COURSE SYLLABUS

SO 200 - INTRODUCTORY SOCIOLOGY

Winter Semester 2004

 

Instructor: Dr. Fred Magdalena

Email: fred_magdalena@yahoo.com

URL: http://www.oocities.org/fred_magdalena

Tel: (808) 944-6263 (eve) / 956-6086 (day)

Schedule:  Every Monday; 5:30-9:45pm; Holy Family Academy

Consultation: By appointment

 

Required Text:

John J. Macionis. Society: The Basics, 7th ed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall, 2004. The text comes with a CD-ROM and Study Guide by Henry Borne to prepare you for the examinations.

 

Course Description:

 

This course will introduce you to the fascinating world of sociology, that field of study in the social sciences which deals with human interactions and social agreements, and what interactions and agreements do for people as members of society.  The course will help you scan through sociology and understand the world we live in using three important media: text, CD-ROM and a website (http://www.prenhall.com/macionis), including occasional visit to or browsing of the internet for important sociological concepts.  Sociology deals with society and individuals, and what makes them as such.  Society is an abstract entity that can only be understood with reference to some observable phenomena or human behaviors and the labels attached to them. Equally important is the process of constructing these labels and the people who are involved in the construction. Here, understanding of the sociological theories and methods will be very important. Three overarching theoretical paradigms are used to explain behaviors: structural-functional analysis, symbolic-interactionism, and conflict theory. These are repeatedly presented in nearly all the chapters to underscore how sociologists analyze important issues and problems. In the end, you should see how the sociological perspective is applied to understand the world.

 

Introductory sociology is a simple overview of what appears as a broad field of study that encompasses almost everything, including the obvious and unimportant. To do this is a difficult task that requires patience, sensitivity and a great deal of reading, listening and participating in class discussions. In theory, every one is a sociologist. What makes up this label and identity is a matter to be discovered in this course. You will soon realize that everybody sociologizes, but only some succeed as sociologists. In this course, you are expected to go beyond packaged knowledge by analyzing daily experiences that make the stuff of real life as we live it.

 

Taboos:

 

Taboos are the don’ts, all groups and societies have them for orderly living. Here are some of them: Inside the classroom, please turn off your cell phones or mute them so the class is not disturbed. Papers and other written requirements are to be submitted in hard copies, not as email attachments, on the specified day. Late submission is penalized by deducting some points. In writing your papers, proper acknowledgment of sources must be made.  Violated, it constitutes cheating and plagiarism as forms of academic dishonesty that warrant sanction, according to University rules. Plagiarism means copying other people’s works and passing them off as your own ideas. You can avoid plagiarization by properly citing your sources (who writes them, what is written about and where/when the work appears) every time you quote words or paraphrase materials from the original. Plagiarized papers will earn for the owner a grade of none, or at the extreme case a failing mark. Another taboo is frequent absences. Two consecutive, unexcused absences put you at the risk of being dropped from the roll, a third one makes it a certainty. Getting out of class without permission is considered an absence.

 

Course Objectives:

 

Overall, the course is a set of program for you to learn many things about sociology. At the end of the semester, you should have achieved most if not all of the following:

 

  1. Full understanding of sociology as a field in the social sciences
  2. Competence in describing and analyzing societies, groups and cultures, as well as the social processes that spice up life and living together
  3. Mastery of at least three important sociological theories (structural-functional analysis, symbolic interactionism and conflict theory)
  4. Ability to critically examine social issues and apply sociological knowledge to deal with them
  5. Knowledge and appreciation of cultural diversity as a feature in civilized society
  6. Understand and tolerate differences due to race, sex, age, class, national origin, physical ability and other social traits that lead to prejudice and discrimination
  7. Become aware and understand others whose perspectives differ from yours
  8. Appreciate the meanings and implications of globalization and cyber-society amid the call for humanism and compassionate society
  9. Develop and apply computer skills, including knowledge of the internet and its ramifications (email, use of search engine, downloading data, and others)

 

Method:

 

The course uses a combination of lectures, readings, examinations and class reports. The basic requirements are these: (1) Two 1-2 hr class examinations at the middle and end of the semester; (2) One term paper; (3) Two reaction papers based on a topic discussed or else a chapter in the text; (4) One oral presentation in class using a reading or some other sources (must be approved by instructor); (5) Interest/active participation in class, and (6) at least 70% attendance (meaning, 3 excused absences) in class sessions.

 

Aside from being indicated in the syllabus, other activities and requirements are announced in class.  Those who miss them may visit my URL (http://www.oocities.org/fred_magdalena) for these announcements and other important postings. Occasionally, I will also post some materials here for you to download.  For example, this syllabus may be accessed and printed directly from the internet using this address: http://www.oocities.org/fred_magdalena/soc200.html.

 

The term paper is a written work based on an instructor-approved topic 8-15 pages in length. It may or may not be derived from the oral class report;  if it is, make sure to incorporate more ideas with proper documentation in the bibliography.  The term paper is different from the reaction paper, the latter being a 3-6 page critical analysis of a theory or sociological concept (not necessarily approved by instructor). Writing a paper follows a standard style, such as the APA (http://www.docstyles.com/apacrib.htm) or ASA (http://www.calstatela.edu/library/bi/rsalina/asa.styleguide.html) style manual  or some other standard styles.  For the oral class presentation, each student will be given the opportunity to select a topic or chapter from the reading and discuss it before the class for 15-20 minutes, the presenter providing every class member with a 1-2 page abstract.  Group papers are not allowed. Finally, you should be able to attend at least seven out of ten class sessions in order to make the grade. For absences to be excused, a written justification must be given before incurring one, or by sending me an email within 3 days after it is incurred. If, for any reason, you are unable to come during the mid-term and final examinations, please inform me well ahead of time.

 

Grading:

 

Grading is determined as follows: Two examinations (40%); one term paper to be submitted at the last meeting during the semester (25%);  two reaction papers (15%); one brief oral report in class (10%); class attendance, interest/active participation in class (10%). Grades are calculated from your weighted scores as follows:

 

91-100%=A (Excellent)

81-90%  =B

71-80%  =C

61-70%  =D (Passing)

00-60%  =F (Failed)

 

Important dates to Remember:

 

1st Reaction paper due – Feb 9 (in hard copy, email not accepted)

Mid-term exam – Feb 23 (if unable to come, pls. notify me beforehand)

2nd Reaction paper due – March 15 (in hard copy, email not accepted)

Term paper & Final exam – March 24 (paper in hard copy, email not accepted;  if you’re

            unable to come, please notify me beforehand)

Class Schedule:

 

The topics are sequenced based on the chapters of the text. Others, including the oral reports, are discussed alongside these thematic issues. Tentatively, discussion of topics follows this schedule:

 

Jan. 12 –Sociology perspective, theory, and method (Ch. 1)

 

Jan. 19 – Holiday (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), Class cancelled

 

Jan. 26 – Culture and Socialization (Ch. 2-3)

 

Feb. 2 – Deviance and Sexuality (Ch. 6-7)

 

Feb. 9 – Social stratification, Global stratification (Ch. 8)

            First Reaction Paper 

 

Feb. 16 – Holiday (President’s Day), Class cancelled

 

Feb. 23 – Gender Stratification (Ch. 9-10)

            Mid-Term Examination

 

March 1 – Race and Ethnicity (Ch. 11)

 

March 8 –  Economics and politics; Family and religion (Ch. 12-13)

 

March 15 – Education; Population, urbanization and environment (Ch. 14-15)

            Second Reaction Paper 

 

March 22 –  Social change: Modern & Postmodern societies (Ch. 16)

 

March 24 – Winding up and Final Examination,

Submission of Term/Major Paper

As this last meeting does not coincide with regular class schedule, it is tentative and subject to change.  Don’t miss the announcement for this last meeting (if you do, please visit my URL at least 3 days before this date).