College of Southern Maryland

College of Southern Maryland

Soc-1010 Introduction to Sociology-Telecourse

Instructor: Leah A. Geiger

Phone: 301-862-3677 (home) Please DO NOT call me at the college

Office Hours: Monday- Friday 9am to 9 pm

Welcome to SOC 1010, Introduction to Sociology!

A telecourse offers students a unique opportunity for independent study in a subject area. Since you have opted to forgo the traditional classroom lecture, the responsibility for setting the pace for learning will be up to you. As you take charge of your learning experience, please keep in mind that, generally speaking, the requirements for a telecourse are the same as those for a traditional course. Students are responsible for completing the course requirements as stated in the course syllabus and according to the schedule. If you have any questions or concerns, please contact me by phone or email during the stated office hours. I will respond to a phone message in 24 hours and an email message in 48 hours.

You may choose to send me your assignments/quizzes through the U. S. mail, the campus email (listed above) or Web CT. Web CT(Instructions for accessing Web CT are below “Assignment delivery methods”) allows you to email me work and receive it back graded, to keep track of your grades, and to look at the class calendar and syllabus. Make sure to complete the first module assignment if you choose this method of interaction. Also, do not forget to put the assignment title into the subject line of all email assignments.

Please note that I have been having issues with work being sent from student's personal email to my campus email (leahg@csmd.edu). If you turn in work this way and it is not graded and returned to you within 48 hours, please call me or resend the work, I might not have received it due to the spam protection the college has implemented. Thus, I strongly advise using WebCt for it has been very reliable!

I am highly suggesting that you utilize WebCt for the class if you have Internet access. I will be happy to U.S. mail your quizzes to you but you can access the quizzes through WebCt immediately after you have been granted access instead of waiting to receive them by U.S. mail.

Please note that we are NOT using the WebCT blackboard/discussion function for this course.

***If you are planning to turn the work into the Leonardtown Campus, please call me to let me know. I do not go to the campus regularly unless I need to pick up dropped-off work.***

Course Hours- 3 credits

Course Prerequisites- None

Course Description- The scientific study of human behavior in groups explores the relationships among society, culture, and personality development. We will study how social groups, social control, collective behavior, and social change are related to the family, economics, government, and politics. Basic language skills are presumed, used, and evaluated (CSM Catalogue 2002-2004).

Course Objectives- Upon completion of this course, you should show improvement in communication and critical thinking skills and have a basic understanding of the:

· History of Sociology

· Fundamental concepts and theories, research methodology, and terminology pertaining to Sociology

· Role and impact of social institutions on the individual as well as society.

Plagiarism and Cheating- Do not copy or present material or ideas originating from others without citing the source. Any student found guilty of plagiarism will receive an “F” for the course. If you are not sure what constitutes plagiarism, visit http://www.indiana.edu/wts/wts/plagirism.html to learn more.

Emergencies/Medical Problems- In the event of a legitimate emergency or medical problem, please contact me as soon as possible. The burden of proof is on the student to show that the emergency or medical problem prevented the timely submission of assignments.

Students with Disabilities- Students with disabilities who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Disabled Student Services in the Learning Assistance Department at 301-934-7614 as soon as possible to better ensure such accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion.

Course Materials

Textbook- Kornblum, W. (2008). Sociology in a Changing World. 8^th Edition. Belmont, CA: Thomson Wadsworth Publishing. ISBN: 0-495-096350-0.

Video Lessons- There are 22 video lessons recorded on six DVDs. You can pick up your DVDs at the La Plata Campus Library. Contact the library if you want one delivered to one of the other campuses. Students are responsible for returning the DVDs to the library after the semester ends.

If you have any problems with your DVDs, please contact the La Plata library as soon as possible.

Quizzes- There are 7 take-home quizzes. They will be mailed to your home address or can be accessed through WebCt. If you are choosing to receive the quizzes by U.S. mail, please send me an email through Web CT, campus email or leave a phone message including your name, mailing address, and phone number. Exam packets WILL NOT be mailed to you automatically! If you are planning to access the exams through WebCt, you must send me an email through WebCt for the password.

Communicate with me! - If you have any questions, want assistance, or need to notify me of an emergency, please call or email me through Web CT or campus email. It is encouraged that you call or email periodically to check up and see how you are doing on your assignments. You will receive a feedback package including your graded work at midterm and after final grades have been turned in if you choose to mail work to me at the college. If you choose to do Web CT or email the work, the work will be graded and emailed back to you by the next due date.

Course Assignments-

If you are using Web CT, please note that we are NOT using the Web CT blackboard function for this course.

If you are using Web CT, please send all work as actual email, not an attachment.

Introduction assignment (These points are found in the first module of Web CT and can be emailed through that system or it can be submitted with your first assignment through the U.S. mail) - OR:

Please introduce yourself and answer the following questions:

· What are your expectations for this course?

· How do you think this course will be different from one taught in a traditional classroom environment? How will it be similar?

· What skills must you possess to be successful in this course?

· How do you plan to manage your time in order to successfully complete the course assignments and participate in the group activities?

· Are there any thoughts or personal concerns you'd like to share with your instructor?

Quizzes- There are seven multiple choice and true/false take-home style quizzes in your quiz packet.

If you are U.S. mailing the work, you may write directly on the quiz and make sure to turn it in with the appropriate video assignment on the stated due date. You will receive a packet at the middle and end of the semester with your quiz grades and comments on graded work if you choose to U.S. mail it to me.

If you choose to email the work through campus mail, you must turn in your quiz answers, clearly numbered, with your other due assignments.

I will be grading these quizzes on a curve, the person with the highest quiz grade becomes a hundred percent and the rest of the class will get the same amount of points added to their grade that the top student received to make his grade equal a hundred percent. Please remember at the beginning of the semester that you must request the quiz packet from me either by email or by phone or ask for the password if using WebCt. It will NOT be sent to you automatically.

***Please note: The WebCT quizzes are not timed!! Past classes have suggested that you print out the quizzes and then take your time researching the answers in your course materials.***

Video lesson summaries- All video lesson summaries must be submitted by the due dates on the chart. If you do the Web CT option, I will be responding to your work by the next due date through the Web CT email. They must also be:

· Typed, I will not accept hand written assignments.

· Identify the video lesson number and title.

· Write about 5 individual things you learned from each video lesson. Number each thing learned. Give a full explanation and be specific. Apply what you have learned by giving examples or relating the material to personal experience. You must have at least one example per 5 things learned to receive full credit. Use either the outside world or your personal life to apply what you are learning in Sociology. If you use a sociological term make sure to define it.

· Do not write something that would be considered common knowledge. I want to know what you have learned from the video lesson experience.

***Please look for grades and comments embedded in your WebCt work. They will be highlighted with ***asterisks***. Feel free to respond to questions or comments I pose.***

Term Assignment- (Select one of the two assignment options.)

Option 1: Fact of Fiction?

Think about some ideas you had about your social world before taking this course. How have the course materials (textbook, videos, and other resources) validated or changed your ideas?

· Identify at least five ideas that have been challenged or validated by the material presented in the course.

· Fully explain what your thinking was before taking the course.

· Fully explain what challenged or validated your ideas. Be specific. Include definitions, facts, statistics, and/or theories from the videos or textbook for each idea you present.

-Cite and reference (MLA or APA style) all work the textbook page numbers, videos and any other source where you obtained information. Make sure to number each of the five different ideas.

Option 2: Global Perspective

Read four newspaper articles about one social issue of interest to you. One of these articles must be from a newspaper published in the United States. The other three must be foreign publications.

Write at least one paragraph for each of the following in each article:

· Explanation- Explain the social issue you selected and include why you selected it.

· Summary- In your own words, summarize each article you read.

· Compare/contrast- Using your sociological imagination, compare and contrast the views and kinds of information presented by each of the newspapers.

· Reflection- What did you learn from this assignment.

***Make sure to cite and reference all work in APA or MLA style.***

	Assignment Delivery Options
Method	To Avoid Late Point Deductions	Instructions
Hand Delivery	Assignments must be in my box no later than the stated due date in the syllabus.	Deliver assignments in person to the CSM Leonardtown Campus. Ask the office staff to timestamp your work and put it in my mailbox. DO NOT put your assignments in the outside metal mailbox. *If you are planning to turn the work into the Leonardtown Campus, please call me to let me know. I do not go to the campus regularly unless I need to pick up dropped-off work.*
Mail	Assignments must be mailed so that they are in my campus mailbox by the stated due date in the syllabus.	Please mail all work to the Leonardtown Campus so it can be delivered to my campus mailbox. *If you are planning to mail the work to the Leonardtown Campus, please call me to let me know. I do not go to the campus regularly unless I need to pick up mailed-in work.*
Web CT Or Campus email	Assignments are due by 8am on the due date stated on the syllabus for that assignment	Please put the assignment title in the subject line of your email

How to use Web CT- This course is “web-enhanced.” This means that students will have online access to communication tools, such as email, and to view the syllabus. Using the email option from the course web site is the preferred and most reliable method for you to use to communicate with your instructor throughout the semester. It is also the student’s responsible to monitor the course WebCt course site for incoming mail from the instructor, as this is the method which will be used to communicate with students as needed throughout the semester. Follow these steps to utilize WebCT:

1. Go to http://webct.csmd.edu

2. Log in with your User Name (if your name is John E. Smith, your User Name is jesmith) If you have more than one middle name, use the first initial of the first middle name only.

3. If you have a hyphenated name, use all the last names, but omit the hyphen.

4. Your password is the seven-digit student identification number assigned to you when you registered for the course. Example:0012345. This is NOT your Social Security Number. After logging on the first time, you may change your password.

5. If your are unsure of your User Name or Password, contact the Help Desk at 301-934-2251, ext. 4357, or send an email to: help@csmd.edu In your email, be sure to include your full name, student number (if known), day/night phone number, and the course/section.

Assignment Due Dates

View Video Lessons 1,2,3

Read Textbook Chapters:

1. Sociology: An Introduction

2. The Tools of Sociology

3. Culture

Turn in Sunday, June 8, 2008

Introduction Assignment

Video Lesson Summaries 1-3

Quiz Chap. 1-3

View Video Lessons 4,5,6

Read Textbook Chapters:

4. Societies and Nations

5. Socialization

6. Interaction in Groups

Turn in Friday, June 13, 2008

Video Lesson Summaries 4-6

Quiz Chap. 4-6

View Video Lessons 7,8,9

Read Textbook Chapters:

7. Deviance and Social Control

8. Sexuality

9. Collective Behavior, Social Movements, and Mass Public

Turn in Friday, June 20, 2008

Video Lesson Summaries 7-9

Quiz Chap. 7-9

View Video Lessons 10,11,12

Read Textbook Chapters:

10. Stratification and Global Inequality

11. Inequality of Social Class

12. Inequalities of Race and Ethnicity

___________________________________

View Video Lessons 13,14,15

Read Textbook Chapters:

13. Inequalities of Gender

14. Inequalities of Youth and Age

15. The Family

Turn in Friday, June 27, 2008

Video Lesson Summaries 10-12

Quiz Chapters 10-12

___________________________________

Turn in Thursday, July 3, 2008

Video Lesson Summaries 13-15

Quiz Chap. 13-15

View Video Lessons: 16,17,18

Read Textbook Chapters:

16. Religion

17. Education

18. Economic Institutions

Turn in Friday July 11, 2008

Video Lesson Summaries 16-18

Quiz Chap. 16-18

View Video Lessons: 19,20,21,22

Read Textbook Chapters:

19. Politics and Political Institutions

20. Science, Technology and Medicine

21. Population, Urbanization, and the Environment

Turn in Friday, July 18, 2008

Video Lesson Summaries 19-22

Quiz Chap. 19-21

Term Assignment Due

Turn in Thursday, July 24, 2008

Please note: There is not a one-to-one correspondence between the textbook chapters and the video lessons. Please be aware of this and keep it straight.

Requirements for All Written Assignments

Format

· Typed using standard font, 12 point font size, 1 inch margins

· Heading indicating the course number, your name, the assignment, and the date

Mechanics

· Write in complete sentences. You will not get credit for incomplete thoughts

· Check for CUPS errors (Capitalization, grammar usage, Punctuation, and Spelling).

· Develop a clear, logical presentation of ideas

Content

· Complete all of the assignment requirements

· Provide complete, rich responses using your own words.

· Present accurate information

References- Use APA or MLA style for all referenced material

· In-text citations. The surest way to avoid plagiarism is to read the material, put it away, and then summarize the material in your own words. If you use exact phrasing from an article, use quotations and indicate the source. If you paraphrase, you still need to cite the source. Include a list of all the references used to complete the assignment. The list should appear at the end of your assignment.

Examples of MLA or APA references are available on the Internet.

Grades

Grading of assignments will be based on the following elements: format, mechanics, meeting assignment requirements, reference, and quality of content.

Assignment	Possible points X # of assignments	Max possible points
Video Lesson Summaries	5 pts. x 22	110 pts.
Chapter Quizzes	30 pts. X 7	210 pts.
Term Assignment	One assignment	100 pts.
	Course total	420 pts.

***You will be receiving the benefit of the curving of the quiz grade, when applicable, for you participation in the introduction assignment. I will not curve your quiz with the rest of the class unless I receive the introduction assignment. I will not be grading the introduction assignment. However, I do feel that it is important for me to get to know you especially since I will not be able to meet you in person.***.

Grade Total Points

A 378-420

B 336-377

C 294-335

D 252-293

F 0-251

Late Assignments- Late assignments are automatically assessed point deductions if they are not in my campus mailbox by the due date or in Web CT or my campus email inbox by 8am of the due date.

Late Point Deductions- Incomplete or late video lessons summaries: 1 point per summary.

Late quizzes: 3 points per quiz.

Incomplete or late term assignments: 10 points.

***If I do not receive an assignment on time, do not expect it to be graded on time. Also, I do appreciate early work but I will not usually pick it up until it is due, sorry for any inconvenience***.

General Education Academic Skills and Knowledge

For the following academic skills and knowledge areas, upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

Reading:

· Read college-level material

Writing:

· Conduct careful, thoughtful, observations of objects and phenomena in nature, society, science, and art

· Interpret and draw appropriate conclusions based on their observations and measurements.

Learning

· Set study goals and priorities to attain stated course objectives

· Plan for completion of both long-term and short-term assignments

· Locate and use resources outside the classroom

· Ask pertinent questions

Reasoning

· Draw reasonable conclusions from information found in various sources

· Identify, define, evaluate, and solve problems

· Recognize cause and effect

Cultural/Social

· Have basic understanding of how individuals and groups behave, develop, and function

· Know about major cultures, religions, and ethnic groups.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THESE TOPICS CAN BE FOUND IN YOUR STUDENT HANDBOOK, CATALOGUE, AND SCHEDULE OF CLASSES.

I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO MAKE ANY CHANGES TO THE COURSE SYLLABUS AS NECESSARY.