Sociology 1010-003
Introduction to Sociology

Tennessee Tech. University

Spring semester, 2006
TR 1:30 – 2:50 am
Classroom: Matthew/Daniels 204

Dr. Lachelle Norris, Associate professor of Sociology
Office: Matthews/Daniel 258
Phone: 372-6220
Email: Lnorris@tntech.edu

Office Hours:
12 noon – 4:00 M/W
11:00 – 1:00 T/R
Other times by appointment, if necessary. There may be times during these office hours when I’ll have an occasional meeting. I’ll make every effort to let these times be known beforehand, if possible.

Course Description
We are living in interesting times. In our fast paced, global world it is easy for us to feel overwhelmed by all that is going on around us. Sometimes it is hard for us to see how we fit into the scheme of things. The field of sociology is one means by which we might make sense of our social world. Sociology is the systematic, scientific study of human social behavior. This field can be quite broad: a sociologist might study how we are influenced by our relationships with others, how our life chances are shaped by society, and how we impact our society and environment. A sociologist might focus on one-on-one interactions, or on large political and economic systems. In any event, sociology gives us a unique way of examining and asking questions about what it means to be social. To be sociological, we will be focusing on the social issues and concepts rather than on the personal, physical or emotional troubles of individuals. This will require that we challenge our accepted ways of seeing the world and take on a new, more sociological and international perspective. Because this course is designed to be an introduction to the world of sociology, we’ll briefly examine many of the areas of interest to sociologists.

Objectives
This course is designed as an introductory overview of the field of sociology. Our goals for this course will therefore be:
 Gain knowledge of the basic concepts of sociology while recognizing, describing and explaining social institutions, structures and processes of our global culture and diverse society
 Think critically about how we influence our political, geographic, economic, cultural world AND how we are affected by such institutions in our personal behavior, social development and quality of life
 Become more current in our thinking and knowledge by paying special attention to what’s going on around us, expanding our thinking to an international level
 Have a clearer understanding of how this particular discipline tests reality, seeks answers and more systematically examines the social world via scientific research
 Enhance our writing and communication skills through various in-class and out of class projects
 See ourselves and our place in the world a bit differently than when we began this course

Required text
Sociology: A Global Perspective, 6th edition (2006) by Joan Ferrante.
There is a study guide you can purchase if you like, or you may choose to use the study materials available free online at www.wadsworth.com. I strongly urge you to use one or the other to study for exams.

Course Requirements
You will be required to do the following in a satisfactory manner:
 1. Take four exams (multiple choice) over the lectures, readings, any additional handouts, guest speakers, videos, etc
 2. Participate in various in-class assignments and complete homework projects (TBA)
 3. Collect and comment on a weekly news item. You will find one news item each week from these (and ONLY these) websites. You will type up a short summary of the article and include your responses to the following: what is the topic of the article? Why did you pick this particular news item? Why is it relevant to you? Why is it newsworthy? AND Why do you think a sociologist might be interested in this news? Print off a copy of the article you have selected and include it for credit. These will be due each Thursday.

www.pbs.org (click on one of the "news and views" links);
www.npr.org (click on "news" or "politics and society" or "business");
www.bbc.com (click on "news");
www.worldpress.org; or
www.worldnews.com.

Class Attendance according to the TTU handbook
"A student is expected to attend each meeting of every class for which he/she is registered. Each instructor is responsible for explaining, in writing, the practice in the treatment of absences at the beginning of each course. Regular class attendance is a definite part of the total performance required for the satisfactory completion of any course, and an unsatisfactory attendance record may adversely affect the final grade recorded for the course. When, in the opinion of the instructor, the attendance record of a student becomes unsatisfactory, the Office of Student Affairs will be notified. Unsatisfactory class attendance may result in the student's being dropped from a course with a grade of "F." A student who is unable to return to classes due to an emergency or serious accident should notify the Office of Student Affairs. A student who cannot avoid an absence from a class for any other reason is expected to assume the responsibility of explaining his absence to the instructor and for making arrangements to complete the work missed. Tardiness is recorded as an absence."

I will take roll (before class, after class or in some other fashion). I expect you to be in class, I want you to be in class, you will miss out on a lot if you don’t come to class—I do occasionally present material not found in your textbook. You cannot make up the in class projects, and these combined with homework, can make a letter grade difference in your final grade. I may also use your attendance in deciding your final grade should your final average fall close to a higher grade. Having said this, I will not make you come to class, either by "giving you points" if you attend or "taking points away" if you don’t. Do note, that if you stop coming to class I am required to report this to student affairs and your financial aid may be affected.

Evaluation
Your grade will be determined by the number of points you receive on exams and homework/in class projects divided by the total number of points you can earn.
1. Four Exams (100 points each = 400) … 70%
2. In-class projects/homework (10 points each [approx 10 total] = 100) … 18%
3. News Reports (5 points each [approx 14 total] = 70) … 12%
Your final grade will be calculated by taking the total number of points you have receive, divided by the total number of points possible (approximately 570). Your final grade will be based on the following:

90 – 100 %=A 80 – 89%=B 70 – 79%= C 60 – 69%=D 59% or below = F

Other Course Policies
Do not miss exams. If you know ahead of time that you will be absent on exam day, you can contact me to arrange for an alternative time for the exam. If you are absent for an exam, you must have a verifiable written statement of illness or emergency (yours, your children's, or a close family member’s) from a qualified medical professional in order to take a make-up exam (sorry, but this means I'll ask for proof of funeral attendance also). You must provide this verifiable excuse in order to take a make-up exam. There will be no make-up for the final exam. If you arrive after I have distributed an exam I may not allow you to take the exam (no one will be allowed to start an exam after the first person has finished and left). So please show up on time! Bring a pencil.

Be prepared when you come to class. Have assignments read and any homework or news items ready to turn in or discuss at the beginning of class. If I find you working on your assignment in class you will receive a zero for that assignment. I will not take homework late due to such things as leaving the assignment in another notebook, in the car, back on the desk in your dorm or apartment. No late homework assignments will be accepted unless you have a verifiable excuse. In-class projects cannot be "made up," an excellent reason to attend each class. If you know you will be absent on the day the homework is due you may get the assignment to me early, as long as I have the assignment before class begins on the day due.

I also ask that you please act in a professional manner while in class:
Arrive to class on time...it is disrespectful to me and to your classmates when you arrive late. Your attendance will NOT be noted if you arrive after I have taken roll, or if you leave after I have taken roll. If you have to leave early, please tell me before class.
We’ll be discussing all sorts of topics. "Students have the right to free inquiry, free thought, free choice, and free expression insofar as these do not encroach upon the rights of others." Please, allow everyone to have a voice, and respect their right to free speech -- even if you don’t necessarily agree with the point of view being expressed. And when someone is talking pay attention to what they’re saying. You might want to respond or at least consider their words.
It is just plain rude to sleep in class or talk (with your classmates or on the phone) while the rest of us are trying to concentrate. Prepare to be asked to leave.
Remember to turn off all cell phones and pagers when coming to class; same goes for iPods and other such devices. PLEASE, do not check or send text messages or play games on your phone during class. Do not use your cell phone in any way while taking an exam. You will receive a grade of 0 for the exam if this happens. Laptops are allowed if used for note taking only.

Academic Integrity: Academic honesty is expected of all students in their participation of this course. Any form of academic dishonesty (cheating on exams, copying the work of someone else, plagiarism, etc.) will result in your receiving a zero (0) for the work. I will consider something plagiarized if 1) all or most of the content of two or more assignments is similar/exact; 2) I see you cheating on an exam (no questions asked); 3) you use a cell phone during an exam. You will receive a zero for the assignment/exam for the first offense; additional actions may be taken on the second offense.

Disability Services: Students who need assistance with class should notify me immediately and should contact the Office of Disability Services (ODS). An Accommodation Request (AR) should be completed as soon as possible, preferably by the end of the first week of the course. I will do anything necessary to assist in making the course comfortable for you. The ODS is located in the Roaden University Center, Room 112; phone 372-6119.

Counseling Services: Everybody needs somebody to talk with from time to time. The TTU Counseling Center operates within the Division of Student Services. They offer a variety of services to you, the student, free of charge. The Center now has ‘walk-in’ hours … no appointment necessary. Check out their web page for more information at http://www.tntech.edu/counsel/ or call 372-3331.

Resources and Support Services: The following website might come in handy for you if you need additional information about various services available to you: http://www.tntech.edu/univ1020/resources.htm

Kids in Class: I realize that there are times when it is necessary to bring children to class. This usually doesn’t present a problem as long as they are not disruptive. I must warn, however, that some topics or discussions in this course may not be suitable for young ones.

Inclement Weather: Tech rarely closes for snow but use good judgment; do not risk your life. I will make every attempt to email you if I cannot make it to class, so check your email before starting out if there’s any doubt. I will not be in class in the event of a tornado warning. Find a safety zone.

And finally: You will get out of this course what you put into it. I will not be lecturing strictly by the book. You are responsible for reading all the text material, and class time will be devoted to discussion, clarification, and assorted hands on activities.

Schedule of Topics and Assignments (subject to revision as necessary)

Dates Topic/Assignments
Jan 17, 19 Introduction to the course
The Tools of the Trade: Theory, Research and Other Such Stuff
Jan 24, 26 Ch 1 (Sociological Imagination)
Jan 31, Feb 2, 7 Ch 2 (Theory/Research Methods)
Feb 9 Exam 1 over Ch 1, 2
What are the Influences on the Self?
Feb 14, 16 Ch 3 (Culture)
Feb 21, 23 Ch 4 (Socialization)
Feb 28, Mar 2 Ch 7 (Deviance)
Mar 7, 9 No Class (Spring Break)
Mar 14 Finish Ch 7, if necessary; review for exam
Mar 16 Exam 2 (Ch 3, 4, 7)
"Never discuss economics, politics, and religion…" and Other Lies Your Parents Told You!
Mar 21, 23 Ch 8 (Social Stratification)
Mar 28, 30 Ch 11 (Economics/Politics)
Apr 4, 6 Ch 15 (Religion)
Apr 11 Exam 3 over Chs 8, 11, 15
An Introduction to Some Basic Sociological Variables
Apr 13, 18 Ch 9 (Race)
Apr 20, 25, 27 Ch 10 (Gender)
Final (4th) Exam: 1:00 – 3:00 Tuesday, May 2 (only over Chs 9, 10 -- not comprehensive; to be held in the regular classroom)