Introduction to Sociology

Fall 2009 Syllabus

Instructor: Marlon C. James

Course: Soc 101 (Online)

Office Hours: MWF 9pm-10pm (online)

Home Phone: 860-430-5456

Email: mjames@parkland.edu, please email to this account not in

Angel.

Course Description

This introductory course in Sociology is designed to overview the body of

knowledge that constitutes the field of sociology. Students will learn the history
and development of sociology as a field of study. This course will also examine the
major sociological theories in an effort to explain current social issues like poverty,
welfare, crime, racism, sexism and war (IAI S7 900).

Course Technologies

This internet version of SOC 101 seeks to enhance student learning

through the use of technology. To that end students are expected to use
their parkland email throughout this course, and to check it daily.
Parkland provides each student with an email account that must be
activated by logging onto http://stu.Prkland.edu and clicking on
account look up. Provide the system your social security number and
record the user name and password that it gives to you. In most cases
this information will be your Parkland email and ANGLE username and
password. To resolve most technical problems with your email you can
call our Center for Virtual Learning at 217-353-2342 or visit D-107.

How to log into Angel

Angel is the online management system for this course. Through

it you will take your quizzes, access lecture notes, assignment
instructions, course syllabus, check your grades, submit essays
 and communicate with your classmates. You can access this
course by logging onto http://online.parkland.edu and then select
ANGEL on your right hand side. Next students log into Angel using
only the first part of their Parkland email address as their
username. If a student's email address is
mailto:jsmith23@parkland.edu, then their Angel username is
jsmith23. Students' passwords for Angel are the last five digits of
their social security number. Their default email password is also
the last five digits of their social security number, but changing an
email password does not automatically change it in Angel, and
vice versa.

More directions for getting started in an online class can be found here:
http://online.parkland.edu/start.html

Course Points Distribution

Midterm and Final Exam Mid-term Exam 100 points 200 Points

Final Exam 100 points

Online Chat Debates Summary 50 points 3 Debates

Elements Debate 50pts 360 pts for

Semester
Final Word Post 20 pts
On-line Quizzes 12 Quizzes On-line 30 Points each 360 Points

Participation 80 Points

Total 1000 Pts.

Course Grading Scale

Total Points Final Grade

1000 - 900
A
Points
899 - 800
B
Points
799 – 700
C
Points
699 - 600
D
Points
599 – Below
F
Points

Debate Schedule

Pro Con
Your pro/con position is based upon the first initial of your last name.
WEEK 4 DEBATES
GAY/LESBIAN MARRIAGE AMENDMENT A-K L-Z
WEEK 9 DEBATES
AFFIRMATION ACTION L-Z A-K
WEEK 12 DEBATES
MEXICAN IMMIGRATION A-K L-Z
 Course Outline

During the week of Online Debates

Read Chapter and take quiz Phase 1 -Due Tuesday @ midnight

by Sunday of the work week
by 11:55pm Phase 2- Due Thursday @ midnight

Phase 3 - Due Sunday @ midnight

Week 1 Chapter 1 and Quiz 1

8/24-30

Week 2 Chapter 2 and Quiz 2

8/31-9/6

Week 3 Chapter 3 and Quiz 3

9/7-9/13

Week 4 Debate # 1 - Should there be a Federal or State Amendment legalizing Gay Marriages?

9/14-20
 Week 5 Chapter 6 and Quiz 4

9/21-27

Week 6 Chapter 7 and Quiz 5

9/28-10/4

Week 7 Midterm Exam (Chapters 1,2,3,6 & 7) Due by Sunday 10/11/09 by 5:00

10/5-10/11

Week 8 Chapter 9 and Quiz 6

10/12-18 Chapter 10 and Quiz 7

Week 9

10/19-25 Debate # 2 - Do we still need Affirmative Action programs in higher education?

Week 10
Chapter 11 and Quiz 8
10/26-11/1

Week 12
Debate # 3 - Should the US allow Mexican immigration?
11/2-8

Week 13
Chapter 12 and Quiz 9
11/9-15
 Week 14
Chapter 13 and Quiz 10
11/16-22

Week 15
Chapter 14 and Quiz 11
11/23-29

Week 16
Chapter 16 and Quiz 12
11/30-12/6

Week 17
Study Week
12/7-13

Finals Week Final Exam (All Assigned Chapters) Due by Monday 12/14/09 by 5pm

The Following are instructions for each Debate.

Phase 1 – SUMMARY DUE TUESDAYS AT 11:55PM

Each student will be responsible for researching and submitting a page summary (4

paragraphs) review that supports their argument (must be equally based upon two

research articles). Students must list their sources at the end of their paragraphs.

Be careful to quote sources when writing about specific findings and do not
plagiarize. The summaries should be typed, 12 font, double spaced, and no shorter

than four paragraphs with 5 sentences each in them. In part 1 these summaries

should not include your opinion just the research. Remember to reference of all

sources in your summaries, include article title, author and date published.

The type of sources that are acceptable include articles found on (1) government

websites like the census bureau, the Department of labor statistic, (2) university

websites, (3) online research journals - to find these databases go to

http://www.parkland.edu/library Then select "articles and databases". If you are off

campus you will be asked for a login and password, which is your parkland email

login and password. Next select the database that you are interested in. I

recommend "CQ researcher", "Opposing viewpoints" (be careful not to use an

opinion-based article from this one because it has a lot of those.). Also, you can

use "Ebscohost" under "articles and databases" then select "Academic Search

Elite", once you are in ASE go to the limit your results box and check "scholarly peer

review" and "full text", next type in the search box key words or phrases and it will

give you article related to the topic". Lastly, you can go to

http://www.google.com/unclesam (this will give you results only from government

websites). Next in the search box type in key words or phrases and it will give you

websites and articles related to the topic". Remember to reference of all sources in

your summaries, include article title, author and date published.

What Is A summary?

A summary is a shortened version of a piece of writing that contains only the main ideas
of the writing in your own words. When writing a summary, there are three areas you
should keep in mind:
1. Your Objective: Your task is to communicate the essential message of the original
document accurately and in fewer words. Typically, a summary should be no more
than '/4 the length of the original text.

2. The Content: Your summary must include the following elements of the reading
selection:

a. The thesis or central theme;

b. The main points that support this thesis; and

. Connecting phrases and ideas that show the relationships between these
supporting ideas.

3. Your Role: As a summarizer, you are like a reporter. The summary does not contain
any of your opinions and thoughts. You must remain objective and not put personal
opinions or comments that are not contained in the original text.

What are elements of A good summary?

1. Proper Citation: Begin your summary by naming the text's author and the title of the
piece. For this class, you should present this information in the first sentence of your
summary. Also, you will be expected to give the source of the article and date of
publication in this first-sentence citation. The following are examples of proper
citation:

• In the article "The 1Q Meritocracy" (Time, March 29,1999) by Nicholas

Lemann, the author looks at.... (Complete with statement of author's thesis.)

• "Getting Stupid" (Discover, March, 2001) was written by Bernice

Wuethrich. She states that. . . . (author's thesis)

• In Sharon Begley's "Living Hand to Mouth" in the November 2,1998 issue

of Newsweek, her thesis is that. . . . (author's thesis)

2. A Clear Thesis Statement: A thesis is the central or controlling idea in the

article. All good writing has a central or controlling idea, but some writers do not give
an explicit thesis sentence. To develop a thesis from a piece of writing, focus on the
topic of the reading and the main comment or assertion that the author is making
about the topic. When developing a thesis, take note of the following:

a. Write the thesis in a one- or two-sentence statement,

b. Leave specific details in the reading out of the thesis statement,

 . Distinguish between a moral and a thesis. A moral is a statement of a
lesson about life that you personally learned from the reading. A thesis is
different; it is a general statement of the author's key comment or assertion on
the topic,

d. State your thesis at the beginning of the summary right after your citation.

3. Supporting Ideas: An author uses various ideas to support the thesis in a reading.
Your job is to identify these supporting ideas and express them in your own words. The
following steps will help you locate the major support in a piece of writing:

a. Pre-read the material to help you activate your prior knowledge about the
topic,

b. Think of questions that you believe will be answered in the reading. This will

help you stay focused as you read,

c. As you are reading, identify the primary type of writing (narrative, persuasive,
or

expository), and use the question strategies (refer to relevant handouts),

d. Highlight answers to your questions and pay attention to the natural breaks in
the

piece. A piece of writing will contain several segments of ideas. Each segment

deals with one aspect of the thesis. The length of a segment varies from one to

several paragraphs. When reading, try to identify these segments and draw a line

or mark the breaks between the segments,

e. Write a phrase or sentence that sums up the key ideas in each segment in
the

margin of the reading.

How Do You write an accurate and clear summary?

1. Development of thesis: Develop a thesis from the major supporting ideas the author
presents. Place it directly after the citation of the reading. Make sure that your thesis
contains the topic of the reading and the main comment or assertion that the author is
making about the topic. For our CCS summaries, the first paragraph should contain
only the citation statement and the thesis statement.
2. Development of supporting ideas: For persuasive and expository writing, combine
your marginal summaries using transitional words and phrases. For narrative writing,
focus on the information that answers the following questions:

• Who is the reading mainly about?

• What is so significant about the main person or people in the reading? What
did they do?

• When did the significant events take place?

• Where did the significant events take place?

• Why did these events happen?

• How have the issues brought up in the reading been resolved? Look over
your supporting details and make sure that your thesis statement is supported by
these ideas.

Your summary of the supporting ideas typically should be no longer than two
paragraphs.

3. Grammar and Overall Writing: Being able to communicate clearly with your

reader is essential for effective writing. In editing for proper grammar and usage, the

following steps are particularly important in summary writing:

a. Use transitional words and phrases for a smooth and logical flow of ideas.

b. Proofread for grammar, punctuation, and spelling.

c. Use paragraphs where appropriate. Avoid page-long paragraphs.

d. Avoid the constant use of second person pronouns "you" and "your." Describe

the author's views using the third person.

Write: "According to the author, the American public is primarily responsible

for the quality of television talk shows today."

Avoid: "According to the author, you are primarily responsible for the quality of

television talk shows you watch today."

 e. Avoid the use of direct quotes. A summary, by definition, is a restatement of the

key ideas of a reading selection in your own words.

Phase 2 – ELEMENTS DEBATE DUE ON THURSDAYS AT 11:55PM

Each student must reply with a 3-4 sentence long response to two opposing

student's position on the topic. Before you reply in reaction to a students comment

be sure to give the student’s name and their comment that you are opposed to

followed by your reply. Your reply should not be opinion, but should include some

research from your article and another student's work to support your view. Please

reference your source here also.

Phase 3 - Final Word due Sundays at 11:55pm

Students should watch my final word video on the debate then post a 3 sentence

reaction to the debate based upon what they felt that they learned through

process. This is your chance to talk about how you really feel. Each student will

also read and reply to two other students' posts with a 2 sentence statement.

Grading Scale for Debates - Total possible Points

120

Phase 1 -Summary - Total Pts. 50

I. Quality of Sources

1. Type of Sources
a. Research-based journal articles or governmental studies. 15pts.
b. Opinion-based newspapers, nongovernmental websites, magazine articles. 7.5pts

II. Citation of Sources

 1. Citation Sentences
a. Excellent core statement on the key idea of the article with proper citation. Citation Page
– Should be at the End of the Paper. Authors, Article titles, Journal names, year
published 10pts.
b. Good statement that does not clearly articulate the key argument of the article and does
not fully cite the source. 5pts.
c. Poor statement that does not relate to the article or missing citation sentence. No
Authors, Article titles, Journal names, year published 0pts.

III. Content of the Summary

1. Quality of the Summary

a. Authors’ names are referred to when a new set of ideas are presented, and their views
are presented followed by the research/statistical evidence that the author uses to justify
their position. 25pts.
b. Authors’ names are not referred to when a new set of ideas are presented, and their
views are presented with some research/statistical evidence but not enough to support
the authors’ perspective. 15pts.
c. Authors’ names are not referred to when a new set of ideas are presented, and their
views are presented with no research/statistical evidence. The articles selected could
also be opinion based from newspapers or nongovernmental websites, which are not
acceptable sources. 7.5pts.

Phase 2 – Elements Debate- Total Pts. 50

IV. Critical Review

1. Effectively used their own and another students' research to refute the claims
made by two opposing students. 50pts.

2. Offered a research based argument but did not effective refute the claims made by
two opposing student. 25pts.

3. Did not offer a response or it was based upon personal opinion. 0pts.

Phase 3 – Personal Reflection - Total Pts 20

V. Personal Reflection

1. Offered a personal reflection on the topic by relating the topic to personal

experiences or perspective, and how the debate influence their thinking. 20pts
 2. Reflection was superficial in nature. 10pts

3. Did not offer a reflection 0pts