INTRODUCTION TO SOCIOLOGY
Robert E. Wood, Professor of Sociology
Fall 2008 (50:920:207)
        Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Criminal Justice

Course Homepage URL: http://www.camden.rutgers.edu/~wood/207syl.htm

Sociology is the study of society.  It focuses on identifying, explaining, and interpreting patterns and processes of human social relations.  This introductory course is designed not just to teach you some of the major findings of sociology, but to help you master fundamental sociological skills, including both the ability to think with a "sociological imagination" and to understand the basics of computer-based data analysis--skills which have broad applicability in a range of educational and work settings.  It is my hope that this hands-on experience of "doing" sociology will both enliven your interest in sociological analysis and help you develop practical skills that you can use in other contexts as well.

The two books in this course are: 1) Joan Ferrante, Sociology: A Global Perspective, Seventh Edition (be sure to get this edition, which is extensively changed from the previous one);; and Steven E. Barkan, Discovering Sociology Using MicroCase Explorit, 3rd edition (this must be purchased new so as to get unused software). These books will be supplemented by various online resources.
Reading assignments will be made for each class, and students are expected to have read them and to be prepared to discuss them. The course will involve a steady stream of exercises, short papers, exams, and a virtual tour, so students should study the daily schedule page closely and plan accordingly. This diversity of grading materials helps most students achieve a higher grade than they would otherwise, but only if they keep up-to-date.

Course Requirements:

General Expectations

You are expected to attend class regularly, to keep up with the course readings, and to participate, to the extent possible in a large class, in class discussions. Readings should be completed before class.  You are responsible for all material covered in class, including assigned readings, powerpoint-assisted lectures, films, video clips, and exercises in data analysis. Cell phones should be turned off during class. Keep in mind that the Rutgers-Camden catalog states that for every hour in class, each student is expected to spend at least two hours outside of class doing course-related work.  

Exams

There will be three closed-book, multiple-choice exams in this course, two during the semester and a final.  Study Guides will be handed out before each exam.  These three exams will make up 55% of your grade (15% for the first, 20% for the other two).  Please note that if is your responsibility to contact me the day of the exam if you are forced to miss it; you may otherwise forfeit your right to take it. Practice On-Line Tutorial Quizzes and other study guides are available at the text website.  These Chapter Tests provide a useful way of reviewing the text material.  Use of these online quizzes is voluntary, but some of the questions will be incorporated into the in-class exams. Before each exam, a study guide will be available online to specify what you are responsible for knowing.

MicroCase
Exercises

Read these instructions carefully!

You will be asked to complete five computer-based assignments from the Discovering Sociology workbook, using the Microcase Explorit data analysis software that comes with it, which will also be available in the computer lab in the sociology building.  In addition, there will be a "Do-Your-Own-Exercise" which will ask you to formulate your own hypothesis and test it using the MicroCase software.  The five workbook exercises will count for 20% of your grade; the Do-Your-Own Exercise will count for an another 15%.
To get full credit, these assignments must be handed in at the class for which they are assigned, and must include a printout of the data for the final question, whether or not a printout is asked for in the exercise. Open-ended questions should be answered with full sentences. Late exercises will be accepted, but will be penalized twenty points.   You will be responsible for the material taught through the exercises for the exams. Please note: submission of each exercise constitutes a promise that you did the exercises and found the answers on your own. Click here to familiarize yourself with the department's plagiarism policy.
I will be available by appointment for those students who need assistance in getting going with MicroCase. In addition, several online tutorials are available at the department's Online Research Tutorials, Guidelines and Videos and the MicroCase Resources webpages.
Short Paper
There will be one short (two page) paper assignment based on Horace Miner's article about the Nacirema, worth 5% of your grade. It must be submitted via the WebCT Assignment page, where details of the assignment may also be found.

Sociology
Virtual Exploration

In order to learn about sociological resources on the web, you will be asked to complete a "Virtual Tour" assignment.  I have created a wide variety of virtual tours, which explore a variety of sociologically-relevant websites, many of them interactive ones where you call up specific information and analyze it, and then submit your answers electronically. You must complete one of the eighteen tours at the Wadsworth Virtual Tour site any time up to Monday, December 11th. The choice of which one is up to you. This tour will constitute 5% of your grade.  Please note: electronic submission of your virtual tour answers constitutes a promise that you accessed the sites and found the answers on your own. Be sure to have the virtual exploration responses sent both to yourself and to wood@camden.rutgers.edu. It is also wise to print out a copy of your answers, just in case the emailed results get lost in cyberspace.
A supplementary Sakai course website will be utilized for specific purposes in this course, most notably the submission of the short paper assignment, the posting of grades, and access to copyrighted course materials.

Office Hours, Email Communication, and Departmental Policies and Resources

Office and Office Hours

Room 211, 405-7 Cooper Street (enter from campus side via white porch): MW 11:15 am-12:00 noon, and 1:30-3:00 pm, and by appointment.  Office phone: 856-225-6013; Home phone: 856-429-1887.
Email Address
wood@camden.rutgers.edu (generally the best way to get in touch)
My Home Page

The Department's Web-Enhanced Curriculum

Our department's Web-Enhanced Curriculum homepage provides policies and guidelines about such issues as plagiarism and citation and online tutorials , recommended websites, and other subjects.  Please familiarize yourself with it.  It is your responsibility in particular to understand the department's and university's policy and sanctions regarding plagiarism.
MicroCase Grader and Tutoring
Former Rutgers sociology graduate Kristi Napoleon will grade the MicroCase exercises, although I look them over as well. Kristi and I will be available as well for MicroCase tutoring and assistance by appointment or during office hours.
Technology and
Enhanced Learning
This course is based on the dual convictions that technology can enhance learning and that learning to use technology effectively is a critical job skill for the 21st century.  The use of computer technology will be an important part of this course, both in the classroom, where internet usage, MicroCase analysis, and Powerpoint presentations will be common, and in your coursework outside of class.  Updated PowerPoint presentations will generally be posted by the night before class. Students are reminded that PowerPoints are intended to be supplements to classroom lecture and discussion, not full summaries of them.