COURSE SYLLABUSIntroductory Sociology

SYG 2000 (596)

Online Instruction

  Summer 2017 (530)

View How to be a Successful Student (Syllabus Addendum) which provides details about success factors and links to the most current version of fluid information, such as

the academic calendar.

WELCOMEWelcome to Introductory Sociology. I am your Professor, Dr. L McDonnell. It is my pleasure to lead you through the field of Sociology. In a nut shell, Sociology is the study of groups of people. In this introductory course, we will cover the history of sociology, research methods and the 3 major theories. We will also dip our toe into several different areas of sociology which can be applied to your own life. I look forward to a great term!

ProfessorName: Dr. L. McDonnell

Email: mcdonnell.lisa@spcollege.edu (Please use the email in our online classroom to email me)

Phone: 727-394-6039

Fax: 727-444-6505

Office Hours:  By appointment only. I am not on campus during the summer hence all appointments must be via phone.

Email is the fastest way to reach me. E-mails during the week will be returned within 24 hrs.

Office Location: PW 702F

Instructor Web Page:  HYPERLINK "http://it.spcollege.edu/course_info/inquiry.cfm?number=985" http://it.spcollege.edu/course_info/inquiry.cfm?number=985

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTDEAN

Name: Dr. Joseph Smiley

Office Location: Tarpon Campus, PS 105

Office Phone Number: (727) 712-5851

Email: Smiley.Joseph@spcollege.edu

ACADEMIC CHAIR

Name: Dr. Doug Rivero

Office Location: Seminole Campus UP 337 F

Office Phone Number:  727-394-6948

Email:  Rivero.Douglas@spcollege.edu  

COURSE INFORMATIONCourse Description: This course is the study of human groups, their structure and function, social and cultural patterns and social processes. It will emphasize the fundamental concepts and principles of sociology including the development of sociology, major theories, culture, socialization, social interaction and social structure, groups and organizations, stratification, race and ethnic inequalities, sex and gender, deviance and social control, population, urbanization, collective behaviors and social institutions.

Course Objectives: List the course Objectives that will lead the student through the learning process to achieve the course goal. Again, this would be in addition to, or a clarification of, the C&I/CurricUNET Approved Course Outline.

1. Students will demonstrate an understanding of the historical roots of the science of sociology by:

a. recalling the historical details leading to the formation and development of Sociology.

b. identifying major theorists and theories from the 1800’s to the present.

c. explaining the Sociological Imagination and applying it to society and their own lives.

d. defining key concepts in Sociology.

e. recognizing and applying structural functionalism, conflict theory and symbolic interactionism.

2. Students will examine research approaches used in sociology by:

a. explaining the case study, qualitative (narrative), naturalistic observation, survey, correlational, and experimental methods.

b. differentiating the purpose, strengths, and weaknesses of case study, qualitative (narrative), naturalistic observation, survey, correlational, and experimental methods used in sociological research.

c. identifying ethical considerations in research.

3. Students will analyze the main pillars in sociology consisting of conflict, structural functional, and symbolic interactional approaches by:

a. examining each of the following topics using one or more of the main pillars; identifying social stratification, social inequality as applied to ethnicity and gender, social control, marriage and family, media, religion, education, deviance, economic and political systems, social construction of gender identities, social interaction, and group dynamics.

b. examining social dynamics influencing social change through the following topics; examining population growth and demographic trends, effects of urbanization, and social movements.

4. Students will identify cultural, ethnic, and social diversity as applied to human groups, behavior, thought, and emotion by:

a. recognizing commonalities and variations in human functioning.

b. describing the impact of ethnicity, gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic status.

5. Students will demonstrate research, written communication, use of APA style, and critical thinking skills by:

a. utilizing credible sources, such as peer-reviewed academic journals, primary sources, or sources from academic databases.

b. applying thoroughness of thought to the academic writing process, including substantiating assertions and integrating higher-order thinking.

c. applying experience through service learning, team collaboration, civic engagement and/or independent writing.

Prerequisites: ( Prerequisite: REA 0017 and Prerequisite: ENC 0025 ) Or Prerequisite: EAP 1695 or Prerequisite: appropriate score on the SPC placement test.

Availability of Course Content: This course has 8 modules. Each module has an open and close date. Be sure to pay attention to each Module’s dates. This is not a correspondence course so you cannot work ahead. We all move through the modules together. Once a module closes, you will not be able to go back to complete that module’s work.

Other Critical Course Expectations: The midterm and the final exam are both proctored exams online. Quizzes are NOT proctored. View the Proctored Testing Information.

REQUIRED TEXTBOOK & OTHER RESOURCE INFORMATIONRequired Textbook: Introduction to Sociology (Special Edition for St. Petersburg College)

Publisher Information: McGraw-Hill

ISBN: 978-1-259-97525-7

View the Textbooks site.

View the Libraries site.

Course material taken from

Schaefer, R. (2016). Introduction to Sociology: SYG 2000 Special Edition for St. Petersburg College (3rd ed.). Boston, MA: McGraw-Hill.

LEARNER SUPPORTView the Accessibility Services site.

View the Academic Support site.

View the On-Campus and Online Support site.

View the Student Services site.

IMPORTANT DATESCourse Dates: Enter course beginning and ending dates here OR View the Academic Calendar.

Drop Date: Enter Drop date here OR View the Academic Calendar.

Withdrawal Date: Enter Withdrawal date here OR View the Academic Calendar.

Proctor Dates: View the Proctored Testing Information.

Financial Aid Dates: View the Financial Aid Dates.

ATTENDANCEView the college-wide attendance policy included in How to be a Successful Student.

Attendance will be taken every week by the instructor. I will take attendance on-line via your weekly quizzes. How does on-line attendance work?  In order to be counted as present, you MUST take the quiz assigned each week. It does not matter if you complete any other work in the on-line classroom. If you do NOT take the quiz by Sunday night of the assigned week, you will be counted absent for the week. Excessive absences will lead to an administrative drop

GRADINGAll grades will be posted to the online grade book by SUNDAY of the following week unless otherwise specified. If you turn in an assignment and did not understand it, you will not be given a 2nd chance. It is your responsibility to ask before you submit your assignment, if you do not understand. Everyone gets ONE chance to turn in an assignment and ONE chance to take a quiz.

You are expected to examine your grades every week after they have been entered. If there is an error, you need to notify me within a day or two to get it corrected. For instance, Discussions are worth 3 points. Sometimes you may earn a 2.5/3. Because I grade so many Discussions per week, your grade may have been mistakenly entered as a 25 instead of 2.5. If this is the case, you are expected to report this. At the end of the term, I review all grades and catch these errors. If you don't report this error, your average will seem much higher than it should be all term until it is corrected. If at the end of the term, you find out you are really failing the class due to this typo, the responsibility will fall on you for not letting me know this when the grades were posted since you have a duty to check your own grades. This syllabus will serve as notification to you.

MyCourses gradebook will be updated every week so you can check your scores and current grade in the class.

Scale:

A = 100-90%

B = 89-80%

C = 79-70%

D = 69-60%

F = 59 and below

Grading Rubrics:

Your work will be graded using the following rubrics. If you have any questions on them, please contact your instructor.

Discussion Grading Rubric

Analysis Essay Rubric

Quizzes: Weekly quizzes are 20 M/C and/or T/F questions. They are timed. You will have 23 minutes to take each quiz. It is highly suggested you study for the quiz as you will not have time to look up your answers. Quizzes are worth a total of 10% of your grade.

Proctored Midterm and Final Exam: These 2 exams will have 72 questions each. The questions will be M/C and T/F. You will have 75 minutes to complete them. It is highly suggested you study for them as you will not have time to look up your answers. Each exam is worth 15% of your total grade.

ASSIGNMENTS8 Module Discussions and 8 Peer Posts: 30%

Essay 1: 15%

Essay 2:15%

15 Online Quizzes: 10%

Proctored Online Midterm: 15%

Proctored Online Final: 15%

Total: 100%

Due dates:

Module Discussions are due Friday at 11:55 PM EST of the last week of the Module.

Module Peer postings are due Saturday at 11:55 PM EST of the last week of the Module.

Essay 1 and 2 are due the last Sunday of the Module assigned by 11:55 PM EST.

Quizzes are due the Sunday of each week assigned by 11;55 PM EST.

The proctored Midterm and Proctored final will be taken in accordance with SPC midterm and final exam dates.

Late Work Policy: 

Late work will earn no higher than a 70%  No late quizzes can be made up.   Once a module closes, you can make up that Module’s Discussion by posting it to the LATE FOLDER. No peer postings can be made up if not posted in the Module due. You must label your work in the late folder or it will not be graded. Late work is graded at the end of the term.   

What is late? 11:56 pm, EST is late. Be sure you do not wait until the last minute and try to argue that your clock said you had time but MyCourses was ahead of your clock. This tells me you waited until the last minute to post and I will not be sympathetic. Do NOT wait until the last minute to post your assignments.

As an online student, you have the responsibility to make sure you have access to a computer with online services at all times during the semester.  As your online instructor, I bear the same responsibility. If my computer breaks, or I lose internet, I must remedy the situation immediately as not to interrupt your online class. If your computer breaks, or you lose internet, I expect the SAME FROM YOU. There is free computer and internet usage at the local library, and at St. Petersburg College.  I will NOT give extra time to anyone if your computer breaks or your online service is interrupted. This is NOT a valid excuse for an online class. Students who sign up for internet classes must have computer and internet access.

Be sure to back up all on-line work in the event that it gets lost in cyber space. Always double check to make sure your work posts. This is your responsibility. In the event that there is a grade discrepancy, YOU bear the burden of proof.  Also, do NOT wait until the last minute to submit your work and then expect extra time if you have computer trouble or MyCourses is slow since many students are on late Sunday night trying to turn your work in. This is NOT a valid excuse. 

STUDENTS’ EXPECTATIONS AND INSTRUCTOR’S EXPECTATIONS

REQUIRED INTERACTION

All students are required to use their SPC e-mail.  I will NOT answer any e-mails that are not from SPC addresses. (No yahoo, hotmail, etc.).  All e-mails must contain your first and last name, which class you are in, what section the course is, the title of the assignment and week it is due. I teach several on-line courses so you must ALWAYS tell me which class and section you are in. E-mails that are not correctly labeled will be sent back unanswered.  It is MANDATORY that you use our class email located under the COMMUNICATE TAB in MyCourses.

Instructor Response: I will respond to your e-mails within 24 hours Monday-Friday. If you e-mail me over the weekend or on Friday after I check my email, I may not get back to you until Monday.

PARTICIPATION, CONDUCT, & NETIQUETTE

SPC has outlined expectations for student behavior and interaction for online discussions, email, and other forms of communication. View the Student Expectations in How to be a Successful Student.

Remember that anything you post in our on-line classroom will be viewed by me, other students and administrators. Be mindful of what you write as it may someday be used in a court of law. What you write also reflects your level of professionalism as a college student. Please visit the Albion site on NETIQUETTE.

ACADEMIC HONESTY

View the Academic Honesty Policy. Students who copy another student’s work in the Discussion will earn a zero on that assignment. A second infraction will be grounds for an F in the course and possible expulsion from the college.

COPYRIGHT

Copyrighted material within this course, or posted on this course website, is used in compliance with United States Copyright Law. Under that law you may use the material for educational purposes related to the learning outcomes of this course. You may not further download, copy, alter, or distribute the material unless in accordance with copyright law or with permission of the copyright holder. For more information on copyright visit: www.copyright.gov.

TURNITIN

The instructor of this course may require use of Turnitin.com as a tool to promote learning. The tool flags similarity and mechanical issues in written work that merit review. Use of the service enables students and faculty to identify areas that can be strengthened through improved paraphrasing, integration of sources, or proper citation. Submitted papers remain as source documents in the Turnitin database solely for the purpose of detecting originality. Students retain full copyright to their works. Review the Turnitin Usage Agreement. Students who do not wish to submit work through Turnitin must notify their instructor via course email within the first seven days of the course. In lieu of Turnitin use, faculty may require a student to submit copies of sources, preliminary drafts, a research journal, or an annotated bibliography.

STUDENT SURVEY OF INSTRUCTIONThe Student Survey of Instruction is administered in courses each semester. It is designed to improve the quality of instruction at St. Petersburg College. All student responses are confidential and anonymous and will be used solely for the purpose of performance improvement.

TECHNOLOGYMINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

View the MyCourses Minimum Technology Requirements.

Students should know how to navigate the course and use the course tools. Dropbox-style assignments may require attachments in either Microsoft Word (.doc or .docx) or Rich Text Format (.rtf), so that they can be properly evaluated. If an attachment cannot be opened by the instructor, students will be required to re-format and re-submit an assignment so that it can be evaluated and returned with feedback. 

Minimum Technical Skills: Specify the minimum technical skills expected of the learner: general and course-specific learners must have to succeed in the course.

MyCourses tutorials are available to students new to this LMS and are located at the beginning of the course. Most features on MyCourses are accessible on mobile devices, although it is recommended that you use a computer for quizzes, tests, and essay assignments.

ACCESSIBILITY OF TECHNOLOGY

MyCourses (Brightspace by Desire2Learn) Accessibility Turnitin Accessibility

Google (YouTube) Accessibility

PRIVACY

MyCourses (Brightspace by Desire2Learn) Privacy Turnitin Privacy

YouTube Privacy

TECHNICAL SUPPORT

Technical support is available via the Technical Support Desk.

INSTRUCTIONAL CONTINUITY PLAN - EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS POLICYThe St. Petersburg College website at www.spcollege.edu is the official source of college information regarding the status of the institution. Other important information will be communicated via SPC Alert, local media outlets, and the college toll-free phone number 866-822-3978. All decisions concerning the discontinuation of college functions, cancellation of classes, or cessation of operations rest with the President or his/her designee. The College realizes that it is possible for a significant natural disaster to compromise SPC campus facilities sufficiently to disrupt the delivery of classes on campus/campuses for an extended period of time, and is planning ways our operations can continue following such an emergency.

So, in the event that a hurricane or other natural disaster causes significant damage to St. Petersburg College facilities, you may be provided the opportunity to complete your course work online. Following the event, please visit the college website for an announcement of the College's plan to resume operations.

Further, in the event of such a disaster, the instructor will continue using the Learning Management System (LMS) of MyCourses for continuation of all required learning and instructional activities in this course, including the issuing of graded online assignments and expectation of student completion of those graded assignments.

Therefore, in order to keep up with all activities in this course during and after a natural disaster, please plan to continue this course by maintaining online access to MyCourses in lieu of meeting in a classroom—possibly through duration of the course’s regularly scheduled end date. We will finish this course in MyCourses, as directed by your instructor online, and your instructor will use all graded assignments—both online and

formerly on-campus—to assess and issue your final letter grade for this course, as normally planned, despite occurrence of the natural disaster.

COURSE OUTLINE:MODULE 1 (5/15- 5/28) This module is 2 weeks long. The rest of the modules are 1 week each.

Welcome to Module 1. This module is 2 weeks long and will cover 2 large topics. In the first week, we will study Understanding Sociology. In the second week, we will study Sociological Research.  

Please begin in Understanding Sociology by reading the Understanding Sociology Learning Objectives. Continue moving through the list of activities in Understanding Sociology until they are all completed. Next, you will move into Sociological Research and begin by reading the Sociological Research Learning Objectives. Again, continue moving through the list of activities in Sociological Research until they are all completed.

In order to successfully finish the entire module you will need to complete all of the following activities. Items with an asterisk (*) are graded.

Understanding Sociology

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lecture4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. Discussion Instructions- Read the directions on the Discussion and begin working on

answering the questions on Culture.  Do NOT post your answers until you have answered all the questions for both weeks.  You will post your discussion in the second week of this module.

8. *Quiz 

Sociological Research

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lecture4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. *Quiz 8. *Discussion -(See syllabus requirements).  Post your answers for both weeks in 1 posting

1000 words or more.  Your 1 peer post should be at least 100 words.  See syllabus grading rubric. You MUST post your word count for both postings.

9. *Frontline Essay - Post to the Dropbox provided.  (See syllabus grading rubric for requirements)

**Note:  All assignments must be completed before the module closes.  Any quizzes not taken before the module closes, cannot be made up. Other late work can be posted to the Late Work Dropbox.  See syllabus Late Work Policy.

MODULE 2 (5/29-6/4)Welcome to Module 2. This module is 2 weeks long and will cover 2 large topics. In the first week, we will study Culture. In the second week, we will study Socialization.  

Please begin in Culture by reading the Culture Learning Objectives. Continue moving through the list of activities in Culture until they are all completed. Next, you will move into Socialization and begin by reading the Socialization Learning Objectives. Again, continue moving through the list of activities in Socialization until they are all completed.

In order to successfully finish the entire module you will need to complete all of the following activities. Items with an asterisk (*) are graded.

Culture

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lecture4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. Discussion Instructions8. *Quiz (This quiz must be taken during Week 1 to be counted as present for Week 1)

Socialization

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lecture4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. *Quiz8. *Discussion 9. *Frontline Essay

**Note:  All assignments must be completed before the module closes.  Any quizzes not taken before the module closes, cannot be made up. Other late work can be posted to the Late Work Dropbox.  See syllabus Late Work Policy.

MODULE 3 (6/5-6/11)Welcome to Module 3. This module is 2 weeks long and will cover 2 large topics. In the first week, we will study Social Interaction, Social Structure, Groups, and Mass Media. In the second week, we will study Deviance and Social Control.  

Please begin in Social Interaction by reading the Learning Objectives. Continue moving through the list of activities in Social Interaction until they are all completed. Next, you will move into Deviance and begin by reading the Learning Objectives. Again, continue moving through the list of activities in Deviance until they are all completed.

In order to successfully finish the entire module you will need to complete all of the following activities. Items with an asterisk (*) are graded.

Social Interaction, Social Structure, Groups, and Mass Media

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lectures4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. Discussion Instructions8. *Quiz 

Deviance and Social Control

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lecture4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. *Discussion8. *Quiz

**Note:  All assignments must be completed before the module closes.  Any quizzes not taken before the module closes, cannot be made up. Other late work can be posted to the Late Work Dropbox.  See syllabus Late Work Policy.

MODULE 4 (6/12-6/18)

Welcome to Module 4. This module is 2 weeks long and will cover 2 large topics. In the first week, we will study Stratification. In the second week, we will study Global Inequality.  

Please begin in Stratification by reading the Learning Objectives. Continue moving through the list of activities in Stratification until they are all completed. Next, you will move into Global Inequality and begin by reading the Learning Objectives. Again, continue moving through the list of activities in Global Inequality until they are all completed.

In order to successfully finish the entire module you will need to complete all of the following activities. Items with an asterisk (*) are graded.

Stratification

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lecture4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. Discussion Instructions8. *Quiz 

Global Inequality

1. Introduction

2. Textbook Reading3. Lecture4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. *Discussion8. *Quiz

**Note:  All assignments must be completed before the module closes.  Any quizzes not taken before the module closes, cannot be made up. Other late work can be posted to the Late Work Dropbox.  See syllabus Late Work Policy.

MODULE 5 (6/19-6/25)Welcome to Module 5. This module is 2 weeks long and will cover 2 large topics. In the first week, we will study Racial & Ethnic Inequality. In the second week, we will study Stratification by Gender.

Please begin in Racial & Ethnic Inequality by reading the Learning Objectives. Continue moving through the list of activities in Racial & Ethnic Inequality until they are all completed. Next, you will move into Stratification by Gender and begin by reading the Learning Objectives. Again, continue moving through the list of activities in Stratification by Gender until they are all completed.

In order to successfully finish the entire module you will need to complete all of the following activities. Items with an asterisk (*) are graded.

Racial & Ethnic Inequality

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lecture4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. Discussion Instructions8. *Quiz9. Essay

Stratification by Gender

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lecture4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. *Discussion8. *Quiz

**Note:  All assignments must be completed before the module closes.  Any quizzes not taken before the module closes, cannot be made up. Other late work can be posted to the Late Work Dropbox.  See syllabus Late Work Policy.

MODULE 6 (6/26-7/2)

Welcome to Module 6. This module is 2 weeks long and will cover 2 large topics. In the first week, we will study Family and Education. In the second week, we will study Religion.  

Please begin in Family and Education by reading the Learning Objectives. Continue moving through the list of activities in Family and Education until they are all completed. Next, you will move into Religion and begin by reading the Learning Objectives. Again, continue moving through the list of activities in Religion until they are all completed.

In order to successfully finish the entire module you will need to complete all of the following activities. Items with an asterisk (*) are graded.

Family and Education

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lectures4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. Discussion Instructions8. *Quiz 

Religion

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lecture4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. *Discussion8. *Quiz

**Note:  All assignments must be completed before the module closes.  Any quizzes not taken before the module closes, cannot be made up. Other late work can be posted to the Late Work Dropbox.  See syllabus Late Work Policy.

MODULE 7 (7/3-7/9)Welcome to Module 7. This module is 2 weeks long and will cover 2 large topics. In the first week, we will study Government & Economy. In the second week, we will study Population and Urbanization.  

Please begin in Government & Economy by reading the Learning Objectives. Continue moving through the list of activities in Government & Economy until they are all completed. Next, you will move into Population and Urbanization and begin by reading the Learning Objectives. Again, continue moving through the list of activities in Population and Urbanization until they are all completed.

In order to successfully finish the entire module you will need to complete all of the following activities. Items with an asterisk (*) are graded.

Government & Economy

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lectures

4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. Discussion8. *Quiz 

Population and Urbanization

1. Introduction2. Textbook Reading3. Lecture4. Flashcards5. Terms and Definitions6. Self Check7. *Discussion8. *Quiz

**Note:  All assignments must be completed before the module closes.  Any quizzes not taken before the module closes, cannot be made up. Other late work can be posted to the Late Work Dropbox.  See syllabus Late Work Policy.

MODULE 8 (7/10-7/16)Welcome to Module 8. This module is 1 week long and will cover 1 large topic, Social Movements and Social Change.

Please begin in Social Movements and Social Change by reading the Learning Objectives. Continue moving through the list of activities in Social Movements and Social Change until they are all completed. 

In order to successfully finish the entire module you will need to complete all of the following activities. Items with an asterisk (*) are graded.

Social Movements and Social Change1. Introduction

2. Textbook Reading

3. Lectures

4. Flashcards

5. Terms and Definitions

6. Self Check

7. *Discussion

8. *Quiz 

**Note:  All assignments must be completed before the module closes.  Any quizzes not taken before the module closes, cannot be made up. Other late work can be posted to the Late Work Dropbox.  See syllabus Late Work Policy.