4
If you are unsure of what a scholarly article is please see the link marked Scholarly
Articles under the Course Documents tab on Blackboard. For more information on APA
style see the APA Style tab under Course Documents, or refer to the APA Manual in
Recommended Reading Materials.
Genogram Assignment
The goal of this assignment is to give you an opportunity to learn more about your
family, genetic predispositions, environmental influences and apply knowledge you are
gaining in this course to the analysis of your family of origin and the influences of
various situations and experiences on you and your family. (FOR ALL NAMES IN THIS
ASSIGNMENT, USE ONLY FIRST NAMES—EXCEPT FOR INCLUDING YOUR FIRST AND LAST
NAME ON THE COVER SHEET.)
Part 1 – Genogram (15 points based on thoroughness and following directions)
In Part 1, you will construct a Genogram of your family tracing your family of origin on
both the maternal and the paternal sides 4 generations. (e.g. you, your parents, your
grandparents, and your great grandparents; or you, your children, your parents, and
your grandparents) You will not be sharing it in class. Bring a hard copy this section of
the assignment to class on the due date. Use the symbols provided and display a symbol
for each family member and number it. These numbers will be used for the factual data
sheet.
DO NOT USE THE RELATIONSHIP DESCRIBING LINE VARIATIONS WE DID IN CLASS THAT
ARE EXPLAINED IN THE TEXT ON PAGE.
Part 2 –Factual Data Sheet
15 points based on thoroughness and following directions
The second part of your project is a factual data sheet that is to be typed in chart form.
You can use Word or some other typing program for this part of the project. You must
provide 10 columns with as many rows as numbered symbols on your Genogram. The
information provided in each column will correspond to the family member represented
by number on the Genogram. A sample is given below, but you may find that setting it
up in Landscape instead of Portrait will give you more space to use. The length will
depend upon the number of family members included and the amount of information
about each one. Feel free to extend some columns to allow for enough space to
accommodate your answers.
5
The 10 columns are:
1. Number (correlates to Genogram)
2. First name
3. Relationship to you
4. Date of birth/death
5. Approximate date of marriage/divorce/remarriage
6. Occupation/profession
7. Major life events
8. Physical/health problems
9. Personality traits
10. Rituals/traditions
Include a minimum of 10 family members including you. If you cannot provide
information for a column put in a “?” Do not leave a column blank. Dates can be
estimated.
This is intended to be an opportunity to connect with family members, gather unknown
information and share family stories.
If any part of this project creates a problem for you such as in cases of adoption, foster
care, divorces, estranged family members, etc., please see me about finding enough
family members to use in the project and/or conduct an alternate project based on
those issues.
Feel free to have the columns extend to accommodate your information.
Part 3 – Family Profile
45 points based on thoroughness of content, relating content back to text, and APA
formatting
This portion should be 3-5 pages, double spaced, 12 point, following APA formatting
guidelines. This part of your paper describes the characteristics and composition of your
family of origin. It should be written in paragraph form and follow APA (American
Psychological Association) guidelines. In the narrative parts of your Family Profile,
please cite the text a minimum of 10 times.
Your family profile should include the following sections:
1. Composition of your family of origin, including ages of all members,
gender and sibling order. Describe the personality of each and analyze the
influence each has had upon your development.
6
2. Describe and analyze the influence the occupational status of each
individual has had upon your development.
3. Size and type of community/communities in which your family lived during
your birth-18 years of age. Describe and analyze the influence each has
had upon your development.
4. Location and connections with extended family members. Describe and
analyze the influence each has had upon your development.
5. Health status of you and your immediate family. Describe and analyze the
influence each has had upon your development.
6. Choose one more element from the factual data set (such as
rituals/traditions, marital status & divorces, births & deaths, or
personality) and describe and analyze the influence each has had upon
your development.
General Criteria:







Include 4 generations representing both maternal and paternal sides of the
family.
For couples, draw men on the left and women on the right (except in complex
situations, then just explain)
Draw siblings in chronological order with the first born on the left.
Use appropriate symbols for males and females.
Use appropriate symbols for marriage, divorce, unmarried couples, adoptions,
etc.
Start with yourself and highlight your symbol—you are to be labeled #1.
Numbers should coincide with the Factual Data Sheet, which is Part 3.
Exams
Mid-Term Exams
Two Mid-Term Exams will be given. Mid-Term Exam #1 will cover Chapters 1-4
and all materials covered during class. Mid-Term Exam #2 will cover Chapters 510 and all materials covered during class. Each Mid-Term Exam will consist of 20
multiple-choice questions (1 point each) and a 5-point essay question, for a total
of 25 points possible per a Mid-Term Exam.
7
Final Exam
The final exam will consist of information from all chapters of the textbook and
materials covered during class. This exam will consist of 35 multiple-choice
questions (1 point each) and 3 short answer questions (5 points each).
Course Policies
 Attendance and class participation are required for successful completion of the
course.
 Plagiarism will result in an F in the course and/or further disciplinary action. Please
familiarize yourself with the university’s policy on academic dishonesty. This can be
found on the SDSU webpage for Student Rights and Responsibilities
(www.sa.sdsu.edu/srr/index.html )
 All cell phones, I-Pods, etc. must be turned off during class time. Laptops are to be
used for note taking only—no web searches or e-mail conversations or game playing
please.
 You are expected to attend for the entire class time.
Students with Disabilities
If you are a student with a disability and believe you will need accommodations for this
class, it is your responsibility to contact Student Disability Services at (619) 594-6473. To
avoid any delay in the receipt of your accommodations, you should contact Student
Disability Services as soon as possible. Please note that accommodations are not
retroactive, and that I cannot provide accommodations based upon disability until I have
received an accommodation letter from Student Disability Services. Your cooperation is
appreciated.
8